Silent Hill 2 composer Akira Yamaoka has announced that the remake’s soundtrack will be a “brand-new, reworked” experience. Yamaoka revealed the news to GameSpot and various press outlets during a recent preview event for the upcoming psychological horror game. The longtime composer went on to say that, while he understands that the original soundtrack is “beloved,” he ultimately wanted to ensure that all players would have a “fresh experience.”
“I have reworked all the tracks. There are segments and bits and pieces of the original tracks that you can hear, but all of the tracks have been reworked from the ground up. I understand that the soundtrack is very much beloved, but ultimately I composed over nine hours worth of music and I’m still wondering how in the world we are going to fit all of that into a soundtrack.”
Though this news might disappoint fans of the critically acclaimed soundtrack, rest assured that–based on our time spent with the Silent Hill 2 remake and some additional comments given by Yamaoka–it seems as if the soundtrack will remain very familiar. The composer explained that he both referenced and sampled tracks from the original score while composing the new soundtrack. During our three-hour hands-on preview, we noted that the game’s music perfectly suited the new experience and kept many of the original’s motifs and stylings.
Later on during the event, Yamaoka spoke a bit more about the upcoming soundtrack and his process for making it. According to the composer, the project required a lot of “self-counseling” as he tried to reconcile the person he is now with who he was when he recorded the original soundtrack nearly 25 years ago. Yamaoka said he tried to reflect on what his “mental state was” and how he was “approaching life.” He then laughed as he told reporters that, back then, he was not “financially stable” and had to take “extreme measures” to be creative with what he had. He recounted how he used to have to tune down his guitar to record bass tracks as he didn’t have enough money to afford a bass guitar.
“I had to be very creative because I had the passion to make something great. But now, unfortunately, I can’t quite remember that part of me as vividly,” Yamaoka said. “I can’t replicate the same circumstances I was in 25 years ago. But I still want to deliver something that is fresh for both existing fans and newcomers.”
In addition to chatting with Yamaoka, GameSpot had the chance to play about three hours of the Silent Hill 2 remake at the title’s Tokyo preview. Though the trailers thus far for the upcoming psychological horror game might be slightly underwhelming, we walked away extremely impressed by the game’s opening hours. We were also able to catch up with Masahiro Ito, the art director behind both Silent Hill 2 and its upcoming remake, who revealed that he very nearly rejected the offer to work on the remake. The Silent Hill 2 remake–simply titled Silent Hill 2–is scheduled to release on October 8 for PC and PlayStation 5.