The announcement of any classic game remake is bound to stir up mixed feelings within a fanbase, and in the case of Silent Hill 2, some were unsure whether Bloober Team had the resume to back them to update such a beloved title. I’ve always enjoyed their games, but their handling of sensitive subjects hasn’t always gone down well, and given the importance of abuse and psychological issues within the world of Silent Hill, this was my main concern for this remake. Thankfully, my worries were fully assuaged;Â moreover, Bloober has achieved the impossible and produced an update that almost entirely supersedes the classic original.
This remake retells the story of James Sunderland as he returns to the mysterious town of Silent Hill after receiving a letter from his late wife. What follows is a feverish nightmare that blurs the lines between dreams and reality whilst also serving as a haunting metaphor for the longlasting effects of trauma and abuse. Unlike the deliciously pulpy storylines of Resident Evil, Silent Hill is renowned for being darker and more mature and this tone is definitely maintained by Bloober Team.
There’s a moment in the first cutscene where you see a closeup of James’ hand and it’s clear that his wedding ring has gone. While a relatively subtle point it serves as a perfect example of how the extra detail and graphical fidelity can actually serve to improve on a game that relied so much on atmosphere given the technical limitations of its time. This also serves as a metaphor for the game itself – while it is clearly a loving homage and recreation of the original it is also inevitably divorced from it and struggling to become its own thing. I found myself returning to that patch of lighter skin on James’ wedding finger and reflecting on the extra layer of haunting achieved here.
Built within Unreal Engine 5, Silent Hill 2 looks superb. The extra details in the environment, the more sophisticated fog effects (here for effect rather than to hide technical limitations), and the character models all work together to produce a game that emulates my memories of the original rather than the blockier reality. There has been some controversy over character redesigns online, but I’d argue this is unwarranted (if not just pure bad faith) as the various people you meet feel entirely in place here. The different areas you visit are also more distinct than they felt in the original and the use of lighting and shadow is incredible.
Even more impressive is the sound design here. There are updated versions of most of Akira Yamaoka’s iconic score and the discordant tracks still work perfectly to create and cement the uneasy atmosphere. Ambient sounds are incredibly immersive and make for a particularly intense experience when playing with good headphones – as all good horror games should be. The voice acting is also great here, with standout performances from Luke Roberts as James and Salome R. Gunnarsdottir as Mary/Maria. Supporting characters also retain their personalities which means Laura remains just as annoying as she always was, but Eddie is given an extra layer of pathos which I appreciated.
Revisiting the original game before the remake – specifically the Enhanced Edition update on PC – I was surprised by just how well it held up to my nostalgic memories but also by how short it was and how little challenge the combat held thanks, in part, to having an abundance of resources in my inventory.
Bloober Team’s creation is a very different beast. I died a fair amount in my playthrough, whilst also spending far more time managing a more limited amount of consumables and ammunition. Part of the latter stems from an more dynamic system whereby you loot drawers and cupboards for resources rather than there just being set drops. Ammo is far more scarce too, as the default clips of ten bullets are replaced by handfuls.
This limited ammunition is key to the updated combat as the enemies are far more aggressive than in the original. Whilst enemy variety is not increased, the AI of each type has been completely overhauled and many prove to be much more threatening. Perhaps the clearest example of this is the iconic mannequins who were almost passive in the original, but here will respond to your flashlight with unsettlingly jerky and deceptively fast attacks. You can turn off your light to avoid this, but navigating many areas proves impossible without illumination. The mannequins border on being overused, but later levels mix their behaviour up in an unexpected fashion and ensure that they remain a danger.
Melee is a viable approach for most of the enemies, and the updated combat mechanics make fighting far more involved than previously. James is no ninja, though, and so there is a real sense of weight and heft to things as you swing the iconic plank and pipe. Almost all of the weapons from the original return with only one notable exception – the surprise NG+ weapon is especially effective for replays.
In terms of narrative, this is very much the story of Silent Hill 2, but there are many twists and surprises along the way. Puzzles and environments have been revised and updated and the overall effect is wonderfully uncanny as the world feels the same but also different enough to remain unsettling. The sense of homage is maintained through Easter eggs that show memorable landmarks from the original and feed into the sense that you as the player are experiencing an uncanny version of the events just as much as James is.