Silent Hill 2, a remake of the iconic 2001 PS2 survival horror game, takes players on a journey as protagonist James Sunderland. Explore the nearly abandoned town of Silent Hill, filled with memories of his late wife Mary, as he confronts these memories while encountering monsters and a cast of characters. The remake launches on PS5 on October 8.
I recently had the chance to play the highly anticipated remake. Join me for a chilling recap that spans the opening scene all the way through the boss encounter with the Red Pyramid Thing (aka Pyramid Head).
The story begins in a dirty public toilet.
The game begins with James recalling the contents of a letter he received from his deceased wife in the dimly lit public restroom of the observatory on the outskirts of Silent Hill. Back in 2001, the level of dirt and debris in this bathroom was the highest level of realistic, atmospheric visuals in a game.
At first glance, I noticed that although the public toilet was almost identical to the original, it looked more detailed and realistic, with graffiti and scribbles on the walls, dirty floors and dirty toilets. This created an eerie atmosphere as if foreshadowing the arduous journey that James was about to embark on.
A new, immersive view over the shoulder
The first thing that struck me when I started the game was the new over-the-shoulder perspective. While the original’s top-down perspective made me feel like I was watching a movie, the remake’s updated perspective puts me closer to James’s perspective, aiding in greater immersion and making me feel like I’m actually in Silent Hill. The 3D audio also deepens the immersion, making the rustling of leaves and James’ footsteps feel really real.
A thick fog covered James’s mind.
In the original game, the observatory in the opening scene is shrouded in fog, while the view is clear in the remake. At first… As James gets closer to town, the fog gets thicker, almost symbolizing his mental state and evoking anxiety in the player.
The first area James visits is the eastern district of Silent Hill. At first, the in-game map doesn’t look much different from what I remember from the original, but I soon realize I was wrong. The houses, apartments, shops, and other buildings are greatly improved, with intricate details that weren’t in the original. The chairs, flower pots, abandoned trash, and other props all faithfully recreate the atmosphere of the fog-shrouded streets of Silent Hill.
More explorable buildings add more fun
As I explored the town, I was surprised to find that the remake had more buildings for James to enter than the original. In some cases, he had to smash windows to break into buildings. Ammo and recovery items were hidden inside, making exploration more important and rewarding. However, the monsters lurking inside these buildings meant that I had to stay alert and focused at all times, adding another layer of challenge to the game.
Intense, close-quarters, and head-on combat
Fighting the terrifying creatures of Silent Hill feels completely different from the original. The monsters in the early stages of the 2001 original were fairly passive and could be beaten to death without much help. In the remake, some enemies can now counterattack between the player’s attacks. Successfully dodging these counterattacks and timing your retaliation adds a new level of excitement to the later gameplay. The new, over-the-shoulder perspective also gives players a closer look at the bizarre enemies.
Riddles that challenge your intelligence and observation skills
The Silent Hill series is a tribute to the Silent Hill series, and that aspect of the gameplay is present in both the original 2001 Silent Hill 2 and the remake. I had the chance to play new puzzles, where I had to collect multiple items to combine together to solve them. However, I did encounter puzzles that were cleverly related to the original, so I’m sure this will be fun for fans of the original Silent Hill 2 and give them something new to solve. For those who aren’t avid puzzlers, it’s also worth knowing that the difficulty of puzzles can be set separately from the difficulty of the game’s action elements like combat levels.
Newly renovated apartment
Remember Wood Side Apartments and Blue Creek Apartments from earlier in the story? Well, their layouts have changed significantly from the original versions. While the overall plot remains the same, the locations where James finds items and puzzles and encounters enemies are completely different, thus challenging returning players to come up with a new approach to the remake.
Fans of the 2001 original remember the loading screens when moving between rooms. In the remake, James can move around the building with ease. But be careful when rushing into rooms. I was so focused on progressing that I was ambushed by a monster that made me jump.
Crazy Pyramid Head
The Pyramid Head encounter at the end of the apartment has also evolved significantly. James confronts the humanoid monster in a larger, more violent warehouse-like area than the original’s small room. Seeing this iconic villain stomp towards you while dragging his giant, sparking sword across the ground is still a terrifying sight.
Pyramid Head’s movements and attacks are quite slow. Staying calm is key to dodging attacks or maintaining a safe distance. However, each of Pyramid Head’s attacks is devastating, as I discovered when it swung its arm and sent James flying into the air.
Since my time at the event was limited, I’m sure there must have been some highlights I missed. But for now, I’ll have to wait until it launches on PS5 on October 8 to explore every nook and cranny of Silent Hill’s streets and buildings.
