The upcoming Silent Hill 2 remake, developed by Bloober Crew, is a sport that I haven’t been significantly hopeful about. Ever because the preliminary pleasure of Konami’s resolution to revive its cult traditional horror IP light, and an increasing number of particulars surrounding it emerged, my pleasure for this long-awaited resurrection became a sense of dread.
So, you may solely think about how I felt when lastly sitting right down to play Silent Hill 2 — in all of its crisp, shiny new glory — for 3 hours final week. I had low expectations. I didn’t know what to suppose; would I stroll away disillusioned or elated?
Silent Hill 2 was a product of its time. It was moulded by technical limitations and experimentation. This time round, Bloober Crew’s Silent Hill 2 remains to be very a lot a product of passionate experimentation, with fashionable expertise to assist all the builders’ — and followers’ — stressed goals and needs for a remake. And despite all my qualms and rising apprehension, it’s protected to say that Bloober Crew has, to date, carried out the very best job it probably might have carried out whereas recreating the deeply-troubled world of Silent Hill.
I’ll begin with what everybody needs to know. Sure, there have been some vital modifications made to Silent Hill 2. One of many first that I observed was in the way you purchase each the radio and your first weapon. That stated, completely none of those changes to the remake impression or detract from the dearly-beloved psychological story at play. If something, what Bloober Crew has carried out is construct upon – and really improve – the lore of James’ tragic story, in addition to that of different facet characters, fairly than take away from or alter it dramatically in any approach.
My preview began with the opening of the sport, up till we have been capable of struggle with Pyramid Head in Blue Creek Flats. Throughout this time, I explored expanded places. A few of these, such because the Flower Store and Neely’s Bar, had extra of a Twin Peaks feeling to them than ever, which doesn’t really feel misplaced right here. I fought with some brutal enemies with clever AI, and even ended up being jump-scared greater than as soon as.
This was, fairly actually, the very last thing I used to be anticipating (I do know the bottom sport inside out), however I welcomed the sensation of being terrified as soon as extra with open arms. That’s what Silent Hill 2 is all about, in any case; your fears.
The Wooden Facet Flats — these are the primary flats that James enters in Silent Hill — appear and feel higher than I might’ve imagined. Bloober Crew has expanded on the myriad hallways in a significant method; there’s nonetheless a degree of familiarity carried over from the unique sport, however there’s the thrill of exploring this bigger space, with loads of holes to crawl via, and naturally, thrust James’ hand into…
Adjustments like this have labored in Silent Hill 2’s favour, regardless of what you would possibly suppose. This is not a 1:1 remake, and the flavour really provides to the cocktail altogether, because it have been. The brand new bits present loads of familiarity to Silent Hill veterans, whereas additionally giving the identical folks a broader, enlarged location to genuinely be enthusiastic about exploring. And exploration is ever so vital to Silent Hill 2, as you most likely know.
Getting into Silent Hill for the primary time is daunting; you lack visibility, you lack autonomy, you’re positioned within the sneakers of an everyman protagonist — a person who has murdered his sickly, dying spouse — amidst psychological turmoil. It’s complicated, it’s irritating, and it really works its approach contained in the darkest depths of your mind as you attempt to piece collectively the emotional story that’s being advised via monstrous manifestations. Bloober Crew has discovered a strategy to efficiently protect this sense — one that’s integral to Silent Hill — whereas creating one thing that’s nonetheless thrilling sufficient for each kind of Silent Hill fan.
Puzzles from the unique sport are nonetheless current (that includes minor modifications), with new ones added to freshen issues up and preserve gamers on their toes. Very like fleshed-out places, these new puzzles really feel so vital to current followers, offering us with challenges that we don’t already know the solutions to. And extra pleasantly, solutions that aren’t all the time apparent; the moth room options one instance of this to look out for, which I gained’t spoil right here.
I used to be apprehensive about fight, contemplating many followers had some very sturdy ideas about the fight reveal trailer. Whereas James can hit Mendacity Figures and Mannequins with a brutal quantity of power, they will hit him again simply as arduous. They’ll additionally dodge and weave between James’ assaults, making them extra troubling than ever earlier than. And let’s not overlook James’ skill to complete enemies off with a stomp, which frankly, felt extremely cathartic after being scared out of your pores and skin by a Model.
Whereas James does really feel a contact extra able to beating these enemies up than earlier than (which I’d say is helped alongside by the brand new third-person digicam), these enemies equally really feel much more threatening to him, too. There’s a strong stability. You’ll additionally wish to take excellent care round corners, which is nice, as a result of Silent Hill’s architects appeared correctly smitten with them.
My preview concluded with my first assembly with Pyramid Head, whose footsteps I’d beforehand heard echoing across the flats’ corridors, getting ready me for what was to return.
Unique artwork director and monster designer, Masahiro Ito, has launched a barely altered model of his nightmarish creation, however the Purple Pyramid Factor stays as intimidating as he all the time has been, dragging the Nice Knife behind him as he taunts and assaults James with out uttering a phrase. Haunting him, fairly actually. The sensation of being watched as you discover the flats culminates right here in what has all the time been an epic preliminary showdown between James and his nightmares, though the siren quickly begins blaring, and Pyramid Head mysteriously skulks off.
This assembly, amongst many others, was accompanied by the ambient, industrial Silent Hill 2 soundtrack many people know and love. Composed by Akira Yamaoka however clearly retouched and remixed, the music stays acquainted however of upper high quality, with extra maniacal sound results to maintain you anticipating who — or what — you would possibly run into subsequent.
I beforehand lacked a variety of belief in each Konami and Bloober Crew, and I’ve been very vocal about it. Konami hasn’t carried out something significant with regard to Silent Hill in a really very long time. Even the current launch of spin-off, The Brief Message, was lackluster regardless of the vital message it was making an attempt to ship.
As for Bloober Crew, I wasn’t the largest fan of the most recent Layers of Worry, and I used to be apprehensive about how the developer would pull one thing like Silent Hill 2 off; it’s a variety of stress to have on any single developer’s shoulders, admittedly.
However Bloober Crew seems to have turned that stress into one thing stunning (in a sick and twisted approach). The primary three hours of the Silent Hill 2 remake scream sheer ardour and dedication to preserving the sensation and story of Silent Hill 2, whereas creating gameplay that’s pleasant for contemporary audiences, whether or not you’ve performed Silent Hill 2 earlier than or not.
Konami is again in a really, very massive approach this 12 months — particularly with Metallic Gear Strong: Delta proper across the nook — and the writer seems to have lastly honed in on what its followers actually need, in addition to easy methods to attain new audiences. If Bloober Crew (and its collaborators) are capable of carry their clear ardour for the unique sport and dedication to preserving it, whereas resurrecting it, all through the remainder of the sport, then the Silent Hill 2 remake may be precisely what many people have hoped for. If not higher.
Silent Hill 2 was previewed on PS5. The sport releases on October 8 for PC and PlayStation 5.