Last year’sSilent Hill 2remake is interesting to analyze for several reasons, not the least of which being its remarkable similarities to the contemporaryResident Evilgames. History has seemed to repeat itself, asSilent Hillwas initially Konami’s response toResident Evil, and so too is theSilent Hill 2remake a response to Capcom’sResident Evilremakes, on both the micro and macro levels.
From a broader game design standpoint, theSilent Hill 2remake follows thesame template as the 2019 remake ofResident Evil 2: it is a complete reimagining of the classic horror title, using modern hardware to make an experience that is not only visually stunning, but mechanically distinct from the original. Iconic regions and setpieces from the originalSilent Hill 2have been greatly expanded in the remake, boss fights and enemy encounters are more aligned with modern gaming sensibilities, and moment-to-moment gameplay is considerably more responsive and polished. Classic third-person shooting mechanics makeSilent Hill 2’s remake’s combat just as satisfying as any other modern survival horror game, and while its gunplay might not reach the same heights as something like the impeccably designedResident Evil 4remake, its melee options arguably surpass its competition.
Resident Evil Should Focus On Melee, Learning from the Silent Hill 2 Remake
How Melee Functions in Silent Hill 2
To callSilent Hill 2’s melee mechanically complex or robustwould be disingenuous. Ultimately, bashing monsters to death with a wooden plank or metal pipe is never more than a one-or-two-button affair, with a fair comparison being the underwhelming melee options ofThe Callisto Protocol. No,Silent Hill 2isn’t going toe-to-toe withMetal Gear Rising: RevengeanceorSekiro, but its melee does a great job of diversifying combat encounters and deepening the pool of player choices.
Like most traditional survival-horror games,Silent Hill 2’s gameplay loopis built around resource scarcity: managing ammunition and healing supplies is vital for success. Naturally, choosing to engage in melee combat is both less efficient and more dangerous, as it requires a player to approach monsters directly while doing less damage per hit than they would with a firearm. But melee combat is most effective as a strategic option, since players can choose to take these measured risks in an effort to conserve ammo. Of course, it’s also available as a last resort in the event that one’s ammo runs out entirely. Thus, it functions more as part of a larger tactical framework than a powerful or complex playstyle.
Resident Evil’s melee options can vary from game to game, but they are never quite as satisfying or effective as what is offered in theSilent Hill 2remake. One could criticizeSilent Hill 2for having “dumbed down” melee combat, butResident Evil’s iconic knifeplayis comparatively ineffectual and even frustrating, which is arguably worse. Slashing away at a zombie with a small knife, especially on higher difficulties, is borderline useless, so melee lacks the tactical advantage that it has inSilent Hill 2.
How Resident Evil’s Distinct Premise Could Make for Great Melee Combat
Protagonists inSilent Hillare everymen, ranging from tortured alcoholics (James Sunderland) to moody teenagers (Heather Mason).Resident Evil’s protagonists, with the exception of Ethan and Rose Winters, are typically highly trained combat specialists. Someone like Chris Redfield should be an absolute powerhouse with or without firearms, slugging zombies with the effectiveness of Abby fromThe Last of Us.
By leaning into the action-hero personalities of its protagonists,Resident Evilcould offer its own take onSilent Hill 2’s melee, making it a viable and satisfying option in combat rather than an ineffectual last resort or quicktime event. With theRPG-lite progression of games likeResident Evil 4, perhaps future games in the series could even allow for dedicated melee builds—a major boon for replayability and player expression.
Resident Evil 4
WHERE TO PLAY
Survival is just the beginning.Six years have passed since the biological disaster in Raccoon City.Agent Leon S. Kennedy, one of the survivors of the incident, has been sent to rescue the president’s kidnapped daughter. He tracks her to a secluded European village, where there is something terribly wrong with the locals.And the curtain rises on this story of daring rescue and grueling horror where life and death, terror and catharsis intersect.Featuring modernized gameplay, a reimagined storyline, and vividly detailed graphics, Resident Evil 4 marks the rebirth of an industry juggernaut.Relive the nightmare that revolutionized survival horror.
