Silent Hill 2 Remake Review Technical Issues

Silent Hill 2 Remake Review: Technical Issues

The Silent Hill 2 Remake is a challenging balancing act for developer Bloober Team, bringing a cherished 2001 classic to a new generation. The remake captures the essence and atmosphere of the original, making smart upgrades to its design. However, it also faces technical issues, particularly with its use of Unreal Engine 5 technology.

Visual Overhaul

The remake offers a significant visual overhaul of the original, with in-engine renders replacing pre-rendered CG cutscenes. The character designs are also adjusted to suit a 4K presentation on PS5, with added details such as buttons and zips on James’ jacket. However, some fans may be attached to the original designs and find the changes hard to accept.

Technical Basics

The PS5 version of the remake offers two modes: a 30 frames per second quality mode and a 60fps performance mode. The quality mode runs with dynamic scaling, while the performance mode drops the resolution. However, both modes have issues with frame rates, with the quality mode experiencing one-frame blips and the performance mode struggling to maintain a locked 60fps.

Issues with Controls and Visual Bugs

The remake also has issues with camera logic, making it difficult to track enemies in tight spaces. There are also occasional visual bugs that break immersion. The performance mode doesn’t quite hit the target, with frame rates often dropping to the mid-40s and high 30s.

Conclusion

The Silent Hill 2 Remake is a strong effort overall, but it has technical rough edges to address. The performance mode is a concern, and the remake struggles to maintain a locked 60fps. However, the remake is still faithful to the spirit of the original, while also daring to avoid being too literal in its translation.