After over a decade since a major title in the series has been released, the Silent Hill 2 remake from Bloober Team is set to bring the PS2 era classic into a new generation. Iterating on a game that has been regarded as impossible to properly remake due to the unique atmosphere it was able to achieve at the time of its release. However, the Silent Hill 2 remake has only one realistic route when it comes to meaningfully improving upon the original in the eyes of many fans.
As is the case for most survival horror titles, it's safe to say that the main appeal of Silent Hill 2 is the feeling conveyed by its style and presentation over the tightness of its gameplay and mechanics. There is serviceable, clunky combat in the original title, but it was never the primary focus of the experience to begin with. Bloober updating James' face in SH2 remake in response to the negative feedback garnered from changing his design is a show of good faith in terms of the game's horror atmosphere, but the studio needs to follow through on its own unique vision for actual gameplay beyond just visuals.
Kojima’s OD Will Be Hit or Miss for Silent Hill’s Renaissance
The tethers between Silent Hill and Kojima's OD are uncertain but one could affect the other depending on what impact their brand of horror has.
Bloober Team is Navigating Necessary Changes to Silent Hill 2 Remake
Changing SH2's Original Story Would Essentially Invite Backlash
The game's community has made it clear that most fans are uninterested in seeing any changes being made to the narrative of James' journey as Silent Hill 2's protagonist, since this has always been the strongest element of the title as a whole. If Bloober decides to make alterations to the plot beyond messing with the sequence of some events, it could compromise the good faith that some fans are clinging to after disappointments like Ascension.
Dated Combat in the Original and the Criticism of the Remake's Showcase
The unnerving environments and sound design of SH2 hold up remarkably well after over 20 years since release, but fighting monsters can end up as a mess of stiff animations and repeated sound clips. The Silent Hill 2 remake's combat-focused gameplay reveal appeared to directly address this matter through showing off more fighting than the original game was ever known for, leading to fans feeling that it went too far in this direction.
Silent Hill 2 Remake's Success Isn't Riding on Story
Bloober Team Can Genuinely Improve SH2 Through Gameplay
Bloober has since claimed that SH2 remake's combat-heavy gameplay trailer isn't completely representative, and implied that it will actually be taking a more nuanced approach to combat. While Silent Hill 2 was never an action title, tense moments like the Pyramid Head boss fights and escorting Maria could benefit from a tasteful update to mechanics like blocking and AI. The new over-the-shoulder camera angle that has replaced the fixed camera angles of the original has the potential to immerse players more deeply into these moments, but its unknown if Bloober will still find a way to integrate the artistry of these tank-control levels into its new perspective.
Silent Hill Gameplay is More Than Combat
Puzzles have acted as prominent roadblocks in each major SH title, and Silent Hill 2's puzzles serve as especially appropriate pieces of a larger symbolic journey that will be tough to make adjustments to. Remaking all the same enemy encounters would still offer a similar challenge to players of the original, but keeping all the same puzzle solutions wouldn't be the best way to keep the remake interesting. With a new doorknob-based puzzle having been shown off alongside combat, it seems that Bloober has been aware of this reality. Staying true to the narrative of Silent Hill 2 is almost guaranteed to net praise for its remake, but the modernization of its gameplay systems will be the true determinant of its lasting legacy.
Silent Hill 2 Remake
Silent Hill 2 is a remake of the classic 2001 survival-horror game, developed by Bloober Team and published by Konami. It features an over-the-shoulder camera and gameplay changes inspired by other horror game remakes.
- Franchise
- Silent Hill
- Developer(s)
- Bloober Team
- Publisher(s)
- Konami
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
