Silent Hillhas always been an easier ride than its cousin,Resident Evil. Much of the horror comes from the anxiety of what’s lurking barely out of sight within the town’s oppressive fog, or the grimy, liminal feel of its Otherworld, not the action. When it comes to facing your fears, most enemies go down without much of a fight, and others you can just run away from because they’re so slow. It’s unsettling, sure, but rarely challenging.
Bloober Team’sSilent Hill 2 remakedoesn’t change that. In fact, it’s even easier than the original given the new third-person camera and dedicated dodge button. In my first playthrough, I died twice (one time because I forgot to pause when I answered the doorbell). In my second, I didn’t die at all.
Ammo and meds are plentiful, especially during boss fights, so you rarely ever need to switch to your wooden plank or metal pipe. Using guns also means you’re typically at a safe distance from enemies too, making encounters far less claustrophobic. The only time you’ll ever run into trouble is inthe cramped, pitch-black hallways of Toluca Prisonwhich are filled with spider Mannequins.
The atmosphere remains every bit as thrilling despite the game’s easiness, but running into enemies isn’t that scary when you realise a light breeze can knock them over. But there is one way to bring back the scares: the As Close As You Like Trophy/Achievement.
Simply put, you can’t kill enemies with ranged weapons. You can damage them, but the final blow must come from a melee attack. That means getting up close and personal in every encounter, which makes you feel extra vulnerable and exposed, immersing you in James Sunderland’s plight on a more intimate level.
Either put the chainsaw away or do this on New Game, because it completely trivialises Silent Hill 2’s remake.
Silent Hill 2 often feels like nails on a chalkboard in the best way, from the industrial rattling of its ambient sounds to the rusted metal grates keeping us a hair’s breadth over the abyss. But the shift in tone when using nothing but a lead pipe versus a hunting rifle is monumental.
Being that weak and frail, risking life and limb by getting face-to-face with every Nurse, Mannequin, and Lying Figure? The hairs on my neck raised in a way you just can’t match with 60 bullets in your pocket.
The radio eventually becomes a nuisance more than a threat when playing with guns, but when all you’ve got is a big stick, it’s a death knell.
One of the best parts of Silent Hill 2 ishow utterly pathetic James is. From his slumped, lazy body language to his whimpering speech, he is a meek little creature. A man in so much denial that his guilt is bleeding out across the entire town, he is far from the strong, confident survival horror protagonists we’re used to seeing.
The game desperately wants you to feel how weathered he is by the time he steps out of his car and enters the graveyard, but the mechanics are always at odds. He ducks and weaves like Leon Kennedy, and is a sharpshooter to rival Jill Valentine. Taking the gun out of his hands and embracing the frustration and intensity of trying to beat back every enemy with flimsy melee weapons fits what Silent Hill 2 Remake is doing so much better.
I adore Silent Hill 2 Remake, but in trying to modernise this classic,some of the original spirit is inevitably lost. The voyeuristic camera angles of the original distanced us from James and made us an unwitting observer, while further obscuring what was lurking behind every corner. Over-the-shoulder loses that. And the combat — while still easier than other survival horrors of its ilk — made us feel weak. James was not adept with a gun and he couldn’t dodge, he was always struggling to hold his own. The best way to recapture that spark all these years later is to leave the guns behind entirely.
Silent Hill 2
WHERE TO PLAY
Investigating a letter from his late wife, James returns to where they made so many memories - Silent Hill. What he finds is a ghost town, prowled by disturbing monsters and cloaked in deep fog. Confront the monsters, solve puzzles, and search for traces of your wife in this remake of SILENT HILL 2.High-end Graphics and SoundWith ray tracing and other cutting-edge technical enhancements, the world of SILENT HILL and its unsettling ambiance is even realer than before.And with the inclusion of new, immersive soundscapes, you’ll feel like you’re standing in the thick of it.Larger EnvironmentsExplore locations and buildings that were once inaccessible, or are newly added in the remake. Enjoy the same acclaimed story, even while you experience the town of Silent Hill with fresh eyes across an expanded map.Over-the-shoulder CameraThe remake moves from the original’s fixed-camera viewpoints to an over-the-shoulder perspective, putting you closer to what James sees, for a more thrilling, more immersive experience as you explore the town and come face-to-face with monsters.Evolved Combat GameplayFamiliar weapons like the steel pipe and handgun make their return, but now with an updated combat system. Avoid attacks with carefully timed dodges, aim down sights, and more, making monster encounters more engaging and nerve-wracking than ever.
