In my restless dreams I see this city: Poland to remake Silent Hill 2

As autumn blankets Poland and much of Europe in thick fog, the atmosphere is ripe for an announcement that will make the hearts of gamers, visual artists, musicians and enthusiasts of complex psychological narratives beat faster – Silent Hill 2 is getting a remake and so on of Poles who know very well what it feels like to be lost in a literal and more metaphysical fog.

In their restless dreams, fans of the Silent Hill franchise have long dreamed of getting back under James Sunderland’s skin and returning to the misty, deserted town that sits on the shores of the fictional Lake Toluca (not to be confused with the actual Toluca Lake in Los Angeles). ) in Maine, New England, United States.

On Wednesday, a glimmer of hope shone in those dreams.

Discover the story behind the SILENT HILL 2 remake with an exclusive developer interview on PlayStation Blog. Let us know what you think in the comments! #Silent Hill https://t.co/KSUNKTX0bF

— Konami (@Konami) October 20, 2022

In a statement published on PlayStation Blog, Motoi Okamoto, Konami producer of the original Silent Hill 2 game, said that “reviving” the game “along with those who love the series” is most important he and other original creators of the game “decided to redesign Silent Hill 2”, along with a Polish game developer “Bloober Team”..

Mr. Okamoto said that the Polish company “was such a team with the most passionate proposals. They are a studio that really loves and specializes in horror games.”

“He who is not bold enough to be stared at from beyond the abyss is not bold enough to stare in himself”

“Silent Hill 2 is a beloved and timeless classic,” said Mateusz Lenart, creative director and lead designer at Bloober Team, in the same statement. “It’s also why we approach work on the remake with such great care and respect for the original game.”

Originally produced by Konami of Japan and released on September 24, 2001, the second installment in the Silent Hill franchise enjoyed resounding success at a time when the end of a millennium and the dawn of a new era would be making ripples in culture, including computer games . Themes like coping with the increasing amount of digital data and its impact on the human condition (think Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty), finding a balance between selflessness and selfishness (the Legacy of Kain series), and the quest for Redemption from an individual’s sins were widespread in the computer gaming world of the time.

The last topic describes in part what the Silent Hill 2 franchise, and Silent Hill 2 in particular, is all about. In a dirty, gloomy and neglected roadside toilet, in front of a dirty sink and a mirror vaguely reflecting the features of a grumpy and forgetful-looking man in front of it, we meet James Sunderland – the game’s protagonist. Players soon hear a reading of a letter James wrote from his long-dead wife, Mary, telling him to meet her at “her special place” in the town of Silent Hill.

Seeing this as the last thing he can cling to in an otherwise pointless existence, yet consumed by apathy, James ventures to Silent Hill, where he and his wife spent their vacations before she died of what appeared to be an incurable disease .

Along the way, James encounters other non-player characters, most of whom, like him, were brought to town to undergo psychological catharsis. Silent Hill is a shifting city that takes shape and form depending on who visits it and what kind of sins and burdens they bring with them. Representing the horror genre, the game challenges the player to face body horror-style monsters that manifest the protagonist’s inner struggle with his past deeds and to solve riddles steeped in occult history and dark myth rooted in the city, all while navigating foggy streets, derelict abandoned hotels, parks and clinics, and the parallel reality of a pure nightmare – the Otherworld.

“One of our main goals is to preserve the atmosphere that made Silent Hill 2 so exceptional, while also modernizing many aspects of the game’s overall gameplay,” said Mr. Lenart. “We work closely with the original creators.”

Two names in particular were brought up by the Bloober team’s creative director – Akira Yamaoka and Masahiro Ito. The former is the lead music composer for a number of the franchise’s releases, including Silent Hill 2, whose success should be attributed in large part to the haunting sound effects, haunted melodies and dreamy atmosphere brought to life by Akira Yamaoka. When it comes to visuals, it’s Mashiro Ito who embodies all the horrors and characters of Purgatory City.

The Polish game developer, Mr. Lenart said, is working with Mr. Yamaoka and Mr. Ito “to make sure we keep the unique Silent Hill feel intact.”

“There was a hole here. Now it’s gone.”

However, there will be changes.

“One of the new elements you could spot in the reveal trailer is the introduction of an over-the-shoulder camera. With this change, we aim to further immerse players in the game, make them feel like part of this unreal world and give them a more visceral experience across the board,” said Mr. Lenart.

