Silent Hill 2 remains an undisputed classic and stands as one of the horror genre’s crown jewels in terms of atmosphere, narrative, and old-fashioned tank control gameplay. And yet, while Silent Hill 2 has held up with regards to these attributes, one of the game’s most defining elements has aged terribly, and that would be one of gaming’s most recognizable villains: Pyramid Head.
For the uninitiated, Pyramid Head is essentially a sword-wielding biped with a giant pyramid for a head. In 2001, Pyramid Head became an instead sensation in terms of horror game villains. At the time, Pyramid Head was a muted, lumbering fright that stole Silent Hill 2’s show. And somehow, nearly two decades later, Pyramid Head is one of the game’s low points among a still well-designed horror classic.
Now, we have the benefit of horror titles that have improved upon the classics by introducing graphical advancements that provide more immersive experiences. Take Resident Evil 7. The game certainly isn’t devoid of flaws, but the game has multiple central villains. At the core of it is the Baker family, the members of whom have all mutated into horrible monsters. The chase with Jack Baker, in particular, is one of the game’s most memorable sequences and, as such, instills Jack as one of gaming’s most memorable horror villains.
And Jack supersedes Pyramid Head’s terror not only in terms of improved presentation but also a greater sense of dread. When coming across Jack, who wields a multitude of weapons, there is almost an assured sense of impending death. With Pyramid Head, enough time has passed that a mere uttering of “Oh I better run the other way” is enough to shrug off any tentative nervousness.
The rule with Jack Baker also applies to Mr. X from Resident Evil 2’s remake. While it’s possible to outrun him, sweaty palms are often one of the symptoms of “loud footstep hearing” in Resident Evil 2.
None of this makes Pyramid Head any less memorable; he’s still a dude whose head is shaped like a pyramid. But any dread once associated with the horror mascot has dissipated with time. Perhaps, a future Silent Hill installment can feature a new, improved Pyramid Head for a new generation.
