Today, the marble-lined reception of Konami's Tokyo office opens up into an enormous black box room, choked with artificial fog, ominous red strobe lights, and rows and rows of PS5s. Not only am I here to play Silent Hill 2 Remake, but I'm also surrounded by some of the most iconic names attached to the franchise. Original music composer Akira Yamaoka is just a few paces away, as are other members of Team Silent and Konami – namely, original art designer Marahiro Ito and series producer Motoi Okamoto. Across the aisle, Bloober Team creative director Mateusz Lenart and lead producer Maciej Głomb weave a slow, steady patrol path of their own, casting lingering eyes upon screens and wringing their hands in a way they'd probably hoped to conceal.
Their apparent anxiety (and pride) reminds me of something Okamoto-san has just told us, specifically of Konami's initial move to enlist the Polish studio in its remake of the best Silent Hill game ever. "What we wanted to seek in our partner was the strong passion towards the game," he said. "So we had a list of candidates that we were willing to work with, and we reached out [to Bloober Team]. I have first-hand selected them as my own decision." The unfinished game isn't without its hiccups even at this late stage, but that passion Okamoto speaks of is instantly palpable.
