Though I’ve had gaming consoles since my (cough cough) Intellivision in the ’80s, there are certain franchises I either didn’t spend much time with or missed out on completely. When it came to choosing between a SEGA Master System and a Nintendo Entertainment System as a kid, I threw my lot in with SEGA, often times regretting that I wasn’t experiencing Zelda or Super Mario games.
Come 1997, I wound up diving into a new gaming ecosystem with the original Sony PlayStation and, while I’ve had and continue to play on various other consoles since, it’s safe to say that I’ve been a PlayStation guy ever since the OG. But like I said off the top, I haven’t spent time with every franchise out there. I couldn’t tell you much about the Metal Gear Solid games, for instance, except I know there are a lot of them. And when it comes to horror titles, it was the Resident Evil franchise that took up my time growing up, which meant my experience with Silent Hill has been minimal.
Except, that is, for one great Saturday afternoon spent with my youngest sister playing the first Silent Hill game. Even though the sun was shining and the birds were singing, the eeriness that that first generation PlayStation game was delivering managed to scare the shit out of both of us. So much so that we eventually wound up turning it off, no doubt the sign of a great horror experience.
All of this preamble is a way of saying I’m coming into the newly released Konami/Bloober Team exclusive PlayStation 5 remake of Silent Hill 2 with absolutely open eyes and no expectations or familiarity of the original version.
For those not in know, much like I was, here’s the log line for Silent Hill 2:
Experience a master class in psychological horror – lauded as the best in the series – on the latest hardware with chilling visuals and visceral sounds.
Take on the role of James Sunderland and venture into the mostly deserted town of Silent Hill in this highly anticipated remake of the 2001 classic. Drawn to this mysterious place by a letter from his wife, who died three years previously, James searches the town for any trace of his wife.
Enter a dream-like world and encounter twisted monsters, the menacing Pyramid Head, and a seemingly ordinary cast of characters wrestling with their past.
As James comes to terms with his own turmoil, he’ll be left with one question – why did he really come to Silent Hill?
Not really knowing what to expect, I can tell you that Silent Hill 2 immediately fills you with a sense of disquiet and impending doom. It also has fog.
A lot of freaking fog.
Exploration is key to the game and there isn’t a lot of handholding as your character James makes his way through the town, often with the bare minimum of direction. That’s not a bad thing, though; instead, it adds to the general feeling of WTF are you doing, and why are you doing it? The design of Silent Hill, in all its gloominess, is gorgeous to look at, and you may find yourself wandering off aimless simply to marvel at your surroundings. Until you’re attacked by all manner of grostesques, of course.
Perhaps the most impressive aspect of the game I’ve experienced so far (I haven’t completed it as of yet) is the outstanding use of the PS5 DuelSense Wireless Controller. As the official web page states, “Take advantage of realistic environmental soundscapes with the PlayStation® 5’s 3D Audio, and find yourself truly drawn into the world of Silent Hill.” Early on, James picks up a radio which emits noise and static whenever a monster is close; those sounds come straight out of the DuelSense, and it absolutely hightens the tensions of Silent Hill 2 and demonstrates what an advanced system like the PS5 can deliver for horror gamers.
I still have miles to go before I finish Silent Hill 2 and can sleep, but as a lover of horror games, this remake has absolutely drawn me into a fan favourite franchise, one that I’ve finally caught up to.
