@ Yoshata: I found the memos before going into the apartment buildings early in the game.
@ helldescent: I don't think the memos tie into the plot, just there to tell ya what to do lol.

Thanks MariaRising.

With the bodies lying about throughout the game - I tend to think that they are all James - kind of like in room 208 (if i remember correctly) there is a body in front of the television which is obviously james or foreshadowing what could happen to him. the bodies found throughout silent hill could be allusions to future events such as James telling himself to continue onwards or this could happen . . . or something along those lines - but then again. thats just how I view them.

I found the memos at the very beginning, and I have ever thought they was written by another Silent Hill dweller of the past, just like James or Harry. The memos reminded me to when Harry saves the game for the first time, he says that he is going to write about the things is experiencing in Silent Hill in order to help others in the future, in case someone more get's trapped in the town like him.

I don´t think the monsters are human either, and the bodys that resembles James, I think they are warnings.

I found the memos early on too, but I dunno if I had an opinion on whether they tied into the plot or were just a cool addition to the game. I also didn't look closely at what the corpse was wearing or its face sadly...

I just finished Silent Hill 2 for the first time about 4-5 months ago. Went and bought it immediately after finishing 3 for the first time. I'm thinking of going back through 2 first on hard mode. I do have the chainsaw but I'm hoping it doesn't make it too easy. =)

^
It doesn't make it too easy, it actually makes it harder

It's good to kill Mannequins with the chainsaw on Hard mode because it's the only difficulty where you might actually have to converse a little ammo, but otherwise it's not worth it.

The chainsaw is too slow to use. The pipe, when you get it, is the best due to its longevity