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 properly underway as the sport goes via the ultimate phases of improvement and receives a remaining layer of polish.
Whereas I discuss 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 Staff has poured its coronary heart, soul, and lots of assets into the large enterprise.
In dialog with lead producer, Maciej Glomb, and inventive director, Mateusz Lenart, I requested a couple of questions on how they managed to attain such an genuine portrayal of the unique recreation whereas enhancing it for contemporary audiences, and what difficulties they might 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 lots of our choices when it got here to creating monster AI, and when it got here to creating ranges, and making these ranges fascinating for gamers to discover.”
Whenever you first hear of modifications to Silent Hill 2, your coronary heart may sink – ‘is not this alleged to be a 1:1 remake?!’, you cry incredulously. However relaxation assured, Bloober Staff has ensured the story stays untouched. As an alternative, the studio has enhanced it, including notes, puzzles, and expanded areas to make exploration fruitful for each new and returning followers of the sequence.
Glomb continues: “We had been all the time followers of the unique story, and we didn’t really feel at any level that it wanted any vital modifications. We added a couple of issues right here and there, primarily to flesh out the story much more, to provide a bit extra publicity to some characters, which was not possibly given as a lot within the authentic. […] We’d 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 condo had been only one hall. Creating the gameplay in such an setting; it is simply not possible. So, that was undoubtedly a problem to maintain the reminiscence of the unique location, and I hope we did that. So, the sensation is identical, however the construction of the latter is rather more sophisticated.”
I later requested if the duo might broaden on how Bloober Staff could have modified dialogue to supply extra nuance, and whereas particular examples couldn’t be shared, Lenart did clarify that it was crucial 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. An important a part of it. Taking that strategy, we have been capable of broaden on the very cinematic feeling of the sport,” the developer instructed me.
Discovering these actors who had the entire bundle was no straightforward activity both, based on Bloober Staff, nevertheless it managed to just do that in an try to make the backstories of these aside from James Sunderland even stronger than earlier than. That is definitely 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 Staff 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 give attention to fleshing out the entire monsters, the entire AI, and ensuring all of the mechanics are in place. Then you definitely begin playtesting,” detailed Glomb.
Glomb then went on to clarify 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 just isn’t the identical as was portrayed. That exact trailer had lots of fight, and although Silent Hill 2 just isn’t a fight recreation, the fight remains to be an integral half. In my view, it’s far more about exploration and puzzles.”
However in fact, you’ll be able to’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 through the advertising interval is, for instance, fight or cutscenes or promoting the texture of the sport — the environment — however not that a lot of the particular exploration and puzzles,” and that’s why the fight trailer didn’t fairly painting what followers could have anticipated.
“It is undoubtedly not about fight, like Glomb stated, however every thing will be proven in a manner that has these misinterpretations. And particularly, once more, displaying this particular a part of the sport with out context will be difficult,” Lenart provides.
Final, however not least, I requested Glomb and Lenart what’s subsequent. Bloober Staff is engaged on a second venture alongside Silent Hill 2 proper now, however has stated that internally, it merely can’t look ahead to launch. “We’re fairly assured that we did the very best job that we might,” says Maciej on the finish of our interview, and up to now, I’ve to agree.