The announcement of Silent Hill 8 was a nice surprise at E3 2010, but something told us that title wouldn’t stick around for long. Konami has recently changed the title of the game, and it coincides with a major element of the game.
Dubbed Silent Hill: Downpour, a recent article spotted in the Game Informer magazine detailed some of the key features of the game. As the title suggests, water plays a big part in the upcoming horror game. Things such as rivers that seem to flow across the ceiling are described. This entry will take place in the areas to the southeast portions of the maps of previous Silent Hill titles. Regular locations such as schools and hospitals will not be making appearances here. The area that you can explore is so large, in fact, that a subway system has been put into place in order to make traveling easier. Sidequests will also be available, though how they are initiated has not yet been detailed. Avoidance of battles is the preferred method of progressing in the game, since there is no weapon inventory (meaning fewer items that the player can carry, and items will wear out). The player can deliver “incapacitating blows” to enemies and use that opportunity to run from the fight. Boss battles, however, are unavoidable and cannot be escaped. They will also utilize quick-time events. Puzzles will also sport difficulty levels.
A lot seems to have changed for the Silent Hill franchise, and you can stay connected with PlayStation LifeStyle for more on this series as the news unfolds. Silent Hill: Downpour is currently scheduled for a release later this year.
