Silent Hill 2 is likely one of the finest survival horror video games of all time. When it first launched in 2001, it was forward of its time with a nuanced tackle the style that expanded the components of its predecessor in daring and surprising methods. It requested large questions with its narrative and allowed gamers to come back to their very own conclusions, whereas its characters had been deep and flawed in ways in which few others had been on the time.
It’s laborious to imagine it got here out when it did, and other than some janky fight and a flawed digicam held again by technological constraints, it’s nonetheless a rare recreation. It has gone down in gaming historical past to such an extent that it may be simple to imagine that each gamer you already know has already performed it, and is aware of all of its twists and turns inside out. That simply isn’t true although, and the not too long ago launched remake goes to be the primary time tens of millions will expertise James Sunderland’s depressing journey to seek out his lifeless spouse.
In My Stressed Twitter Feed, I See These Spoilers
There are a variety of causes for this presumption. Silent Hill 2 is a legendary recreation, and has lengthy sat on a survival horror pedestal that few have been in a position to attain. Each time a horror recreation comes shut, we evaluate it to Silent Hill 2. Each time a recreation explores psychological themes, we’ll evaluate it to Silent Hill 2. Each time a recreation takes inspiration from Silent Hill 2, as many do, we evaluate it to Silent Hill 2. You possibly can see the place I’m going with this. Silent Hill 2 is introduced up in discussions so typically and with such reverence that its many twists and turns have grow to be a supply of presumed information amongst players all around the world.
Hell, earlier than I performed it myself I used to be already conscious of its greatest twists and a number of the grim fates that await its characters, partly because of sequels I performed earlier than that attempted to imitate its greatness or wonderful critique from the press and YouTubers alike. We finally enter a bizarre new territory the place spoilers merely aren’t an element anymore, and that sucks for recent gamers who don’t need their expertise sullied by a legacy they don’t have any first-hand information of.
We noticed this with the Final Fantasy 7 Remake trilogy. Aerith’s demise has grow to be an iconic a part of gaming historical past, and one of many first moments the place a online game was recognized for introducing a key character, having us stage them up and study to like them, then taking them away. All of the sudden the medium wasn’t caught in a continuing state of permanence, it might inform tales that made us blissful, indignant, and, within the case of Aerith’s sudden demise, make us cry.
The remake made me cry too.
Followers appeared to overlook that this could be the primary time so many others would expertise this story, and thus Aerith’s demise grew to become a degree of dialogue earlier than the primary recreation had arrived. Is there an opportunity that Square Enix may reverse one of many greatest twists in gaming historical past, or would we be pressured to relive this loss another time? The top result’s extra sophisticated, and doesn’t actually matter within the context or whether or not it was proper for us to spoil it in what is actually a remake meant not only for hardcore audiences, however for newcomers as properly.
Spoilers Beware, You’re In For A Scare
This brings us again to Silent Hill 2, and the way the eventual revelation round James and his spouse, and the true nature of the titular city and the monsters that roam it had been being talked about lengthy earlier than launch in a means that was clear for all to see. The sport was as soon as sufficiently old that spoilers had been truthful recreation, however now it’s brand-new once more.
To not me, however to sufficient those that I’ll wish to watch out about what I say and after I say it. I’m enjoying via the remake with a number of pals watching on curiously, and I discover myself blurting out spoilers with a naive assumption that they had been within the learn about precisely why James got here to this city and the place it might lead him.
On this echo chamber of my very own making, spoilers are now not an element, however they need to be. So, should you see folks in your life in your timeline enjoying Silent Hill 2 for the primary time, attempt to embrace their sense of shock and shock and keep away from discussing spoilers that you could be see as innocent. To others, they’re something however.
Regarded by most to be the very best recreation within the Silent Hill collection, Silent Hill 2 is the primary to get the remake therapy. Ending greater than a decade of nothing from Silent Hill, this remake lets gamers relive the traditional in a wholly new means.