Silent Hill 2 Review: Game Stuck Between Old and Newschool

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Achieving the status of a cult game cherished by gaming enthusiasts is likely one of the developers’ most fervent aspirations. Now, with the increasing frequency of remakes based on timeless classics, these updated versions offer modern gamers an opportunity to revisit beloved narratives. The triumph of Resident Evil demonstrates that there exists a viable market and potential for reviving other series within the survival horror genre.

One of them is Silent Hill, a game series with a dedicated fanbase, particularly Silent Hill 2. Numerous video game enthusiasts might recall the story of James Sunderland’s journey to the tranquil town by the lake. This made the job for Bloober Team quite challenging. In the end, they managed, but it could have been even more impressive.

Mix of old and new in Silent Hill 2

Bloober Team has a knack for crafting traditional survival horrors, evident in their game “The Medium.” While it’s not my personal favorite, the cinematography and gameplay echo what fans of titles like “Silent Hill” would recognize. Interestingly, the remake of the second game opted for the perspective style from “Resident Evil,” where the camera is fixed on the character’s shoulder, creating a continuous movement.

From my perspective, I believe it was an excellent choice to position the camera from behind, even though I appreciate the artistic angles for setting the scene. However, I personally find this viewpoint more comfortable, as it offers a smoother gameplay experience with easier controls. The atmosphere remains palpable, and the intense moments are still effectively conveyed when visiting certain locations.

In my gaming experience, I’ve found that both the keyboard-mouse combo and the controller work equally well, having tested them both extensively. Typically, I prefer using a mouse and keyboard for gaming, but in the case of Silent Hill 2, I discovered that a controller felt more intuitive and convenient to use. This is particularly true because all the action buttons are grouped together on a controller, while on a keyboard they’re spread out across the entire device, making it less effective without rearranging the keybindings.

An interesting move, which theoretically doesn’t matter, is placing the puzzles in different locations than they were in the original. For example, the Coin Puzzle was placed in Wood Side Apartments, and the Clock Puzzle in Blue Creek Apartments. The remake even has new puzzles, for example in Eastern South Vale there is now a Jukebox puzzle which needs to be solved in order to get to Wood Side Apartments.

In Silent Hill 2, the puzzles have been expanded upon, resembling those found in Extra Riddle mode, but they aren’t direct copies, meaning solutions from the original game won’t apply. Each stage in the game has its own puzzle theme, and you can’t progress to the next area without solving them first.

I greatly enjoyed piecing together the puzzles in Silent Hill 2; there’s an undeniable satisfaction in doing so, regardless of their complexity. The execution was well-done and made it enjoyable. However, what made it less appealing was the excessive amount of running required to gather the components needed to solve a puzzle – it was overly taxing.

Among the features that I appreciate from the original version and am pleased they remain, are the interactive maps showcasing subsequent areas. James takes it upon himself to mark significant spots and blocked walls on these maps. There’s a sense of fulfillment in watching the map become populated with marked areas and designations of various locations. My “achievement-oriented nature” is thrilled.

One key strength of this game lies in not guiding the player on what actions to take. Unlike many modern games, James doesn’t vocalize solutions or hints. Even Maria, if present, remains silent and doesn’t offer advice. This feature sets our game apart and brings a refreshing twist reminiscent of Silent Hill in today’s large-scale productions.

Long, long vacation in Silent Hill

Originally, Silent Hill 2 could be finished in approximately 10 hours if you took your time. However, the remake might take up to 20 hours or more due to the abundance of new areas to discover, as promised by Bloober Team. In fact, there seems to be an overabundance of places to explore.

Exploring every nook and cranny in Silent Hill 2 Remake to uncover hidden secrets, notes, and photos will undeniably consume a considerable amount of time. The game offers an achievement for completing it within just 10 hours, but mastering the game first is essential. Your initial playthrough might feel lengthy and exhausting. It wasn’t until I reached Brookhaven Hospital that I began to sense a growing weariness.

If someone feels that the remake of Resident Evil 3 is disappointingly short, they might find Silent Hill 2 to be quite the opposite experience. As you delve deeper into its interconnected corridors and urban landscapes, it can initially be engaging. However, as you progress, it might start to feel repetitive for some. Incidentally, I mentioned Brookhaven Hospital deliberately because the multiple floors and basement of both the original and the Otherworld version may seem excessive to certain players.

