Silent Hill 2's remake is authentic and compelling - but technical problems need addressing

Developer Bloober Team faces a challenging balancing act in bringing a cherished 2001 classic like Silent Hill 2 to a new generation. The good news is that the Silent Hill 2 Remake - released on PlayStation 5 and PC - does capture the essence, the atmosphere of Konami's survival horror, all while making smart upgrades to its design. Despite rebuilding the game on Unreal Engine 5, you'll still recognise its iconic, foggy view over Toluca Lake at the game's start. The cutscenes are now acted out with new motion capture and voice overs and while in control, you'll explore Silent Hill's woodland trails and apartment blocks with an updated control scheme - complete with newly devised puzzles. Likewise, its soundtrack is re-arranged by legendary composer Akira Yamaoka, and even the world layout, the ordering of events, is remixed at points to keep fans, old and new alike, on their toes. Even through all these twists though, at its core, Bloober still successfully takes apart and puts back together the beating heart of what made the 2001 original work. Read more

Developer Bloober Team faces a challenging balancing act in bringing a cherished 2001 classic like Silent Hill 2 to a new generation. The good news is that the Silent Hill 2 Remake - released on PlayStation 5 and PC - does capture the essence, the atmosphere of Konami's survival horror, all while making smart upgrades to its design. Despite rebuilding the game on Unreal Engine 5, you'll still recognise its iconic, foggy view over Toluca Lake at the game's start.

The cutscenes are now acted out with new motion capture and voice overs and while in control, you'll explore Silent Hill's woodland trails and apartment blocks with an updated control scheme - complete with newly devised puzzles. Likewise, its soundtrack is re-arranged by legendary composer Akira Yamaoka, and even the world layout, the ordering of events, is remixed at points to keep fans, old and new alike, on their toes. Even through all these twists though, at its core, Bloober still successfully takes apart and puts back together the beating heart of what made the 2001 original work.

We're focusing on PlayStation 5 today with PC coverage to follow but the fact of the matter is - and despite my praise for Bloober's overall re-telling of Silent Hill 2's story - the remake's use of Unreal Engine 5 technology has pros and cons. So first of all, how much of a visual overhaul is the remake over the PlayStation 2 original? Side-by-side, how is Konami's original blueprint for each area brought to life today via UE5 - wher.