One of the biggest mysteries in the history of video games is understanding why Konami rejected Hideo Kojima and Guillermo del Toro’s ‘Silent Hill’ game and, instead, chose to usher in a decade without any games in the franchise. Especially when, for the first time in a long while, ‘P.T’ was being praised and reviving the sense of horror from the early games in the series. Instead, ten years of waiting have led to ‘Silent Hill: Ascension.’ And that’s not a good thing.
Don’t look for me anymore, I don’t live there anymore.
After ten years without returning to Silent Hill, Konami has decided that its triumphant comeback will be… a video game in the style of ‘Black Mirror: Bandersnatch’ where the player will have to make choices that will affect the rest of the storyline. Well, actually, it’s much more complex: each day there will be a new episode based on the decisions made by the live audience the day before, which can vote for 24 hours.
But this won’t be a democratic vote; those with more “influence points” (in other words, those who perform better in some rather ridiculous mini-games) will have more say in deciding who lives and who dies. All through the Ascension app or their website. Playing a game and feeling like it’s homework: well done, Konami.
The creators’ idea is for you to drop everything you’re doing to watch the live show because it’s free, and you should take advantage of it. Or you can pay twenty dollars per season and get rewards and more influence points. Oh. They say that more than a million people pre-registered, and the viewership level is much higher than expected. But, of course, the season has just started. The interesting part will be what happens when it ends.
Another problem? The chat was filled with sexual references (specifically, to ejaculation) and they had to take it down immediately. It’s as if they don’t know how the Internet reacts when it’s frustrated. At the moment, those who have tried it either say it’s a scam, or believe it will be the most hated ‘Silent Hill’ experience ever. In any case, it doesn’t look good… especially when this was supposed to be the first step in the resurrection of the franchise. Something tells me that, for now, it’s going to stay buried.