It’s not always wise to artificially prolong a game solely to showcase more playtime. In the case of Silent Hill 2, the original game was just right in terms of duration, and this sentiment is evident in the remake that clocks nearly 20 hours. However, repeatedly exploring the city for such an extended period might not be engaging enough due to the repetitiveness of the gameplay loop.

For a while, it’s amusing to continuously smash walls in search of a pathway, pile up crates, and explore alternative routes. The humor stems from the extensive time required to finish the initial task. However, as time goes on, it becomes increasingly monotonous, and there were instances when I felt compelled to take extended pauses.

Fights in Silent Hill 2 are tedious

As I delved into the eerie world of Silent Hill 2, I found myself captivated by the developers’ ingenious decision to place me right behind James’s shoulder. This perspective not only added an immersive touch to the game but also offered them a unique flexibility in designing the combat system.

If there are more opponents, avoiding one can still lead you into the arms of another monster. The narrower corridors inside the building are also a significant obstacle. However, apart from different combat system, the difference in the remake is that the enemies are much more resilient. Just like with exploration, this didn’t bother me either.

In essence, since this game is designed as a survival horror, the fights should be tough. Yet, there seems to be a lot more combat than in the initial version, making it hard to move down a corridor without meeting new adversaries. After extended periods of repeating the same tasks and an overwhelming amount of fighting, even the most thrilling games like Silent Hill 2 can become monotonous due to the lack of additional elements beyond battles.

What truly caught me off-guard were the challenging encounters against the bosses, yet they seem less innovative when compared to their original counterparts. The initial battle against Pyramid Head serves as an illustration of this repetitiveness. Unlike in the original, this fight occurs in a distinct setting; however, it follows the same basic premise where you must evade the boss who is wielding a sword or attempting to capture James by grabbing him.

In a physical confrontation, it’s doable, but employing a firearm is significantly more efficient, given you should stock up on ammunition since I found myself needing approximately 30 rounds to secure the victory in the normal difficulty mode. This was my initial instance of annoyance, as Pyramid Head required only three blows to eliminate me.

In altering the fight mechanism and viewpoint angle, there was a chance to modify the duel as well. However, what we got again felt repetitive and uninspired, leading to a sense of disappointment after departing Blue Creek Apartment, as I had anticipated something fresh. This situation also implies that Silent Hill 2, similar to its namesake city, straddles the line between two distinct realms.

In the remake, you won’t find drastic overhauls that completely alter the gameplay experience, but neither does it stick rigidly to the original. It seems as though the developers aimed to draw in new players while keeping the old ones engaged. However, this balance may not satisfy both groups equally. The former might find the game lacking significant changes such as awkward boss battles, while the latter could be put off by an abundance of new features like the revised movement system and camera adjustments.

To clarify, while I appreciate the improvements in the later boss battles, they could still use some refinement. At their best, they’re satisfactory. On the challenging difficulty setting, however, it becomes a bit tedious because enemies have excess health and deal more damage, making the entire sequence seem prolonged. The excitement of battling the bosses is replaced by thoughts of “when will this end?

One issue I find with this game is how rigidly programmed it seems: As I traverse the halls, I frequently come across fallen enemies on the floor. Preemptively attacking them doesn’t seem to matter much, as if their defeat was merely a temporary setback. If the game decides that they should rise and attack again later, they will. This game doesn’t acknowledge or reward the intuition of players who recognize these fallen foes as imminent threats instead of harmless decorations.

Character models are one of the weakest points of Silent Hill 2 Remake

What truly sets this remake apart is undeniably the fresh, updated visual aesthetic. The change is so substantial that it’s hard to miss. Previously, fog was often employed to conceal technical flaws in the console hardware, but now it serves to create an immersive atmosphere. In particularly narrow passages, the game effectively generates a chilling and unsettling ambiance, reminiscent of the original’s feel.

The environment in games is not fixed; it evolves based on our actions, such as solving puzzles. Doors open, some close, or even the structure of entire rooms can change, giving players a sense of progress, which often encourages them to keep playing. Bloober Team clearly had a concept and vision for creating the world in Silent Hill.

