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Silent Hill director leaps to Grasshopper - Report

No More Heroes studio takes on Akira Yamaoka to lend music to Suda-51, Shinji Mikami horror action game for EA.

Fans of Konami's Silent Hill franchise were given sour news in December, when longtime series director and composer Akira Yamaoka announced he would be leaving the company after the January release of Shattered Memories. Of course, one studio's loss is another's gain, and as revealed in an interview with Japanese gaming magazine Famitsu, the beneficiary of Yamaoka's departure is No More Heroes developer Grasshopper Manufacture.

Akira Yamaoka's spooky tunes should fit in well with Grasshopper's EAP project.

Akira Yamaoka's spooky tunes should fit in well with Grasshopper's EAP project.

Translated by 1up, the interview states that Yamaoka will contribute music to Grasshopper's as-yet-unannounced game that will be published by EA Partners. The project is being directed by Grasshopper head Goichi Suda (aka Suda-51), with Resident Evil creator Shinji Mikami producing. Though details are slim, it will apparently be a "mysterious unique action-packed horror game" for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, and PC.

"It was a case of really good timing," Yamaoka said to Famitsu. "I knew about Suda long before I met him; I saw Grasshopper as one of those few Japanese outfits whose games can appeal to an overseas audience. I had a chance to meet him in Los Angeles and we talked about this and that, and once we started discussing how we wanted to do something creative for a world audience, I was hooked on the company."

The interview goes on to note that Yamaoka will initially lend only his musical expertise to the studio. However, he said that in the future he'd like to employ his "total sum of experience" in making games at Grasshopper.

57 Comments

  • g1rldraco7

    Posted Aug 9, 2010 4:30 am GMT

    Sounds cool. Wonder what it'll be

  • RealFabioSooner

    Posted Feb 12, 2010 9:38 am GMT

    Save for US basketball, so-called 'dream teams' always are a big gamble. Somehow I suspect this one will actually deliver just an insanely funny spoof horror game - the kind of thing Resident Evil could have been if its cheesiness hadn't been taken seriously. But I doubt this game will be groundbreaking in the end. Too much design experience combined heightens the chances all involved will play it safer than they could, especially under such a banner as EA's.

  • Darth_DuMas

    Posted Feb 8, 2010 3:07 am GMT

    Resident Evil creator and Silent Hill director, good things to come.

  • just_nonplussed

    Posted Feb 7, 2010 2:19 pm GMT

    'leaps to', geddit???

  • Newager

    Posted Feb 7, 2010 5:48 am GMT

    bye bye silent hill music, no more of that haunting electric guitar strums, no more rusted steel sound rubs together and no more creepy banjo stream that serves as an opening to the classic SH1 theme

  • TC_Squared

    Posted Feb 6, 2010 10:00 pm GMT

    Rest in peace, Silent Hill. We had some terrifying times together.

  • Zerosumgame

    Posted Feb 6, 2010 8:51 pm GMT

    EA paid a premium for Akira and I am sure he won't give 100%, at least I hope.

  • SciFiCat

    Posted Feb 6, 2010 6:11 pm GMT

    Just the thought of having Shinji Mikami and Akira Yamaoka working together on a horror game is sending chills, both of pleasure and fear, down my spine.

  • TrueIori

    Posted Feb 5, 2010 10:10 pm GMT

    The horror genre back baby >

  • Sepewrath

    Posted Feb 5, 2010 6:31 pm GMT

    Grasshopper just gets better and better, I hope one day they are a major development house because they are very good.

  • grasshopper6

    Posted Feb 5, 2010 8:34 am GMT

    ah yes Grasshopper

  • RichSnakePrice

    Posted Feb 5, 2010 6:09 am GMT

    I still wonder what the future for Silent Hill is without Akira Yamaokes involvement.

    Without Akira Silent Hill is pretty much dead in the water!

  • RichSnakePrice

    Posted Feb 5, 2010 6:07 am GMT

    A new horror game being produced by Shinji Mikami the creator of Resident Evil, being directed by Suda 51, and featuring music from Silent Hill legend Akira Yamaoke?

    That is one winning combination!!!!!

  • EtherTwilight

    Posted Feb 5, 2010 1:09 am GMT

    Start with 1 part Suda and 1 part Mikami in a small pot. Bring to a slow boil, stirring occasionally, and allow to simmer while covered. Add in an equal part Yamaoke. Remove from heat when mixture is complete and enjoy!

    The recipe for success.

  • Mcgnnis1

    Posted Feb 4, 2010 6:42 pm GMT

    Man..that good for Akira Yamaoka, but what's the point of silent hill without his incomparable music. The soundtrack of SH 3 still creeps me out.

  • Anime_Fan1986

    Posted Feb 4, 2010 2:07 pm GMT

    I'm looking forward to finding more about this game whatever it may be. I'm always all ears for a new survival horror game.

  • X-RS

    Posted Feb 4, 2010 2:04 pm GMT

    wow this should be awesome. not biggest fan from sh but i remember the music was tight. also glad to see light shed on this game, was gettin suspicious.

  • InfectX

    Posted Feb 4, 2010 11:33 am GMT

    Killer7/Biohazard with Silent Hill music... best game ever?

