I already beated SH2 on Easy, and I'm playing it again on Normal.

One thing I noticed is that the wooden plank actually bounces back when I beat monsters with it. I don't remember it doing that on Easy mode. In fact, this is what the plank was doing on Easy mode. It doesn't bounce off of Eddie, it goes right through him.

Are there any more weapon differences in various settings?

I might be mistaken, but I don't recall the whoopin' stick's attack being any different in the other action modes. That seems like a regular attack to me. I haven't played the game in a while, though.

The only difference I've noticed, concerning weapons, is the changeable amount of bullets collected.

Well there is clearly no difference between Normal and Easy then, because I collected over a 100 bullets on both settings by the time I encountered Pyramid Head in the apartments. Not even in Resident Evil 4 do they let you have that much fricking pistol bullets.

The only major difference is that the steel pipe has an additional attack in Hard mode.

Lolz, i didn't know that , does any other SH have this , additional attacks in other modes?

I only ever noticed the bullets change, too. =/ Maybe I didn't pay enough attention to any of the melee weapons, except the great knife.

I haven't found any information on this extra attack, and I'd love to learn something new about one of my favorite games. Please shed some light on this!

on normal/ hard mode I think the melee weapons bounce back off a solid object (i.e. a wall)...

Like James running into a wall- he bounces back in hard mode.

My first time posting. I am on Normal mode in Silent Hill 2 PS2. I wanted a higher kill on melee. When I got to the hotel after the long boat ride. I used a chainsaw on the doorman. When you go down the hallway there are two. If you use a chainsaw the second one will try to run from you.
Also if you use a chainsaw on Eddie he only gets to shots off.

I noticed on hard mode that hitting a wall by accident with a melee weapon makes it bounce back. I don't really remember if it bounces off of enemies as well.

Playing the game again in Normal mode and the weapons bounce off the enemies (rather amusing using the overhead smack of the wooden plank and it bouncing up and down). In beginner and easy mode I believe, the weapons go through the enemies.