All the way back in 2001, Silent Hill 2 was released and has stood the test of time as one of the greatest horror games of all time. When the remake was announced people were skeptical all the way up until the games release, many thinking that the games developers Bloober Team wouldn’t be able to recreate the magic of the original game. So just how does this remake stack up?
Right off the bat the game looks stunning, with audio that is next level. I could not recommend playing this game with a headset on enough, the game itself recommends it but it does such a great job at immersing you in the town of Silent Hill. To top it off playing through a headset allows you to clearly hear the games ominous whispers and various other sounds. The gameplay very much feels like an old game not to the detriment of it, it embraces what it was. Game is full of secrets, hidden items, health items the works.
The game also manages to give you just the right amount of resources, sometimes you will find yourself scrambling to find more. But thats the charm of the games exploration, it wants you to deal with its enemies in different ways and to search for additional ammo and healing items.
Music is also an important factor in making this game feel special, it often ups the intensity just when you feel somethings about to happen but has a chilling silence to it when needed as well. The puzzles of the game are mostly left as they were, but that is one of the games few issues. Some of these puzzles aren’t exactly worded properly and finding the solution can be a bit confusing but not entirely impossible in the slightest.
The story is actually enhanced in this modern remake giving us an additional 2 endings on top of the previous 6, even keeping the originals joke endings completely in tact. The emotional and psychological story of the game is a large part of why it has had the staying power it has had for the last 20+ years and will continue too after this modern remake.
The conclusion of all of this leads to one of the best horror experiences in modern times, I would argue the best since Resident Evil 2 remake. It’s not that action heavy of a Resident Evil 4, but it isn’t designed to be. Its designed to keep you uneasy and on your toes wondering what happens next if you are a new player and excited to see how they handle certain parts if you are a lover of the original.
My Score:
10/10 Masterpiece
From its eerie overworld, to the masterful sound design. Silent Hill 2 Remake delivers the perfect psychological horror experience that will continue to be played for a very long time.
Written by Dylan Setright
