Bloober Team’s Silent Hill 2 remake is a faithful recreation of the beloved 2001 original that only builds upon the foundations that game set. At almost every turn of the remakes development it seemed like the cards were stacked against Bloober Team, after all, they were given the insurmountable task of following up the greatest Survival Horror game.
As a huge fan of the original, I was hesitant about the remake, but after finishing it yesterday I can safely say it well and truly exceeded my expectations. Bloober were able to build out the story of Silent Hill 2 whilst remaining completely faithful to its serious subject matter and eerie presentation of the original game.
Major game-play changes have been made to modernise the experience of Silent Hill 2. The two most obvious being the switch from fixed camera angles, to an over the shoulder perspective and a dodge button for evading enemies attacks. Both additions are welcome and amplify the fear and tension the game captures perfectly.
The story follows James Sunderland, a man who has come to the titular town in search of his wife Mary after receiving a letter from her, however she’s been dead for three years. During James’ journey through Silent Hill he runs into a couple of other lost souls; Angela, a lost young woman looking for her Mother, Eddy, a twisted man running from a mysterious crime, Laura, a child that seems to know James’ late wife and the mysterious Maria, a woman that looks just like Mary.
Silent Hill 2’s cast is small but each character is incredibly important to James’ journey, aiding him in discovering a horrifying truth he has been avoiding the whole time. Though the story is twenty three years old, I’ll avoid spoiling any major reveal as I believe experiencing Silent Hill 2’s story yourself is truly magical.
Misery and mysteries
Image credit: Konami
An important decision made by Bloober which I appreciated when booting the game up for the first time, was a content warning screen. The screen neatly lays out all the content warnings that some may need to know before jumping into the experience.
My time with the Silent Hill 2 remake was miserable, in the best way possible. Playing on the hardest difficulty for both combat and puzzles made the journey a perilous one. It meant searching for the items such as ammo and syringes was incredibly important as any fight could be my last. I loved this feeling as I felt completely immersed every second I played it. Obviously this isn’t something everyone would enjoy, luckily Bloober have got everyone else covered.
Combat and Puzzle difficulty can be adjusted to make both easier or harder depending on your desired preference, and there’s a whole host of settings that can aid those with visual impairments and motor difficulties. The game may not be for everyone, but it is accessible to everyone.
Puzzles are a huge point of contention for many new players, however puzzles have always been part of Silent Hill’s identity. They often require out of the box thinking and through exploration of areas to complete. Solutions can range from solving a confusing poem or finding a number combination in scattered notes. I have always enjoyed the difficulty of the puzzles, but the Silent Hill 2 remake does a good job simplifying many of the down right unfair puzzles of the original game.
That’s not to say some of the puzzles aren’t difficult because some of the new additions Bloober Team added in are very challenging. I found myself stuck for almost an hour on a puzzle involving X-Ray pictures, it almost drove me mad as I refused to use a guide my first time round.
Most of the interiors of the game have been completely remodeled and remixed, providing a challenge for new fans and veterans alike. They each play out like large puzzle boxes, requiring the player to unlock short cuts and complete smaller puzzles to complete the main puzzle often found at the center of the buildings. One of the rooms is an actual puzzle box that requires you to shift around to find the desired exits. It’s a great change that makes each new place James visits equally as stressful and terrifying as the last.
It’s not just the fog…
Image credit: Konami
Combat has been given a major overhaul in the remake, with the biggest change being the inclusion of a dedicated doge button. The dodge becomes a pivotal skill to learn as the enemies are often unpredictable and just a couple hits from them can lead to death. I was unsure of it to begin with but it doesn’t make combat any easier, if anything, it adds an extra layer of challenge to get used to.
Most of the time when faced with a group of enemies, or even a single foe at the end of a hallway, you’re first instinct may be to attack them to get them out of the way. However, running away or avoiding them entirely is also an option, and most of the time, it’s the best option. Resources such as ammo and health items are very limited so you’ll have to pick and choose your battles so you don’t end up wasting anything.
You’re going to want to save your ammo and health items for the boss fights. The boss fights in the original Silent Hill 2 were very lackluster, it was the weakest part of that game and every encounter felt like a chore. In the remake, the boss fights got a sizable upgrade making them far more intense and a lot more entertaining to go through. The first boss fight with Pyramid Head is incredible, you’ll just have to see it for yourself to believe how good it truly is.
The last two boss fights are very difficult to get through, especially when you don’t have any ammo. Without spoiling the details of who James has to fight, the final boss fight gets three full phases that changes to tone and flow of the fight making it more cinematic and completely jaw dropping.
As for the ending of the game, Bloober Team have offered the same six endings of the original game, and two new endings that provide even more questions about James’ ultimate fate. The joke ‘UFO’ and ‘Dog’ endings remain and are just as funny as they were in the original.
Music and sound-design is a large part of Silent Hill 2’s identity, and for the remake Bloober brought acclaimed composer Akira Yamaoka back to remix some old tracks and oversee the general sounds of the foggy town. Every song from the original game is given a new coat of paint and is changed in some way. However, it’s not like you’ll hear something all the time, often when playing there’ll be no sound except the faint foot fall of James’ boots. This silence is only as good as it is because of Akira’s masterful use of sound and his incredible score.
Waiting for you
Image credit: Konami
The Silent Hill 2 remake is a masterclass on how to remake a classic. It’s both very faithful to the original, and incredibly new in areas that’ll challenge die hard fans perception of what the story of the game truly means.
It’s a very dark game that does justice to the issues it brings up, at times it’s not easy to get through but the story is mind blowing and well worth your time if you’re a fan of survival horror, or just a fan of horror in general.
I’ve been a fan of Silent Hill 2 for a long time and it’s a game that’s very important to me. This remake blew me away and has quickly become one of my favourite games of all time. If you’ve got the stomach for the horror and can handle the dark subject matter, you should pick up Silent Hill 2 remake.
Featured image credit: Konami