Despite Silent Hill 2's status as a survival horror classic, the nearly 17-year-old game has still managed to hold onto some secrets after all this time. Two hidden features have now been discovered in the game and one gamer has publicly detailed how to access them.

Silent Hill 2's previously-hidden features include a mini-map as well as the ability to save one's game anywhere, anytime. Data miners had previously discovered the mini-map functionality in the game's data, but a way to unlock it legitimately hadn't been discovered until it was posted by Punk_7890 on Twitter. According to Punk_7890, the mini-map function can be unlocked by entering Start + L2 + Square + L3 anytime after completing the game's secret Dog Ending. Saving anywhere requires a more complex combo of button presses. Players must enter Left on the D-Pad + Left Analog Stick Left + Right Analog Stick Left + L2 + L1 + L3 in order to create a save.

silent hill 2 minimap unlocked

These two functionalities have presumably stayed hidden for this long partially because they're only in the original PS2 release, not the subsequent ports to other systems, including the disastrous Silent Hill HD Collection. It's also no easy task to unlock the mandatory Dog Ending, as Silent Hill 2 requires players to unlock several other endings first. Most players who had already committed to beating the game that many times would likely know the world pretty well at that point, but between having access to the mini-map and being able to save anytime, unlocking the game's remaining endings would be a cinch.

Seventeen years is a long time for these secrets to go undiscovered, but it's not the first time it's happened, nor the longest record. Gamers have discovered hidden secrets in games years later many times, including the recent discovery of fellow survival horror title Resident Evil 4's hidden figure easter egg. While these features aren't exactly revolutionary, they ought to be handy for anyone who has previously finished the Dog Ending and wants to revisit the foggy town of Silent Hill.

Silent Hill 2 is available for PC, PS2, PS3, Xbox, & Xbox 360.

Source: Twitter