Another change resulting from this would concern the combat system. “Now that you’re basically seeing what James can see, we could find new ways to keep the player engaged.”

Noting the huge leap in technology since the release of Silent Hill 2 on PlayStation 2, Mr. Lenart made the announcement “State-of-the-art motion capture sessions” would help “deliver the best facial expressions in the history of the series, showing a wide range of emotions even before a character utters a single word.”

The game’s graphics, motion and other dynamics would be powered by the Unreal Engine 5, whose capabilities have recently been lavishly touted on YouTube in showcase video remakes of games similar to Silent Hill, for example GTA: San Andreas or Max number 2

“We’re bringing the misty, dark city to life in a way that was previously impossible. The game will delight PlayStation 5 players visually, aurally and sensorially,” said Lenart von Bloober. “Some of the Unreal Engine 5 features that really shine are Lumen and Nanite. With them, we’re taking the graphics to a new, highly detailed and realistic level, while turning the game’s signature heart-pounding atmosphere to eleven.”

By the way, it also means that all Boomers and Gen X-Yers should be upgrading your rigs soon to manage the dynamic global lighting offered by Lumen. The gimmick allows the game world to react instantly to changes in light, meaning that “the light interacts realistically with the environment, just like it does in the real world”. Don’t forget Nanite – a super tool that makes level design “incredibly detailed” and environments “more realistic” so that they “look and feel almost lifelike”.

When it comes to sound, “thanks to PS5’s 3D audio capabilities, players will be able to direct the exact direction the sound is coming from. The WWise sound engine creates a realistic and believable soundscape that makes players feel like they’re actually in the game.”

Bloober’s Lenart also mentioned the DualSense controller, a wireless controller for PS5 that offers immersive haptic feedback, dynamic adaptive triggers and a built-in microphone. “We’re bringing more new ideas to Silent Hill 2, but let’s surprise you first.”

“The end result will be a Silent Hill game that looks and sounds better than anything that came before it. Although development is ongoing, we can’t wait for fans to experience it,” said Mr. Lenart.

But Bloober’s ambitions don’t stop at reviving Silent Hill 2 alone. Her plan is to “develop new games for the series alongside those who have been a part of Silent Hill, but also with creators who love the franchise. We will expand our partnerships and expand the world of Silent Hill together with teams from around the world who love the series.”

“Most importantly, we will take the Silent Hill franchise to new heights alongside long-time Silent Hill fans and new fans who want to become one‘ Mr Lenart swore.

Foggy future

Founded in November 2008 by Peter Babieno and Peter Bielatowicz, Bloober Team is best known for developing Layers of Fear (2016), Observer (2017), Blair Witch (2019), and The Medium (2021). In January 2018, Bloober Team received the Paszport Polityki Award in the “Digital Culture” category. It currently employs around 200 people.

While the company isn’t a greenhorn when it comes to the horror game genre, some fans and lore specialists of the franchise doubt that it could salvage Silent Hill 2’s unique atmosphere.

“I share a lot of your pessimism about Bloober,” said Max Derrat, a cultural anthropologist and veteran analyst on the Silent Hill franchise, in his reaction to the announcement. “Although their games have fans … there’s a significant number of people who don’t like their games, and I kind of belong in that crowd.”

Mr. Derrat called Bloober Team’s “The Medium” “a bad game” and imagined most of their games as mediocre overall.

“I didn’t like Blair Witch…but I will defend her The Observer to the death…one of the most underrated games of the last decade. It’s a brilliant blend of Silent Hill-style horror and sci-fi.”

“Plus, I have no doubt that the Bloober Team will be pushing the remake hardest to date. I say that because basically every single one of their games is Silent Hill in everything but the name,” said Mr. Derrat. “I don’t know how some of them can live with themselves if they screw this up.”

The analyst further emphasized that the recently released remake trailer featured some lore discrepancies, in addition to the fact that “during”Many of us might not like Bloober’s games, but I think most of us can agree that they all look good… The trailer suggests that Bloober was able to blend the old-school art direction with modern technology.”

With that, there’s nothing left but to wait and, as a Silent Hill fan, keep your fingers crossed for Polish developer Bloober and Konami’s old guard for a fruitful collaboration that could give a new touch to the foggy city of Silent Hill of a grayish hue.

Source:
TVP World, PlayStation Blog