Bloober Team’s Nintendo Game ‘Project M’ Is Suddenly a Lot More Interesting After Silent Hill 2 Remake

Bloober Team has something of a complex reputation. Before the shockingly good Silent Hill 2 remake released, Bloober was often on the receiving end of criticism for a number of troubling and disappointing trends, not the least of which being its poor handling of themes like trauma and abuse in games like The Medium. But with Silent Hill 2 receiving near-universal praise, it could signal a new chapter in Bloober’s legacy.

It will be interesting to see how Silent Hill 2‘s success impacts the reception of Project M, the enigmatic game that Bloober Team is developing for Nintendo consoles. Although very little has been revealed about the project, Bloober’s CEO Piotr Babieno has gone on record about its existence, commenting that it has a lower budget, but that it is nevertheless an exciting prospect for the team. Unsurprisingly, Babieno has described it as an ambitious game, made in collaboration with “the world’s best game creators” for Nintendo consoles. Whether Nintendo itself is involved in its development is unclear, as is the forthcoming release’s full spectrum of platform availability.

Bloober Team’s Rapidly Changing Reputation Could Impact Project M’s Reception

Bloober Team Is Quickly Becoming More Respected Thanks to Silent Hill 2

Sadly, those in touch with the games industry have seen no shortage of developers fall from grace, straying far from the design principles and consumer-friendly business practices that once made them so beloved. The opposite situation is much rarer, but that is exactly what seems to be happening with Bloober Team in the wake of the well-received Silent Hill 2 remake.

In all fairness, remakes of classic games can often fight an uphill battle when seeking respect from fans of the original: there’s a common sentiment that if an older game holds up, a remake is simply a cash grab or lazy attempt to profit off nostalgia. These are precisely the accusations that many leveled against the Silent Hill 2 remake, and the questionable reputation that Bloober garnered, not only for its handling of sensitive subjects but also for its “walking simulator” game design, only seemed to strengthen critics’ fervor. Of course, Konami is responsible for some of this ire as well, but both developer and publisher were targeted by aggressive denunciations ahead of SH2 remake’s launch.

And yet, with Silent Hill 2‘s remake finally here, most of these criticisms have cooled. The remake’s generally high quality and reverence for the original Silent Hill 2 on PS2 threw cold water on the flames of contempt that some held for Bloober, and even the studio’s more mild critics are hanging their heads in humility. Indeed, Bloober Team’s latest release proves a lot of detractors wrong, and is a sign that the studio may have more up its sleeve.

Bloober Team’s Nintendo Switch Release May Have More Hype Around It Now

Whatever Project M ends up looking like, the fact that it has a lower budget, per Babieno’s own words, will naturally make it a much different sort of release than the Konami-backed Silent Hill 2 remake. But just like how the remake could revitalize the Silent Hill franchise, so too could it breathe new life into Bloober Team’s public perception ahead of this new game, modest in scale and scope as it may be. This could make Project M more palatable to audiences, whatever kind of game it is.

Bloober has always had its supporters, but confidence in the developer will likely be more widespread now. This doesn’t mean that Project M is guaranteed to be a hit, but it could very well be viewed with even more excitement than the Silent Hill 2 remake, now that gaming audiences have a better idea of Bloober Team’s powers as a developer.

Silent Hill 2 is a remake of the classic 2001 survival-horror game, developed by Bloober Team and published by Konami. It features an over-the-shoulder camera and gameplay changes inspired by other horror game remakes.

Systems

Released

October 8, 2024

Engine

Unreal Engine 5

ESRB

M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Language, Sexual Themes, Violence

OpenCritic Rating

Mighty

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