Summary
It mustn’t be long now before more is shared about Bloober’sSilent Hill 2remake, which still doesn’t have a release date. As a remake of one of the most seminal psychological horror games ever made it may not need much marketing to garner excitement around it in any normal circumstances, but Bloober being its developer comes with its own inherent concerns and, whether it turns out good or bad, seeing how it has chosen to iterate or reimagineSilent Hill 2will obviously be intriguing.
Thankfully, Bloober’s remake is not all thatSilent Hillhas in the oven.Silent Hill: The Short Messagewas more or less overlooked when it shadow-dropped as what seems like an amuse-bouche forfutureSilent Hillcontent, andSilent Hill fandSilent Hill: Townfallare in the works as entries that appear unrelated to the canon content that’s been either highly revered or criticized since Team Silent’s original four installments. If Konami wants to redefine the IP with future games it needs to be as diverse and unique as possible—experimenting with art styles or gameplay genres, for example—whileSilent Hillis still a brand name horror enthusiasts know and respect.
Silent Hill Can’t Afford to Rely on Overcooked Trends and Tropes of the Past
Silent Hill: The Short Messagewasn’t outright lambasted, but its inability to make a stamp on the franchise speaks volumes. On one hand, the lack of any reception or discourse one way or another could suggest that there isn’t a community waiting around anymore forSilent Hillto be magically whisked into prominence again.
Silent Hill’s most loyal enjoyers have suffered long enough and theSilent Hill 2remake isn’t looking like it’ll be what elevates the franchise back to the good graces that were established in theoriginalSilent Hill 2. On the other hand, part of the remake having an initially underwhelming response may be that it doesn’t immediately seem to take any creative strides in survival horror that players haven’t already been treated to inResident Evilremakes for the last five years.
The Short Messagedidn’t shadow-drop and have a bunch of emergent features to bring to the survival horror genre; instead,The Short Messagewas a ‘hallway horror’ walking simulator-esque gamethat wouldn’t be out of place amid the countless indie horror titles that have adopted the ubiquitous and often unsubstantial subgenre.
Not every game with this tired formula is poorly conceived, especially with its progenitorPTas a glowing example of how effective it can be. That said, forThe Short Messageto not land on everyone’s radar is unsurprising given how thinly these experiences have been stretched, and it’s all onfandTownfallnow among any unannouncedSilent Hillgames to hopefully branch out and be as unconventional and imaginative as possible while it can.
If Silent Hill Has a Chance of Success It’s in Unprecedented Choices
Silent Hilldoesn’t necessarily need aHooked on You-likedating simulator ofDead by Daylight’s ilk, for instance, and yet one could certainly revitalize the franchise with a new perspective and an inspired art style. These are the kinds of wild choicesSilent Hillshould be brainstorming beyond the obvious survival horror fodder it’ll be leaning into with theSilent Hill 2remake because they’re the ones that’ll be able to keep the IP afloat.
Buoyed byingenuity and impassioned developers,Silent Hillcould take an entirely new shape and have multiple diverse lenses through which to view it. Fortunately,fat least has a premise behind it that distinguishes it from anythingSilent Hillhas attempted before and with nothing known aboutTownfallit hopefully wishes to be distinct apart fromSilent Hill 2andfin whatever its narrative and gameplay deliver.
In an ideal scenario,Silent Hillwould already have several other projects in development that all reach into deep pockets of horror and all seek to be wholly creative. After all, this may beSilent Hill’s last opportunity to prove why it deserves to persist in today’s psychological and survival horror market, and it can’t do so by trying to bandwagon on what it believes is popular or trendy with modern audiences.
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.
