Silent Hill 2 Remake Devs Want to Prove That They've Evolved

Bloober Team's successful Silent Hill 2 Remake has set the stage for their next project, aiming to solidify their position in the horror game industry. This article explores their upcoming title and their vision for the future.

Bloober Team's Path to Redemption

Building on Success, Beyond Expectations

The overwhelmingly positive reception of the Silent Hill 2 Remake from both critics and players has been a significant boost for Bloober Team. Despite the substantial changes from the original, the remake exceeded expectations. However, the team acknowledges the initial skepticism surrounding their involvement and seeks to prove their capabilities extend beyond this single success.

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

Director Jacek Zieba described Cronos: The New Dawn as their "second punch" in a two-hit combo, with the Silent Hill 2 Remake being the "first." He highlighted their underdog status, referencing the initial doubts about their ability to handle a survival horror title of such renown.

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 initial plea for fan patience underscores the immense pressure they faced.

Ultimately, Bloober Team's efforts resulted in an 86 Metacritic score. "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," Piejko noted.

Evolution: Bloober Team 3.0

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

Leveraging their Silent Hill 2 Remake experience, Bloober Team aims to refine their gameplay, moving beyond the limitations of earlier titles like Layers of Fear and Observer. Zieba stated, "the basis [for Cronos] when we started in pre-production was there [thanks to] the Silent Hill team."

The Silent Hill 2 Remake marks their evolution into "Bloober Team 3.0." The positive response to the Cronos reveal trailer further bolsters their confidence, suggesting a shift in public perception.

Zieba's ambition 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," "So I think, for us, it would not be easy to switch [to other genres], and we don't want to."