Silent Hill 2 Remake Review – Screaming in Delight

Silent Hill 2 on PS5

Horror fans have been having it great lately, as the genre has seen a resurgence in recent years unlike any other. Capcom’s revival of its Resident Evil series has been a big part of the movement, as has the amazing Dead Space remake by EA. Now, Konami and Bloober Team have gotten into the act with the Silent Hill 2 remake, bringing one of the flagbearers of survival horror 23 years ago to a modern audience with aplomb.

Naturally, the long gap between the original and this new iteration means that many who have experienced its impact back then may have forgotten why it was so good. New players coming in will have the luxury of going in blind as well, which is only a good thing.

Set in the titular small town, the story of protagonist James Sunderland is one of psychological horror as much as it is about physical danger, allowing the foreboding atmosphere to fester and take on a life of its own. As an individual seeking an audience with his deceased wife, Mary, it is this longing that keeps James going, even though he is but an ordinary man forced into unimaginable situations that constantly draw attention to his feelings of guilt and the trauma that follows.

And while you may think you remembered just how it felt taking your first steps in Silent Hill 2 back in the day, the visual improvement is impressive. That heavy fog has never looked so dangerous and yet tantalising, while structures look run down and broken as they should be. Feeling those knots in the stomach while exploring in the darkness with a flashlight makes the terror feel more real than ever before, and the amazing audio design just ups the ante in every possible way. The apprehension builds up quite intensely, and that’s before we even meet the horrors that await.

The Lying Figures that serve as a reminder of Mary’s last struggles have never looked more terrifying, and the easily recognisable Bubble Head Nurses will be the recurring manifestations in your nightmares with their twitchy nature and dangerous weapons. Lest we forget old Pyramid Head, who brings its menacing presence to a whole new level with a new coat of paint. That pointy head never looked this good and scary.

There are also new surprises scurrying around in the dark, which will be pleasant surprises for fans returning to the franchise. I do not want to spoil too much, but the work of the team in creating new enemy types is to be lauded. That sense of discovery mixed with dread when setting eyes on a new enemy for the first time never gets old, and there’s enough in the game to create that sense of freshness.

Although James is not a trained professional in dealing with the supernatural, the modernised combat in Silent Hill 2 means it’s much easier for players to fight back. In lieu of the stiff aim assist back in the day, the now-standard over-the-shoulder aiming gives you more control over your shots. Weapons can be switched with just a press of the D-pad as well, ensuring you make the most out of the small arsenal. Being able to sidestep quickly can help avoid enemies and their attacks, and the environment becomes more interactive when wielding melee weapons, as James smashes cabinets for resources and break through walls to find new avenues of exploration.

Perhaps the most significant pay-off for the overhauled combat comes in the boss fights. Tried and tested strategies still work if you can remember them, but these encounters feel much more engaging than ever before, thanks to the enhanced visuals and audio work. Clever tweaks also allow some of the more frustrating sequences that took agency away from the player in the past to transform into tense face-offs that can quickly become favourites for a new generation of players.

That sense of refreshing things but still keeping in line with the original inspiration also applies to the puzzles in Silent Hill 2. There’s still the usual straightforward searching for specific items to unlock your way forward, but Bloober Team has also gone the extra mile in expanding upon others to surprise and stimulate the players. Whether this is a plus depends on your appetite for working your brain, as some puzzles seem to be drawn out for no reason other than to prolong the journey, contributing to the remake’s main sticking point.

Alongside more combat, players are going to spend a much longer time in the town of Silent Hill, with a playthrough likely to take 15-18 hours compared to the much shorter runtime of the original. How those extra hours are used varies, but getting things more streamlined with less padding would have made this a much tighter affair that constantly keeps you on edge. And if you are looking to get all of the endings, with two new ones bringing the total up to eight, that comes to a hefty time investment, even with New Game+ promising more goodies to find.

Setting out to modernise a true classic, the Silent Hill 2 remake essentially achieves its goals of refining an already great experience into something better. The environments engender that sense of fear and trepidation, and the worldbuilding makes it impossible not to take another step into the nightmare. Combat feels much more fluid and exciting, and having everything look and sound so good only draws you in even more, even down to the campy dialogue that has benefitted from better delivery. Yes, the padding during the puzzle sections is hard to ignore and breaks up the otherwise excellent pacing, but the Silent Hill 2 remake is still an excellent addition to the genre, one that very fan of the genre must try to see what makes it so special.

Silent Hill 2 launches on October 8 on PlayStation 5 and PC.

Jake Su Editor-in-Chief

Jake is a full-time trophy hunter and achievement gatherer on consoles, and a part-time Steam Sale victim. He has been writing about games for more than 15 years, covering news, previews, reviews, and guides, and can be found across continents and time zones to provide the key info gamers need to enjoy their games even more.

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