Silent Hill 2is considered one of the best horror games of all time, if not the best. It has been the gold standard in the genre since its release in 2001, its influence seen in countless games. When it was announced that it was being remade, the reaction has been equal parts enthusiasm and apprehension. It’s a game many would love to be able to play on modern platforms, and if we’re being honest, the years have not been kind to the graphics and certain mechanics. In spite of that, the original still holds up well and fans may argue it doesn’t need to be remade. Nevertheless, Team Bloober has stepped up to the challenge of remaking one of the best games ever made.
Member Silent Hill 2?
A look back on Silent Hill 2, one of the greatest horror games of this century.
In My Restless Dreams I See That Town
Silent Hill 2takes place in the titular town. James Sunderland had ventured here after receiving a letter from Mary, his late wife who passed away three years prior. The living impaired don’t typically send letters, but it seems James was moved enough by her effort that he made the trip to Silent Hill. Whatever Silent Hill was like when they were there, it couldn’t have possibly been like this.
The main road to town being closed is the first red flag James ignores as he continues the journey into town on foot. He enters a cemetery where he meets Angela, a young woman and the only other human he’ll see for quite some time. She warns him of the danger as a dense fog rests around them, but James is determined to find the person he’s looking for. They say love can make people courageous and stupid, and James’ journey into town can be indicative of both. Or perhaps another thing love is said to make someone: crazy.
Continuing his journey past the cemetery, James soon encounters a locked door preventing him from accessing Silent Hill. This is the first puzzle inSilent Hill 2and the term “puzzle” is used loosely here as it’s incredibly simple compared to the challenges James has in front of him. But this puzzle also has a more important function. It serves as a warning to fans of the originalSilent Hill 2, as this was not something in the original game. It’s a statement that proclaims this isn’t the same town seen in your restless dreams.
You See It Too? For Me, It’s Always Like This
From the rest stop at the top of the hill to the path through the cemetery to the flower shop, things look like a meticulously-recreated journey back to Silent Hill. The fog is still everywhere, obscuring a clear view of how desolate Silent Hill has become and generally adding to the unease. Things look mostly the same as the original map, but after some exploration, it becomes apparent this isn’t an exact one-to-one reconstruction. The main progression points and story beats remain as remembered, but getting to these points requires different paths than before. In order to get the radio and board with nails in it, James needs to explore a different area than what fans of the original are expecting. This also showcases that the town has expanded. Buildings that were inaccessible before are now free for the player to explore, and new buildings have been added that also require exploration in order to progress.
Silent Hill is now a different town than it was in 2001 and the puzzles have changed with the layout. Newcomers to Silent Hill won’t notice, but returning visitors will find they have to solve puzzles that weren’t in the original game. In addition to this, many of the familiar puzzles are found in slightly-different areas and have been altered from their original version. Trying to playSilent Hill 2from memory will leave the player as confused and lost as James as he reacts to the new version of Silent Hill where he finds himself. Guides and walkthroughs that may have been useful in helping with the original game are worthless in the remake.
To our knowledge, James is not an ex-Navy SEAL or anything else with extensive combat training. The combat inSilent Hill 2has been updated where it feels less clunky than the original, but even with the changes, James still feels like he’s winging it, which is appropriate given the circumstances. An added dodge button allows James to quickly get out of range of flailing limbs or dodge whatever substance it is the creatures vomit. Gunplay has been improved as well, and even though James’s hand isn’t steady enough for the reticle not to sway, his aiming ability makes it easy to hit his mark. Combat feels refined enough that the gameplay feels like James can competently handle himself in a fight, but still has the sense he’s simply winging it based off of fear and adrenaline. Even with the combat refinement, there are some aspects that feel cheap. Certain enemies don’t trigger the radio and they can attack James without warning before they can even be seen on screen.
The perspective ofSilent Hill 2has changed to a fixed over the shoulder perspective, similar to what was used inThe Last of Usand the NorseGod of Wargames.The new camera angle pulls the player in closer to the action, making encounters with the horrors of Silent Hill more immersive as they are now more up close and personal. While the perspective is fixed over James’s shoulder, a welcome quality-of-life improvement to the camera system is that the player can now freely rotate the camera to get a better view of their surroundings. This makes checking out James’s surroundings for threats and puzzle clues much easier.
This Town Is Full Of Monsters. How Can You Sit There And Eat Pizza?!
