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Silent Hill revival announcement

Awesome news for Silent Hill fans and this is indeed another peg for the survival horror genre getting a grand revival or "Renaissance" if you wanna call it. Hell, if this 'revival turns out to be something of a remake or reboot in spirit of the first one, which I really liked, it may just be a day one purchase. :)

Now we just need Square Enix to announce a 'Parasite Eve" revival and the grand renaissance party is officially in full swing *crosses fingers* please please please Square Enix let's do this.
 
Gun Powder B said:
Awesome news for Silent Hill fans and this is indeed another peg for the survival horror genre getting a grand revival or "Renaissance" if you wanna call it. Hell, if this 'revival turns out to be something of a remake or reboot in spirit of the first one, which I really liked, it may just be a day one purchase. :)

Now we just need Square Enix to announce a 'Parasite Eve" revival and the grand renaissance party is officially in full swing *crosses fingers* please please please Square Enix let's do this.
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Unfortunately Squeenix and the author of Parasite Eve, Hideaki Sena had a falling out around the time PE2 came out. He didn’t like the direction they took it so they basically lost the rights to include elements from his book and the movie. This is why The 3rd Birthday turned out the way it did. Since Hideaki liked Aya Brea, and Squeenix still owned the rights to use her, they killed her off out of spite towards him for losing the license to use the PE name. It’s a disturbing and sad state of affairs.

As for Silent Hill, I really hope they can do a good job and be relevant in the video game industry again. Konami lost a lot of talent and respect over the years, so they have a big mountain to climb to gain peoples trust again.
 
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DuskGolem has said Konami is under new and improved management since 2014. Let's hope Squeenix also is since 2010. I've not played FF7 remake but I guess fans seem to like it.

I guess that's the cool thing about generations coming and going; it's inevitable that the people who enjoyed quality when they were kids eventually become business leaders and managers, whilst the more rigid older ones responsible for diluting the industry eventially retire.

The cycle literally never ends.
 

Silent Hill 2 it is, and PS5 exclusive for 1 year. Since it's 2 not 1 I may try it out on a Steam sale later down the road but I'm sure diehard SH fans are PS5 owners anyway so this works out pretty good I would think.
 
Gun Powder B said:

Silent Hill 2 it is, and PS5 exclusive for 1 year. Since it's 2 not 1 I may try it out on a Steam sale later down the road but I'm sure diehard SH fans are PS5 owners anyway so this works out pretty good I would think.
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ZOMG YES!

And not only that, a new Silent Hill movie with original director, Christophe Gans was also announced the very same day:


He directed the good first Silent Hill movie and not the terrible sequel, Revelations, so all is well in the world.
 
I never got the chance to get into Silent Hill. I own the HD Collection, Homecoming, and Downpour on PS3, but I wanted to start from the beginning and hopefully even get my hands on original copies of 2 and 3 since the HD Collection wasn't too well received by fans and I know Silent Hill 2 is supposed to be a big game. But I just never got around to it. I saw the movies in theaters and really enjoyed the first one. But with everything going on with survival horror these days, today's Silent Hill announcements definitely have me excited. Not sure how I feel about Townfall and Ascension though. One didn't really show anything and the other is gonna be something new and different I guess?
 
Honestly I don't know what to feel from this announcement. In one way, I'm happy that Silent Hill is finally making a comeback in the video game industry. At the same time, the revival is mostly fixated on Silent Hill 2 and its themes around "personal hell". We're not just getting one but TWO new versions of Silent Hill 2 (one remake and one movie adaptation), and honestly I'm tired of this boring obsession with Silent Hill 2. It has plagued the series ever since Konami handed over development to Western studios in 2007.

Out of all the four original games made by Team Silent, Silent Hill 2 was the only game that focused on "personal hell" IOW a main protagonist suffering from traumatic events who is pulled to the town in order to face punishment or simply "learn a lesson". 1, 3, and 4 were stories about the cult of Silent Hill, with more emphasis on religion, occultism and mythology. Yet still, ALL of the Western-developed games that came after were basically rehashes of Silent Hill 2 that featured broken protagonists suffering from amnesia. A far cry from Team Silent's original idea of featuring normal everyday protagonists. James was the exception, not the golden standard for Silent Hill protagonists.

