The remake of Silent Hill 2 has been warmly received by critics (we gave it an excellent game rating), dispelling their fears about Bloober Team’s ability to re-imagine a beloved game like Silent Hill 2. The results were indeed promising, with even the original director of Silent Hill 2 expressing excitement for it.
Masahiro Tsuboyama, who directed the original Silent Hill 2 game in 2001, recently spoke on Twitter expressing his enthusiasm for the game’s remake, noting that it not only surpasses the technical limitations of the original game but also allows new audiences to experience it for the first time.
“Games and technology are constantly evolving, leading to significant differences in restrictions and levels of expression.” “This is a common issue in media arts in general, but it is not easy to maintain and appreciate the current environment.”
“I believe the value of the new version lies in the fact that the new generation can play it. As a creator, I am very happy about that. It’s been 23 years! Even if you don’t know the original version, you can enjoy the new version as it is. Whether it’s good or bad does not affect the original version.”
Speaking about the new version, Tsuboyama criticized the way the remake is being promoted, pointing out that many highlighted differences between it and the original version fail to showcase the game’s attractiveness. Tsuboyama wrote:
“The differences between the original version and the new version, 4K, visual realism, etc., are all modest.” “Who will this promotional offer attract? It seems they are not doing enough to convey the appeal of the work to the generation unfamiliar with Silent Hill.”
However, he added that the only main change he feels excited about is the new shoulder camera, which will greatly change the gameplay experience.
“The main thing to note is the change in camera perspective.” “The change in the playable camera has a significant impact on many aspects, combat, level design, artistic creativity, etc. While the impact on the story may be relatively small, it creates a major change in the gameplay feel.”
Interestingly, Tsuboyama also criticized the fixed cameras in the original Silent Hill 2 game, feeling they were restrictive, before adding that the new camera should allow for a more immersive experience.
“To be honest, I was not satisfied with the camera in the original game 23 years ago.” “The depth and angle were limited due to the processor load. It was an ongoing process of hard work that was not rewarded. But that was the maximum.”
“The overhead view definitely adds to the sense of realism. In other words, this makes me want to experience playing the new version of Silent Hill 2 more immersive.”
Silent Hill 2 is currently available on PS5 and PC for those who purchased the deluxe edition, with a global release on October 8.