From games to films, fans have gravitated towards this gripping nightmare-fueled story of Silent Hill. And with the upcoming release of the Return to Silent Hill film, Cineverse has launched an augmented reality (AR) website that reveals easter eggs, mysteries and more to build some hype.
Silent Hill is a psychological horror game first released by Konami in 1999. The story is a blend of occultism that bleeds into the character’s reality, which makes the overall setting of the game beloved and feared by players. Silent Hill is basically where trauma manifests and is amplified through a tense atmosphere and through deadly enemy monsters. It has even birthed various spin-offs and sequels; one being last year’s Silent Hill f, set in 1960s Japan.
This time around, Return to Silent Hill is adapting the story from the Silent Hill 2 game. It’s set two decades after Silent Hill: Origins and follows James as he mysteriously receives a letter from his deceased wife, inviting him to Silent Hill.
The accompanying AR website for the film is designed from James’ point of view, as players light up their surroundings with a flashlight in a way that’s very reminiscent of the video games. The format is interactive, allowing users to click and hover over some of the details on the website.
Each action results in a corresponding reaction, whether through shifting images, moths fluttering their wings, or other details that point back to the film. We explored the website vastly, trying to search for anything else clickable, and one of them was a tape recording. We’re not going to spoil what it said, but it gives a lot more context to the happenings in the film.
It wouldn’t be a Silent Hill release without otherworldly grotesque entities that roam the place. Depending on which moth you click or find, you’ll be able to see some iconic creatures like the tormented nurses and armless mannequins that are featured in the Silent Hill game that the film is based on.
All in all, the website was a fun and insightful piece of AR that ties in with the Return to Silent Hill film. Check it out for yourself here and tell us what you think about the experience in the comments below!
Catch Return to Silent Hill in theaters this January.