We get it. Silent Hill 2 is everyone's favorite. But I'm so sick and tired of it being the only focus of the series. Although I knew beforehand that Silent Hill 2 was getting remade instead of the first game, I'm still heartbroken by the fact that Konami has completely ignored the original Silent Hill from 1999. If any game in the series deserved a remake, it's THAT one. Sigh. They're going for the safest financial bet. Some people are suggesting that Konami are simply testing the waters and if this remake is financially successful they'll remake the first game as well, but I'll believe it when I see it. If I know Konami well, the only reason they're remaking Silent Hill 2 is because director Christophe Gans approached them years ago about making a movie adaptation of it. Then they realized they could make some quick buck by squeezing out a remake just in time for the movie's release. Then in order to maximize profit and give the illusion of them taking the brand seriously, they quickly approached some low-tier developers that have little to none experience in making big budget titles, asked them to make some obscure cheap Silent Hill games (in this case Townfall and Ascension) and pretend that it's something worth to be excited about. Oh and speaking of, they're also focusing on merchandising and making loads of new dioramas and statues in order to squeeze even more money out of Silent Hill 2 nostalgia. It's literally all about Silent Hill 2. I don't even know why they brought back Akira Yamaoka and Masahiro Ito to work on the remake, their old music and designs are unchanged so it makes me feel that they're just there to ensure fans that this will be respectfully true to the original. Like "Hey guys look! It's Yamaoka and Ito! Don't worry, we know what we're doing because we brought back these two guys! REMEMBER THOSE?".

Then there's of course Silent Hill f, the only thing from the announcement that peaked my interest. An original game with a fresh new concept that doesn't try to copy Silent Hill 2? Sounds promising, but I can't shake off the feeling that this looks like it was supposed to be its own original IP before Konami decided that they could make it a part of their Silent Hill "revival".

Lastly: I wasn't expecting, but I was perhaps hoping for the stream to annouce that the classic games were coming to PSN, but nope. Nothing. Nada.
 

Mounting controversy. I personally do not see a major problem with the combat from an outsiders perspective, it just seems like the same but modernized and people are grasping at straws. The combat demo actually, ironically piqued my interest in the game because in my old age, I just want something straightforward, challenging, and fun. OTS worked wonders for REmakes, why can't it work for SH2?

Also, as far as the story goes, I feel the need to add that "Personal Hell" and learning karmic lessons are well within the context of spirituality, mysticism, and occultism. Again, from an outsiders perspective, I cant see how that could be detrimental to the series in a big way, unless it was poorly implemented. I am admittedly unfamiliar with the story, but based off of what I heard it seems to fit the bill with what the series seems to be striving for.

Atmosphere doesn't look bad as far as I can tell. I'd say as long as they don't screw it up too bad and keep it reasonably faithful it shouldn't be an issue. I'm definitely not an expert in this field so there may be more adept people who could provide a better analysis on how "faithful" the game "looks".
 
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As a long-time fan of the series, I can see the arguments from both sides. The graphics don't quite seem up to the standards of game remakes like RE2 or Dead Space. As the video also pointed out, there is some justified criticism taking place and I hope it inspires the developers to make those needed adjustments with the sound effects and graphics. The fact that Bloober has come out and agreed makes me hopeful that fans are being heard and that the developers are giving it their all. They’re well aware there’s a lot riding on this remake.

That being said, a good portion of the criticism is just fan nitpicking.
Some of the most pretentious and pessimistic people that I’ve gotten into discussions over the internet with were from a popular SH forum.
So no doubt there are fans who are making a lot of noise over any amount of change made to the most acclaimed game in the series.

Combat was also one of the main issues fans had with Silent Hill Homecoming, so I had a feeling fans would interpret a whole trailer dedicated to combat in the worst way for the SH2 remake.

