Summary
Konami’sSilent Hillseries is a bedrock of survival horror games, reaching back to 1999 when it first entered the scene and more or less set the blueprint for terrifying and disturbing titles that explored mature themes via complex characters and nerve-rattling design. Side by side with Capcom’sResident Evil,Silent Hillwas a codifier and pioneer of the genre, and created a lasting legacy that stretches decades across multiple titles, each adding to and iterating upon its foundations to varying degrees of success as well as fan and critical reception.
Among the entries in the franchise, 2001’sSilent Hill 2often tops fans' choice for its best and most memorable releases. Bloober Team, known for its psychological horror-flavored walking simulatorLayers of Fearseries, as well as titles likeObserverandThe Medium, revealed in 2022 that it was working with Konami to develop a complete remake ofSilent Hill 2for the current generation. And recently, at PlayStation’s State of Play in January,Silent Hill 2remake’s latest trailerwas revealed, showing off more gameplay and other details. The footage appeared to feature combat and action portions fairly heavily, which may ring some alarm bells for longtime fans, given that this aspect was never really the focus ofSH, at least particularly not in the original version ofSilent Hill 2.
Though still ostensibly on track, the recentSilent Hill 2remake trailer did not provide a firm release window for it.
Silent Hill 2 Remake’s Latest Trailer Contains Some Possible Red Flags
Silent Hill’s Core Tenets
From its earliest onset,Silent Hilldistinguished itself by focusing on surrealistic and psychologically based survival horror angles and presentation (especially compared to its contemporaries likeResident Eviland others.)Silent Hill’s unsettling atmosphere and designalong with its twisting story is incredibly iconic, and forms a major part of its core identity. As the first game laid the base and established many of the ingredients that comprised the sub-genre of psych/thriller survival, original developer Team Silent learned from and refined these elements for the followup a few years later withSilent Hill 2,which, as mentioned, is usually regarded as the pinnacle and definingSHexperience. Subsequent entries, some by various other studios, attempted to recapture the heights ofSH2, but in almost all cases were regarded as not quite able to match its heights.
Silent Hill 2 Remake Looks More Action-Oriented Than Ever
TheoriginalSilent Hill 2’s focus was first and foremost on the mental state of protagonist James Sunderland, as his descent into the titular town and encounters with its terrifying manifestations became ever more disconcerting. Although players did acquire weapons along the way,SH2’s core focus was not combat, as it served primarily as a tangential vehicle to deliver the narrative and reflect James' increasingly deteriorating disposition. From what was shown in the remake’s latest trailer, though, James is frequently seen fending off various foes using both melee and firearms. Much of the footage can be said to closely resemble the action in the modernResident Evilremakes, with a similar over-the-shoulder camera perspective and even quick-time prompts to escape grappling enemies. It seems striking, then, that this aspect was emphasized more over the other narrative components thatSH2is most well-known for.
While Bloober Team will likely and understandably bereimagining recognizable elements from the originalSilent Hill 2in the remake, given its lauded status in the series, veering too far away fromSH2’s previous design and shifting to deeper action-oriented gameplay and feel may risk diminishing what fans know and enjoy it most for. Bloober Team thus has a big balancing act in front of it to deliver a remake that lives up to the original’s reputation without risking alienating audiences by adjusting too much in favor of heavier combat that threatens to sideline the story.
Silent Hill
WHERE TO PLAY
In Silent Hill, you assume the role of widower Harry Mason, who is trying to get away from the pain of his wife’s loss by taking his daughter on a road trip. After a car accident on the outskirts of the resort town of Silent Hill, you regain consciousness to find that your daughter, who was previously asleep in the backseat, has left–or has been taken–from the scene. To find her, you must go into town and unlock the secrets that linger seven years after a tragic fire scarred the town.The game features formidable monsters, perplexing puzzles, a realistic 3-D town, and, most of all, an acute sense of foreboding caused by Silent Hill’s creative lighting and sound effects. The makers have included four different endings, based on performance throughout the game, so think, be quick on your feet, and hope for the best of all possible outcomes.
