To kick off this year’s Tokyo Game Show, Hideo Kojima and gang have revealed a never-before-seen concept trailer for Silent Hills. As someone who loves the Silent Hill franchise—I can proudly say I’ve completed all of them—, and has high hopes for the next installment, it was exactly what I wanted to see. The hype for this game is on all new levels.
To be clear, this concept trailer was created before P.T. was ever finished, so it isn’t directly indicative of how Silent Hills will play. However, it does show the vision that Kojima has for the game, which is one that is truly bone-chilling.
Related: Silent Hills TGS 2014 Trailer
There are a few reasons I found the trailer to be extremely promising, and I’ve outlined why in the gallery below.
5 Reasons the Silent Hills TGS Trailer is Extremely Promising
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Well, for one, it's horrifying
I've seen many horror video game trailers in my day, and I can't think of a sequence that would be more terrifying to play than what was shown in the Silent Hills TGS 2014 trailer. Maybe it's the dark imagery, or perhaps it's the first-person perspective in a narrow hallway. Whatever the case is, it made me uncomfortable, and I like that.
If you've played P.T., the interactive trailer released not too long ago on PS4, you're well aware that this trailer isn't kidding around. Playing the game will be scarier than any trailer could ever indicate. After seeing Resident Evil watered down, and such scarce availability of scary AAA games, that's something the gaming industry needs.
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You could shut your eyes and still feel uncomfortable
As we've learned from the greatest horror games in history, audio is critical to a properly terrifying experience. The audio work in this trailer was nothing short of what you'd expect from the game after playing P.T. The deep, harrowing yell of the head with bugs falling out of its mouth was discomforting, and so was hearing the high-five lady approach you down the hallway with shrieking screams. Even the sound of doors slamming shut as the air in the room appeared to be sucked out from it was bone-chilling. This is a game you'll definitely want to play with headphones.
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Silent Hill grade enemy design
Silent Hill has always been top-tier when it comes to enemy design. Whether it be the Nurse, Pyramid Head, or Twin Victim, the series has been able to evoke fear and anxiety from its subjects without having enemies that necessarily pop out and chase you. Their grotesque visuals and unorthodox behavior have been enough to create nightmares.
The Silent Hills TGS 2014 trailer showed a couple of enemies, both of which followed this same direction. While the headless teacher will certainly cause people to pause the game and take a break, the high-five lady is the last thing I would ever want to see in a hallway.The way it moves and sounds is unfamiliar, creating that sense of discomfort that arachnophobes get from seeing spiders.
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Creativity at its best
I walked away from the trailer feeling like everything I saw was fresh. The ball hitting the door shortly before it opens, revealing a headless creature was a fantastic start, but my favorite moment is when the door flies across the hallway before slowly opening at an angle revealing a stairway. I still don't quite understand what the sacrifice of the naked person is all about, and maybe it's best kept that way for the sake of my sanity.
As a result of its creativity, it doesn't feel predictable. If Silent Hills can manage to retain this quality throughout its journey, it could become something truly special.
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Dat FOX Engine
The entire trailer was rendered within the Fox Engine. You might be skeptical if you didn't play P.T., but the interactive teaser wasn't far off from what was shown here. For anyone wondering if Konami's Fox Engine is all hype, it's time to put those questions to rest. Everything from the shadows to the shaders are absolutely stunning. The glow of the toys moving down the hallway through fog is quite a spectacular presentation. Or, the way the open window at the beginning of the trailer illuminates the room in a realistic way.
Ultimately, better graphics pave the way for easier immersion, the last thing you want if you don't like games being scary.
