Summary
- Silent Hill 2 Remake included puzzle difficulty options, a feature that should appear in Resident Evil 9.
- Variable puzzle settings in SH2 and the Remake made them manageable for a range of player preferences.
- Capcom could benefit from incorporating adjustable puzzle difficulties in RE9 to similarly innovate and cater to all players.
Silent Hill 2 Remake delivered a fantastic new version of the 2001 psychological horror classic last October. Although there were some concerns expressed prior to its launch due to it seemingly veering away from its central focus, developer Bloober Team’s reworking of the seminal second entry in the franchise ended up staying true to its essence to the satisfaction of audiences. Along with keeping the core narrative and its impact intact, Silent Hill 2 Remake also updated and remixed various aspects, keeping even longtime fans on their toes with a few of its expansions and changes.
One notable element that was largely maintained, though, was Silent Hill 2 Remake‘s puzzle difficulty options. The original title also contained variable puzzle settings, something that set it apart from many of its contemporaries, like Resident Evil. As the two series are often seen as benchmarks within their genre, and with SH2 Remake‘s success, it may be time for the next mainline RE (presumably Resident Evil 9) to in turn seriously consider adapting a similar array of options for its puzzles.
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Silent Hill 2 Remake’s Puzzle Setting Options Should Be a Shoo-in for Resident Evil 9
Silent Hill 2’s Puzzle Difficulty Sliders Were Ahead of Their Time
Many games from the original Silent Hill 2‘s era were intrinsically more challenging, as the medium was still experimenting with and testing the best ways to balance difficulties without comprising other core components. This could be a double-edged sword in some cases, however, and put off players who weren’t particularly proficient at puzzles, especially some of those seen in SH and Resident Evil titles, which could sometimes be obtuse even for players who were adept at them.
Silent Hill 2 having variable puzzle settings that allowed fans to tweak their level of complexity was an innovation for the time, extending a welcoming hand to players who wished them to be either easier or harder. Bloober Team keeping this in place was a laudable choice, and made Silent Hill 2 Remake‘s puzzles manageable again for players of all preferences. With the expectations surrounding Resident Evil 9 and how it will advance the series, it provides a good opportunity for developer Capcom to include adjustable puzzle difficulties in the next entry.
Silent Hill 2 Remake offered three tiers of increasing puzzle difficulties, while the original title had a fourth bonus tier unlocked after completing a playthrough on the previous hardest one.
Resident Evil 9 Can Make Great Use of Silent Hill 2 Remake’s Puzzle Options
Resident Evil is, of course, no stranger to oddly elaborate and bizarrely themed puzzles to progress or obtain hidden items, and these have been a part of its DNA since the beginning. With persistent rumors that Capcom might be taking RE into open-world territory in the next outing, this could pave the path for the franchise to take a cue from Silent Hill 2 and the remake regarding its puzzle design and settings.
An open-world Resident Evil would create many interesting ways to iterate on puzzles by taking the recognizable formula and expanding on it to fit a larger and more free-form level design. Capcom could include more of them in general, and vary their challenge factor across the experience. At the same time, the puzzles should still feel like authentic RE ones, and including a difficulty setting would allow more creativity while also giving fans the freedom to tailor the experience to their liking.
Even if it won’t be completely open world, there are still good reasons for Resident Evil 9 to include puzzle setting options like Silent Hill 2‘s. It would cater both to fans who prefer them to be trickier and those who want to focus more on story and combat without being frustrated by getting stuck on figuring out the solution to particularly demanding ones. As the industry has begun to incorporate more inclusive accessibility options, Resident Evil could capitalize and improve upon its already solid base in this area by following SH2 Remake‘s lead, and including a puzzle difficulty slider in the next installment.
Survival Horror
Horror
Adventure
Action
- Released
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October 8, 2024
- ESRB
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M For Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Language, Sexual Themes, Violence