If you told any Silent Hill fan, much less a horror aficionado, that they would get three well-reviewed titles in the franchise in three years, they wouldn’t have believed you. But all those years after that first Silent Hill Transmission, it’s incredible how well the series has bounced back, whether it’s the Silent Hill 2 remake, Silent Hill f or the recently released Silent Hill: Townfall.
Konami hasn’t been shy about future projects, with series producer Motoi Okamoto discussing potential second and third waves. Bloober Team’s Silent Hill 1 remake is doubtless included, but what has the first wave taught about which proposals should move forward? Okamoto told us that, “We’ve been observing a lot of feedback from players. There have been both positive and negative reactions to moving the setting beyond the town of Silent Hill itself, but overall, I feel that players have largely embraced that direction.
“Going forward, I hope players will look forward to seeing where in the world we might go next, and which studios around the world we might collaborate with.”
In terms of gameplay, however, the team is seemingly open to a variety of approaches as long as they maintain the “ebb and flow of tension” that Okamoto believes is “very important” for horror games.
“Silent Hill 2 strikes a good balance between moments of heightened tension and moments where that tension eases, while Silent Hill f gives players relatively more room to breathe. I feel that the gameplay in both titles was well received.
“Silent Hill: Townfall, by comparison, places greater emphasis on sustained tension, and my impression is that this resulted in more divided reactions to the gameplay. It was a valuable lesson in how important it is to carefully balance those moments of tension with opportunities for the player to breathe.” Which makes you wonder if it’s going to return to the approaches seen in Silent Hill 2 and f for the future.
Time will tell, so stay tuned for updates. In the meantime, the first cast members of Silent Hill 1 remake have reportedly been revealed, including Gabrielle Fritz (Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus, Battlefield 2042) and Jade Matthew (Dragon Nest). Their roles remain unknown, though, so keep your eyes peeled for the official announcement.