One of the aspects of the originalSilent Hill 2is how well it creates a sense of dread. James is fragile and only has rudimentary combat skills. The radio going off to alert him of nearby monsters adds to the tension and unease, while the environments and sounds are the final layer to completing an environment that’s truly unnerving. This element is one of the factors that made the original earn its place among the best survival horror games, and this aspect is recreated perfectly in the remake. James may have gotten better fighting skills, but it was necessary to fight these monsters. They now often lie in wait, hidden from sight or appearing dead before springing to life. The monsters are now more aggressive, sometimes appearing out of nowhere in groups or getting the drop on James with a surprise attack. Some even spew up their acidic bile even when lying prone on the ground before dying. Combat has become more intense, but thankfully, it wasn’t done at the expense of sacrificing the atmosphere and ever-present sense of dread about what could be lurking around every corner.
The best analogy is that the remake is akin to the second quest in the originalLegend of Zelda. The goal and story remain the same, but the layout and steps to achieve it are completely different.
Remaking an iconic game such asSilent Hill 2will inevitably give the fan a set of expectations before any concrete details emerge. These expectations can lead to division among the fan base as well. Just look atFinal Fantasy VII.Some fans wanted a simple one-to-one remake, where nothing is changed except for the graphics and maybe some quality-of-life improvements to make the mechanics feel more modern. Others might have wanted a drastic remake that greatly expands and alters the experience. Team Bloober tried to find middle ground between these two extremes.
They did change a lot to the point where, in some ways, this feels like a completely different game. Puzzles and item locations are different and it takes longer to complete due to the added areas and additional tasks. They did keep the main story beats the same. I would have to do a side-by-side comparison to verify if the dialogue has been kept verbatim, but most of the important scenes where other characters are met seem the same as in the original. The best analogy is that the remake is akin to the second quest in the originalLegend of Zelda. The goal and story remain the same, but the layout and steps to achieve it are completely different.
Those who haven’t played the originalSilent Hill 2will obviously have a fresh perspective on the remake, and without the encumbrance of expectations and comparison, will simply be able to appreciate it for the great game that it is. Being a fan of the original, there was admittedly a lot of skepticism surrounding the remake, and while I wouldn’t say it surpasses the original, Team Bloober did a great job in crafting it. Some fans of the original may be unhappy with all the changes, which is a valid perspective, but most should be able to enjoy this as a reimagining ofSilent Hill 2and take advantage of the chance to be challenged with the new puzzles and changed combat. There are many alterations that were touched on above, but the atmosphere and main story remain the same. There are also new endings to unlock, though some will always consider the Dog ending canon.
Sony Hints at 2024 Release for Metal Gear Solid 3, Silent Hill 2 Remakes
A new PlayStation montage seems to suggest that the remakes of Silent Hill 2 and Metal Gear Solid 3 are both coming later this year
The redesigned Silent Hill looks incredible. The town looks as desolate as ever with improved fog effects and wind patterns adding to the overall sense of dread. Sound design has always been an important part of Silent Hill games, which is an area where the remake excels. Some of the original music has been remastered and sounds great. More importantly, the sound effects of the horrors around James sound just as eerie. When the radio goes off or the sounds of the monsters are made and can’t be seen, a mild sense of panic starts to take over the player. Which is exactly how it should be.
Closing Comments:
The remake ofSilent Hill 2doesn’t surpass the original, but it’s still an admirable attempt. It succeeds at recreating the same tension-filled atmosphere with a sense of dread that only grows as James progresses in his quest to find Mary. The updates to the camera are a welcome change, and while combat has been improved, there are some aspects that are annoying, such as enemies that don’t cause the radio to emit noise and can attack without detection. The additional buildings and puzzles are likely to get mixed reactions from fans. On one hand, it makes the remake feel like a new game, but conversely, the original was perfectly fine as it was and drastically changing things feels unnecessary. The core essence of what madeSilent Hill 2great remains mostly intact, which was likely the biggest concern for most fans. It’s best to view the remake as a complementary title to the original, as it offers an alternative take on the original without having to replace it. The remake will not have the same impact as the original, but it’s still a worthwhile game for newcomers and old fans alike.
Silent Hill 2
Version Reviewed: PlayStation 5
Return to Silent Hill to unravel the mystery of a letter from beyond the grave in this remake of celebrated survival horror classic.
