Silent Hill 5 Announced

Konami Digital Entertainment today announced Silent Hill 5 (working title) for the Xbox 360 and the Playstation 3. Silent Hill 5 marks the debut of the renowned psychological horror series on next-generation consoles. The game thrusts players into a shadowy world of chaos and terror with atmospheric high definition graphics and an original storyline that sheds new light on the desolate, fog-shrouded town of Silent Hill.

Silent Hill 5 marks the return of the series that has become one of the leading horror franchises in the world, launching a number of hit entertainment products, including a successful and acclaimed motion picture. The game follows Alex Shepherd, a war veteran returning home from an overseas tour of duty to investigate the mysterious disappearance of his younger brother, Joshua. His travels will lead him through the small, insular community of Shepherd's Glen and eventually through the hauntingly empty streets of Silent Hill.

Building upon the series' trademark foundations of atmosphere, adventure and storytelling, Silent Hill 5 introduces players to a frightening new experience. When confronted by the perverse incarnations of evil that roam Silent Hill and Shepherd's Glen, players will be able to utilize an enhanced combat system and execute a number of offensive and defensive maneuvers as they experience every terrifying encounter with the game's numerous nightmarish creatures. Players will also have to solve a variety of puzzles as they progress through the highly atmospheric game world, using cues from the environment to unlock Silent Hill's darkest secrets. Continuing the series' tradition of standout music and sound design, Silent Hill 5 features an original soundtrack by famed composer Akira Yamaoka.

"Silent Hill 5 is an international, cross-cultural production, with leading development talent from around the globe collaborating to raise the bar even higher for this incredible series," said Brian Christian, Vice President of Product Development at Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. "With gritty graphics and sound that create a haunting atmosphere to all-new visceral gameplay elements, Silent Hill 5 truly epitomizes the extent to which next-generation hardware can enhance the player's overall gaming experience."

Silent Hill 5 is planned for release on the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 in 2008.