The upcoming remake of Silent Hill 2 isn’t all that distant, with its launch date set for October 8. As such, previews have been nicely underway as the sport goes by means of the ultimate levels of improvement and receives a remaining layer of polish.
Whereas I speak about this at size in my preview, I didn’t have excessive expectations for a Silent Hill 2 remake. I used to be dreading it, to be frank. A lot to my delight, although, Bloober Group has poured its coronary heart, soul, and a whole lot of sources into the huge enterprise.
In dialog with lead producer, Maciej Glomb, and artistic director, Mateusz Lenart, I requested just a few questions on how they managed to attain such an genuine portrayal of the unique sport whereas enhancing it for contemporary audiences, and what difficulties they could have confronted.
“The largest problem is retaining the gameplay authenticity, since we have modified a lot. However we knew we needed to,” Glomb instructed me. “Clearly, the change from mounted cameras to front-facing cameras impacted a whole lot of our choices when it got here to creating monster AI, and when it got here to creating ranges, and making these ranges attention-grabbing for gamers to discover.”
If you first hear of modifications to Silent Hill 2, your coronary heart may sink – ‘is not this speculated to be a 1:1 remake?!’, you cry incredulously. However relaxation assured, Bloober Group has ensured the story stays untouched. As a substitute, the studio has enhanced it, including notes, puzzles, and expanded places to make exploration fruitful for each new and returning followers of the collection.
Glomb continues: “We have been at all times followers of the unique story, and we didn’t really feel at any level that it wanted any vital modifications. We added just a few issues right here and there, primarily to flesh out the story much more, to offer a bit extra publicity to some characters, which was not possibly given as a lot within the unique. […] We would improve a factor or two, however we by no means had any intention of adjusting something.”
Lenart agrees, sharing one of many modifications the developer made for example their level. “For instance, layouts for the house have been only one hall. Creating the gameplay in such an atmosphere; it is simply unimaginable. So, that was positively a problem to maintain the reminiscence of the unique location, and I hope we did that. So, the sensation is similar, however the construction of the latter is way more difficult.”
I later requested if the duo might develop on how Bloober Group might have modified dialogue to supply extra nuance, and whereas particular examples couldn’t be shared, Lenart did clarify that it was essential to the developer that it employed skilled actors to breathe life and emotion into Silent Hill 2’s characters. “We knew from the start that we needed to make use of skilled actors to play the roles as a result of the sport is about feelings, the sport is about characters, and their tales. A vital a part of it. Taking that strategy, we have been in a position to develop on the very cinematic feeling of the sport,” the developer instructed me.
Discovering these actors who had the entire bundle was no straightforward job both, in accordance with Bloober Group, however it managed to just do that in an try and make the backstories of these apart from James Sunderland even stronger than earlier than. That is actually one thing I welcome with open arms, and whereas I solely briefly met Angela and Laura in previews, they sound and look nice. The chilling really feel to the preliminary encounter between James and Angela within the graveyard remains to be there, however facial expressions go a good distance in including to the scene.
I needed to the touch upon that fight trailer from Konami, and what Bloober Group considered it, and the way it might need switched up fight since. “Clearly, the fight modified. Principally when it comes to the stability, as a result of that is normally the factor that comes final, proper? You first deal with fleshing out all the monsters, all the AI, and ensuring all of the mechanics are in place. Then you definitely begin playtesting,” detailed Glomb.
Glomb then went on to elucidate that “at its core, [combat] might be just like what was portrayed. What I imply by that’s, it feels the identical, however the quantity shouldn’t be the identical as was portrayed. That individual trailer had a whole lot of fight, and although Silent Hill 2 shouldn’t be a fight sport, the fight remains to be an integral half. In my view, it’s far more about exploration and puzzles.”
However in fact, you possibly can’t exhibit an excessive amount of of the puzzles and exploration in a Silent Hill 2 trailer, otherwise you run the danger of spoiling the expertise for gamers. Glomb continues: “What we will focus extra on in the course of the advertising interval is, for instance, fight or cutscenes or promoting the texture of the sport — the ambiance — however not that a lot of the particular exploration and puzzles,” and that’s why the fight trailer didn’t fairly painting what followers might have anticipated.
“It is positively not about fight, like Glomb mentioned, however every little thing will be proven in a means that has these misinterpretations. And particularly, once more, displaying this particular a part of the sport with out context will be tough,” Lenart provides.
Final, however not least, I requested Glomb and Lenart what’s subsequent. Bloober Group is engaged on a second mission alongside Silent Hill 2 proper now, however has mentioned that internally, it merely can’t await launch. “We’re fairly assured that we did the perfect job that we might,” says Maciej on the finish of our interview, and to this point, I’ve to agree.
