Posted on: May 22, 2025
Games: 0 Reviews: 8
A dull, poorly performing remake
Performance-wise, the game is an absolute mess. Frame rate drops, stuttering, and sluggish responsiveness kill any sense of immersion. A horror game thrives on atmosphere and timing—two things that crumble when technical issues constantly rip the player out of the experience. On modern hardware, there's simply no excuse for these kinds of hiccups, especially when the original ran more smoothly over two decades ago on far weaker systems. Graphically, it’s a perfect example of how “better” visuals don’t equate to better presentation. The remake swaps out the iconic, grainy fog and subtle lighting with overly polished textures and sterile lighting effects that strip the game of its moody atmosphere. The original's limited draw distance and soft, film-like quality weren't technical limitations—they were deliberate choices that enhanced the psychological tension. In trying to modernize the visuals, the remake misunderstands what made them effective in the first place. And worst of all, the remake is inferior in tone, execution, and artistic integrity. The original Silent Hill 2 was a masterclass in minimalism and psychological storytelling. The remake, by comparison, feels bloated and emotionally tone-deaf, flattening the ambiguous, disturbing themes with heavy-handed delivery and awkward pacing. Even the voice acting and character animations seem lifeless, draining the emotional depth from every major scene. In short, the Silent Hill 2 remake doesn’t just stumble—it falls face-first into the fog, unable to find its way back to what made the original an enduring masterpiece. It’s a grim reminder that nostalgia alone can't save a remake that doesn’t understand the legacy it’s trying to honor. I would much rather have the original Silent Hill 2 on PC come to GOG as part of the preservation program, with full support and fixes for modern hardware and operating systems.
Is this helpful to you?
