Silent Hill 2s Remake Must Outdo the Original in One Crucial Way

Silent Hill 2s Remake Must Outdo the Original in One Crucial Way

As a die-hard fan of the original Silent Hill series who’s spent countless hours exploring the eerie town and its twisted landscapes, I can’t help but feel a mix of excitement and apprehension about the upcoming remake of Silent Hill 2. While the atmosphere, story, and psychological horror that the game offers are unparalleled, there’s one aspect that has always left me wanting: the combat, particularly the boss fights.


As a passionate gamer, I must say that the upcoming remake of Silent Hill 2 leaves no doubt: while the original game has a dedicated fanbase who will defend it to the hilt, its combat mechanics are not exactly top-notch. To put it simply, wielding a pipe and repeatedly whacking an enemy gets old fast, even if you’re trying to interrupt their attacks or stomp them down afterwards. In one-on-one encounters in Silent Hill 2, the melee combat is functional, but it’s mainly held together by its exceptional sound design, which truly sets the sequel apart.

No matter how players feel about combat in general against roaming enemies, though, it is fairly difficult to argue that boss fights are designed interestingly. The limitations of combat in early Silent Hill games obviously have a lot to do with this, but what is achieved amounts to players simply racing to one corner of the room, firing at the boss until the boss closes the distance, and then rinse-and-repeating the process until they’ve exhausted enough bullets to complete the encounter. The Silent Hill 2 remake has made distinct changes to combat that have been warmed up to since their reveal and changes to boss fights would warrant an even warmer welcome if Bloober has been able to make them more engaging or dynamic in its reimagining.

Silent Hill 2’s Boss Fights are Where the Remake Should Take Its Greatest Liberties

Working carefully with a chainsaw or Great Knife can produce exciting outcomes and add some excitement to combat, but the battles in Silent Hill games essentially share the same fundamental principles. In the best-case scenario, boss fights are uninteresting and quickly forgotten. However, when these fights become tedious and laborious, their repetitive and predictable designs are hard to justify.

Silent Hill 2’s Boss Fights are a Low Point in an Otherwise Beautifully Atmospheric Game

As a devoted admirer, let me express that the nail-biting encounter against Eddie Dombrowski in Silent Hill 2 stands out as uniquely challenging. Instead of the usual combat, this boss battle confines players and Eddie within narrow, claustrophobic spaces, forcing us to engage in brutal hand-to-hand combat while enduring each other’s relentless assaults. From a creative perspective, this design choice appears peculiar, as it strips away any sense of immersion that the scene might have otherwise offered. In this intense showdown between James Sunderland and Eddie, we find ourselves frantically exchanging bullet after bullet, only to be left questioning the surreal nature of the confrontation.

Even though this isn’t a fresh concern regarding the 2001 original, given Bloober Team’s upcoming remake and the likelihood that they might preserve, without significant alterations, the designs of boss fights like those from Silent Hill 2, it’s essential to revisit the discussion.

Brand-New Boss Fights in the Silent Hill 2 Remake Could Be a Boon

The upcoming remake of Silent Hill 2, which is set to be twice as long as the original game, suggests several improvements to various gameplay aspects. However, it remains unclear if the boss battles will undergo significant changes due to modifications made by Bloober Team. Ideally, they would have revamped these battles to avoid their monotonous, stationary nature, especially if fresh mechanics have been integrated into standard combat that could tie in with other entries in the eccentric and disjointed Silent Hill series.

It’s good to know that proof of the initial Pyramid Head boss battle being modified has been disclosed. While it’s not necessary for boss fights to completely overhaul established set pieces, as this could also upset fans who have developed strong feelings towards the original battles, it would be unfortunate if simple nostalgia triumphed over innovative combat sequences in the Silent Hill games, especially when Bloober Team has a unique chance to surpass where Team Silent arguably fell short. After all, few Silent Hill games have had such an opportunity since, and it’s not one that Bloober should ignore.

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2024-09-21 23:25