Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH has today announced Silent Hill Origins (working title) for PSPTM (PlayStation®Portable).
The first handheld title in the legendary horror series, Silent Hill Origins uses the PSPTM to tell an original story with disturbing graphics and all-new gameplay elements. The game's narrative reveals the origins that transformed Silent Hill from a sleepy town to a hellish stronghold of terror and introduces several new characters to the franchise.
Silent Hill Origins follows a solitary truck driver stranded in Silent Hill while making an ordinary trip. Confronted by perversions of his imagination that mirror his troubled past, he must escape from the town as it falls into ruin and also uncover the truth behind the hallucinations that have haunted him for so long.
The game introduces several gameplay mechanics that are new to the franchise and provide the player with an enhanced sensation of isolation as they make their way through the desolate streets of Silent Hill. Key to this is a new barricade system that lets players manipulate the environment to impede the progress of pursuing enemies, using furniture and debris to create a sanctuary from the evil that lurks outside. Players can also utilise an enhanced camera designed with the PSPTM in mind, as well as an updated control scheme for improved combat and more detailed exploration of the environment. Fans of the series will also revel in Silent Hill Origins' original soundtrack by series composer Akira Yamaoka.
"Silent Hill Origins delivers all the terrifying moments, gruesome enemies and memorable characters and story-telling the series is known for on to a handheld gaming system", said Hans-Joachim Amann, Head of European Product Management for Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH. "Players can now experience greater freedom with the game's enhanced combat and barricade systems and also learn how the chilling events of later Silent Hill games were set in motion."
Scheduled to launch this Winter, Silent Hill Origins is developed by Climax and will be on display at Konami's booth (#800) at the Electronic Entertainment Expo May 10th-12th, 2006.