Silent Hill 2 (Remake)

March 2, 2025

In my restless dreams, I see that town.

After 23 years since the original release, the highly anticipated remake of Silent Hill 2 has left me speechless.

Fresh gameplay, next-generation graphics and sound, plenty of surprises, and faithful in every aspect to the original title.

A masterpiece, both for veterans and those new to the game. Get ready for a deep and introspective journey into Silent Hill.

What I liked the most

Save points have something special, perhaps a bit unsettling. When we prepare to save our game by activating one of those red squares, we can see how James looks directly at them, whether on a table or mounted on a wall. But our perspective shifts, we look through the square towards James, as if it were a surveillance camera. It’s a detail that’s both creepy and fun since, while saving, we can see what’s happening around him in real-time. For example, if a character is accompanying him, there’s a chance they might appear on screen.
The game’s impressive level of graphical detail: puddles and their reflections, rust on the walls, the variation in room decorations (shoes, furniture, damages, etc.).
Expands the content of the original title, for example, by adding more explorable rooms or additional endings while always maintaining the essence of the classic.
Boss fights are much more enjoyable and complex than in the original. The arenas are larger and feature details that perfectly integrate each boss’s theme.
Moments where the game unexpectedly flashes something familiar from the original game.
The ability to break glass in cars, shop windows, and cabinets, and how Maria reacts to it.
Something I’ve always loved about this game is encountering other humans in such a hostile world.
Having the radio integrated into the PS5 controller is a fantastic touch.

It’s easy to mistakenly press the triangle button and use a basic healing item by accident. I think it would be better if some kind of confirmation was required. Even if you’re at full health it isn’t wasted, you might find it better to take several hits before using the syringe in other situations.
When enlarging a note, it would be great to be able to scroll through it with the stick, just like with the map.
When asked to put our hand into a hole, the toilet, or jump into the void, the game asks multiple times if we’re sure, trying to make us reconsider. However, as far as I know, nothing ever happens, and there’s no alternative choice. The first time, you hesitate, but on subsequent occasions, you don’t (only in the bathtub do you try but cannot proceed, though it also has no consequences).
Interaction points are not always easy to focus on precisely to trigger an action.
- In the hospital, I couldn’t pick up an ammo cartridge from a drawer.

Small bug in the labyrinth: inside the rotating cube, sometimes the character gets stuck and cannot move.