10 Hidden Meanings Behind Iconic Video Game Characters

This entry will contain spoilers for Silent Hill 2.

The Silent Hill franchise is certainly no stranger to generating iconic characters with hidden meanings, as most of the game's enemies act as a manifestation of the protagonists' inner demons.

There are plenty of excellent examples of this within the franchise's second instalment - one being the nurses, who tie into the theme of sickness and sexuality. Still, it's Pyramid Head who comes out of the title as the most memorable use of symbolism.

This gargantuan figure - with a long horrifying sword and terrifying masked face - was a significant antagonist in Silent Hill 2, and he would go on to become synonymous with the franchise itself, in both game and film form. The character exists as a physical representation of James' wish to be punished, thanks to his part in the death of his wife Mary. This influences not just the characters' motives but also his physical design.

Masahiro Ito - the enemy designer for Silent Hill 2 - stated that he wanted "a monster with a hidden face". The frightening triangular shape of his metallic mask is therefore designed to reflect the image of an executioner. This reveals how Pyramid Head has come to act as judge, jury and executioner for James, and scare players in the process, just as Ito intended.