Konami says it is investigating new Performance Mode issues in Silent Hill 2 after Patch 1.07, leaving PS5 Pro players weighing sharper image quality against crushed blacks.
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Konami’s Fix Has Become the New Problem
Konami has acknowledged new Performance Mode issues in Silent Hill 2 following Patch 1.07, the update that was meant to improve the remake’s troubled PS5 Pro presentation. In a statement quoted by Twisted Voxel from Konami’s social media account, the publisher said it is “aware of the recent issues affecting Performance Mode on PS5 and PS5 Pro in SILENT HILL 2 following Patch 1.07” and that its team is “currently investigating these issues and looking into potential solutions.” Konami added that it will share more information when available.
That puts players in an awkward place. Patch 1.07 arrived with official notes promising better performance in both Performance Mode and Quality Mode, improved fog visuals, reduced shadow flickering, fewer movement-related visual artifacts, broader image-quality improvements, and additional bug fixes, according to MP1st and Twisted Voxel. Those are exactly the kinds of changes Silent Hill 2 needed on PS5 Pro, where the remake’s enhanced version had been criticized for shimmering and artifacting tied to upscaling.
The tension is that the update appears to improve one part of the image while damaging another. Push Square reports that the new patch improves image quality and addresses some of the earlier upscaling problems at 60fps, but that forum users on ResetEra began reporting crushed blacks in Performance Mode after installing it. In a game built around reading dim corridors, smeared silhouettes, and enemy shapes through fog and darkness, that is not a cosmetic footnote. If the dark end of the image collapses, the horror becomes harder to parse and, in places, potentially harder to play.
The Confirmed Patch Notes Versus the Reported Bug
The confirmed part is simple: Patch 1.07 exists, it targets PS5 and PS5 Pro, and Konami says it is investigating Performance Mode problems after release. MP1st reports that the update appears as version 1.0.7 once applied and cites Konami’s notes saying the patch improves performance in both graphics modes, improves fog visuals, fixes visual glitches on various assets, fixes certain visual artifacts that can appear while moving, and improves overall visual quality.
The reported part is more specific and currently less official. Push Square says players are seeing crushed blacks in Performance Mode, with screenshots circulating on ResetEra showing ugly dark areas after the patch. Push Square’s own read of those screenshots is that the issue does not appear to affect Quality Mode in the same way, though that mode limits play to 30fps.
Konami’s statement, as quoted by Twisted Voxel, does not use the phrase “crushed blacks” and does not break down whether the issue behaves differently across PS5 and PS5 Pro. It only confirms that Performance Mode is affected on PS5 and PS5 Pro after Patch 1.07 and that the company is investigating. That distinction matters because a publisher acknowledgment confirms the existence of a post-patch problem, but the exact cause, scope, and fix are still unannounced.
Why Performance Mode Is the Pain Point in Silent Hill 2
Silent Hill 2’s remake leans on visibility as pressure. Bloober Team’s version of James Sunderland’s trip through town uses dense fog, grimy interiors, hard contrast, and low light to keep the player uncertain without making the screen unreadable. When that balance works, the darkness becomes a resource drain. You inch forward, listen for enemy movement, and decide whether to spend ammunition or risk a close encounter.
Crushed blacks threaten that balance because they can erase shadow detail rather than deepen it. In practical terms, players may lose gradation in dark rooms and corridors, making surfaces, threats, and environmental reads blend together. The sources do not establish that enemies become impossible to see or that progression is blocked, so that should not be overstated. The safer conclusion is that a visual defect in Performance Mode is especially damaging for this specific game because its horror language depends on darkness remaining legible.
This is also why the Silent Hill 2 PS5 Pro patch is drawing attention beyond ordinary patch-day complaints. The update was expected to address presentation flaws on Sony’s upgraded console, not force players to choose between the smoother 60fps target associated with Performance Mode and a cleaner shadow response in Quality Mode. Push Square reports that Quality Mode appears free of the crushed-black issue seen in shared screenshots, but the tradeoff is a 30fps cap. For a survival horror game with tighter modern combat and reactive enemy pressure, that is a real compromise.
