Bloober Team, riding high on the positive reception of their Silent Hill 2 remake, is eager to prove their recent success wasn't a fluke. This article explores their next project and their ambitions for the future.
Bloober Team's Continued Ascent
Building on Success
The overwhelmingly positive critical and fan response to Bloober Team's Silent Hill 2 remake has been a significant boost. Despite substantial changes from the original, the remake exceeded expectations. However, the team acknowledges the initial skepticism they faced and aims to solidify their reputation with future projects.
At the Xbox Partner Preview on October 16th, Bloober Team unveiled their next horror title, Cronos: The New Dawn. Game Designer Wojciech Piejko emphasized a departure from the Silent Hill 2 style, stating to Gamespot, "We don't want to make a similar game." Development on Cronos began in 2021, shortly after The Medium's release.
Director Jacek Zieba described Cronos: The New Dawn as their "second punch" in a two-hit combo, with the Silent Hill 2 remake being the "first." He highlighted the initial doubt surrounding their involvement in the Silent Hill project, given their lack of prior experience with survival horror.
Zieba commented, "Nobody believed we could deliver, and we delivered. That was a big honor... As horror creators, we love Silent Hill." The team's dedication and perseverance resulted in an 86 Metacritic score. Piejko noted, "They made the impossible possible... The pressure was big on them, and they delivered."
Bloober Team 3.0: Evolution and Growth
Piejko positions Cronos: The New Dawn, featuring a time-traveling protagonist navigating a pandemic-ravaged future, as a testament to their ability to create compelling original IPs. The team leveraged the experience gained from the Silent Hill 2 remake to enhance gameplay, moving beyond the limitations of earlier titles like Layers of Fear and Observer. Zieba stated that the foundation for Cronos was laid by their work on Silent Hill.
The Silent Hill 2 remake marks a pivotal moment, representing "Bloober Team 3.0." Encouraged by the positive reception of the Cronos reveal trailer and the Silent Hill 2 remake, the team is confident in their future. Zieba aims to establish Bloober Team as a leading name in horror, stating, "We want to find our niche, and we think we found our niche, so now we just--let's evolve with it." Piejko added, "We gathered a team that loves horror... it would not be easy to switch [to other genres], and we don't want to."
