Silent Hill 2: Will the developers distort the game by making a more accessible remake?


If the announcement of Konami was received with little surprise — but perhaps with some relief after years of waiting and constant rumors — it certainly got fans talking about the franchise silent Hill.

Since then, the discussions have been going well on the various social networks, and if the majority of the community seems to be delighted with the news, many are those who are worried about the choice that Konami has made by giving Bloober Team the responsibility for the sacrosanct remake (but also for James’s head).

Japanese horror

The Japanese have long been known to be masters of horror. But what makes Japanese horror so typically scary? If ghosts and other folkloric creatures do not lack allure, it is above all the psychological dimension and the strong symbolism which is interesting in Japanese works, and Silent Hill reflects this perfectly.

The story of Silent Hill 2 (but also of the other opuses, for that matter) is full of symbolism and possible interpretations: some believe that the city is in fact a purgatory, and that the creatures are deities of the place. Others say it’s actually a symbol of James’ subconscious, and that each of the monsters is a part of him, or an inner demon to fight. Or even, why not, both.

This is for many the reason that Silent Hill is unforgettable: the story is fascinating for those who like to decipher secrets, and the unspeakable and existential horrors that lurk in the city offer an inimitable ambiance and atmosphere for those who enjoy immersion. Or again, why not both.

And if this is what makes Silent Hill a classic, how will the developers of Bloober Team translate this unique atmosphere? Will the narration be affected by this remake?

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Bloober Team

Of course, this is not the first horror game for Bloober Team. By the way, their previous games — Layers of Fear 1 and 2, Observer, Blair Witch, and The Medium in chronological order — all deal with psychological horror and mental illness. Mateusz Lenart, Creative Director and Lead Designer of Bloober Team also claims the affection that the developers have for the original games:

“Silent Hill 2 is a beloved and timeless classic. While that description may sound cliché, it’s no less true for a lot of Bloober Team members.” he said in PlayStation’s press release.

We could even make a comparison between The Medium and Silent Hill: two parallel and connected worlds, an unreliable because psychologically unstable narrator, underlying themes of abuse and trauma, (almost) everything is there. However, Bloober Team is far from demonstrating the finesse that we see in Team Silent (the developers of the first 4 original Silent Hill) when it comes to dealing with these topics. Some players have even been offended, if not outright hurt, by their way of addressing the mental illness and trauma suffered by victims of abuse in The Medium.

And if the other games of which they are the authors did not necessarily offend, they are not for all that fine and subtle in their writing. But what about the remake of Silent Hill 2? Will the Polish developers adapt the complex story of the original game to their sauce, even if it means simplifying it?

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Making the story of Silent Hill 2 more accessible, a good or a bad idea?

I’ll stop you right now, this article will not give a clear answer to the question. Indeed, I can see positive in the simplification of the narration of Silent Hill 2 as in the choice not to touch it (don’t hate me internet pity).

Even touching a hair in the story could of course distort the experience, and I don’t particularly want Bloober Team to come and put their big shoes in the complexity and finesse of the original scenario.

That said, wouldn’t making storytelling a little more accessible help attract more players ? And isn’t that ultimately what Konami is looking for by announcing this remake accompanied by 4 other contents from the same license? It is quite possible that Konami is trying to reach as many people as possible to attract them to the other media of the Silent Hill franchise, just as did, for example, Naughty Dog with his remake of The Last of Us and the upcoming HBO series ?

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Bloober Team has announced that it wants “modernize” Silent Hill 2, all in “[travaillant] hand in hand with the original creators, including Akira Yamaoka and Masahiro Ito, to ensure that the unique feeling of Silent Hill remains intact.”.

Alone the graphics, the camera angle and the combat system seem to be concerned for the moment. And with Ito and Yamaoka (artist responsible for the creatures and composer of the games’ musical themes, respectively), chances are that what really makes the soul of Silent Hill 2, which is, yes, its monsters, its music and its sound design, be part of it. In any case, we hope so.

Whether you like horror games or not, you’ve probably heard of PT, a playable trailer developed by Kojima Productions 8 years ago to showcase the newest game in the Silent Hill franchise — and which ultimately never released due to disagreements between Kojima and Konami.

We can say that Konami has not been idle! The Japanese company announced no less than three games, a movie and what appears to be an interactive series during the Silent Hill Transmission event on October 19. Here is a small recap of the announcements.





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