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 by way of the ultimate phases of improvement and receives a ultimate 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 Crew has poured its coronary heart, soul, and a whole lot of assets into the huge endeavor.
In dialog with lead producer, Maciej Glomb, and inventive director, Mateusz Lenart, I requested a number 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 most important problem is retaining the gameplay authenticity, since we have modified a lot. However we knew we needed to,” Glomb advised me. “Clearly, the change from mounted cameras to front-facing cameras impacted a whole lot of our selections 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.”
If you first hear of adjustments to Silent Hill 2, your coronary heart would possibly sink – ‘is not this purported to be a 1:1 remake?!’, you cry incredulously. However relaxation assured, Bloober Crew 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 at all times followers of the unique story, and we didn’t really feel at any level that it wanted any important adjustments. We added a number 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 perhaps given as a lot within the unique. […] We’d improve a factor or two, however we by no means had any intention of fixing something.”
Lenart agrees, sharing one of many adjustments the developer made as an example their level. “For instance, layouts for the house had been only one hall. Creating the gameplay in such an atmosphere; it is simply unattainable. 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 far more difficult.”
I later requested if the duo may develop on how Bloober Crew 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 wished 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 develop on the very cinematic feeling of the sport,” the developer advised me.
Discovering these actors who had the entire package deal was no simple job both, based on Bloober Crew, however it managed to just do that in an try to 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 wished to the touch upon that fight trailer from Konami, and what Bloober Crew considered it, and the way it might need switched up fight since. “Clearly, the fight modified. Largely 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. You then 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 is just not the identical as was portrayed. That exact trailer had a whole lot of fight, and though Silent Hill 2 is just not a fight recreation, the fight remains to be an integral half. For my part, it’s far more about exploration and puzzles.”
However after all, you may’t showcase an excessive amount of of the puzzles and exploration in a Silent Hill 2 trailer, otherwise you run the chance of spoiling the expertise for gamers. Glomb continues: “What we will focus extra on through the advertising and marketing 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 might have anticipated.
“It is undoubtedly not about fight, like Glomb stated, however all the pieces could be proven in a means that has these misinterpretations. And particularly, once more, displaying this particular a part of the sport with out context could be difficult,” Lenart provides.
Final, however not least, I requested Glomb and Lenart what’s subsequent. Bloober Crew is engaged on a second venture alongside Silent Hill 2 proper now, however has stated that internally, it merely can’t await launch. “We’re fairly assured that we did the very best job that we may,” says Maciej on the finish of our interview, and up to now, I’ve to agree.