Silent Hill 2 Remake Preview: A Faithful Reimagining of a Classic
Since the release of the Resident Evil 2 remake, developers have been revisiting their classic titles, hoping to give them a new lease of life. However, these attempts have often resulted in mixed outcomes. From what I've experienced so far, the upcoming Silent Hill 2 remake doesn't quite reach the heights of its predecessor, widely considered the gold standard for successful remakes. Yet, developer Bloober Team has clearly made numerous smart decisions in building upon the legacy of this survival horror classic, even if the approach occasionally feels a little too safe.
I spent the first three hours of Silent Hill 2 immersed in its unsettling atmosphere. The remake masterfully captures the essential elements of the original: an oppressive tone and straightforward gameplay mechanics, even when the tasks themselves are deliberately obscure. As with any Silent Hill game, the atmosphere reigns supreme. Silent Hill 2 immediately and consistently sets the player on edge. The town is shrouded in a thick fog, just like the original, but now benefits from modern lighting and sound effects thanks to advancements in technology. The streets are filled with an unprecedented level of detail, shops can be explored, and unsettling sounds, cries, and groans lurk around every corner.
The diegetic sounds of Silent Hill are where the game really shines.
It would have been tempting to layer in music, bringing the scares in line with contemporary horror titles. However, the game's resistance to this is commendable, as the diegetic sounds of Silent Hill are where it truly excels. Every room in the Wood Side Apartments creates its own unique tension, subtly bombarding the player with an unsettling soundscape of pulses and organic audio. From the moment James enters Silent Hill, the onslaught of bad vibes is relentless. Fear is often driven by anticipation, but Silent Hill 2 is entirely about anticipation, with the sounds of the Lying Figures and other creatures ever-present. It's a difficult mental state to be locked into, but one that contributes to the game's unsettling atmosphere.
Silent Hill 2 has, as expected for a 2024 release, significantly upgraded its visuals and audio. Perhaps the most impactful change, however, is the shift in perspective. The remake adopts the over-the-shoulder playstyle that has become a staple of the genre. While some might consider this a departure from the series' original style, it ultimately serves the gameplay well, making the eerie combat encounters feel surprisingly familiar. Like the original, James' arsenal is limited, with only a handgun and a trusty wooden plank available in the early stages. Combat is rudimentary, but Silent Hill 2 was never about intense action. It's functional, complementing the character's abilities, and while Bloober Team could have easily gone for a Rambo-style approach, it would have been a disservice to the character and the story.
James, however, does have a new trick up his sleeve.
Silent Hill 2 introduces a new dodge mechanic, allowing James to quickly evade enemy attacks. It's a simple shuffle, not a complex roll, but it's a valuable tool that helps players establish a rhythm during encounters. Perhaps the greatest compliment I can give is that it feels like this mechanic should have always been a part of Silent Hill 2.
From what I've experienced so far, the story remains largely faithful to the original, with all the familiar locations appearing in the first few hours. The opening walk through the streets of Silent Hill has been expanded, requiring players to solve a puzzle involving a jukebox in Neely's Bar and visit various locations around town. This encourages players to explore and appreciate the detail layered into what was once a sparse location. While purists might object to this addition, I believe it's a smart decision that encourages players to spend more time in the iconic, fog-laden streets before the game becomes more linear.
Puzzles have also been carefully re-imagined.
Fans of the original will be pleased to hear that the remake doesn't shy away from its returning puzzles. The remake scales clues based on the chosen difficulty level (players can individually adjust the challenge of both combat and puzzles in the main menu, although I didn't have a chance to test this in-game). Even on normal difficulty, I found some puzzles to be challenging, requiring players to truly absorb their surroundings. Fans of the 2001 classic and the Resident Evil series will know what to expect: environmental clues leading to riddles and combinations. However, there seemed to be less signposting in Silent Hill 2 than in its contemporaries, leading me to prioritize genuine solutions over brute-forcing my way through.
Bloober Team's decisions in rebuilding this classic are clever, but not perfect.
The dialogue and performances still feel too campy and silly for my taste, pulling me out of the game's serious tone. Unlike Resident Evil, where campiness is part of the vibe, Silent Hill 2 in 2024 requires a more subtle approach to complement its masterful atmosphere and sound design. Purists might appreciate the faithfulness to the original dialogue, but I felt there was an opportunity for some subtle rewrites and tweaks. However, I only experienced a small sample of the dialogue, and Silent Hill 2 isn't known for its long conversations, so this may not be a major issue.
Another minor annoyance is the inclusion of a logical, but slightly tedious, mechanic of opening countless kitchen cupboards and drawers to collect ammo and healing items, similar to modern games like The Last of Us. While this makes sense in theory, it can pull the player out of the atmosphere, shifting focus from fear to loot. This may be more about my personal preference, but I found myself jumping more than once because I was too focused on scavenging for supplies.
Silent Hill 2 doesn't appear to incorporate my favourite feature of successful remakes.
Disappointingly, from what I've seen so far, Silent Hill 2 doesn't seem to include my favourite feature of great remakes: subverting player expectations. The 2002 Resident Evil Remake cleverly played with the classic "dogs jumping through the window" jump scare, showcasing how this technique can be expertly crafted. The approach creates tension through fake-outs and allows for unexpected scares. This Silent Hill 2 remake doesn't seem to have any such moments, at least not in the first three hours.
Overall, Silent Hill 2 falls more in line with BluePoint's faithful Shadow of the Colossus than Capcom's rejuvenated Resident Evil 2. It prioritizes faithful recreation over bold new additions, which is by no means a bad thing, just not the radical step some might have hoped for. Silent Hill 2 certainly needed a visual upgrade and an engine tune, which Bloober Team has delivered in spades. However, beyond that, it's a faithful reimagining that largely resists the urge to change the winning formula of a classic.
