As you may have read a few posts back Part 1 of our with Tomm Hulett, producer from Konami about Silent Hill Shattered Memories. Well you can check out part 2 of that interview beyond the break, as well as some exclusive screen shots. If you haven't yet, read PART 1 HERE! Watch the "chilling" trailer below.
Silent Hill has mostly known for it's atmosphere, such as in Silent Hill 2 with the lead characters struggles with infidelity. With this re-imagining of the original what are the demons Harry has to go through, and through the game play does the players interactions alter that?
TH - Well in the old games you'd see a lot of imagery based on the main character's psychology. So in SH2, James ran into a lot of sexually-charged monsters, and there were some creepy, very sexual rooms. And then at the end of the game you kind of find out why, and it all makes sense. In Shattered Memories we've turned this into a flexible game mechanic. So the town is actually changing to reflect your own psychology. The things you see should reinforce this - that the town is watching you, and that the things you're dealing with are somehow your fault.
Will the Wii version be using Wii Motion Plus?
TH - Nope. The only thing you need is a Wii Remote and a Nunchuk.
Silent Hill Homecoming was a big change compared to the rest of the
series with more emphasis on combat but it seems with shattered memories
it seems more like flight than fight. Is this going to be more puzzle
and mystery based than a beat-em up, will this go back to being more
'survival horror'?
TH - Our aim was to create the ultimate "Survival Horror" game by going back to the drawing board and figuring out what that should mean. The genre has gotten bogged down with a lot of established "rules" over the years, and those rules don't necessarily serve scaring the player. Also, with such a focus on combat, modern games really empower the player and if you're feeling empowered you can't be scared. So by stripping all that away we're hoping to create the ultimate survival horror experience.
Will the PSP version be available for download on the PSN, and PSP Go?
TH - The PSP version will be available on UMD format, as well as download for PSP Go.
What is your favorite aspect of the re-imaging than people really aren't
talking about?
TH - The Silent Hill games are all about this town that screws with a person's perception of reality - of what they think they know. They're full of moments like in Silent Hill 2, where James meets someone who looks exactly like his ex-wife. And you're supposed to understand what these characters are feeling, but you can't REALLY because, for example, you never knew James's wife. You're just told she existed and she was similar but different to this new person James is meeting. ...But, a lot of people have played Silent Hill 1. So by reimagining it, Silent Hill can screw with their perception of that reality - of what they thought they knew about Silent Hill.
Are you looking into doing any other re-imaginings with the Silent Hill
series?
TH - Right now we're focusing on getting this one just right.
I have to say I ain't impressed so far either. And I'm glad I rented the last two games in the series rather than bought them outright, because they were both big letdowns. I was also left with the idea that they had run out of ideas on what to do with SH and surprise, they pull a Hollywood and decide to remake them.
Nice interview, not many other questions I could come up with. And I'm very excited about this game. I'm always excited for new silent hill content, even if it doesn't have next gen graphics, and all that kinda thing. And new soundtrack by the man himself? YES PLEASE! Can't wait man, can not wait!
I love the crystal clear graphics!! I was creeped out by the movie "Silent Hill", so I thought I would check the game out here. Looks incredible, and I don't normally play those kinds of games....!
Thank you sheluvshorror, your insight into the Silent Hill experience is a fresh of breath air...here's hoping you gain a job at Konami one day so you can utterly fuck up another great game...
Konami USA, go fuck yourselves
ultrazilla2000, it doesn't matter, you wont be able to fight them...the days of bashing the shit out of incapacitated nightmares is over, read the fucking article
You should have the option to fight! If I was in that situation I would eventually fight back when I stopped being scared of the monsters. I really think they should look at Dead Space and how that's made because that game is scary!
SH2 is the best, the series has been sliding downwards since.
Homecoming was better than SH4 but worse than SH3. It was refreshing and good-looking (but not quite as impressive as when SH2 and 3 came out), and produced with lots of care and respect. The story was intriguing, the voice-overs were commited and it was all very emotived. Too bad it suffered from being too linear and utterly restricted in terms of exploration, and SH1-3's strikingly psychological and isolating "I feel really bad"-dread were involuntarily replaced by "light"-fear and far less melancholiness, but also jump scares and overdosing darkness occured. Nevertheless, Homecoming was undoubtedly a GOOD game. If Shattered Memories realize these shortcoming it will decidedly become an excellent and memorable Silent Hill-experience.
Silent Hill is without a doubt the most incredible game series in the Horror genre. I hope Shattered Memories gets the series back on track with some fresh ideas of the protagonists own personal hell. This is not a step backwards Konami! I still want to see a Silent Hill 5. Note: Homecoming is not part 5, I realize that and so does Konami!
Shattered Memories will suck. Konami should have kept the original idea like the rest.
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