Welcome back to “The Backlog,” the column where I review video games based on a certain genre each month. October continues to be our “scary” month as we dive into horror games. There’s one recent release that gamers have been looking forward to all year: the remade classic, “Silent Hill 2.”
Even if you’re not a long-time gamer, the name “Silent Hill” should be familiar to you. The psychological horror franchise took the world by storm as some of the PlayStation 2’s best hits. It also has two movies that don’t completely align with the stories in the games, but they share similarities and themes. The original “Silent Hill 2” was released in 2001, and Konami published the “Silent Hill 2” remake last week on Oct. 8.
Although Konami and others developed the first game, the remake was developed by Bloober Team. Each of the “Silent Hill” games are unique and great games, but in my opinion, “Silent Hill 2” is by far the best of them all.
The plot of the remake is the same as the original. A depressed man named James Sunderland travels to the foggy town of Silent Hill after receiving a letter from his deceased wife, Mary, wondering if she truly is somewhere in town. Although it’s a remake, “Silent Hill 2” is a terrifying and enjoyable experience for both newer audiences and those who played the original.
By using Unreal Engine 5, Bloober Team has revamped the town of Silent Hill with new and clean graphics. But it sustains the integrity of the original through unsettling scares and dense fog.
I don’t want to compare the original and remake as if one is better than the other. The original set the stage for psychological horror games and did so with limited technology at the time. To me, the remake feels like a twisted love letter to the original, in a good way. “Silent Hill 2” retains the original’s sense of mystery, symbolism and horror.
A big part of the “Silent Hill” games is the fog. In the original game, the fog was a design choice to ensure the game could run properly. The limited computing power of older consoles didn’t allow the whole town to be seen at once, so Konami used fog to limit the visual strain of the game.
In the remake, Bloober Team still uses the fog despite having the computing power to show the entire area. In both versions, the fog creates a sense of dread and fear as players traverse the town carefully, in fear of enemies lying in wait.
Spoilers for the “Silent Hill 2” story beyond this point!
If you’re not familiar with the premise of the “Silent Hill” games, basically, the town creates your worst nightmare. The monsters reflect the character’s innermost psyche and mentality, our character being James.
What makes “Silent Hill 2” so compelling is the fact that our character is a mystery, and players quickly learn there’s more to James than he lets on. Franchises that came out around the same time as “Resident Evil” have similar mechanics: shoot enemies with weapons you find or use melee weapons. The difference is the fact that “Resident Evil” is full of zombies (and occasionally mold monsters) while the enemies in “Silent Hill 2” are tailored to James.
Players can decipher James through his actions and environment. The first enemy you come across is the Lying Figure, a humanoid creature resembling a body bag with a pair of legs. It represents the memory James has of Mary when she was sick. The grotesque figure seems to be in pain and vomits as one of its attacks. But the legs on the creature show a bit more about James, such as the sexual repression he felt when Mary fell ill.
In the remake, Bloober Team adds platform heels to the Lying Figure, although it’s not necessarily shoes; rather, the silhouette of the heels. You can still recognize the creature from the original game, but this design choice hones in on James’ psyche.
Other enemies like the Nurses or Mannequins get the same message across. The Mannequins are literally two sets of legs attached to each other, showing what James valued or thought of the most when Mary was sick.
On the topic of monsters and enemies, one of the most iconic horror game mascots comes from “Silent Hill 2,” that being Pyramid Head. Throughout the game, Pyramid Head appears and scares the hell out of the players, though his behavior is different from other enemies. Unless the player is in a boss fight, Pyramid Head simply appears before James and does an action that moves the story forward, like pushing James into a new area.
Pyramid Head is officially known as Red Pyramid Thing, but is best known by his fan-given name. As you progress, it’s revealed that James killed Mary, and Pyramid Head is the ultimate manifestation of his guilt. Pyramid Head chases James to force him to accept his guilt and what he’s done. Pyramid Head is a consistent reminder of this in James’ journey through the town; although he does fight and hurt James during battles, his objective is not to eliminate James.
The beauty of the remake revitalized the fanbase. When the game was announced, it was met with mixed reactions. Some were skeptical of the remake and how it would compare to the original. Nonetheless, everyone wanted to see what Konami and Bloober Team would cook up.
I sincerely believe “Silent Hill 2” is both a great stand-alone game and a remake. The new graphics and details immerse players in the town, creating a sense of dread when turning corners. You don’t know what awaits you in the fog. Whether it’s a Lying Figure or a Mannequin hiding around the corner, James’ journey is told through compelling environments and dialogue.
I could go off on a 2,500-word tangent on how much I adore the “Silent Hill 2” remake. From the easter eggs to the new endings Bloober Team added, a lot of love was put into the remake. Critics might complain about certain changes, but I think most are done for the better. A remake doesn’t have to be a carbon copy of the original; instead, it should instill nostalgia and awe into fans. “Silent Hill 2” does this well, and I hope you decide to take a chance and step into the fog.
Rating: 5/5