Silent Hill 2 Director Says New Remake Is “More Immersive” Than the Original

In a new series of messages, the director of the original Silent Hill 2, Masashi Tsuboyama, has praised Bloober Team‘s recently released remake as being far more immersive. Leading up to its launch, many Silent Hill 2 fans were hesitant with their excitement for the remake. Fortunately, the final product has been largely well-received by both critics and players to this point in a variety of different aspects. Now, the game’s original director is sharing his thoughts on the new version and has largely positive things to say himself.

Speaking on X, Tsuboyama said that he generally appreciates the return of Silent Hill 2 in this remake as it allows a new generation of players to experience it. Even if the remake did fall short of expectations, whether it be his own or that of fans, Tsuboyama explained that this doesn’t impact the original game which still stands on its own. 

Still, Tsuboyama said that the Silent Hill 2 remake is particularly enticing for him to play because of its third-person camera. He went on to explain that in the original game, he never liked the camera angles that those at Konami were forced to implement as a result of technology limitations on the PlayStation 2. As a result, being able to experience the story of Silent Hill 2 from a third-person perspective does a better job of immersing the player and making it seem more realistic. 

“Games and technology are constantly evolving, resulting in significant differences in constraints and levels of expression,” Tsuboyama said. “This is a common issue with media arts in general, but it is not easy to maintain and appreciate the environment of the time. I think the value of the remake is that a new generation can play it. As a creator, I’m very happy about it. It’s been 23 years! Even if you don’t know the original, you can just enjoy the remake as it is. Whether it’s good or bad doesn’t affect the original.”

“The change in playable camera has a significant impact on many aspects. Combat, level design, art creation, etc.,” he continued. “While the impact on the story may be relatively small, it brings a big change to the play-feel of the game. To be honest, I’m not satisfied with the playable camera from 23 years ago. Depth and angle were limited by the processing load. It was a continuous process of hard work that was not rewarded. But that was the limit. The over-the-shoulder view definitely adds to the sense of realism. In other words, it makes me want to try playing the even more immersive remake of Silent Hill 2!”

Silent Hill 2 Director Has One Big Issue With the Remake

If there is one gripe that Tsuboyama has with the Silent Hill 2 remake, though, it’s more aimed at Konami. Tsuboyama said that he’s been disappointed to see the game promoted so heavily for its improved visuals, 4K resolution, and pre-order bonuses. He dubbed these as “mediocre” selling points that fail to sell new players on what the Silent Hill franchise actually is. 

It’s a complaint that makes quite a bit of sense, especially given that the Silent Hill series has been on ice for the better part of the past decade. As a result, this SH2 remake has to be enticing to original fans in addition to those who might not know what it is. Whether or not it’s accomplishing this feat isn’t yet known, but we should learn more if Konami ends up revealing sales figures in the future. 

If you’re interested in picking up Silent Hill 2 for yourself, the remake is now available for PlayStation 5 and PC platforms. A release on Xbox could also happen further down the road after its one-year exclusivity for PS5 comes to an end.