Silent Hill 2 — A Rebirth or A Tragedy?

The Silent Hill 2 remake is finally here. Is it a triumphant rebirth of a classic, or should it have stayed lost in the fog of time? As one of the most beloved entries in survival horror, the stakes for this remake are incredibly high. Before we jump into the thick of it, I want to assure readers that this is from a longtime fan. I first played the original Silent Hill 2 on the PS2 as a teenager. Over the years, I’ve played every entry in the series—except Homecoming. My wife’s an even bigger fan than I am. She’s basically my walking Silent Hill encyclopedia.

Suffice it to say, this is a franchise that means a lot to both of us. With that in mind, we came into this remake with cautious optimism. While I had low expectations, I’m happy to report that Bloober Team, the game developer, has delivered something unique. It’s not without some flaws, but the Silent Hill 2 remake is a solid revival of the classic and a step forward for the series. Let’s dive deep into this revived horror masterpiece and see what works and what doesn’t.

Our “Special Place,” Silent Hill 2

For those who may not be familiar, Silent Hill is a survival horror series where the titular town manifests the characters’ deepest traumas and fears. Though the series has an overarching occult narrative that loosely ties the games together, Silent Hill 2 is chiefly self-contained. You play as James Sunderland, a man who receives a letter from his wife asking him to return to Silent Hill—even though she’s been dead for years. What follows is a disturbing journey into grief, guilt, and the darker sides of human nature.

Many regard the original Silent Hill 2 as one of the best-written games ever. It’s praised for its mature handling of topics like terminal illness, grief, trauma, and psychological abuse. The remake sticks closely to this narrative, remaining faithful to the original plot. It also expands on elements and locations. The voice acting in the remake has darker tones than the campy delivery of the original. While I miss that cheese, I can’t deny that the performances—like James’s portrayal—are much more emotionally resonant this time. The music, once again composed by Akira Yamaoka, is one of the game’s best points. Songs are beautifully modernized while retaining the haunting atmosphere that fans of the series love.

There Was A Hole Here. It’s Deeper Now.

The most notable change in the remake is the switch from the original’s fixed camera angles to a modern over-the-shoulder perspective. This is most comparable to recent Resident Evil remakes. The developers gave the graphics a massive overhaul, making the town of Silent Hill look more atmospheric and foreboding than ever before. The fog, lighting, and environmental details are top-tier. Also, there are no loading screens except for the initial startup or after a death scene.

The developers revamped the combat for the new perspective, improving the clunky combat in the original Silent Hill 2. Combat is still tense and awkward in just the right way. Bloober Team upgraded the enemy AI, causing the monsters to become more aggressive and unpredictable, significantly ramping up the tension. The boss fights, which often felt like more challenging versions of regular enemies in the original, now feel more distinct and memorable thanks to the improved mechanics.

The game has reworked the town, updating the visual and structural elements of familiar locations such as the Brookhaven Hospital and Lakeview Hotel. These changes keep the game fresh, even for those who have played the original countless times. Their integration is nearly seamless. The developers cleverly bring attention to the changes by implementing unique audio and visual cues for where they expect to subvert the expectations of old players. They have even tweaked or expanded some of the puzzles, adding more depth to the gameplay without feeling overwhelming. And perhaps most exciting for die-hard fans: there are two brand-new endings to discover, adding intriguing layers to Silent Hill 2’s already complex narrative.

“That Damned Disease”

However, not everything in the Silent Hill 2 remake hits the mark. Some of the character redesigns feel out of place, especially with Maria. In the original, Maria’s overtly sexualized design impacted certain thematic elements of the story. The remake tones this down, which might seem more acceptable for “modern sensibilities,” but it also waters down the meaning of her character and what she represents to James. To make up for this, she’s given a heap of new, flirty dialogue as she explores territory alongside James. Likewise, softening some of the more disturbing aspects of the original has weakened the narrative’s overall impact. Stories that tackle uncomfortable subject matter should treat those subjects with the gravity they deserve, even if it alienates some. These changes weren’t Bloober Team’s decision but came from the original creators who worked on the remake instead.

On the technical side, Silent Hill 2 has its share of issues, particularly performance. The PS5 version, running on Unreal Engine 5, struggles with frame rate dips in “Performance” mode. While the “Quality” mode is more stable, it’s locked at 30 frames per second, which can feel awkward to some. Despite this, I recommend it purely for the consistent framerate. Also, some graphical bugs and texture pop-ins can detract from the otherwise stunning visual presentation. Players on lower-end PCs or handheld systems like the Steam Deck and ROG Ally will face more significant performance issues. For the most part, the game runs smoothly on higher-end hardware.

Welcome Back to Silent Hill 2

Despite a few tiny missteps, the Silent Hill 2 remake succeeds in nearly every respect. Bloober Team delivered a faithful recreation of a beloved classic while enhancing the experience for newcomers and longtime fans. Technical issues and some creative choices may frustrate purists, but for most, this will stand out as one of 2024’s best releases. Silent Hill is back, and it’s more terrifying—and beautiful—than ever. Silent Hill 2 is available now on PlayStation 5 and PC via Steam with an MSRP of $70.

As we wait for future titles in the franchise, may I recommend the Red Pyramid Thing Nendoroid we currently have for pre-order? He has never looked more dangerously adorable!