Ever since the release of “Silent Hill: Downpour” back in 2012, the iconic “Silent Hill” franchise has remained dormant. The franchise’s parent company, Konami, has undergone controversial changes in priorities and management which led to “Silent Hill” being shelved for a whole decade. That all changed on October 19 when Konami announced they would be reviving the franchise with three new games and a new movie.
Based on the trailers, the project at the forefront seems to be a remake of 2001’s “Silent Hill 2”. While the original 2001 game was developed by Japan-based Team Silent, this remake will be developed by Polish-based Team Bloober—a developer known for horror games such as, “Layers of Fear” and “The Medium”.
Like the original game, Team Bloober’s “Silent Hill 2” follows James Sunderland as he searches for his dead wife, Mary, in the town of Silent Hill. Much work seems to have been done in adapting the original game’s signature surreal horror into a modern style. Much of the original game’s horror was complemented by the Playstation 2’s primitive graphics, and it’ll take a lot of creativity to capture that same atmosphere.
The second game announced was “Silent Hill f”—a brand new mainline entry into the franchise. Unlike the previous games that took place in the eponymous town, “Silent Hill f” will be set in rural Japan during the 1960s. Perhaps the most interesting thing about “Silent Hill f” is the news that it will be written by Ryukishi07—creator of the cult classic “When They Cry” visual novel series.
The trailer for “Silent Hill f” is vague, only showing a young girl running away from what appears to be some kind of fungal infection overtaking her town. From the short teaser, the theme that stands out most is the body horror. From the trypophobic imagery of a corpse riddled with holes, to the shot of a woman’s face rotting and falling off, “Silent Hill f” seems to go all-in with its disgust factor.
Two other projects that were announced were, “Silent Hill Ascension” and “Silent Hill Townfall”. Although slightly unclear, “Silent Hill Ascension” is described as an interactive ‘streaming series’. Rather than a game, “Silent Hill Ascension” seems to be an interactive movie similar to “Black Mirror: Bandersnatch” in which audiences can make decisions that affect the story.
“Silent Hill Townfall” seems to be a spinoff game although the details are unclear. Some fans are speculating that it may be a prequel to the original “Silent Hill” game.
Finally, a new update was also released on a new installment to the “Silent Hill” film series. Christophe Gans—the director of the first “Silent Hill” movie from 2006—is returning to direct a sequel. Without giving away much in terms of plot, Gans hints that he’ll be adapting the plot of “Silent Hill 2”.
Although divisive, the 2006 “Silent HIll” movie is regarded by many as one of the best video game movies due to its respect of the source material. After 16 years, it’s great to have Gan back, and hopefully he’ll be able to pull off this ambitious project.
After a decade of absence, it’s great to see the “Silent Hill” franchise make a comeback. In a market starved of good horror games, these new announcements are a welcome return. Although Team Silent is gone, it seems like Konami has been careful to choose quality talent to work on these “SIlent Hill” projects and give the franchise life again.