Tension was high around NeoBards Entertainment throughout development, and not without reason…
The announcement of Silent Hill f and its first trailer received a somewhat mixed reaction. On the one hand, fans of the franchise were desperate for a new entry after waiting more than a decade for something that was not just a PlayStation 5 demo. On the other hand, some people were not convinced that a Silent Hill game set in Shōwa-era Japan could really live up to their love for the classics. That pressure followed Silent Hill f throughout the pre-release period. At times, the situation became so intense that it felt like the game itself was actually very enjoyable, provided there was no voice in your head insisting otherwise.
But it was not only the fans who noticed that pressure before launch. Unsurprisingly, the people who felt it the most were Al Yang, the game’s director, and the team at NeoBards Entertainment. The fact that Silent Hill f managed to nail the atmosphere so convincingly went a long way toward making it feel like a true Silent Hill experience even outside the titular town. That does not mean Silent Hill f was some total clone. The lack of firearms, the stronger emphasis on action, and the inclusion of counterattacks and dodges all marked a change, albeit a welcome one. Still, all of that was easier to accept because of the game’s continued focus on grotesque monsters and themes of psychological torment, something already deeply associated with Silent Hill. In the end, the key to success sounds fairly simple: maintain open communication between the developer and the publisher.
“From the day we signed the project until the reviews came out, I probably did not have a single good night’s sleep. You put pressure on yourself because if you are a fan, you know what the community expects. At the same time, there are limitations in certain areas – not just budget, but story, setting, and so on. So as a fan, I asked myself what I most wanted to see, or what interested me the most. That is why I talked so much about atmosphere. Whatever we do, that part is non-negotiable. We cannot touch it. Even though we are changing things, even though the setting is completely different, it still has to feel recognizable to the fans.
What can be negotiated and what cannot – that is what we discussed the most with our partners. We met with them every week. They told us their concerns, and we told them ours – they were very good partners. There is mutual respect, and there is dialogue on both sides, because ultimately nobody wants to make a bad game. You just want to do the best you can with the tools you have”, Yang said.
At least now he can probably sleep peacefully again…
Source: PCGamer
