Bloober Team's successful Silent Hill 2 Remake has fueled their ambition to prove their capabilities extend beyond a single achievement. This article delves into their next project and their future plans.
Bloober Team's Continued Journey
Building on Success
The overwhelmingly positive reception of the Silent Hill 2 Remake from both players and critics has been a significant boost for Bloober Team. Despite the substantial changes from the original, the remake exceeded expectations. However, the team acknowledges the initial skepticism and aims to solidify their reputation with future projects.
At the Xbox Partner Preview on October 16th, Bloober Team unveiled their new horror title, Cronos: The New Dawn. Game Designer Wojciech Piejko emphasized a departure from their previous work, stating in a Gamespot interview, "We don't want to make a similar game [to Silent Hill 2]." Development on Cronos began in 2021, shortly after The Medium's release.
Director Jacek Zieba described Cronos: The New Dawn as their "second punch" following the "first punch" of the Silent Hill 2 Remake, highlighting their underdog status. The initial doubt surrounding their ability to handle a survival horror title of such renown is well documented.
Zieba commented, "Nobody believed we could deliver, and we delivered. That was a big honor, that we, as Bloober, could work with Silent Hill and Konami. As horror creators, we love Silent Hill, like, I think, most horror fans [do]." The team's journey was challenging, even necessitating a public statement requesting patience from fans.
Ultimately, Bloober Team's efforts resulted in an 86 Metacritic score. "They made the impossible possible, and it was a bumpy road because of all the hate on the internet. The pressure was big on them, and they delivered, and for the company, it's an amazing moment," Piejko noted.
Bloober Team 3.0: A New Era
Piejko positions Cronos: The New Dawn as a testament to their ability to create compelling original IPs. Players will take on the role of "The Traveler," navigating between past and future to alter a dystopian timeline ravaged by pandemic and mutants.
Leveraging the experience gained from the Silent Hill 2 Remake, Bloober Team aims to enhance gameplay elements compared to earlier titles like Layers of Fear and Observer. Zieba stated, "the basis [for Cronos] when we started in pre-production was there [thanks to] the Silent Hill team."
The Silent Hill 2 Remake marks a significant evolution for the studio, considered "Bloober Team 3.0." The positive response to the Cronos reveal trailer further bolsters their confidence. Piejko expressed encouragement from both the Cronos reveal and the Silent Hill 2 Remake's success, believing it has significantly improved the studio's reputation.
Zieba aspires for Bloober Team to be recognized as a leading horror developer, stating, "We want to find our niche, and we think we found our niche, so now we just--let's evolve with it. [...] And how that happens is more complex, but it also happens organically in a way, like with [2016's] Layers of Fear, people in the studio were like, 'Okay, we made some shitty games before, but we [can] evolve.'"
"We gathered a team that loves horror," Piejko added. "So I think, for us, it would not be easy to switch [to other genres], and we don't want to."
