A gloomy holiday: What do we know about the new Silent Hill game?
The appearance of the new Silent Hill game has become not only a byword, but also a source of memes — it was so hard to believe. Fans of the cult series from Konami studio, which defined the genre of psychological horror decades ago, were "orphaned" in 2012, when the last full-fledged games were released: Silent Hill: Downpour and Silent Hill: Book of Memories. Since then, every few months there have been rumors about a new part. And finally, on September 25, a new episode of the series is released — Silent Hill F. All the details are in the Izvestia article.
Return
As it often happens, the return of the legend did not turn out to be simple and easy. There was also the Silent Hills (P.T.) project from Hideo Kojima and Guillermo del Toro. He promised a grandiose return to the fog-shrouded city, but he never saw the light of day, although even as a teaser he made a splash in the industry. In 2022, Konami announced several projects at the presentation of Silent Hill Transmission: Silent Hill f, Silent Hill: Townfall, a remake of the beloved second part of the series, the interactive show Silent Hill: Ascension and the film Return to Silent Hill.
Screenshot from the Silent Hill game: f
In January 2024, Silent Hill, a three-hour short project, was released for free on PlayStation 5.: The Short Message. It was he who set a new direction for the entire franchise. The main innovation: in The Short Message, the action did not take place in the city of Silent Hill, but in the fictional German city of Kettenstadt. Konami gradually began to change the concept: now Silent Hill is not so much a place as a state, a kind of "purgatory" associated with guilt, loneliness and inner demons.
Screenshot from the Silent Hill game: f
And so earlier this month, horror fans around the world got what they've been waiting for for years: confirmation that Silent Hill f will finally be released on September 25th. Along with the date, Konami unveiled a gameplay trailer.
The development team
Silent Hill f was created by Neobards Entertainment studio, which has worked on several Capcom games, including Resident Evil 2, Resident Evil 3, Resident Evil 7 and Resident Evil ReVerse, as well as projects such as Marvel's Avengers and No Straight Roads. The game's plot is written by Japanese author Ryukishi Lee, creator of the popular psychological visual horror novel series When They Cry. And the producer of the project, Motoi Okamoto, worked at Nintendo from 1998 to 2007 and has extensive experience.
The little-known artist Kera is responsible for the design of the monsters in the game. He tried to combine atmospheric images of monsters from the original games with a Japanese flavor.
One of the most important aspects of Silent Hill has always been the soundtrack. And there's a celebration on the street for fans of the series: legendary composer Akira Yamaoka has returned to work. Kensuke Inage, who worked on the Dynasty Warriors and Yakuza 0 series, is responsible for the musical design of the otherworld.
Plot and setting
The events of the new part will unfold again far from the original Silent Hill — in Japan in the 1960s, in the city of Ebisugaoka. Ebisugaoka once thrived on coal mines and dam construction, but by the time the game was set, it had fallen into disrepair and was covered in thick fog. The image of the location is based on the real city of Kanayama in Gifu Prefecture.
Ryukishi07 was inspired by the architecture of the city and its narrow streets, labyrinths, the atmosphere of which, according to him, perfectly reflects a person's struggle with his inner evil, sins and conflicts. The central theme of the game was "beauty in horror" — the sickening, side by side with the beautiful. It is emphasized by a symbol found in other works of the author — the flowers of the red spider lily, associated in Japan with death, commemoration of the dead and rebirth.
The main character of the game will be schoolgirl Hinako Shimizu. She lives with a domineering father and a downtrodden, unrequited mother. Hinako is not sure of herself and would like to leave the city like her older sister. Hinako has childhood friends: Shu, the shy Rinko, and the talkative Sakuko from a local family of priests.
The plot will touch on current topics: bullying, loneliness, friendship and betrayal. The choice of the central female character was made intentionally: the developers wanted to create a strong heroine acting on her own, like Heather once did in Silent Hill 3.
A significant role in the plot will also be played by a religious cult — it is known that it is the Sacu priestly family that conducts rituals in the local sanctuary. The cult is dedicated to foxes in some way: all templars wear fox masks, and the main character is assisted throughout the game by a mysterious character in cult garb.
Gameplay
Silent Hill f relies on more dynamic gameplay and combat. According to producer Motoi Okamoto, this approach will attract a new audience, which often lacked drive in the classic parts of the franchise. Branded puzzles, of course, aren't going anywhere either. Okamoto noted that they will be largely inspired by "suffering and psychological pain."
The developers promise difficult battles: Hinako will have to fight off enemies mainly with melee weapons, such as steel pipes, knives, and tools. Silent Hill 4: The Room had the greatest impact on the new gameplay in this regard, where battles were also fought mainly in close combat. The weapon will wear out over time, forcing the player to use it judiciously, replace or repair it in time.
Screenshot from the Silent Hill game: f
For the first time in the series, life and endurance scales will be fully implemented. Previously, a similar system was found only in Silent Hill 3 at the maximum difficulty level. Now, every action requires energy: punches and dodges consume stamina, and with a perfectly executed maneuver, it can be partially restored. Moreover, the player will have access to counterattacks, the moment for which will be marked with a visual prompt. Another important novelty is the scale of reason. It is spent on using a special focus mode that allows you to deliver powerful blows, strengthen your defense and respond more effectively to enemy attacks. However, the price for such opportunities is accelerated weapon wear. In addition, auxiliary items can be used in combat, simplifying fights and expanding combat tactics.
Sanctuaries will become special points marking progress and allowing you to level up. Here, the player can present valuable items and receive a currency in return — "faith". It can be used to restore sanity and purchase amulets that give Hinako various additional abilities and abilities.
Screenshot from the Silent Hill game: f
During the first play, all players can expect the same ending, and during repeated ones, previous decisions that affect the course of events and the ending will traditionally be taken into account. In total, they promise five endings with ambiguous morals, and among them there will even be one "Easter" with UFOs.
Silent Hill f can be played on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
