Silent Hill 2 Review – GameSpew

Having been scared by the original Silent Hill and loving every minute of it, I remember visiting my local indie video game store in 2001, hoping they would sell me a copy of Silent Hill 2 days before its release. That day I was lucky; the money was delivered and I quickly returned home, ready to dive into a new nightmare. Days later, my first playthrough was completed and my mind was truly blown. Silent Hill 2 was a masterpiece.

Now, in the year 2024, Silent Hill 2 has been remade. And while I trusted the Bloober Team to do a good job, the result is beyond what I believe anyone could have expected. Like all the best remakes, Bloober Team’s Silent Hill 2 stays faithful to the original game while improving and expanding it in significant ways. Not only is this Silent Hill 2 with updated visuals, but it’s also not a game that only vaguely resembles Silent Hill 2, taking advantage in hopes of making a quick buck.

For those who have never had the pleasure of playing one of the best horror games of all time, Silent Hill 2 puts players in control of James Sunderland, a taciturn man who is traveling to the town of Silent Hill to find his wife. . The caveat is that she died several years ago due to illness. So why is he looking for her? Could she have somehow survived, or was the letter he received saying she was waiting for him in his “special place” just some kind of cruel joke?

In terms of gameplay, the original followed the classic survival horror template, and this remake is no different. Arriving in the town of Silent Hill, you discover clues and travel through various locations, all in the hopes of finding your wife, Mary. Along the way, puzzles and locked doors present frequent obstacles, requiring you to diligently search available areas and put your thinking into action. But overcoming these obstacles isn’t the only thing you need to worry about; There are also a variety of grotesque creatures out there to make your life more difficult.

Thanks to its more modern controls, new over-the-shoulder camera, improved combat system, and touches like James taking notes on the game’s map to help guide you on your path, it would have been easy for this Silent Hill 2 remake to come up short. of the tension found in the original game. And yet, despite all these changes and countless quality-of-life additions, Silent Hill 2 has never been more atmospheric and tense. Playing this new version of Silent Hill 2, I was transported back to 2001, afraid to open a door or turn a corner because of the horrors that could lie ahead.

Part of this is due to the sound design. It was brilliant in the original game, but now it’s even more effective at making you nervous. Environmental noises are truly disturbing, consisting of heavy breathing, clanking metal, and more. And when you add the noise generated by your broken radio that comes to life when an enemy is nearby, you’re constantly on the edge of your seat. Many horror games use dynamic audio, but none have done so as effectively as Silent Hill 2, with the hairs on the back of your neck standing up as the radio crackles. Knowing that an enemy is nearby, but not being able to see them due to dense fog, lack of light, or simply because they are hidden, is downright terrifying.

The combat is another reason why this remake is a success. James may have a few new moves at his disposal, like a three-hit combo with melee weapons, a useful dodge, and a slam attack for when enemies are on the ground, but he doesn’t feel overpowered at all. In fact, your enemies here seem more dangerous than ever, sometimes blocking or dodging your attacks, hiding on ceilings, and even following you across ledges, making you think twice before simply running away.

When you face enemies in hand-to-hand combat, everything seems more violent too, increasing the tension. I particularly enjoy James’ exasperated grunts as he stomps and slashes at downed enemies, really selling his desperation and frustration.

Of course, it also helps that this new Silent Hill 2 update looks phenomenal. The character models are incredibly detailed and come to life with fantastic animations that really sell their actions and emotions. Moving through the town of Silent Hill, you can truly believe that it’s a living, breathing place – especially now that it’s more interactive, with you able to break random windows and enter more buildings in the hopes of finding valuable supplies. Then there is the fog; I don’t think there’s ever been a better recreation of fog in a video game. It has a real sense of volume that adds immensely to the atmosphere.

The only criticisms I can realistically level at this stellar remake of Silent Hill 2 are mere details, like the nonchalant way James opens doors and the occasional issue with the game’s camera. However, this doesn’t hinder the experience in the slightest; It’s pretty safe to say that this is the best horror game in years.