It was around May 2022, following the leak of images for an unannounced Silent Hill title, which would later launch as Silent Hill: The Short Message, that rumors first emerged about Silent Hill 2 remake. Nothing was known – neither Konami nor Bloober Team confirmed it. But that it was allegedly in the works was enough to set people’s expectations running for the worse.
Bloober Team? The same Bloober Team known for underwhelming titles like The Medium, or outright average games like Blair Witch and Layers of Fear 2? That Bloober Team was working on a remake for one of the most beloved survival horror games of all time, that too Konami’s first new title in the franchise in years and years?
There was plenty of scepticism, even among us here at GamingBolt, even when Konami revealed that they spoke to other studios before opting for Bloober Team. Of course, the publisher didn’t help when it released the combat trailer, which portrayed the remake as more of an action title.
Fast forward to today. Silent Hill 2 is nearly upon us on PS5 and PC, or already here for those who paid for early access, and it’s good. Very good, in fact, with an 88 score on Opencritic based on 47 reviews. On Steam, of the 4,424 user reviews (and counting), 96 percent are positive, resulting in an “Overwhelmingly Positive” rating. Even the original game’s director, Masahashi Tsuboyama, is very happy about it.
How did Bloober Team achieve this? It’s first important to note that this wasn’t just their work but Konami’s, specifically some of the original game’s creators. Composer Akira Yamaoka and art director/creature designer Masahiro Ito were deeply involved alongside series producer Motoi Okamoto. Furthermore, the first year of development, per lead producer Maciej Głomb, was spent conversing and working closely with Konami, brainstorming ideas.
“Konami was incredibly encouraging of our creative direction and strongly supported our vision for the game. Their trust in us gave birth to ownership over its development,” said Głomb. 2019’s Resident Evil 2 served as an inspiration for Bloober Team, but more so in the level of quality it strove for because it understood the rivalry between both franchises back in the day.
The focus on not changing the core narrative was also important due to how deeply intertwined its narrative, themes and characterization are. Visually, it’s a massive upgrade, and while that fidelity presents the town as we’ve never seen it, the remake doesn’t stray from the signature foggy atmosphere or deliberate pacing. Even the cutscenes stay true in terms of cinematography and facial expressions.
Of course, that trust went both ways. The original staff actually sought more changes for the remake since, as Okamoto told Famitsu, “Game creators don’t want to make the same thing twice. I think that as the original creators, they had many parts they wanted to change.”
Bloober Team ultimately convinced them to opt for a more faithful remake that stuck to the immersion and terror of the original. Amid the rumors of Konami having an “extremely short leash” with the developer regarding changes, the latter played a big role in ensuring it stayed true to the original.
As for the gameplay, a fair amount of scepticism circulated about it and the new over-the-shoulder perspective before launch. There were complaints that it took away from the original’s appeal, but interestingly, Tsuboyama recently spoke about his dissatisfaction with the camera from a technical perspective. “Depth and angle were limited by the processing load. It was a continuous process of hard work that was not rewarded. But that was the limit.” He feels that the current view “definitely adds to the sense of realism” and “makes me want to try playing the even more immersive remake of Silent Hill 2.”
Even if you agree to disagree, there’s no denying that the new perspective isn’t simply for show but in keeping with the original’s combat and character. Let’s examine other remakes with over-the-shoulder aiming. Leon S. Kennedy and Claire Redfield control as smoothly as they do in Resident Evil 2 remake because of their training. The former is a Racoon City PD officer; the latter is trained by a S.T.A.R.S member (also her brother).
In Resident Evil 3 remake, players control Jill Valentine, with the capability to dodge the Nemesis’s attacks with split-second timing and fight him alone. Once again, it makes sense, given her training and years spent as a S.T.A.R.S. Member (leaving aside that she didn’t have this in the first Resident Evil). Even in a remake like Dead Space, where the over-the-shoulder perspective previously existed, it wasn’t far-fetched for Isaac to capably gun down Necromorphs. In effect, he was using tools and relying more on the precision befitting an engineer rather than military training.
Despite having the same perspective in Silent Hill 2 remake, it wouldn’t have made sense for James Sunderland to have any of these traits (though taking track and field in school does explain his ability to jog continuously). Bloober Team hence leaned into it. James’s dodge is more like a shuffle; he needs multiple hits to down a single foe with a melee weapon (which can also be explained away by their supernatural nature). Oftentimes, stomping on them is necessary to secure kills. Given the scarcity of ammo in Silent Hill, it’s often better to kite enemies or slow them with a bullet to the leg before following up with melee hits.
That awkwardness and lack of superior strength or advanced tactics not only make the action feel more visceral but are in keeping with James’s character. He hasn’t received any close-quarters combat training, so he often swings for the fences when wielding a melee weapon and little else. It also makes those rare moments of stealth, where you can sneak behind the Bobblehead Nurses and take them out instantly, more realistic. And it makes sense that this tactic doesn’t work on every enemy because they’re all built differently.
Another aspect where the development team scored is in the sound design and music. Anyone who played the original Silent Hill 2 will tell you how essential both are to the experience, especially the former when you’re entering a room and listening for enemy sounds. Since you’re not superhuman, it’s a necessary element of survival, and the remake understands this.
While the remapped and new enemy encounters were necessary for many reasons, from overall game balancing to accommodating the new areas, they also shook things up for Silent Hill 2 veterans. It forces them to rely on the audio again to get their bearings and avoid blundering into danger. What was terrifying over 23 years ago is terrifying today.
Of course, the original soundtrack is also essential, conveying the mood of the game and its various levels, but also the characters and their motivations. Even more important than excellent music (with composer Akira Yamaoka performing excellently on rearrangements and new tracks alike) is their usage. Look at the criticism surrounding the Until Dawn remake, from the insertion of music into scenes that didn’t previously have any to audio mixing, which makes it difficult to hear what characters are saying. Silent Hill 2 avoids these pitfalls, using silence as the most effective way to set the mood and atmosphere.
As much as Silent Hill 2 remake honors the original while offering a contemporary perspective and presentation, it’s not the end of the world if you prefer the original. As Tsuboyama says, “Even if you don’t know the original, you can just enjoy the remake as it is. Whether it’s good or bad doesn’t affect the original.” However, there’s no denying that Konami and Bloober Team achieved an impossible task with Silent Hill 2 remake, rising above their respective notorieties and delivering an unforgettable experience for new and old players.
Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.
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