The monstrous models are exceptionally done, as they accurately reflect the developers’ efforts to replicate the original Silent Hill 2’s enemies faithfully. However, I find the main characters problematic, perhaps because they are human and the creators had limitations on their creative freedom. Maria appears particularly awkward, with certain angles suggesting her head is disproportionately large relative to her body, and the wrinkles on her face giving an impression of someone in their 50s rather than James’s relatively young deceased wife.

Eddie appears somewhat unusual too, and initial encounters hint at an abnormally large head since his plump face doesn’t align with his lean physique. Later, environments like a cinema make him seem more normal. However, the main character stands out as the most authentic-looking among all, appearing less artificial compared to the original depiction.

Controversy of Silent Hill 2

At the time of marketing for Silent Hill 2, Maria’s appearance or her role was quite a contentious topic among fans. However, I suspect that alterations made to the game’s narrative will spark even more debate. A significant portion of the dialogue has been revised. The meaning remains consistent, but the tone shifts due to changes in delivery or choice of words. For instance, Maria exhibits less flirtatious behavior towards James in these revisions.

In other words, just because he appeared to be uninterested from the start doesn’t necessarily mean he wasn’t attracted to her. Instead, it seemed like Maria was seeking an emotional connection with James rather than a physical one this time around. Moreover, she seems to view Mary as a rival in their pursuit of the main character’s affection. The key distinction among all characters lies in their motivation for being part of the story in Silent Hill.

In the updated version, it’s evident that there’s a sense of unease or distress in everyone from the start. It appears they’re dealing with personal traumas or regrets. In contrast, the original portrayed this more subtly, suggesting that ordinary people found themselves in this city, trapped by unseen malevolent forces with no apparent reason. The remake is less reserved in revealing the complexities of the characters James interacts with, as well as James himself.

The question at hand is – what’s the reason behind these modifications in the game’s storyline? I find it hard to believe that Bloober Team took this decision independently. Instead, my assumption is that the instruction to make these changes originated from higher-ups within the company. For Konami, this could be an opportunity for a fresh start and rebuilding the Silent Hill brand from scratch.

Silent Hill 2 Remake works smoothly, sort of

In the remake of Silent Hill 2, the gameplay is seamless; however, it’s essential to keep in mind one significant point: if you don’t employ technologies like FSR or DLSS, you may encounter issues with the game’s stability. Drops in frame rate will be commonplace. On the other hand, when upscaling is activated, maintaining a smooth 60 frames per second gameplay won’t present any problems.

On a less powerful setup, it remains enjoyable due to the game’s appearance being clear even on minimum details and ray tracing disabled. The textures aren’t smudged, shadows contribute effectively to the ambiance, while only character hair hints at the graphics being set at low. However, when maxed out, it presents a visually captivating survival horror experience.

As a passionate enthusiast, I find myself grappling with an issue that’s been a bit of a conundrum: the optimization primarily geared towards upscaling technology. Initially, it was envisioned as a crutch for less powerful machines. Yet, today, it seems to have morphed into something more akin to a necessity for games to function optimally, rather than an optional aid.

The best way to enjoy Silent Hill 2 is to do it in parts

The story and character models are something I can live with. Unless someone is a purist, then the game will certainly make them lose interest very quickly. In my opinion, however, the biggest sins of Silent Hill 2 are the extensive exploration, which eventually becomes tiresome, and the untapped potential of combat. Perhaps Bloober Team was afraid of turning a survival horror into an action game, but this is how we get a not quite ready mix of elements.

Luckily, those purchasing “Silent Hill 2” aren’t required to play it for review purposes or finish it within a specific time limit. Instead, I suggest enjoying it bit by bit, as this game is best experienced that way. If you ever find yourself feeling overwhelmed, it might be beneficial to take a break from “Silent Hill 2 Remake“. In my opinion, there’s perhaps unnecessary padding in the gameplay experience, which could comfortably be reduced by around 10 hours. A more concise adventure, similar to the original, wouldn’t necessarily be detrimental.

In essence, it doesn’t alter the truth that this game might end up being unappealing to all. The creators were torn between making a comprehensive remake with significant modifications or staying true to the original. Silent Hill 2 Remake is acceptable, but survival horror games should never be dull or encourage pauses. They should consistently keep you on high alert and inspire continuous play. Regrettably, this aspect is not fully realized in this game.

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2024-10-04 11:02