Bloober Team’sSilent Hill 2remake seems to be moving along smoothly, with its most recent gameplay trailer looking fairly polished and unproblematic. ButSilent Hill 2’s new camera perspective, visuals, and game mechanics, good though they may be, won’t be enough to solidify the game as a contender in the modern age. Indeed, survival horror fans have no shortage of great titles to choose from, soSilent Hill 2has some stiff competition.
Remakes are a dime a dozen in contemporary gaming, but it seems like audiences are approachingSilent Hill 2with a bit more trepidation than usual. This is for a few reasons, not the least of which being Konami’s shaky track record from the past decade or so. The Japanese gaming giant axedSilent Hills, the Kojima-led horror project that had bothSilentHillandMetal Gearfans excited beyond belief, and its handling of theSilent HillIP followingSilent Hill 3has been questionable. Then, there’s the involvement of Bloober Team, a studio that has come under fire for its poor handling of weighty themes—which is, of course, of great relevance for aSilent Hill 2remake. But there’s one less-discussed challenge facingSilent Hill2that will nevertheless need to be addressed.
Silent Hill 2’s Remake Could Have Trouble Standing Out
Silent Hill 2 Is Releasing During a Survival Horror Resurgence
TheSilent Hill 2remake has invited comparisons to the likes ofResident Evil,Alan Wake 2, andThe Last of Us, due in no small part to the sheer number of modern, AAA survival horror titles on the market. TheResident Evil 4formula has been going strong, guiding a number of horror-oriented games with its blend of action and tense, atmospheric horror, coupled with tight resource management. Based on the gameplay released for theSilent Hill 2remake, Bloober Team seems to be following this contemporary design trend.
Gone are the fixed camera perspectives and low-polygon visuals of the original, replaced by an over-the-shoulder POV and gunplay pulled straight from Capcom’s playbook. In other words, the remake is shaping up to be something far removedfrom many of classicSilent Hill’s conventions, potentially lacking what made the original so special. With the modern survival-horror tropes on display in theSilent Hill 2previews, Bloober Team could be directly challenging recent hits like theResident Evil 4orDead Spaceremakes, which is quite a task.
Silent Hill 2 Will Inevitably Be Compared to the Original
While theSilent Hill 2remake’s modern design conventions will have to stand out against other contemporary survival horror titles, it will also need to exist as a meaningful improvement over the original 2001 game. The remake will reportedly beleaving theSilent Hill 2narrative intact, maintaining the same plot points, characters, et cetera. However, there’s a lot hinging on presentation: if Bloober Team’s high-fidelity graphics, polished facial animations, and more detailed environments don’t make for an elevated narrative experience, many players may wonder why they should choose the remade version over the original.
Moreover, the changes Bloober Team is making toSilent Hill 2’s gameplay, which seem far more substantial, have to be a sensible evolution of the original’s. This seems like an easy layup for the developer, as the original release isn’t exactly known for its polished combat or traversal. That said,early footage ofSilent Hill 2’s combathas drawn the ire of some fans, who question how well it will stand up against modern titles.
In essence, if theSilent Hill 2remake is simply a serviceable survival horror game, one that is perhaps marginally more polished than the original but not different enough from what studios like Capcom are putting out, it could spell trouble for the series.The last thingSilent Hill 2needs is to be considered the’budget' version of theResident Evilremakes, or just a superficial re-release of the 2001 classic.
Silent Hill 2
WHERE TO PLAY
Investigating a letter from his late wife, James returns to where they made so many memories - Silent Hill. What he finds is a ghost town, prowled by disturbing monsters and cloaked in deep fog. Confront the monsters, solve puzzles, and search for traces of your wife in this remake of SILENT HILL 2.High-end Graphics and SoundWith ray tracing and other cutting-edge technical enhancements, the world of SILENT HILL and its unsettling ambiance is even realer than before.And with the inclusion of new, immersive soundscapes, you’ll feel like you’re standing in the thick of it.Larger EnvironmentsExplore locations and buildings that were once inaccessible, or are newly added in the remake. Enjoy the same acclaimed story, even while you experience the town of Silent Hill with fresh eyes across an expanded map.Over-the-shoulder CameraThe remake moves from the original’s fixed-camera viewpoints to an over-the-shoulder perspective, putting you closer to what James sees, for a more thrilling, more immersive experience as you explore the town and come face-to-face with monsters.Evolved Combat GameplayFamiliar weapons like the steel pipe and handgun make their return, but now with an updated combat system. Avoid attacks with carefully timed dodges, aim down sights, and more, making monster encounters more engaging and nerve-wracking than ever.
