SILENT HILL 8 Gets A New Name And Some Leaked Details

Konami has revealed the new name for its  video game survival horror franchise Silent Hill: Downpour. Game Informer has first dibs on new details for the game previously known as Silent Hill 8 and they've now leaked onto the internet over the weekend. 

From IGN:

Here we go, malevolent water appears to play a big part in the newest excursion into everyone's favourite holiday destination of the Damned, with its appearance looking like being the trigger for Silent Hill's familiar collapse into its Otherworld self. 

Game Informer hints of an early sequence in a diner as an example: a sprinkler system comes on unexpectedly and the entire room collapses upward into the town's classic mix of rust-red industrial horror and endless darkness, water  is spouting in the most unexpected directions. 

In another part of the game Downpour seems to feature a version of Silent Hill: Shattered Memories' psychological profiling system, with decisions you make - from obvious narrative choices to the clothes you wear - affecting story developments.  It also appears there's as much emphasis on fleeing from enemies as there is on combat. It looks like popular character Murphy Pendleton can only hold one weapon at a time and your opponents can put up quite a fight. 

Elsewhere, Downpour also promises a return for the classic skewed camera angles of old to heighten the tension, the game switching between a third-person and more cinematic perspectives as various intervals. 

Finally, it looks like there's going to be plenty of Silent Hill to explore this time around, with a gameworld big enough to require the use of the town's subway system to get around. However, developer Vatra promises plenty of new locations to discover - both throughout the main story and in sidequests uncover by picking up clues on your travels - with series staples such as the school and hospital out of the picture for this latest installment. 

Here's the game synopsis from IGN:

Staying true to the franchise's original roots, this eighth installment of the Silent Hill franchise returns with an all new thought-provoking horror storyline. Players will once again find themselves face to face with their deepest sins and fears in the strange world of Silent Hill.

The survival horror experience begins after a prison transport vehicle careens off the road, leaving lone inmate Murphy Pendleton stranded in Silent Hill. Gamers will encounter mind-bending puzzles, as well as horrific creatures and other world terrors using everyday objects from wooden chairs to glass bottles to fend off their enemies. The natural response, fight or flight is left to the player as they unravel a dark, thought-provoking storyline which will appeal to fans of the early, classic Silent Hill series, as well as anyone who enjoys a deep, psychological horror experience. In addition to the main storyline, players will also be presented with variable side quests along the way that can change depending on their play style, revealing unknown evils within the town.