The upcoming Silent Hill 2 remake by developer Bloober Team, will be taking the game in a new and exciting direction. Piotr Babieno, the CEO behind the game studio, has said the company will no longer work making psychological horror as it did with its’ last title, Layers of Fear, and instead will focus on what he calls “mass-market horror.” Babieno explained in an interview with Engadget, that the company is no longer going to be making horror games that are essentially walking sims. Now, he and the developers at Bloober Team have created a game, which will target larger audiences and push for stronger gameplay mechanics. Of course, everything like story, mood, sound, and graphics will still get plenty of attention, but gameplay is now more important than ever for the Silent Hill 2 remake it continues to be developed.
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Babieno says the Layers of Fear game was Bloober Team 2.0 and that the company is transforming to “Bloober Team 3.0” with this next Silent Hill installment. It appears every game the developer makes going forward will be more action driven, as a way bring more excitement to fans. Although some Silent Hill devotees may be concerned that a change of form could ruin the new remake, those at Bloober Team seem convinced this is the proper next step for the franchise. While Silent Hill games tend to lean more into psychological horror and environmental gloom, the title seems to be in good hands given the recent success of Layers of Fear.
Why It’s Good for Familiar Franchises Like Silent Hill to Change and How a Mass-Market Horror Approach Could Work
The Silent Hill franchise, which was developed by Konami in 1999, has been a staple of AAA video game titles since the beginning. It is a horror series which is as much a household name as Resident Evil and The Last of Us. There have been 17 entries into Silent Hill and while some aspects of the games should certainly stay the same, it is important for developers to avoid becoming repetitive while making a game. When a developer like Bloober Team has a vision for bringing new life to a franchise that has been around since the 90’s, then it should be allowed to use that vision. A mass-market approach will attract new fans to the series who can then explore the old titles and see what has made Silent Hill such a fun experience. It also allows veteran players of the games to try something new and fresh after a nearly nine-year hiatus in new additions to the property.
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The way Konami has trusted Bloober Team to create a new and different entry in Silent Hill is something that other game publishers should study. It’s important not fall into the same cycle and instead to find new footing. In recent years, there has been a very large push to make psychological horror games with very little action. Supermassive Games Ltd is one such company that has been putting horror gameplay mechanics on the back burner for years with such titles as Until Dawn and most recently The Quarry. So, a revitalization in the Silent Hill games will keep things fresh as Bloober Team tries to avoid some of the pitfalls other developers have seemed to make. When Silent Hill 2 hits the stores, it will be a timed console release for PlayStation 5 and become available to other consoles after one year.
What do you think of the future of Silent Hill and the Silent Hill 2 remake? Is the franchise in good hands with Bloober Team, or should Konami get their money back and find a developer who will stick to the basics? Let us know what you think in the comments.
Source: Engadget
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