Bloober Team says its upcoming remake of Silent Hill 2 isn’t going to make too many changes to the story, though given how long it’s been since the original game came out, it’s no surprise that where the gameplay is concerned, the remake is going to be much more ambitious with the changes it makes. To go along with its recent release date announcement and extensive gameplay showing, Bloober Team and Konami have shared more new details on Silent Hill 2 in a PlayStation Blog post, discussing some of the new elements that are being added in the remake.
In the combat department, for instance, though protagonist James isn’t exactly a skilled fighter and as such has only a limited range of attacks available, the remake will feature new actions that players will be able to make use of that the original game didn’t feature. “The combat in this remake is designed to allow for a wider variety of approaches – the player’s arsenal of actions has been expanded, while also preserving the feeling of playing as an inexperienced everyman,” says creative director Mateusz Lenart.
In addition to James, the enemies he encounters will also have new attacks and animations that were made from scratch for the remake. “Giving James more opportunities led to changes in how the enemies he encounters fight as well. He will still have to deal with familiar opponents from the original game, but returning players will notice how their movements and attacks have been fleshed out in order to make them more distinctive and unpredictable in combat scenarios,” says Lenart.
Additionally, players can expect similar changes with puzzles as well, not only with returning puzzles being altered, but new puzzles being introduced as well. For Bloober Team, however, the focus was to preserve the original game’s essence in this area in particular, given how crucial puzzles were to the experience.
“We’ve taken great care to build upon the memory of the original Silent Hill 2 by sometimes twisting and confounding player’s expectations with regards to certain puzzle solutions, in a kind of a tribute to the inventiveness and playfulness of the original game,” says Lenart. “We believe that this approach, alongside the numerous and often surprising references to the original present in the game, will bring joy to fans of the classic Silent Hill 2, while at the same time offering them something new and interesting to solve. We like to think of it as our way of expressing love for the original game – by enriching the experience, while still being mindful of preserving its essence.”
Silent Hill 2 launches on October 8 for PS5 and PC. Head on over here for details on its Deluxe Edition and pre-order bonuses.
