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Perhaps you’ve not seen the concept video for Michael Chiniquy’s Sound of Silence? If you haven’t, take a look. The video has so far accrued more than 168,000 views on YouTube. If you’re a horror fan, Chiniquy’s project is something you should be paying attention to. Particularly if you’re fed up with the current market offerings for horror enthusiasts.
The 20-year-old graphics designer sat down with FMV Magazine to discuss his thoughts on the project and on the horror genre in particular.
Psychological horror is neglected in gaming these days. And there’s a big fanbase out there who have been putting up with sub-par horror titles for the last couple of years. The horror genre is a shell of its former self, and I want to do my best to breathe some life into it.
What I want to do with Sound of Silence is [to] give horror fans the game that they deserve, for putting up with an industry that has ignored their pleas for a game that doesn’t treat them like toddlers. As far as I’m concerned, it’s up to us to bring back the genres we love – and I hope that we can prove to everyone that more games of this nature are needed.
Indeed, many fans can relate to the feeling of being ignored. Everyone remembers the furor surrounding Capcom’s rather bold statement that they want the Call of Duty crowd. It definitely left Resident Evil fans with a sour feeling. In business terms, it makes sense, but it still feels like a kick right in the face.
Chiniquy went on to tell FMV that the idea of having a video game analyze our worst fears is something that hasn’t been truly fleshed out before. While there are some games that have come close, they just haven’t done so in the manner that he’s hoping to do. He also states that he takes a lot of inspiration for the Sounds of Silence from Silent Hill.
Team Silent very clearly understood the need for ambiance and atmosphere to create a sense of dread and urgency, as opposed to just throwing whatever monsters you could towards the player for the millionth time. My favourie horror game of all time is Silent Hill 2, no question about it. While it left a lot to be desired in terms of gameplay, the atmosphere and story is unrivaled with its very ominous surroundings and mature themes…
The young designer revealed that he wants to bring back that sort of psychological horror with Sound of Silence. By taking a minimalist approach to action and focusing more on atmosphere, puzzles and that constant sense of dread and anxiety we all love, Chiniquy is crafting an experience from the pits of our worst nightmares.
We’ll bring you more news on Chiniquy’s exciting project as it surfaces.
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