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Fans Create a True ‘Silent Hill 2’ Remaster For PC Using Original Game
Okay, forget about the abomination that was the Silent Hill HD Collection. Do you still have your copy of Silent Hill 2 on PC, because a group of fans have finally gotten around to giving the classic the restoration it deserves. Silent Hill 2: Enhanced Edition takes the now-16-year-old game, throws in some mods and enhancements that fixes existing bugs and improves the graphics and sound. The result is what we really should have gotten in the HD Collection, but never did because Konami.
“Silent Hill 2: Enhanced Edition is an ongoing project of enhancement packages that add various visual, audio, and bug improvements for the PC version of the game. Notable examples of what the enhancements improve on is the use of a widescreen camera in the game; higher display resolutions; removal of prominent audio bugs; PlayStation 2 quality audio and fog; better controller support; and much more. The use of these enhancement packages, made by a collaborative team of wonderful modders and programmers, makes for a definitive Silent Hill 2 HD experience.”
The biggest blocker (besides tracking down a physical copy of the game) is the lengthy installing of the mods, which aren’t as simple as you’d expect. However, while it’s complex, it’s not difficult if you follow the directions laid out on the website. After installing all of the fixes, you’ll now have a game that looks, sounds and plays much better. Almost everything from the FMVs (which now play in widescreen with no windowboxing/pillarboxing), lighting, fog, transitions between the menus and game, the frame limit and even being able to play the game in a window have been added.
If you do install the mods, be aware that there are some spoilers on the instructions page (some of the examples of the fixes show off specific locations), but nothing that will absolutely spoil the game.
Now where’s the enhanced edition of Silent Hill 3?
In the grim darkness of the far future there is only war, but it was a cheerful illustrator from England who helped to define the terrifying war-torn imagery that inspired what we now know as Grimdark (a hybrid genre combining horror with sci-fi/fantasy).
Unfortunately for fans of Warhammer 40,000, Trench Crusade and countless other sources of Grimdark thrills, veteran artist John Blanche passed away this week after struggling with health issues for the past few years.
While the artist retired back in 2023, he leaves us with an enormous legacy of iconic artwork that continues to inspire gamers and storytellers around the world to this very day.
The news is especially gloomy as it was only last year that Daniel Lowman and Napoleon Dynamite himself Jon Heder released The Grim & the Dark: The Search for John Blanche, a documentary following Heder’s exploration of the Grimdark genre culminating in a heartwarming encounter with Blanche in his own home.
Below is one of my favorite pieces by Blanche, his highly influential depiction of Warhammer 40k’s God-Emperor of Mankind on his Golden Throne.
We send our deepest condolences to John Blanche’s family, friends, and fans.
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