In October 2022, Konami announced the reboot of the Silent Hill franchise. Starting with the fan-favorite, Silent Hill 2, veteran players got excited until they revealed the remake’s developer, Bloober Team. These developers were infamous for their failed horror games, Blair Witch and Layers of Fear 3. Returning Silent Hill players soon play the remake to determine if it’s better than the original on October 8th, 2024.
Bloober Team Fought For Silent Hill
Bloober Team began their development on Konami’s Silent Hill reboot in 2018. However, they were not the first choice as other game companies competed to partner for the project. In a 2023 Gamesradar+ report, Chief Marketing Officer Anna Jansinka said each company offered a pitch on how they could improve Silent Hill from the original.
The company chosen for the task will be invited to the 2019 Tokyo Game Show for the Konami panel. To Bloober Team, working on a Silent Hill 2 remake meant everything to them. Their psychological horror game, Layers of Fear, had heavy inspiration from this classic title. Jansinka felt their storytelling and love for horror could help elevate the game’s fear factor. Konami saw their potential and dedication, putting the team to work for the next 6 years.
Silent Hill 2 (PS2)
After the success of Silent Hill on the PS1, series creator Keiichiro Toyama planned for a more story-driven sequel. Players follow the worried husband, James Sunderland, entering the desolate town of Silent Hill. He received a letter from his wife, Mary, hoping he could find her. The problem is James knows Mary passed away from an illness three years ago, but chose to believe in the letter.
During his search, James encounters three strangers in Silent Hill for their reasons. Angela is searching for her mother, Eddie is on the run, and Lauren is searching for Mary. Then a mysterious fourth stranger Maria suggests he should give up on his search for Mary. The further James explores the town, the more monsters will attempt to stop him in his tracks. The truth about Silent Hill soon unfolds as he reaches the last place he saw Mary.
Gameplay
Silent Hill 2 for PS2 allowed players to use blunt weapons and a few firearms against the game’s enemies. Yet dark buildings and fog prevent James from seeing where they are. Using a radio transceiver, static will activate when monsters are close by. Due to the overhead camera, timing attacks can be hard depending on enemy speed. In some areas, players fight the camera when it suddenly rotates to a new angle including boss fights.
When players try to finish the game, the ending varies on certain actions. James carries key items as mementos while progressing through the game. Looking at them numerous times will decide his fate. The picture of Mary for example can get you closer to the ‘Leave Ending’ as James presses on in Silent Hill. Staring at Angela’s knife for too long will result in James ending his own life. These actions made Silent Hill 2 the favorite of the original trilogy.
Character Dynamics and Plot Progression
James Sunderland is a determined widow in hopes of seeing his dead wife. Throughout his journey in Silent Hill, players felt something unsettling apart from the monsters. Eddie used to appear calm until Lauren learns he is on the run from the police. He becomes more aggressive once he discovers a handgun. When James found him with a corpse, he told him he was looking at his appearance.
Angela becomes anxious and afraid, bringing a disgusting creation of her abusive father from her memories. They offer hints to Silent Hill 2’s story to show the characters are currently fighting their inner fears and restrained events. However, half of them didn’t have much screen time, leaving their stories for the community to piece together.
Silent Hill 2 (2024)
When Bloober Team was announced as the developers behind Silent Hill 2 Remake, gamers grew skeptical. In 2016, they were discouraged from Layers of Fear 3. This title tried to pay homage to Konami’s Silent Hills PT Trailer. The two previous games were retold along with three new character stories, Daughter, Writer, and Musician. While Unreal Engine 5 made the game significantly terrifying, its plot progression and gameplay fell short. Then on October 8th, many veteran players saw what Bloober Team has improved from the PS2 original.
Gameplay Improvements
Silent Hill 2 Remake’s camera has been swapped with a rear third-person camera. Players can now aim properly at enemies and find items more easily. The radio transceiver is used for certain areas relying on total darkness and enemies attempting to surprise James. Boss fights have significantly been remade to fit their themes and fighting patterns. The fight with Angela’s father, or Abstract Daddy, originally was a fight taking place in a TV room. Bloober Team decided to show what Angela visualizes, forcing James to fight him in various hallways.
Pyramid Head’s introduction fight is a beautiful touch in the remake. Newcomers find this fight useful to learn about his attack patterns and what weapons are best against him. A couple of puzzles were changed based on the player’s frustration in the original. The Suitcase Code is one of the most infamous to solve in the Silent Hill franchise through tedious tasks. In the remake, Bloober Team had cut half of this puzzle to not extend playtime.
Better Character Exploration
In the original, James talked a lot during cutscenes and tried to help the strangers in Silent Hill while searching for Mary. Bloober Team’s reimagining of James speaks volumes of his loss and personal life. He doesn’t become very vocal until halfway into the story. When Mary leads him to the nightclub, Heaven’s Night, she tries to get James to drink whiskey. His hands shake towards the shot glass but declines the offer. His body language shows what James’ past self was like.
Certain scenes used different locations for better character chemistry. Eddie’s pizza scene in the bowling alley has been swapped for the movie theater. Lauren watched a scary movie with him, he gets scared, and called him “a gutless fatso.” The character with the most improvement is Angela for players rarely understood her story. With a few newly added and reimagined scenes, her character is fully present. Her behavior and vision help portray what Silent Hill is to those who encounter the town.
What’s Kept The Same?
Silent Hill 2’s story remains the same out of respect for Toyama. Bloober Team wanted to preserve certain game elements that made it special. The eerieness that lurks within the town feels more alive through the improved sound design. The scenery changes between reality, illusions, and the Other World stays relevant to the game’s vision. New Game Plus is also here for James to use a logger’s chainsaw after beating the game once.
Final Thoughts
Silent Hill 2 Remake is more than a psychological horror experience that gamers want to relive. It’s a love letter from a team of developers who were inspired by it. Layers of Fear would not have been possible without Bloober Team’s love for this horror franchise. They grew determined over the past 6 years despite the doubts that loomed. Konami did not have a second thought when the developers were entrusted with the IP.
IGN interviewer Ryan Dinsdale asked director Wojciech Piejko for another remake or new game opportunities in Silent Hill. Piejko responded, “It’s very possible. If Konami calls us for another collaboration, we will happily take on the job.” Currently, Bloober Team is focusing on their new horror project Cronos: The New Dawn.
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