• As hour ten locks in (I played it for hours again today, all the way through my Partner's paperwork and calls) and once again I kept my trusty notebook nearby. So here goes today's adventure in Silent Hill.

(This was # 2)

My next discovery was just how much I didn't like Moth room (door M) it felt horrible, sounded horrible and the deaths-head moth on the wall didn't make me feel any calmer. Luckily it was brief and as we crossed into the next room Jame's eyes lit up, another hole for him to shove his arm into. This time it was oozing green slime, which he really liked. Then came loud stomps and slow grinds, I knew Pyramid man was walking the halls and I knew I had to go and meet him. I did and found the fight very easy, he was slow and after about fifteen rounds to his kneecaps the siren sounded and off he went (thankfully) I was then outside again and so happy to be out of that building.

I took another break, had a spot of tea and pushed on, the street felt calm, James chatted to the little girl who previously kicked the keys away, she then expertly labelled him as a 'dumb dumb' and took off. Next was a tunnel, a boardwalk, and the discovery of Maria. Seconds later my detective hat tingled as I noticed something subtle, her bracelet. It was a small shiny crescent moon, used in Witchcraft as a symbol for Magikal intention, her whole energy to me seemed Witchy and I think we just naturally recognize our own. The difference was that hers also had a cross which symbolizes duality/not the Divine Feminine but that more darker, repressed side that comes out through sexual energy. And to me she oozed both, the energy of Lilith. In Jewish mythology and in the Occult Lilith is seen as seductress, a tempter of men's repressed desire, she's what Jame's wants her to be (the image/the face/her nature) this was further confirmed for me after our evening on the town.

This next part needs to be summed up quickly (montage time) James and Maria headed off to explore the sights and sounds of yet another street, no stone was left un-turned, and no window was left unbroken (I smashed so many that she started telling me that I had a problem with vandalism) different buildings were explored including a bowling alley, and then it was off to the motel which other than Maria teasing James with some clothes (temptress again) it was rather uneventful. My notes then talk about how much I hate the wind because once again the wind did pick up only this time James gained an iron bar (as he said goodbye to the trusty board) I swung on everything I could find in that blustery nightmare, everything was wailed on, next was the gentleman's club when Maria confirmed my suspicions with the line 'would you like it to be?' after James asked her if that was Maria on one of the posters. She was confirming to me that she was serving as his repressed sexual desires, or could even be the feminine of his shattered personality (I'm looking at all of the options)

Another note I made was about the statue and the woman who was persecuted, that to me spelled Witch, as did the locked/gated away 'Historical Society'. If I were a generational Witch (technically I am) that's where I'd run my Coven from so I do want to get into that house. Some other notes were that the projection room in the theater is very accurate right down to the platters and the different tools for the reels, but the room stacked with reels isn't. Theaters rent reels, it was a fun distraction either way. I also called Eddie and his pink tub of slop 'sloth', my suspicions about him grew and I wanted to season him with the pipe but James and Maria decided it would be a better idea to run after the little girl. And of course she ran off into the hospital, the same one I read about. And that's when I stopped and we went to dinner.

• It was rougher than yesterday to say the least, I stopped a couple of times and then with some offline encouragement picked up my controller and proceeded on ahead. I've no idea how far into the story I am, the town isn't very big but because it has two sides there could be a lot more to see.

@GirlVersusGame
Flop.indeed.
Amazing the details you noticed that all but passed me by. And I know you've stated that you couldnt play the game alone but I think it's safe to say that you have a fair few of us along with you! And now you've 'crossed the abyss to the flopping horrible place ' allow me to be the first to welcome you to Silent Hill proper.
Guess my only advice would be keep on exploring every nook and cranny and always shoot them in the knees. You're doing great by the way!

@sorteddan Amazing the details you noticed that all but passed me by. And I know you've stated that punishment play the game alone but I think it's safe to say that you have a fair few of us along with you! And now you've 'crossed the abyss to the flopping horrible place ' allow me to be the first to welcome you to Silent Hill proper.

• It's really hard not to apply metaphysics and parapsychology to the game, the Occult and Witchcraft too when I do see very clear signs of it all. I'd put a lot of it down to a passion in those subjects and when you know what to look for it sort of glistens and calls out 'here I am'. I'll eventually research if the Developers did use those somethings as inspiration. It's highly possible that they did and I'm looking forward to seeing if any of my theories end up being accurate. Especially that Historical Society, I can't help but see it as a central hub, like I said for a Coven. That would also explain how Maria would play into my theory about Lilith and the inversion of the worship of the Divine Feminine. That charm bracelet was too blatant, it can't not be that, not with her character and how she carries herself. I better sleep though, I wrote for hours.

