Regardless of how its story was received,The Last of Us Part 2is undeniably a massively positive departure from the simplicity of the original. In fact, if all the sequel introduced was a dedicated jump button it would already be an understated improvement and yet it goes to great lengths to essentially redesign how players interact with the world in its entirety. The prone mechanic is certainly profound in creating a more dynamic stealth system, for example, and shattering glass has since been a subtle mechanic that has a fun effect on exploration.
Silent Hill 2’s remake is no different. Taking the bones of the original game and repurposing them through the lens of a third-person survival horror game, though, the remake had the opportunity to debut new mechanics. Its combat has been compared ad nauseam toThe Callisto Protocol’s despiteSilent Hill: Homecomingbeing a much better point of comparison to the latter, and rather it’s obvious at a glance how much ofThe Last of Us’ genetic essence is embedded in theSilent Hill 2remake’s DNA. This includes, but is not limited to, being able to shatter glass displays and windows.
Silent Hill 2’s Remake Literally Shatters the Barrier of Exploration
As players initially enter the town of Silent Hill inBloober’sSilent Hill 2remakethey’re instantly met with the freedom to explore. There is a scripted, mandatory path players must take with associable key items needed for Neely’s Bar’s jukebox puzzle, but players can also freely roam and see what they can or cannot discover once they’ve acquired the wooden plank and been introduced to their first lying figure.
Like theoriginalSilent Hill 2, many doors to street-facing shops in town are barred or otherwise locked. However, this is one of the areas where the remake gets the most mileage out of glass-breaking. After it’s learned that players can strike displays and windows with the wooden plank,Silent Hill 2’s remake becomes a playground of shattered glass, and the possibilities of where players can go are widened dramatically.
A locked door is no longer a sure sign that whatever room it leads to is inaccessible and instead stirs curiosity regarding how players may otherwise find an entry point. Many buildings in Silent Hill are entered via windows players break and vault through, and doing so can also give players much-needed distance betweenJames Sunderland and the reflections of his psychethat pursue him. Not all glass is breakable, either, but it’s typically clear when it won’t be if there is a wall or environmental obstruction directly behind it.
The Silent Hill 2 Remake’s Emphasis on Exploration is a Boon for the Franchise
Moreover, while it’s important to search vigilantly for resources in the environment anyhow, display cases and vehicle windows in particular should be inspected as they’re likely to have a pack of ammunition or a health drink. This is most similar toThe Last of Us Part 2, where there’s usually a brick, bottle, or snack to be found.
The Last of Us Part 2is also about as linear as theSilent Hill 2remake, though Seattle’s open-zone region and descriptive, illustrative map show how Naughty Dog’s action-adventure game could’ve absolutely been a blueprint for Bloober.
It’d be interesting to see how either franchise could evolve with more regions like these that encourage and embellish exploration, and this type of nuanced, immersive traversal through environments couldundoubtedly improve aspects ofSilent Hill: Downpourif it was ever remade. In the meantime, it seems like taking aLast of Us-esque approach, regardless of how intentional, was a successful choice on Bloober’s part for theSilent Hill 2remake.
