The latest issue of Nintendo Power has a very nice cover story this month. Despite it coming out on April Fool’s Day, this story isn’t some trick to get Wii fans excited only to find out it’s a joke later on. This is true, and it’s great news. Konami will be releasing Silent Hill: Shattered Memories on Wii. Shattered Memories isn’t a remake or a port of the original Silent Hill, instead it’s being pitched as a reimagining of the original title. Thus far, we know the game will have several alterations made to the gamplay department, but for the better.
“The characters play different roles, things don’t necessarily happen in the same order, and the story is taken in lots of new directions. You still play as Harry Mason, you’re still looking for your daughter, and you’ll see familiar elements, but they’re all twisted to betray your expectations.”
“One of Shattered Memories’ most significant and intriguing additions—your answers actually affect how the game unfolds. And it doesn’t end there. the game “watches” you constantly, and your behavior throughout can determine when you’ll meet certain characters, which scenes you’ll witness, and a variety of other factors.” “In Silent Hill games, the town always gets inside the protagonist’s head,” say Hulett. “But now, it’s getting inside YOUR head.”
“We’re using the Wii Remote to interact directly with the environment, so the puzzles are all based around that idea,” says Hulett. “You’re not just hitting buttons to choose things.” He also notes that the solution to a puzzle is always in the immediate vicinity, and assures us there’s a lot less backtracking then in previous games.”
“Longtime fans of the series will also be delighted to learn that there’s a way through every locked door; no more checking dozens of entrances only to find that 90% of them are permanently barred shut.”
— Nintendo Power via GoNintendo
Fan of the series or not, you can’t deny that fact that this is very good news for Wii owners. The original Silent Hill set a new standard for survival horror titles. This is a very ambitious project for Wii and fans should be getting excited.
