Sam Barlow, the video game designer who worked onSilent Hill: OriginsandSilent Hill: Shattered Memories, as well as the more recent release ofImmortalityon Netflix, PC, and Xbox Series X/S, has said that the upcoming remake ofSilent Hill 2is a “poison chalice.” The job of remaking the horror classic has fallen upon Bloober Team, and it’s bound to launch after two other hugely successful horror game remakes, making the whole shindig that much more challenging.
Notably, though theSilent Hill 2remake is almost finishedby now, the remakes ofDead SpaceandResident Evil 4have already come out to substantial critical acclaim, putting pressure on Bloober Team to continue the trend. According to Barlow, however, this isn’t the only problem that the game is facing.
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In a recent interview with PCGamesN, Sam Barlow said that the remake ofSilent Hill 2is “the biggest poison chalice in video games,” because he doesn’t see a way for any developer to pull it off without upsetting people over something. The fact that theSilent Hill 2dev needs to tread carefullyis well established by now, but it’s curious that Barlow, who has had ample experience with the franchise in the past, would underline this notion further still.
While Barlow wished luck to Bloober Team, he also mentioned that he’s more excited about the all-newSilent Hillgames than he is about the upcoming remake. Specifically, Barlow is a big fan of No Code, the studio working on the mysteriousSilent Hill: Townfall. Some of the team’s previous work includesAlien: Isolation, which was developed in conjunction with Creative Assembly. This type of experience could help No Code deliver a fresh, yet authenticSilent Hillexperience.
Bloober Team defended Konamiearlier this year, taking the opportunity to reassureSilent Hill 2fans that the remake is in good hands and that the publisher knows what it’s doing with the IP. Bloober’s previous output includesLayers of Fear,The Medium, andBlair Witch, as the studio specializes in horror productions. Though these titles haven’t received universal acclaim from critics, they show a degree of expertise that is necessary to pull off a remake such as that ofSilent Hill 2.
Silent Hillhas inspired many horror gamesover the years, and it’s only natural that fans of the franchise would be anxious over this remake. Barlow’s argument does resonate, however, and it’s entirely possible that Bloober Team may be dealing with an unwinnable situation, depending on how the community reacts to the title once it’s out.
Silent Hill 2is in development for PC and PS5.
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