The PS5 Pro Context Makes the Delay Sting More
The PS5 Pro version had already carried baggage. MP1st notes that Silent Hill 2 previously suffered from visual artifacts and shimmering associated with Sony’s PSSR upscaling technology, and Push Square describes the remake’s original PS5 Pro implementation as an early low point for the platform. Push Square also reports that PlayStation’s upscaler has improved since then and that the new patch introduces PSSR2 support, improving image quality while creating the new Performance Mode shadow issue.
Konami and Bloober Team’s timing adds to the frustration. DualShockers describes this as the first patch to hit the game in almost two years, with the last major PlayStation update arriving in November 2024. MP1st similarly notes that an earlier title update had promised PS5 Pro fixes, but says those fixes “didn’t take” for everyone. The new update therefore arrived with pent-up expectations from players who had been waiting for the remake’s Pro version to be cleaned up.
There is a source tension here. DualShockers framed Patch 1.07 as an update that should give PlayStation players a smoother experience, based on the developer’s stated improvements. Push Square and Twisted Voxel, reporting after player feedback and Konami’s acknowledgment, describe a patch that has introduced fresh Performance Mode problems. Those accounts are not mutually exclusive. A patch can improve fog, reduce artifacts, and sharpen the image while still breaking black levels in one mode. For players, though, the result is the same: the Silent Hill 2 remake broken patch conversation has replaced the expected victory lap.
Should PS5 Pro Owners Wait Before Updating?
If you have not installed Patch 1.07 and you primarily play Silent Hill 2 in Performance Mode on PS5 Pro, waiting is the cautious choice. Konami has confirmed it is investigating Performance Mode issues and has not provided a fix timeline. Until the publisher shares the next update, installing the patch may trade the earlier shimmer and artifact problems for the newly reported crushed-black issue.
If the patch is already installed, the clearest workaround supported by the available reporting is to try Quality Mode. Push Square says the crushed-black problem shown in ResetEra screenshots does not appear to be present in Quality Mode, but that mode runs at 30fps. That may be acceptable for players who value image stability and shadow detail over responsiveness. It will be less appealing for anyone who prefers the smoother feel of Performance Mode, especially during close-quarters encounters.
Base PS5 owners should not ignore this completely. Konami’s statement, as quoted by Twisted Voxel, names both PS5 and PS5 Pro versions as affected by Performance Mode issues after Patch 1.07. The PS5 Pro has drawn the most attention because the update was expected to resolve Pro-specific image-quality concerns, but the publisher’s wording is broader. If you are sensitive to black crush, contrast problems, or visual readability, it is reasonable to pause before updating on either console if your system settings allow it.
For players who were waiting to start the remake, the least risky path is patience. Silent Hill 2’s atmosphere depends on its image pipeline holding together, and Konami has already said it is looking into solutions. Starting a first playthrough during an acknowledged Performance Mode investigation means accepting that some scenes may not look as intended.
What Konami Still Needs to Clarify
The Konami Silent Hill 2 update now needs a clearer postmortem than a brief acknowledgment. Players still do not know whether the Performance Mode issue is tied to PS5 Pro-specific upscaling, a broader rendering change, HDR or black-level handling, or something else introduced in Patch 1.07. The sources also do not confirm whether all displays are affected equally, whether the issue behaves differently between standard PS5 and PS5 Pro, or whether a hotfix is imminent.
A useful follow-up from Konami would identify the affected modes and platforms, explain whether Quality Mode is an officially recommended temporary workaround, and give players an estimated window for the next patch if one is planned. At minimum, the publisher has confirmed that it is investigating and that more information will come later. Until then, Silent Hill 2 PS5 Pro issues remain in a gray area between a meaningful image-quality improvement and a new defect that undercuts the game’s carefully tuned darkness.
Silent Hill has always asked players to step into bad visibility. The problem here is different. Players can accept fog, darkness, and dread when they feel authored. They are less forgiving when the dark swallows detail because an update meant to fix the game has introduced a new technical fault. For now, PS5 Pro owners chasing the best version of Bloober Team’s remake should treat Patch 1.07 with caution, especially if Performance Mode is their preferred way through the town.