Guess my only advice would be keep on exploring every nook and cranny and always shoot them in the knees. You're doing great by the way!

• I've been breaking every window/car too and finding a lot of supplies that way too. It's tempting to focus on the pistol, thankfully melee and dodge work really well, I was able to dodge around five of them earlier, I listened to them and knew when to dodge. They make a sort of hiss before they lunge.

How long ago did you play the game? did you play the rest of the series? is it the scariest game you ever played?

@GirlVersusGame
I think it was around a year ago so your diaries are bringing up the memories of my own journey through those sections. SH2remake was definitely among the best horror games I've played but not sure if it's the one that scared me most... Though there was one major section/area that had me on edge throughout. Spoiler - You haven't got there yet. And yeah when I found some ammo by smashing a car window I made an effort to break every single one I came across as well.

I think the game that scared me most was one of the Project Zeto/Fatal Frame games (not sure which one) that I played many years back. I think it was the characters lack of the ability to fight back that did it. The only defence is to take photos of the scary stuff and even when I'd think a room was safe and empty the bloody ghosts would come though walls and jump scare me... Good times. In recent years I'd probably give the honour to RE7, something about the first person perspective and the maze like nature of the house had me running around in a panic state in some of the early parts You know a horror game is good when you just want to stay in the save room and chill for a while rather than moving on and playing more of the game

@sorteddan I think it was around a year ago so your diaries are bringing up the memories of my own journey through those sections.

• That made me smile brighter than Jame's does when he gets to stick his arm into something horrible. Some 'Developer' insulted my taste in music in that Grand Theft Auto article and I'm not proud saying it but I responded with both barrels. It's not flaming, it's an objective and constructive response, if someone insults my love of music they insult my soul and there's only one adequate response to that scenario, so yes you absolutely made me smile and it was needed. I don't like assumption, I don't know you offline which means I don't know your life. Mine is closely related to the entertainment industry and he picked the wrong person for that comment, which again is why I prefer the forums. I did ponder how I'd even write about my experiences with the game. I thought I'd use my 'dear diary' method, but my journals are in Russian. It meant having to approach language from another angle and like I told Tjuz on Discord that was a struggle. Being factual is easier, I speak eight languages and all of them share a bluntness, I couldn't with that game. My intention was and is to spark that 'oh I remember that scene too', and I'm really happy to hear that it's working. It also helps to dilute the Horror for me, by reigniting that dread in you too, the experience then becomes shared and I'm not in it alone in that Horror. Rather you the reader are going through it again, for better or for worse,

SH2remake was definitely among the best horror games I've played but not sure if it's the one that scared me most... Though there was one major section/area that had me on edge throughout. Spoiler - You haven't got there yet. And yeah when I found some ammo by smashing a car window I made an effort to break every single one I came across as well.

• I was thinking 'I hope I've been there and done that', then continued to read and 'nope, brilliant'. I do plan on taking it as it comes and I have almost two-hundred pistol rounds ready if needed. I've smashed every window and car I've found, it's not only soothing, there's so much ammo/drinks/etc in those cars/stores. It's a good way of giving destructible environments extra purpose.

I think the game that scared me most was one of the Project Zeto/Fatal Frame games (not sure which one) that I played many years back. I think it was the characters lack of the ability to fight back that did it. The only defence is to take photos of the scary stuff and even when I'd think a room was safe and empty the bloody ghosts would come though walls and jump scare me... Good times.

• I think I have some of those on PS2, I know the premise and it would have purely been for collecting. Off the top of my head (not in England at the moment) some of the Horror I have on PS2 would be The Suffering games, Cold Fear (Resident Evil at sea) The Thing, The Manhunter games, many more (if those count) then for PS3 I have all of the Fear games, Dead Spaces, SAWs, Splatterhouse, Dead Island, Dead Rising, many more. I'm not sure about PS4, lots because I buy in actual lots. I have a bunch of Resident Evils too. I think I will eventually try The Village, maybe.

In recent years I'd probably give the honour to RE7, something about the first person perspective and the maze like nature of the house had me running around in a panic state in some of the early parts You know a horror game is good when you just want to stay in the save room and chill for a while rather than moving on and playing more of the game

• I think I have that one too, I like the maze like nature of The Oldest House in Control so maybe I'd like that house too. Reversed comfort has been my biggest boon with Silent Hill 2 (so far) I'm sure ammo conservation will eventually pay-off too. I never really thought about it before but the very nature of Resident Evil usually means a residence? the first game had the mansion, the second a police station, then after that I don't know. I did read the novels by S.D. Perry though, some of those are based on the game. I think I prefer faceless limb things to zombies, the latter has eyes/personality, limb things seem mindless and less threatening and I've seen every zombie movie you can think of and I know how it ends with zombies.