Silent Hill: Shattered Memories Makes Good Use of the Wiimote

Konami is officially acknowledging that it plans to create a re-imagined version of the original Silent Hill videogame and that the Nintendo Wii console will be the main platform for the new title, which is built from the ground up to take advantage of the motion tracking that is central to the Nintendo device. Shattered Memories is also set to arrive on the PlayStation Portable and on the PlayStation 2 at the same time, in the fall of 2009.

The only thing that will remain unchanged from the original title will be the overall story arc, which follows one Harry Mason as he tries to find his missing daughter. His path leads him to the town of Silent Hill where he has to face his biggest fears made real. The re-imagined game will spice things up by offering new gameplay challenges, paths that can be followed by players and different responses at certain key points.

The Wiimote will see heavy use. It will serve both as a torch, allowing Mason to light his way through the decrepit buildings of Silent Hill while searching for clues, and as a mobile phone, allowing the players to see his position by way of GPS and to take pictures of the most important clues that he meets.

Konami is pointing out that the game will create a “psyche profile” for the player, noting where he/she goes first, how he/she responds to certain situations and how he/she reacts to the people met. Based on this profile, the game will determine how to surprise the player and throw him/her off the beaten path.

Unfortunately, the unique control method of Shattered Memories on the Wii will neither be available on the PlayStation Portable, nor on the PS2, but the rest of the game will be a faithful port. The title will benefit from a new soundtrack, composed by series creator Akira Yamaoka.