Japanese game publisher Konami and developer Genvid has provided a glimpse into their upcoming episodic narrative set within the Silent Hill franchise. The trailer teased a chilling narrative adventure that looks to delve into complex issues such as intergenerational trauma, and it also put emphasis onto the fact that players will have a direct impact on the story playing out in Silent Hill: Ascension.
Silent Hill: Ascension aims to incorporate branching storylines and player-driven choices into the Silent Hill series, borrowing elements from Telltale Games’ narrative style, along with an emphasis on delivering both multiplayer interactivity and the signature scares of the classic Silent Hill games. As a canon entry in the Silent Hill franchise, Ascension aims to grant players a certain amount of influence over the series' fictional universe.
The newly released trailer offers a glimpse into the nightmarish world of Silent Hill: Ascension, featuring a host of terrifying monsters, eerie environments, and meticulously designed character models. Chris Amaral, the art director at Bad Robot Games, expressed his confidence that the attention to detail in the game's environments, combined with the realistic portrayal of characters and monsters, will enhance the horror experience and capture the essence of the Silent Hill franchise while also offering a fresh and distinctive take on it.
Genvid has promised that the collective actions of millions will determine the fate of the Silent Hill characters on a day-to-day basis, and even the project's creators allegedly remain uncertain about how Ascension will ultimately conclude. Apparently, the audience will be the ones to decide the destiny of multiple main characters, all of whose stories will unfold simultaneously worldwide after it releases later this year.
Motoi Okamoto, a producer on the Silent Hill series at Konami, expressed his excitement about exploring new locations and introducing fresh characters to fans of the Silent Hill universe. Silent Hill: Ascension will be available to play on a variety of devices, although the specific platforms have not yet been disclosed. It appears that Genvid and Konami are aiming to release a native player app for consoles, PCs, mobile devices, and televisions.
Silent Hill: Ascension is just one of the many projects currently in development within Konami's long-dormant psychological horror franchise. Last year, it was announced during the Silent Hill Transmission livestream, alongside a remake of Silent Hill 2, and brand-new franchise entries called Silent Hill f, and Silent Hill: Townfall, the latter of which is a collaboration with boutique publisher Annapurna Interactive and developed by No Code. Additionally, a new Silent Hill movie titled Return to Silent Hill, helmed by director Christophe Gans, is also in the works.
Silent Hill: Ascension is in development.