Is Silent Hill 2 Remake worth picking up for Resident Evil fans?

Konami's Silent Hill 2 Remake will become the latest installment in the ever-popular horror game genre when it releases on October 8, 2024. The retelling of James Sunderland's story has fans of the franchise as well as that of the genre looking forward to the release and exploring the town of Silent Hill, Maine once again.

A series often compared with Silent Hill in terms of the broader horror game genre is the very popular Capcom franchise Resident Evil. Fans and players of the latter series may be wondering if the Silent Hill 2 remake is a game they'd want to pick up, and here's our take on it.

Note: The contents of this article are subjective, and reflect the writer's opinion.

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Similar genre, different experiences

The most prominent common feature of both games is that they fall under the broader "horror game" genre. However, one incredibly key element to keep in mind is that while Resident Evil can be considered as residing within the sub-genre of "action-horror", Silent Hill is firmly in the sub-genre of "psychological horror".

Both game franchises are in different sub-genres of horror gaming (Image via Konami/Steam)

Resident Evil games often feature large, cinematic set pieces and venues for the game to take place, with an emphasis on exploration. The Silent Hill franchise, on the other hand, provides players with a more "artistic" experience. Its focus is on creating for the player an environment of dread and fear that creeps in over time.

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Different gameplay experiences in Silent Hill compared to Resident Evil

The Resident Evil series' gameplay is aimed at keeping players on their toes at all times. The aspect of survival in an uncertain setting is meant to keep players questioning what their next encounter with an enemy might be, and how to tackle it. Additionally, the series is more "cinematic" by nature, emphasizing on combat and providing players with a vast arsenal of weapons to aid in their journey.

With Silent Hill, the pacing of the series is much slower in comparison. The stories in the series are also very dark, almost disturbing. The story of the Silent Hill 2 Remake follows a widower traveling to the desolate town of Silent Hill after receiving a letter from someone claiming to be his deceased wife. Puzzles and mini-games have a lot more value in this series as well.

Silent Hill 2 Remake (Image via Konami/Steam)

While cinematic in its own regard, Silent Hill uses pacing to set a sense of dread and fear into players' minds. This has resulted in the series being often referred to as the "artistic" rendition of the horror genre, while Resident Evil is a bit more brash in its take on how it approaches fear, relying more on aspects such as "jump scares" to keep players on their toes.

Neither franchise is being considered as the superior in this comparison, with both series having their own high and low points. Ultimately, in our opinion should Resident Evil fans be willing to experience a more disturbing story with comparatively slower gameplay elements, the Silent Hill 2 Remake might be worth their consideration.

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Read more gaming news below:

• Can you play Silent Hill 2 remake as a newcomer to the series?
• When does Silent Hill 2 Remake early access start?