Silent Hill 2 Remake Has Been Rated by the ESRB

PlayStation suggested earlier this year that the Silent Hill 2 remake would be out sometime in 2024, but other than repeated assurances that the game is in the final stages of development, neither Konami nor developer Bloober Team have said anything at all about a launch date. Recent developments have, however, indicated that that could change in the not-too-distant future.

For instance, Silent Hill 2 has now been rated by the ESRB. The ratings board has, unsurprisingly, handed the survival horror title a Mature 17+ rating, owing to “blood and gore, language, sexual themes, violence”.

The official description for the game reads as follows: “This is a horror adventure game in which players assume the role of a man returning to a mysterious town while being tormented by his past. From a third-person perspective, players explore the town of Silent Hill, interact with characters, and battle humans and creatures (e.g., Pyramid Head, mannequins, monsters). Players use pistols, shotguns, rifles, and knives to kill enemies. Combat is highlighted by realistic gunfire, cries of pain, and blood-splatter effects. Some environments depict large bloodstains and/or intestines/organs on walls, floors, and surrounding bodies. Cutscenes and illustrations depict further instances of violence and/or blood and gore: characters impaled; a character suffocated to death with a pillow; enemies with body parts sewn together. The game contains some suggestive/sexual material: characters pole-dancing in strip-club settings; posters of women in revealing outfits (e.g., bra and thong, deep cleavage); dialogue alluding to sexuality and/or sexual abuse/misconduct (e.g., ‘Remember that time in the hotel? You said you took everything. But you forgot that videotape we made’; ‘Don’t touch me…You’re only after one thing…Or you could just force me, like he always did.’). The word ‘sh*t’ appears in the game.”

Of course, beyond the description, the fact that the game has received an age rating is notable in and of itself, given the fact that ratings for titles are generally approved in the later stages of the development process, once all the content within is representative of the final product that will be sold to consumers.

Recently, the game was also rated in South Korea. Whether this means a release date for Silent Hill 2 will finally be announced soon remains to be seen.

Whenever it launches, Silent Hill 2 will be available on PS5 and PC.