The introduction of Silent Hill Ascension, the new interactive series or game – it’s a bit unclear – created by the collaboration of Konami, Genvid Entertainment, and the developer of Dead By Daylight, Behaviour Interactive, has finally been released. However, fans of the show have been particularly critical of the in-game currencies, the TV show battle pass, and the overall quality of the show. So, I decided to explore Ascension, and the true horror didn’t come from the supernatural creatures.
Before I share my thoughts and touch on fan reactions, let me explain how Silent Hill Ascension operates: You can register for free and watch a series of short videos that make up micro-episodes of a TV show. You then utilize Influence Points (IP) to vote on various decisions that the characters in the show can make, similar to a collaborative Telltale-style horror game.
There has been one decision made thus far, winning 50% of the vote in a three-way decision, and another ongoing decision set to expire later this week, which also currently has 50% of the vote favoring one of its three options.
Apart from the actual content of the Silent Hill Ascension show itself, which is challenging to categorize as a game or a show at this point, the real nightmare is navigating and comprehending how it all functions. I began with over 2,000 IP, and I earned more by logging in and watching the show, as well as meeting daily and weekly goals. However, there are also options to purchase IP for over $20, along with a $20 battle pass that provides cosmetics for an avatar, a series of stickers, and additional IP rewards – please note that watching and voting remain free.
The need for a battle pass in an interactive TV show is puzzling, and it only contributes to the overall complexity of Silent Hill Ascension’s interface and mechanics. Furthermore, you can wager any amount of IP for each decision you make regarding character actions in the show, allowing you to spend a significant amount of money on a single decision if you wish.
I’m not the only one who finds Silent Hill Ascension perplexing; the subreddit dedicated to Silent Hill has a lengthy discussion on the show’s development. One user comments, “It’s difficult to watch this happening. Hopefully, it isn’t an indication of what’s to come.” Another expresses, “I can’t believe this is how Konami chose to revive Silent Hill. The franchise should have remained dormant if this is what they consider acceptable.”
According to players, the live chat feature is chaotic during live showings, as you can boost comments during the premiere without any filter (at least initially), resulting in the kind of comments you might expect.
Another user in the Reddit thread adds, “Everything about this is exceptionally horrible. The awkward animations, odd pacing, cardboard characters, subpar voice acting, forced Silent Hill ‘vibes,’ meaningless choices… and that doesn’t even cover the horrendously bad format it’s being presented in.”
There’s even a “Cameo Contest” where you can spend 600 IP to have your comical-looking avatar potentially appear in the show with a speaking role in multiple scenes, one scene, or merely in the background. However, it’s not a guarantee; the show’s hub states that using a ticket for this only offers you a “chance” to appear in a scene.
The entire show seems laden with live service elements designed to extract money from viewers, and coupled with the difficult navigation and numerous ways to spend your currency while watching the show, Silent Hill Ascension comes across as a bewildering mess. It’s like watching a show, but it’s dressed up as a game that wants to consume all your time, despite lacking the intrigue to do so.
Konami had previously stated that they would consider pitches for the Silent Hill series, and if this is what Konami believes is a valuable addition to the series, perhaps it shouldn’t be.
As the initial entry in a series of Silent Hill projects aimed at resurrecting the franchise, Ascension has not made a strong start. If you’d like to explore this interactive show for yourself, you can sign up for free on the website.
In the meantime, perhaps the Silent Hill 2 release date could provide a refreshing experience, or you can check the Silent Hill 2 system requirements to ensure your PC is ready for the Bloober Team remake.