Interview with Akira Yamaoka and Hiroyuki Owaku (Computer and Video Games)Date published: 2003.04.29 Survival-horror games, thanks to advances in technology, have come on leaps and bounds in recent years, so much so that the merest howl of an unseen wolf has us crapping our pants in terror. Figuratively speaking. Konami's Silent Hill series has been at the very forefront of the survival-horror genre since its first instalment, offering a nerve-racking blend of horror and action, in a bizarre parallel universe where unspeakably sickening creatures crawl the earth and danger lurks in every shadow. In a remarkable change from the norm, European gamers will receive Silent Hill 3 before either Japan or the US, with the game due towards the end of next month on this panic-stricken continent. And with the third in the series, Konami has really raised the bar, creating a title that pushes PS2 to its very limits, with amazing lighting effects and incredible detail, plus a stirring storyline, even more horrific beasts and a whopping challenge. And with a PC version also due later this year, no-one is spared from the evil. Looking set to scare the pants off all who stand before them, we were fortunate enough to catch up the KCET team at a press event in London earlier this week, which marked the premiere of the Silent Hill 3 music video - unique in that the game's heroine - Heather - is seen to sing the song herself in the video. But before the unveiling, we had a chance to sit down with producer Akira Yamaoka and scenario writer Hiroyuki Owaku, to gain further insight into the creation of this stunning title. Translation assistance was offered by international product manager, Yoshi Aoyagi. CVG: This is the first Silent Hill game to feature a female lead, which gives a more vulnerable, emotional edge to the proceedings. How did you come to this decision? Owaku: In the past the main characters have always been male and around 30 years old, so we just wanted to do something different this time. When it came to creating a new lead character, we thought long and hard about factors such as age and sex. But the main focus was to express the emotional side of the experience and the fear of the character. Heather was our solution to this conundrum. CVG: You've been careful to keep the storyline close to your chests, but can you give us an idea of how it fits into the Silent Hill universe? Owaku: Well, to answer your question, there's certainly a connection between all three Silent Hill games, however we believe it would be better for the player to found out for themselves how they are connected. CVG: One of the reasons for the event today, is for the premiere of the groundbreaking Silent Hill 3 music video. Can you tell us a little more about that? Yamaoka: Usually, the music, or the music video, is created based on the basic process of creating a blend of lyrics, music and visuals. But I approached this differently. Heather is the main character of the game, so what if she sings the theme song? We thought it would be interesting and different from what we've done before. Of course, Silent Hill is a horror title, but it's okay to have this different direction, with Heather singing while surrounded by horror. CVG: As you've said, Silent Hill 3 is a horror title, which seems to carry many influences from film and literature. Can you give us some specific examples? Owaku: Film-wise, we would say Jacob's ladder has been a big influence, plus other works by Stanley Kubrick and David Lynch and the novels of Stephen King. CVG: The atmosphere you've created for the game is probably better than any other survival-horror title to date - do you feel there's an awful lot further you can go with the genre in terms of this? Yamaoka: We're confident we've done a great job with our title, in expressing the greatest horror, we believe, that's ever been made. But while the game can affect you by what you see and hear, it is not possible to feel the sensation of cold air touching you, for instance. That's one thing we'd like to be able to express in the future. CVG: One of the coolest features of the game are the ultra-sick creatures you've created, which strike us as the product of a twisted mind to say the least... Yamaoka: What I'll tell you right now is that we have a crazy designer who makes these creatures. He forms the backbone of our team and without him, Silent Hill as you know it wouldn't be possible. To answer this question properly, you would need to open his brain and take a look inside! [laughs] CVG: As a horror game, can you talk us through the process of maintaining tension and creating horror. With a film, this is a scripted, controlled process, but is this a more complicated process for a free-roaming game? Owaku: I don't know if you can make a comparison between movie and game tension, but when we make a title, it is important that there is continuous terror. One after the other after the other - that is very important. However, it is also important that we give an oppressive feeling, and we achieve this by ensuring the character is always in a limited space, where they cannot really see anything. Then there are lots of creatures, events and eerie sounds that keep up the tension at all times. CVG: You've also made a special "Making Of..." documentary, which will be distributed soon - is this something you enjoyed being a part of? Owaku: Yes, we loved being part of this process. It's the second time we've done a "Making Of..." If anyone is able to make such a documentary, it's always an honour to them. We saw it at an event recently, and we could see ourselves talking about the game - we were able for the first time to look at this objectively. CVG: And it's nice for developers to show their faces from time to time, as games creators are far more anonymous than their film or music counterparts, in general. Owaku: We're happy to show the "Making Of..." to as many people as possible, so people can see and understand how the game is put together. CVG: Looking to the future, there's already talk of a follow-up, but do you still feel there's a lot more you want to do with the Silent Hill universe, or would you like to explore a new scenario? Owaku: We are always thinking about making titles deeper and deeper within the Silent Hill universe, but at the same time, we are also thinking about taking a different approach to appeal to a different type of user. |
