Silent Hill: Ascension Preview: A New Horror Experience

Will Silent Hill: Ascension appeal to fans of the video games?

By Marc Deschamps

After years missing, Silent Hill fans will soon have a chance to experience a new take on the franchise in Silent Hill: Ascension. Not quite a streaming series, and not quite a video game, Silent Hill: Ascension seems to be landing somewhere in between. The series will consist of short nightly installments where viewers will have a chance to decide where the story goes. Those that can't watch live can catch-up the next day, or view bundled episodes each week. Ahead of Silent Hill: Ascension's debut, ComicBook.com was given the chance to attend a media preview that showcased how it will all work in practice. 

At the start of the preview, a clip from the series was shown, in which an unholy ritual seems to be taking place. Rachel, one of the initial main characters of the series, is trying to get rid of a "blight" inside of her alongside a woman named Joy. However, Rachel starts to get nervous about completing the ritual, which results in a monster emerging in the room. While we did not get a chance to see what happened to Joy, later parts of the presentation implied that she was killed as a result, and the audience will have to decide how Rachel deals with this moving forward. 

Audience Interaction

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(Photo: Genvid)

For Silent Hill: Ascension, the developers have crafted a number of different ways that the story can change based on the decisions made by the audience. Live episodes will air at 6 p.m. PT every day, with most episodes lasting 10-15 minutes (the premiere will be over 40). It won't be a voting type format, however; instead viewers will have "Influence Points" which will give them greater weight in the decision making process. Players can also try to sway those with more influence, and episodes will have a Twitch-inspired chat, which can be toggled off if players choose. 

Each episode will end with an Endurance Scene, which can only be experienced live. These Endurance Scenes will involve a main character being chased by monsters, and play out like quick-time events. These are only "shared delusions," but they have an impact on the character's Hope. If a character succeeds, their odds of survival increase. However, if they lose enough times, their Hope might not be high enough for them to survive pivotal moments in the story. As the season goes on, these events will get progressively harder. While the game has five "initial" main characters, others might take their place if they die. 

Keeping Characters Alive

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(Photo: Genvid)

Completing Endurance Scenes will result in a lot of Influence Points for the player. They can also be earned by completing different puzzles, which will be added to the app and desktop versions of Silent Hill: Ascension each day. The puzzles are being modeled after the kind that players would see in a survival horror game. Players can also unlock bonuses by completing them, including lore. 

There are two types of puzzles: Arcane and Mindfulness. Mindfulness puzzles can help a main character regain some of their Hope. One example was a Guitar Hero-inspired rhythm puzzle. Since the character enjoys playing, it helps him regain Hope. These guitar puzzles also feature classic tracks from the Silent Hill franchise, which is something longtime fans should appreciate. 

Character Creation and Monetization

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(Photo: Genvid)

In Silent Hill: Ascension, there is a character creator tool, with the result being the player's avatar. Players can unlock different customization options, allowing them to tweak their character's appearance. By gaining enough IP, the player will be able to register for cameo contests, where their avatar can actually appear in the story. If selected, this version of their avatar will be seen in the game's sequences, and might even be killed by the game's monsters. Their character will also be part of the "canon," and will show up in the bundled releases that appear on streaming services. 

Silent Hill: Ascension will be totally free-to-play, but there is an optional Season Pass that will be offered for $19.99. The Season Pass will offer access to additional avatar items, access to additional puzzles, and more. 

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A New Take on Silent Hill

After getting a chance to learn more about Silent Hill: Ascension, I find myself intrigued by the concept. The developers have clearly put a lot of thought into building this world, and how players can truly influence the narrative. The experience was compared to social experiments like Twitch Plays Pokemon, and it's easy to see how the game could hold appeal for anyone that enjoyed that. It remains to be seen whether this will hold appeal to fans of Silent Hill, but with the series set to begin on October 31st, fans won't have to wait long to see for themselves! 

Are you planning to check out Silent Hill: Ascension? How do you feel about the interactive element? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!

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