Horror fans still mourn loss of Silent Hills
I know this whole topic and controversy over the P.T. teaser has been buzzing for quite some time now. Although, there have been many theories on the eventual meltdown between Konami and Hideo Kojima, it still as many fans of the Silent Hill franchise reeling.
I was fortunate enough to have downloaded the Silent Hills teaser, P.T. , shortly after it was introduced into the PlayStation store. Needless to say, I was definitely looking forward to the full release. The collaberation between Kojima, Guillermo del Toro, and Norman Reedus, definitely raised a few eyebrows. It also gained a lot of interest in gamers out there, including myself.
One of the key elements that set this title apart from other Silent Hill titles, I'd have to say was the suspense. The sights and sounds, filling you with dread and slowly building the terror. Even though there were some jump scares and the usual gore Silent Hill is known for, the majority of horror element came from the atmosphere. I'm a firm believer when it comes to the horror genre, be it a movie or a video game, less is more. This formula is a tried and true method among many well done titles.
I only wish that this title hadn't met a early demise. I personally think it had the potential to be one of Konomi's top sellers. I guess we'll never know the answer to that one. Feel free to leave a comment and let me know your thoughts, I'd love to hear from you!
I don't know what's going on over at Konami. They used to be one of the biggest and best Japanese game publishers, with not only the Silent Hill franchise under their tent, but also Contra, Castlevania, Gradius, Suikoden, Breath of Fire, Metal Gear Solid, etc. But in recent years, they've shown more interest in selling pachinko machines than video games.
Its sad to see what as become of that company, especially since they now control the Hudson library of games too. Hopefully they return to their former glory, but I'm doubtful that's going to happen.
I agree with you, I am clueless as well on why they seem to be undermining their business. I use to be a big Konami fan until they started abandoning their video game consumer fan base. It's those people that helped them to gain the success and profits that they enjoyed. I'm guessing it all comes down to money. They can make more money in the gambling circles, than they can in video game sales. All I know is, in the eyes of many loyal gamers, the name Konami lost all appeal.