Summary
Because Bloober’sSilent Hill 2remake adopts a third-person, over-the-shoulder perspective in place of the original’s fixed camera angles it’s been low-hanging fruit to compare this approach to Capcom’sResident Evil 2remake. It even parallelsResident Evilby remaking the sequel—Silent Hill 2is the franchise’s clear golden childand it makes sense why Konami would want to leap straight to it, though, whileResident Evil 2was simply following theResident EvilGameCube remake, albeit in a much more drastic gameplay and narrative reimagining.
However, theSilent Hill 2remake gameplay shown thus far demonstrates that, not unlike the original, it is far more authentic as a psychological horror game. This is ensured by an emphasis on melee grappling mechanics with evasion windows and blows exchanged between James Sunderland and Silent Hill’s grief- and trauma-induced monstrosities. In this case, combat in Bloober’sSilent Hill 2is highly reminiscent ofThe Last of Us. This may initially seem like an odd approach with how divisively it distinguishes the remake apart from the original, though it could be for the best.
Silent Hill Has Never Needed to Become Resident Evil and Shouldn’t Start Now
The remake ofResident Evil 2may not be solely responsible for the games industry’s remake renaissance and renewed transition to third-person over-the-shoulder sequels, but it’d be a mistake not to at least acknowledge its salient impact. Such genre direction has now been a popular avenue for classic games to find a new home and reimagine themselves for a new generational audience while struggling to meet the expectations and standards of anyone who still looks fondly on the originals and is unwavering in their belief that everything should remain faithfully recreated.
That’s why, even with a third-person perspective for theremake being palatable,Silent Hill 2has earned criticismfor how much it seems to emphasize combat when the original did not.
This is one of the biggest points of contention for the remake thus far and it’s interesting because there’s seemingly no way Konami or Bloober could’ve avoided it; either it left ‘combat’ alone and had it be as grating and stifled as it was in the original or it iterated on it to hopefully reinvent it somehow, for better or for worse, and there probably wasn’t an option that would’ve pleased everybody. In what is probably its best-case scenario, melee combat being crunchy and grapple-heavy is at least a guaranteed way forBloober to distance its take onSilent Hill 2from theResident Evil 2remakeas much as possible.
Silent Hill 2 Can Be the Survival Horror Game The Last of Us Wishes It was
Furthermore,chunky combat with grappling makesSilent Hill 2’s remake more of aLast of Us-likethan aResident Evil-like and that comparison could bode well for it.The Last of Usis classified as an action-adventure game and yet it’s fluidly conducive to sublime survival horror mechanics and tropes that sustain it.
The Cordyceps brain infection creates a harrowing backdrop for intimate and interpersonal drama, but infected enemies themselves are a gruesome lot. Even if they may not twist the knife as psychologically as an ordinary antagonist might, any combination of runners, stalkers, clickers, shamblers, and bloaters present a suspenseful challenge leaning more into horror than the franchise is traditionally given credit for.
The Last of Ushas had quite a bit of controversy enveloping its narrative beats, but its gameplay has always been highly regarded. IfSilent Hill 2can emulate its gripping melee mechanics that might give it an unprecedented edge blending psychological and survival horror with meaningful combat this time around, particularly since all the remake’s story needs to do to be successful is not falter from that of the original.
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.
