LogFAQs > #911471820

34. Toluca Prison (Silent Hill 2 area) (22 points)
Nominated by: Axl_Rose_85 (1/5 remaining)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXZjx3Qc5o0" data-time="

Importance: 3
Fear: 9
Snake: 10

In terms of pure horror, Toluca Prison is an absolutely masterpiece of level design, with every square inch of the place from the Historical Society to the docks outside designed to misdirect, frighten, subvert, and advance the themes of the game. From the onset, a painting of Pyramid Head sets the stage for an ominous trek through the darkest corners of the town. A long staircase leads the way down into the main prison area, as an unknown noise haunts the player's near minute long journey slowly getting more intense. This is very comparable to MGS3's infamous ladder, but whereas that served as an interlude and break in the action, SH2's staircase is used to prepare the player for the psychological horror they're about to undertake. The prison area itself is a gloomy, slimy, sprawling labyrinth, its prison cells representing the cages each of the main characters are trapped in. I love how the location always actively works against you. There's one room that shuts off your flashlight battery and gives you no way out, as you become enveloped by bugs with no clue how to escape or even get your light working again. Later still, a prison cell door can trap you within its damp walls; the location keeps trying desperately to keep James locked in for his sins while also playing on the paranoia and claustrophobia of the player. In the labyrinth area of the prison, which amongst things other contains normal gameplay run-ins with Pyramid Head for the first time, further examination of punishing and sentencing James is seen in the scene with Maria, which is shot in such a way to make it look like James is the one behind the bars. Constantly reappearing puzzles centered around gallows also drives home the fact that the town wants James dead.

James constantly dives and jumps into holes almost as if the prison's levels become further and further representative of hell. It's no coincidence the last level, Eddie's freezer full of dead bodies, parallels with the large frozen lake of the ninth circle of hell seen in Dante's inferno, and as one of the smallest rooms in the area, represents Eddie's entrapment by his guilt. We also get a little glimpse into the Otherworld of Angela, with its flesh-like walls and twisted interpretation of a suburban house, along with Angela's tormentor, the Abstract Daddy.

There are so many more gags and scares that you'll just have to play to experience, and trust me, they are so worth it! The craft of Toluca Prison is better than any other horror game before or since, as each new room frightens in a fresh and creative way every time. I've honestly barely even scratched the surface here, because there's just so many mintue details that make the area as effective as it is. If you're interested, I highly recommend this video discussing the area fully in-depth!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGypYyDkC8o" data-time="
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If the suspense doesn't kill you, something else will!
http://tinyurl.com/zqwzc9a - https://imgur.com/a/OcdhKKR