It’s safe to say that they’re not going to please everyone. And even though I wasn’t impressed with the story of The Short Message, the game does have great atmosphere that feels in tune with SH. This has me hopeful for the SH2 remake. At least they have the story down, so it’s just capturing that essence of the original game while modernizing the gameplay.
 
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Bloober Team seems like a based company. They are listening to fan feedback and also aren't afraid to point the finger at Konami when Konami ****s up. "Those idiots are the ones responsible for the lack of updates and the poorly portrayed combat in the game". Pretty ballsy for a studio to call out their benefactors like that, they should do it more often.

It looks like Bloober team is a Polish company, not surprising. Out of all countries in the West, Poland is definitely one of, if not THE most based of the bunch. I think the series is in good hands, provided they authentically listen to fan feedback and continue knocking sense in Konami.

Curious as to where the series will go if this game is successful. Maybe get the hard reboot treatment RE is getting by staying faithful to the core of the franchise and at the same, putting the other foot into new entries for a new generation of players. Of course RE8, (as we all know of course) story wise was kinda way off track from its science fiction roots, but hopefully RE9 as well as whatever next major SH installment will return to form and be "great again".
 
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The second Silent Hill transmission showcased almost exclusively the Silent Hill 2 remake, but it managed to ease some of my previous doubts and make me feel genuinely excited for this game
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The environments are absolutely beautiful and incredibly detailed, this is of course Bloober Team's greatest strength. What people were worried about was the combat and animations, but I think this new trailer proved at least some of the naysayers wrong. Gunshots have been improved considerably, and melee combat feels more fluid while still keeping some of that classic "everyman stiffness". It seems they've added two separate buttons for guns and melee, meaning you can equip one gun and one melee weapon at the same time - something that wasn't possible in the original. I was also very impressed with the character models this time, especially the ones for James and Laura - Laura looks the best out of the bunch and also has the best voice actress. I do agree with some of the online criticism towards Angela's appearance though, she looks slightly "off" compared to the others and I'm not feeling the voice actress either. Time will tell.

Overall, there's a lot of stuff to be excited for and as a deep geek Silent Hill fan myself I've noticed countless of references to other Silent Hill games in the trailers... I really hope this game turns out to be a massive success so that it paves the way for additional Silent Hill remakes. The first one in particular needed a remake before SH2.
 
Disgraceful, all that time and effort going into remaking a game that absolutely does not need to be remade, when it could have gone toward a new entry in the series.
 
Jonipoon said:
They are giving time and effort into making new entries in the series - two in fact. Silent Hill: Townfall and Silent Hill f
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A remake of the most popular game in the series is also a great way to reinvigorate interest in the franchise after a long hiatus. Why shouldn't they play it safe before delving into new territory?
 
Jonipoon said:
They are giving time and effort into making new entries in the series - two in fact. Silent Hill: Townfall and Silent Hill f
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And even more time and effort could have gone to them, to make them as perfect as possible, instead of remaking a game in a series that isn’t even finished yet, let alone the best game in the series.

Turo602 said:
A remake of the most popular game in the series is also a great way to reinvigorate interest in the franchise after a long hiatus. Why shouldn't they play it safe before delving into new territory?
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Just having new games in the series is enough. Not only is there no reason to retreat old ground, but a remake is completely unnecessary, most especially with this game. Why studios keep doing this blows my mind and irritates me in the extreme. It’s bad enough Capcom made those goddamned remakes of RE 2, 3, and 4, now Ubisoft is supposedly remaking the 1st and 4th Assassin’s Creed, and now Silent Hill is pulling this ****. If they want to remake and retread the series, fine, but wait until the damned series is finished first!
 
Teen Tyrant said:
And even more time and effort could have gone to them, to make them as perfect as possible, instead of remaking a game in a series that isn’t even finished yet, let alone the best game in the series.



