During the last week, only two topics have been discussed in the video game industry: the break between EA and FIFA, and the leak that anticipates a new game of Silent Hill. The second, obviously, has thousands of players with renewed hopes. The reason? Never before has such compelling evidence of a franchise return emerged which meant a before and after for horror titles.
According to information from VGC and Jeff Grubbfairly reliable sources within the industry, There are three projects Silent Hill on going. one is a remake of Silent Hill 2 by Bloober Team, the studio behind Layers of Fear, Blair Witch Y The Medium. another is a game in episodic format whose development would be the responsibility of Annapurna Interactive, creators of Outer Wilds. Finally, the third title could be a direct sequel to the main saga.
For a moment I will leave the information that has emerged in recent days in the background to pose the following question: do we really need the return of the franchise? Silent Hill marked the childhood or youth of many players since the end of the nineties, and this is a fact that no one can deny.
Nostalgia-driven petitions
Now, when we talk about long-awaited returns in the world of video games, a good part of those wishes are driven by the desire to relive an era of the past. A moment that allows us, for a few moments, to abandon the current era and “return” to a stage of our lives that is already behind us, but that we miss.
When we demand the return of Silent Hill we do it with an intention that goes beyond a simple game session. We are sure that getting our hands on a new title will make us revive old memories.
Companies know very well how our emotions work; for that reason they constantly profit from nostalgia, sometimes shamelessly. It’s no coincidence that there are so many remasters and remakes out there today.
Once the above has been made clear, it is possible to arrive at a truth that is not always well received by everyone: that person who truly wants to relive their moments with Silent Hill, doesn’t need re-releases let alone a new game. Today there are many ways to enjoy classic titles, even if you don’t own the consoles they were originally released on. More than two decades later, playing the original Silent Hill —and its sequels—remains rewarding despite its age.
If not for that powerful component of nostalgia, why else could wanting a new Silent Hill?
Other games filled the gap of yesIlent Hill
On the argument question, yesIlent Hill did not disappear from the map leaving an unfinished story that demands answers. The door was certainly left open for a possible sequel, but the existing narrative does not depend on it. In this sense, then, there is no need for a new installment.
Regarding the playable terrain, some have mentioned that a new Silent Hill it could revitalize video games that have horror as their mainstay. However, the reality is that the genre is going through a pretty good stage nowadays. outlastin the distant 2013, established some ideas and proposals that were later inherited by the giant resident Evil. Capcom’s franchise, in its seventh and eighth installments, left zombies behind to focus on a more paranormal and supernatural experience.
But we have also had the opportunity to “enjoy” games like dead space, The Evil Within, Layers Of Fear either Alien Isolation, to name a few. Although each one conveys terror in different ways, they have all contributed their grain of sand to keep the genre alive. During all this time, fortunately, we have not required the intervention of Silent Hill.
Another issue to consider is that, sadly, a percentage of the community raises its voice to demand the return of a franchise in order to demonstrate that, to a lesser or greater extent, it has weight in a company’s decisions. But once the requests are met, they do not correspond buying the game —even if it’s good.
An unfortunate example of this situation is crash bandicoot. For years we requested his return, and although the remastered trilogy was well received, Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time went unnoticed despite being an excellent game. Sales were disappointing and Toys for Bob, his developer studio, now works at Call of Duty —by order of Activision— instead of continuing the saga of the marsupial…
It is a fact that the return of Silent Hill it will happen sooner or later; either in the form of a remake or with a completely new game – or both. In the case of the second option, it will be interesting to see if its purpose is to cater to the nostalgic wishes of the fans and, in addition, contribute something new to the genre. If so, welcome. Otherwise, it will be a missed opportunity.