10/03/24: I can't believe Silent Hill 2 remake releases in less than a week. Here I'll share some of my thoughts before playing it, and how they've changed since the remake was announced. As of writing this many of the cutscenes have been uploaded on Youtube with comparisons to the orignals, but I'm not watching all of them.
When it was revealed that SH2 was getting a remake, I felt pretty apathetic. I wasn't surprised either since there were a lot of rumors about Bloober and this remake already. At the time, I didn't care about it much because I think Silent Hill 2 is perfect for what it is, and even its flaws add a lot of unique charm to it. It was only after accepting the fact that SH2 is a product of the unique circumstances that created it, that I could look forward to whatever Bloober and Konami came up with. It doesn't matter to me whether or not the remake is good because it doesn't replace the original. I think a lot of fans act like this remake is taking the original away from them, or that the SH2 remake should be the equivalent of MGS:Δ or something. I think it's ok that some things are different.
Since more footage of the remake has been released, I've become a lot more excited for it. The quality of animation has improved since the first couple trailers and the gameplay looks a lot more tense and engaging, and the characters have really grown on me... for the most part. Personally, I think the remake will make SH2 more engaging to play and be a fun and scary "retelling" of the story.
When I first saw remake James, I wasn't a huge fan. I still kind of think he looks "like an actor" instead of some below-average guy. I also thought his voice sounded pretty deep, and less pathetic and weak than Guy Cihi's portrayal. Watching footage of the remake though, Luke Roberts' performancce is growing on me. I especially like how desperate and scared he sounds when beating up the monsters. This version of James seems more comfortable talking with people (likely due to more natural voice acting), yet he still gives off the vibe that something isn't right with him. Both versions of James come off as deeply disturbed, I think it's a case of "saying the same thing differently." James will always be a chronic male loneliness icon.
I really really dislike the fact that Maria is the only character with a complete outfit change. In my opinion, it's so watered down compared to the original. With that and the flat line delivery from her actress, Maria just feels so tragically disappointing. I watched a comparison of the original and remake scenes of meeting Maria. Monica Taylor Horgan's voice is flirty and seductive, but can become venomous in an instant. Even the facial expressions on the original Maria give her so much more personality than in the remake. The new version doesn't tease James at all or have a coquettish streak, it seems like her only personality trait is being attracted to James.
I have nothing against Salóme Gunnarsdóttir, because it doesn't seem like she's incapable of playing Maria. I think it's more likely her design and acting direction are different for story reasons. My "theory" is that this version of Maria is sort of an opposite to the original. That she would act as a comfort to James normally, but when she behaves like Mary, it's from a place of resentment toward him. In the original game when Maria imitates Mary during the prison bars scene, she uses a sweet voice and sounds concerned for James. In the remake when she askes James if something happened to him, she sounds way more confrontational. I've only heard good things from early review headlines, so I'm hopeful Bloober will subvert my expectations as they have with other parts of the game.