“Oh God, No”: Fans Don’t Want Pyramid Head Story Changes In SH2 Remake

As development continues on the upcoming remake of Silent Hill 2, the game’s pre-order information has revealed that it will seemingly include an origin story for one of the game’s most iconic villains, Pyramid Head – which, unfortunately, has a good chance of turning out poorly. One of the all-time classics of the survival horror genre, Silent Hill 2 is likely the most notorious and well-known game in the franchise, going on to inspire several other horror games with its unique atmosphere and storytelling. More recently, however, a remake of the title has been announced to be in development under the studio Bloober Team, setting off doubts from many long-time fans of the series.

Known for its previous work on games like the Layers of Fear series and The Medium, Bloober Team is a relatively experienced studio when it comes to making horror games. Unfortunately, the studio’s reputation is also mixed, with its games garnering complaints of being ham-fisted and unsubtle in their handling of their themes, and, especially in the case of The Medium, carrying potentially harmful messages about mental illness. As a result, the studio’s in-development remake of Silent Hills 2 is in trouble, as the studio’s ability to handle the game’s unique psychological horror and uncomfortable themes is already in question.

Silent Hill 2 Remake’s Pyramid Head Origin Story Could Ruin The Character

Far from having their doubts assuaged, however, fans of the original Silent Hill 2 likely won’t appreciate one of the additions seemingly coming in the remake – a playable origin story for Pyramid Head, the game’s most iconic villain, who stalks and threatens protagonist James Sunderland throughout the game. The revelation of Pyramid Head’s upcoming origin story was spotted by ResetEra user dpanim (via ComicBook.com) in a Silent Hill 2 remake pre-order listing from Best Buy.

A subsequent ResetEra thread from user Blackbird was accompanied by a poll gauging readers’ reactions to the idea of Pyramid Head’s expanded presence in the remake. At the time of writing, 57.3% of the votes were cast for “oh god no” in response to the Silent Hill 2 remake giving Pyramid Head a backstory. Aside from being a needless origin story for a character who already serves a clear purpose in the original game, the extra content promised (or threatened) by the pre-order info also runs the risk of completely missing the point of Pyramid Head as it pertains to the game’s story.

A Pyramid Head Origin Story Risks Making It Less Scary

Pyramid Head, as it relates to the story of Silent Hill 2, is not a character that needs an origin – it is, explicitly, a manifestation of James’ guilt and desire to be punished, and giving it an origin story runs the risk of losing the very personal meaning it has to the game’s protagonist. Worse, explaining Pyramid Head with needless lore or backstory could have the unintended effect of making the monster less scary. Much of the horror in Silent Hill 2 is derived from uncertainty and a sense of mystery, and a need to explain away every last detail could end up harming the remake more than anything else.

Of course, there is still potential for Silent Hill 2‘s remake to turn out well, especially if the game sticks closely to the aspects of the original that make it so beloved. However, the inclusion of an unnecessary origin story for one of the game’s best, most iconic monsters runs the risk of taking away what makes Pyramid Head compelling in the first place, something that won’t bode well for the rest of the Silent Hill 2 remake.

Sources: PCGamesN, dpanim/ResetEra (via ComicBook.com), Blackbird/ResetEra