Pyramid Head - Reception

Reception

Critical reaction to Pyramid Head has been favorable because of his distinctive appearance and role as an element of James' psyche. Critics cite him as an iconic villain of the Silent Hill series, a favorite among fans, and part of the appeal of Silent Hill 2. GameSpot compared Pyramid Head's appearance to Leatherface, the main antagonist of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre series of slasher films, and found him the most terrifying monster in Silent Hill 2. Computerworld named Pyramid Head as one of the most terrifying villains in computer and video games. GamesRadar felt that the scene in which he rapes the two other monsters was unsettling, since the subject of rape is not often tackled in video games, and disliked the final battle with him because of how anti-climactic it was, in comparison with his role throughout the rest of the game.

GameDaily ranked Pyramid Head first on their 2008 list of the scariest video game monsters. GamesRadar listed him as one of the 25 best new characters of the decade and ranked him second on its 2009 list of the scariest video game villains, calling him the "most horrifying character ever to have a cult following". In a 2009 retrospective on the survival horror genre, IGN noted that Silent Hill 2 incorporated "a 'stalker' element similar to Clock Tower and Resident Evil 3," and wrote: "To this day, Pyramid Head is remembered as one of gaming's most frightening villains." PlayStation Universe ranked him as the first on their 2009 list of the scariest monster "to infest a Sony platform", also noting his "prolific reputation as one of video game’s most fearsome monsters." In 2010, Pyramid Head as named as the scariest character in video game history by Joystick Division, who added that "being chased by him in Silent Hill 2 ranks with all of the scariest moments in video gaming history." UGO.com ranked him as number one on their 2011 list of the scariest characters in video games, commenting he is "too mainstream to be all that scary, except he's still really super scary." In 2012, PlayStation Official Magazine on the list of the biggest freaks on PlayStation and the PlayStation’s scariest characters, commenting: "Ol’ Metal Top is easily the best thing about Silent Hill – and maybe even survival horror in general – completely encapsulating that intoxicating dread of knowing that it’s not if you’ll fight him, but when." That same year, FHM included him on their list of ten scariest game characters ever.

His appearances outside Silent Hill 2 have received mixed critical reaction. Critics generally agreed that Pyramid Head's appearance in Homecoming struck them as fan service, though Chris Hudak of Game Revolution called it "damned effectively-employed." Film critics commented on his role in the film adaption, with several finding him disturbing. DVD Reviews praised Campanella's portrayal of Pyramid Head and another monster, writing: "These are without a doubt some of the most striking bogeymen that I have seen on screen in a long time." His appearance in New International Track & Field received mixed critical reaction. GameDaily disliked it, finding it awkward that a character like Pyramid Head was competing in sporting events with characters like Frogger and Sparkster, while The Escapist called it enjoyable and "hilarious".