Just having new games in the series is enough. Not only is there no reason to retreat old ground, but a remake is completely unnecessary, most especially with this game. Why studios keep doing this blows my mind and irritates me in the extreme. It’s bad enough Capcom made those goddamned remakes of RE 2, 3, and 4, now Ubisoft is supposedly remaking the 1st and 4th Assassin’s Creed, and now Silent Hill is pulling this ****. If they want to remake and retread the series, fine, but wait until the damned series is finished first!
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You clearly have unrealistic expectations of how things work. A series will only continue to exist as long as it is profitable for a company. There is no "end" to franchises like these if there's money to be made. These remakes don't exist to appease you as a long-time fan of a series. They exist so a new audience can experience these iconic stories that are no longer accessible to modern gamers. Most people have heard about Silent Hill 2, but haven't played it. Most people have probably gotten into the Assassin's Creed series late into its run and haven't experienced the first game/can't be bothered to endure its repetitious structure and clunky gameplay that has long since improved.

Whether you like it or not, you need newcomers to be invested in a series for it to thrive. Silent Hill has been dead for a long time and it's thanks to Resident Evil 2 remake that all these dead survival horror franchises have suddenly re-emerged. Silent Hill 2 is the most iconic game in the Silent Hill series and using its popularity to introduce modern gamers to the franchise means more people will potentially be interested in a new entry and allow them to keep making more. Without this type of business strategy, the series would just be heading towards another flop and never be seen again.
 
Turo602 said:
You clearly have unrealistic expectations of how things work. A series will only continue to exist as long as it is profitable for a company. There is no "end" to franchises like these if there's money to be made. These remakes don't exist to appease you as a long-time fan of a series. They exist so a new audience can experience these iconic stories that are no longer accessible to modern gamers.
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And that is exactly the problem. I know very well how these things work. The way it works is the wrong way, however, and like everything else in this pathetic culture, it needs reform.

Turo602 said:
Without this type of business strategy, the series would just be heading towards another flop and never be seen again.
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So long as it is a concluding chapter, that’s fine. The problem is in cranking out one after another until interest and profits drop and then it just sort of fizzles out, instead of bringing a series to a proper conclusion while it’s still hot, or at least still relevant, and then doing a remake before setting a new path to roads unknown.
 
Teen Tyrant said:
Why studios keep doing this blows my mind
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It shouldn't blow your mind because it's simple. Instead of treading new ground with a new entry and possibly turning folks off, or in spite of it in Resident Evil's case, they go back to a game that was loved by fans and guarantees them a big, fat return.

You're looking at this in terms of the games being art. They are, but they are also a business.

And just from what I've seen, companies hardly ever bring things to a proper conclusion even if something might seem like a conclusion at the time. They always leave loose ends because they want to know they can go back and revisit later without too much hubub or when they box themselves in narratively they reboot. Why would you permanently shut down cash flow when there's still cash flowing?

I hate to say this but you're looking at this in a very idealistic way where everyone is genuine and doing what they do for the love of the games and that just not how big gaming companies work. It may be wrong as you put it but Capcom and Ubisoft are corporations with bottom lines not indie devs and it's unrealistic to expect them to behave that way.
 
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Teen Tyrant said:
And that is exactly the problem. I know very well how these things work. The way it works is the wrong way, however, and like everything else in this pathetic culture, it needs reform.



So long as it is a concluding chapter, that’s fine. The problem is in cranking out one after another until interest and profits drop and then it just sort of fizzles out, instead of bringing a series to a proper conclusion while it’s still hot, or at least still relevant, and then doing a remake before setting a new path to roads unknown.
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You're not exactly invalidating Konami's strategy. You're just pushing your own wants and needs as a fan over the health and success of the franchise, its developers, and the business. Silent Hill hasn't been hot in years and the most buzz it has gotten as a series was a demo to a game that never came to fruition.

I understand the want and need to see a series done justice and wrap up while it still makes sense. But when it hasn't been relevant for several console generations, you gotta plan for the long term success of the series, not just continue right from where you left off when the audience has changed or isn't even interested.

Konami has to prove they can still produce a quality Silent Hill experience and a faithful but modernized remake of the most iconic game in the series is a good way to build trust and establish a foundation for future titles.
 
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