Fans of silent Hill have gone 20 years without having the right to a real new video game. It must be said that the conflict between Hideo Kojima and Konamiresulting from the cancellation of Silent Hills in 2015, made players lose hope, but the Japanese publisher and developer relaunched the franchise in 2022 with a Transmission promising, notably formalizing a remake of Silent Hill 2 by Bloober Team. What an idea… The second part, which can be played without having done silent Hill first of the name, is a cult game, undoubtedly the best survival horror psychological never achieved by the Team Silenta title that has long shone thanks to an intelligent and touching storyline, nightmarish artistic direction and a captivating soundtrack. But was there really a need for a remake?
Bloober Team perfectly respected the history of the time.
Silent Hill 2 has already been ported to modern platforms with a HD Collectionoffering high definition graphics (720p), a reworked soundtrack and new dubbing. All this did not convince the fans, it must be said that the work seemed shoddy and the purists were very attached to the original game, his faults were his charm. Smudgy and blurry textures that left room for the imagination, a grainy image, faces close to theuncanny valleyan acting game that was often a little fake, but the whole result was a horrifying and disturbing video game, which still works today. Remain one gameplay rigid and not very exciting combat, real flaws, even for the time, no video game is perfect, not even Silent Hill 2 on PS2 (subsequently ported to Xbox and PC).
And yet, here it is Bloober Team has embarked on the development of a remake. The announcement made fans jump, the Polish studio having a mixed CV. THE Layers of Fear were interesting psychological and narrative horror games, the studio tried its hand at horror cyberpunk with Observethen gave birth to Blair Witcha soporific title adapted from a particularly slow cult film. The latest production of Bloober Team was The Mediumanother psychological horror game, but heavily inspired by silent Hillcomposer Akira Yamaoka was even there. A title still too imperfect to satisfy players. Then comes today Silent Hill 2 Remake. SO, Bloober Team has he finally succeeded in developing the horror game that all fans were hoping for, satisfying both old purists and newbies to the franchise? Answer in our test, always without spoilers.
Silent Hill 2 follows James Sunderlanda man of unknown age and occupation. The game opens with the protagonist taking a break in a public restroom near silent Hilla small American town like so many others. If James is here, it was after receiving a letter from his wife Marywho is waiting for him silent Hill. Issue : Mary died three years ago of an illnessimpossible that his deceased companion is back. Carried by love and the sorrow of his disappearance, James however returns to this city where the couple had spent vacation. Quickly, Sunderland understands that silent Hill has changed, the city is plunged into fog and the inhabitants have deserted, only deformed and grotesque creatures remain in the streets and buildings. Mary can she really be alive, silent Hill ? And who this Mariaa true double of his deceased wife, who crosses his path in town?
If you have played Silent Hill 2 in 2001, don’t expect any changes in the storyline of the remake, Bloober Team perfectly respected the history of the time. Whether in the narration, the dialogues or the overall scenario, the Polish studio took no risks not to rush old fans, but that’s all the better. Silent Hill 2whatever its version, offers us a terrifying, beautiful, touching and dramatic story, asking a lot of questions throughout the game, to give us its terrible answers at the end. A psychologically trying adventure, as it touches on heavy and ever more current subjects, whether through the history of James And Marybut alsoAngelaofEddie and of Laurathe few other humans in town. All were called by silent Hillbut never for happy reasons. And impossible to miss Maria, doppelgänger of Mary both seductive and disturbing, which will psychologically torture James until the end.
A quick digression on the appearance of the characters, which has caused a lot of virtual ink to flow in recent months. Yes, the outfit Maria has changed and is less short than at the time (less vulgar, some would say), to the great dismay of some false “fans” who visibly miss the character, his role and his story. As for Angelawithout saying too much about her history, her appearance coincides much better with her past and her age, we are dealing here with a young woman, barely adult, already ravaged by life, it was not necessary to make her ” attractive”, “beautiful” or other like at the time, quite the contrary.
| Clint008 Editor – Tester |
