I watched the AlphaBetaGamer playthrough of "96" this morning. I usually scrob through playthrough vids, especially when they're long...but I found myself absorbed in Niles' story for the full one-and-a-half hours. While I could tell the dialogue was done by non-Native English speakers, the STORYTELLING was ABSOLUTELY COMPELLING and the feelings did not get lost in translation.
For me, think the nuanced opinion/portrayal of Niles really lands; he's sympathetic but, like Elise, I wouldn't necessarily call him my friend.
Not to mention the soundtrack was spot-on and the aesthetic was A++.
SILENT HILL 2 is famous for being a horror game, but a deeper look reminds us that it's always been a tragic love story, and "96" follows this tradition. Well done, y'all.