Silent Hill 2 Review

It’s been a long time since the Silent Hill franchise truly struck fear into the hearts of players whilst simultaneously messing with their psyches. There was a sliver of hope when P.T. was released, but, after Konami decided to step away from videogame development, we all know how that story ended… But now, developer Bloober Team has released a remake of possibly the best game in the franchise, Silent Hill 2. The first true instalment of the franchise since 2012’s Downpour, is Bloober Team’s updated version of James Sunderland’s haunting story just as masterful as the original?

After receiving a letter from his deceased wife, Mary, that says she is waiting for him in the town of Silent Hill, James Sunderland quickly discovers that the town is not quite what it seems. For starters, it’s completely abandoned and surrounded in thick fog. Oh, and all manner of grotesque monstrosities are on the loose! He’ll meet other survivors along the way, including the mysterious Maria, who bears a striking resemblance to James’ late wife.

The story is full of psychological horror and delves deep into James’ past with Mary, his emotional turmoil, and the skeletons in his closet. It’s practically impossible not to feel some sort of empathy towards him at some point, and it’s the fantastic character development that was one of my favourite parts about the original.

If you’re a diehard fan of the original title, then you’ll be pleased to know that the story remains largely unchanged. There are a few small additions here and there, but the overall narrative has been left intact. It’s very faithful to the 2001 release, whilst also taking a good while longer to beat. However, the added length doesn’t negatively impact the game’s pacing or bloat the experience to the point where I just wanted to see the credits roll. No, this is a remarkable remake from a team that clearly loved the original and knew not to mess around with the story too much. For all the horrors James goes through, it’s still an incredibly gripping narrative from start to finish.

The Silent Hill games have always been the benchmark when it comes to atmospheric horror. My biggest concern was that the new, shiny graphics (which look incredible, by the way) would somehow take away from the gloomy, oppressive nature of the original. I mean, just look at Silent Hill HD Collection and how that completely ruined the atmosphere. Thankfully, then, the remake perfectly encapsulates all the foggy streets, claustrophobic buildings, and overall sense of dread that the 2001 release was lauded for. In simple terms, the game is bloody scary!

The town of Silent Hill has always felt like an actual character to me. So to see this nightmare holiday destination with a modern-day coat of paint, vastly improved lighting effects, and chilling soundtrack, without sacrificing any of what made the town so immersive in the first place is an absolute delight. Well, maybe that’s not the right word considering the hellish nature of the place, but you get the idea.

Perhaps the most welcome improvement is the new voice acting. Admittedly, this was the low point of the original and often came across as a bit wooden at times. Here, though, lines are delivered with a tad more emotion, breathing new life into the characters. I can see why some people would prefer the original vocals, but, in my opinion, this is a big improvement that really helped to keep me engaged with the story.

During the run-up to its release, a lot of people were concerned that Silent Hill 2 would take a more modern approach to combat, therefore tarnishing the experience of the original. Whilst fighting the demons of Silent Hill has changed, it is undoubtedly for the better. James is no Chris Redfield, so he won’t be comboing his way through hordes of ghouls bare-handed, although it is satisfyingly visceral when swinging a bat into a monster's head and hearing it crunch. Being able to dodge during these melee encounters is a literal lifesaver, as the heavy-feeling attacks feel wild and imprecise. Which, to be honest, makes Silent Hill 2 even more of an edge-of-your-seat affair. One wrong move and it could all be over!

Guns are also present, although the limited ammo ensures you’ll need to make clever use of these ranged attacks. With the new over-the-shoulder camera perspective, aiming is much more precise, although, like I said, James is no action hero, so he isn’t always the most accurate. Certain weapons work better against specific enemies, and though there was nothing majorly impressive about the gunplay, being able to fine-tune my aim whilst being surrounded got me out of more than one sticky situation.

Combat isn’t the main focus, however, and you’ll spend much of your time exploring the hellscape that is Silent Hill whilst solving puzzles. Each environment you explore is not a complete carbon copy of the original game’s versions, and have been altered to provide a refreshing new take on each area. That isn’t to say they’re completely unrecognisable, and some key locations do remain unchanged, so the more memorable moments are still mostly here. The puzzles have also seen a bit of a change up, so the original solutions may not be the same this time around. It never felt like I was playing a totally new entry into the series, nor a reimagining, but it did breathe new life into something I assumed I’d be able to breeze through thanks to my familiarity with the original.

Despite some concerns from gamers leading up to its release, Silent Hill 2 is, quite frankly, one of the best remakes I’ve ever played. Bloober Team have done an exceptional job in capturing what made the original so special, whilst still making it feel like a modern title. I can only hope the developer gets to remake the first Silent Hill!

Whether you’re a Silent Hill veteran or someone experiencing the series for the first time, Silent Hill 2 is an absolute masterclass in practically everything it does, and this faithful remake is just as psychologically haunting as it was 23 years ago.