Silent Hill 2: PS5 Review

Developed by Bloober Team

Published by Konami
Platform: PS5

Silent Hill 2 is a broody, moody affair.

The Bloober Team remake of the 2001 favourite follows James Sunderland, a widower, who heads to Silent Hill after getting a letter from his dead wife saying she's there.

But when he arrives, he finds mystery, a lingering fog and a whole lot of jump scares.

The third person game is favourable to the original, while still adding levels of its own intentions on it. Atmospheric and bleak, the game's terrifyingly claustrophobic feeling does much to engender a sense of unease in the player.

Although a lot of the game sees you stumbling through streets and areas awaiting something to happen, it does much to lull you into a false sense of security. And while the game does remain largely faithful to its source material, the inclusion of new cinematics aside - players who've never experienced the original are still able to lean in and enjoy it.

With minimal lighting and dense fog, the game works well on modern day consoles, building in layers of unfurling danger and causing you to squint at what could lie ahead, just out of sight.

There can be frustrations solving puzzles and patience is greatly required throughout as levels of discomfort increase. In fact, it's hard to face the fact that much of Silent Hill 2 is based on misery and unhappiness - but perversely, that's also its thrill.

And while combat is a little trickier than the original and there's more of it, the general atmospherics of Silent Hill 2 ensure the game is one to dive into - and to suffer through. 

It may be tricky in parts, and pantwettingly unrelenting in others, but all in all, Silent Hill 2 proves that remakes when handled well can work - and that this franchise is desperately in need of a dust down for its next generation - and perhaps a new episode unleashed by Konami to inspire and frighten for years to come.