Konami’s presentation revealed several new projects for the long-running series, as well as the long-suspected Silent Hill 2 remake. The announcements from the presentation overall have garnered mixed feelings from Silent Hill fans, particularly because many feel that Silent Hill 2 doesn’t need a remake when compared to other titles in the series that would benefit from it much more, like the original Silent Hill. With a particularly robust list of upcoming horror games set to come out over the next year or so, there are many games that are more exciting than a Silent Hill 2 remake.
Silent Hill 2 is undoubtedly one of the most famous entries in the series, as well as one of the most beloved. The title follows protagonist James Sunderland in the town of Silent Hill, who travels there after receiving a mysterious letter supposedly from his dead wife telling him to meet her there. The gameplay consists of a mix of monster fighting and puzzle solving while also telling a psychological horror story. The game introduced Silent Hill‘s infamous Pyramid Head, who’s almost become a mascot for the series at this point after appearing in several games after Silent Hill 2.
While the original Silent Hill 2 is an iconic piece of horror-game history, little about it necessitates a remake. While its graphics are certainly akin to those of the less-than-impressive Playstation 2 era, that alone isn’t a great reason to remake the game, particularly since it received an HD version in 2012 already. The lukewarm response to the remake announcement is also no doubt partially due to the slew of other exciting, more original horror games that are slated to release in the near future.
The Callisto Protocol Looks To Be A Master Class In Horror
From the mind of Dead Space creator Glen Schofield, the upcoming The Callisto Protocol is a sci-fi horror story full of body horror and existential dread. The highly-anticipated Callisto Protocol will feature up-close combat with terrifying monsters that roam Black Iron Prison, which is on Jupiter’s moon Callisto. Josh Duhamel will play protagonist Jacob Lee, and even more talent will be brought to the table by The Boys actor Karen Fukuhara. Between Schofield’s Dead Space experience, the talent of the game’s voice actors, and the terrifying fights and environments that have been revealed so far, The Callisto Protocol has the potential to be one of the best horror games in years.
Dead Space’s Remake Makes Improvements That Matter
Part of what makes a remake exciting is the scale of improvements it brings to the title, and the Dead Space remake appears to bring much more to the table than a new Silent Hill 2. The game’s sci-fi environments – which arguably justify more detail that Silent Hill 2‘s largely-foggy spaces – have been revamped entirely, adding a huge amount of detail and in turn better immersion for the player. The Dead Space remake upgrades also extend to its loading times, with loading screens supposedly only appearing when protagonist Isaac dies. This is luckily a modern gaming trend that is also making its way to the Silent Hill 2 remake.
Oxenfree II Is A Highly Desirable Supernatural Sequel
While not as graphic as some of the other titles in this collection, the original Oxenfree is still classified as a horror mystery game where players must confront mysterious demonic forces, and Oxenfree II: Lost Signals will follow in its footsteps with a mix of supernatural storytelling alongside dialogue and puzzle mechanics. The new game is set in the same universe as the first but with new characters, with players assuming the role of researcher Riley in Oxenfree II, who’s returned to the small town of Camena to investigate mysterious electromagnetic signals. From there, Riley must contend with a cult-like group called Parentage, who are trying to open the same rifts from the first game in order to purposefully bring supernatural evil to Camena.
In several odd ways, Oxenfree II: Lost Signals actually has a lot in common with Silent Hill 2. Although Oxenfree II doesn’t include monster fights it does feature puzzling and problem-solving much like Silent Hill 2, and Oxenfree II contains horrifying disturbances to reality much like the Otherworld. They both even take place in coastal vacation towns during the off-season – but many players would no doubt rather return to Camena than Silent Hill, Maine.
Redfall’s Vampire Hunting Looks Chaotically Fun
The horror-shooter game Redfall combines stealthy vampire slaying with fast-paced, co-op shooting for what looks to be a wholly unique experience. The game made an appearance this summer at the Xbox & Bethesda Showcase with a new trailer, renewing many players’ excitement over the title after delays had made some fans wonder if the game was even still happening. Developer Arkane Studios previously produced the survival-horror shooter Prey, so players know they are more than up to the task of making Redfall a unique experience, and the game reportedly boasts a huge in-game world that will likely blow Silent Hill 2‘s out of the water.
Choo-Choo Charles Is An Absurd Locomotive Horror Story
The upcoming horror-survival title Choo-Choo Charles is Stephen King-inspired nightmare fuel at its finest. A recent gameplay trailer for Choo-Choo Charles revealed some of the main elements of gameplay, like gathering materials and fixing up a train. However, players aren’t just using the train for transport – they also must modify it with weapons and defenses as they prepare for an epic showdown with Choo-Choo Charles himself. Charles is a horrifying combination of train and spider that sports sharp teeth and a bloody smile, and footage that showed Choo-Choo Charles chasing the player hits many of the same disturbing notes as Silent Hill 2.
While it would be patently inaccurate to say that no players are that excited over the prospect of a Silent Hill 2 remake, it’s certainly not the case for a large swathe of Silent Hill series fans. However, with Silent Hill 2‘s 21st anniversary happening just last month, there are certainly some players who are curious about how the game would look so many years later. Even so, the list of upcoming horror games that players can expect to release over the next few years is truly impressive, with many looking more appealing to players than a Silent Hill 2 remake.
