Silent Hill 2 Remake: Developers Aim for Evolution

Bloober Team's successful Silent Hill 2 Remake has set the stage for their next project, a chance to solidify their position in the horror genre. This article explores their upcoming game and their ambitions for the future.

Bloober Team's Redemption Arc Continues

Building on Success and Addressing Past Skepticism

The overwhelmingly positive response to the Silent Hill 2 Remake has been a major boost for Bloober Team. Despite significant changes from the original, the remake impressed both gamers and critics. However, the team acknowledges past doubts and aims to prove their capabilities extend beyond this single achievement.

At the Xbox Partner Preview on October 16th, Bloober Team unveiled their new horror title, Cronos: The New Dawn. Game Designer Wojciech Piejko emphasized a departure from their previous work, stating to Gamespot, "We don't want to make a similar game [to Silent Hill 2]." Development on Cronos began in 2021, shortly after The Medium's release.

Director Jacek Zieba described Cronos as their "second punch" following the "first punch" of the Silent Hill 2 Remake, highlighting their underdog status. The initial skepticism surrounding their involvement in the Silent Hill project fueled their determination to succeed.

Zieba commented, "Nobody believed we could deliver, and we delivered. That was a big honor, that we, as Bloober, could work with Silent Hill and Konami. As horror creators, we love Silent Hill, like, I think, most horror fans [do]." The studio's public request for fan patience underscores the pressure they faced.

Ultimately, Bloober Team achieved an 86 Metacritic score. Piejko noted, "They made the impossible possible, and it was a bumpy road because of all the hate on the internet. The pressure was big on them, and they delivered, and for the company, it's an amazing moment."

Evolution: Bloober Team 3.0

Piejko views Cronos: The New Dawn as a testament to their ability to create a successful original IP. The game features a time-traveling protagonist, "The Traveler," navigating the past and future to alter a dystopian reality ravaged by pandemic and mutants.

Leveraging their experience with the Silent Hill 2 Remake, Bloober Team aims to evolve beyond their earlier titles like Layers of Fear and Observer, which had simpler gameplay mechanics. Zieba explained, "the basis [for Cronos] when we started in pre-production was there [thanks to] the Silent Hill team."

The Silent Hill 2 Remake marks a pivotal moment, representing "Bloober Team 3.0." Encouraged by the positive reception to the Cronos reveal trailer and the Silent Hill 2 Remake, the studio is confident in their future.

Zieba's vision is for Bloober Team to be recognized as a leading horror developer, stating, "We want to find our niche, and we think we found our niche, so now we just--let's evolve with it. [...] And how that happens is more complex, but it also happens organically in a way, like with [2016's] Layers of Fear, people in the studio were like, 'Okay, we made some shitty games before, but we [can] evolve.'"

Piejko adds, "We gathered a team that loves horror," Piejko adds. "So I think, for us, it would not be easy to switch [to other genres], and we don't want to."