  • Kitty_Fields

    Posted Feb 4, 2010 11:12 am GMT

    Wow, all-star cast for the win! Hoping this will be good!

    I love love love Yamaoka's music (especially his Silent Hill stuff), so I'm happy to see that he'll continue to make music for horror games!

  • Cabal23

    Posted Feb 4, 2010 10:50 am GMT

    Eternal Darkness was awesome! The roaches crawling across the screen was so freaky the first time it happened.

  • capitalthoughts

    Posted Feb 4, 2010 10:06 am GMT

    I haven't played a truly scary game since Eternal Darkness...that game was disturbing to say the least.

  • Cabal23

    Posted Feb 4, 2010 9:48 am GMT

    Sounds more like they fired him for all the crappy sequels. There is nothing genius about this guy. The Japanese game market has suffered the past few years because they churn out sequel after sequel with little in the way of innovation. US game designers have handed the Japanese their bumpers in the past few years. That little island has nothing going for it these days except Wii fit games.

  • Pattonfiend67

    Posted Feb 4, 2010 7:44 am GMT

    this is GREAT news for Wii and NMH2 fans!

  • lusitanogamer

    Posted Feb 4, 2010 7:02 am GMT

    This is really good news. Can't wait to see what Suda-51, Shinji Mikami and Akira Yamaoka come up with. Should be something awesome.

  • Marcster1994

    Posted Feb 4, 2010 3:48 am GMT

    Two geniuses working on a game? Awesome!

  • Emma_R

    Posted Feb 4, 2010 3:34 am GMT

    Could it be Kurayama, a game Suda-51 was working on months (or years?) ago? Some Kafka-esque kind of horror game involving the difference between light and dark or something. Can't exactly remember wat it was. I read it in the Edge long ago and was immediately enthusiastic about it.

  • coldsauce09

    Posted Feb 4, 2010 2:41 am GMT

    @ yixingtpot

    you are absolutely correct!!! cuz of the xbroke the PS3 gets dvd quality game not blu-ray quality games why? cuz people are stupid supporting the xbroke (thumbs down here they come lol) if they kill the xbroke we will see a new gen of gaming, more awesome games will be coming.. so far the the only PS3 game that are considered blu-ray maximized are MGS4, uncharted2 and i dont know lol.... "but yea its true you dont wanna go using 4 dvds for a single game cuz mahn... its a pain and a lot of work let just work on a single dvd less work more profit buahahaha" - xbroke said..

  • yixingtpot posted Feb 4, 2010 12:18 am GMT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    yixingtpot

    Posted Feb 4, 2010 12:18 am GMT (hide)

    XBROKE=dvd end of story, Wii =dvd end of story. Can i watch a Blu-ray movie on dvd? hell no, so why do people think they are getting anything more than less than Blu-ray quality games when they port dvd garbage to PS3 from XBROKE? Put a Blu-ray movie into your XBROKE or WII WII PEE PEE, see what happens. It obviously won't work. SO, that's why i'll NEVER pay $60 for a dvd level port from XBROKE to PS3. I'll only pay $60 for a Blu-ray PS3 target platform game, if it's a good game overall to begin with.

  • lc-kv

    Posted Feb 3, 2010 10:51 pm GMT

    Unfortunately ever since the second Silent Hill... Fatal Frame series has replaced them in supplying me my supply of horror gaming.

    This is much more effective and cost-efficient way of expanding than spending 100+ million on an establish IP...

  • NeonNinja

    Posted Feb 3, 2010 9:59 pm GMT

    @Houtakiboy
    It is kind of sad that we have not had a really frightening game this console generation. I think Dead Space would have been great if the actual scares didn't stop after the third level. RE5 is filled with bullets and sunshine, and while Dead Space is pretty fun and can be scary for a little bit, the actual horror just doesn't hold up.

    I'm hoping either this game or Dead Space 2 changes that, though this game is sounding more promising than Dead Space 2's red planet.

  • NeonNinja

    Posted Feb 3, 2010 9:54 pm GMT

    @yixingtpot
    I'm sure everyone is glad you like your PS3 and only your PS3, but I think it's safe to say that if the best name you can come up with is "XBROKE" that no one's going to take you seriously.

    But then again, you can be the expert at telling us how Xbox 360 exclusive games have obviously NEVER been able to compete with the PS3 exclusives. Nope. No good graphics over here in DVD land.

    Seriously though, fistbump of approval for coming up with "XBROKE." You're definitely one of the creative types, so don't you lose that spark of yours, bro. You'll be needing it against those sassy guys who use common sense. Those guys can be a real pain for the fanboy bunch.

  • Zakukun

    Posted Feb 3, 2010 9:48 pm GMT

    @yixingtpot Because console makes the game, right?

    Anyway. There is something significantly awesome about this team-up. Goichi Suda knows how to make things over the top and strange; Mikami knows how to make a good horror game; Yamaoka knows how to chill you to the bone with just sound. With all of those combined, we might end up with one of the most psychologically manipulative games of all time. Makes for good horror, if you ask me.

  • mayankahuja

    Posted Feb 3, 2010 9:38 pm GMT

    cool

  • yixingtpot posted Feb 3, 2010 9:15 pm GMT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    yixingtpot

    Posted Feb 3, 2010 9:15 pm GMT (hide)

    as long as XBROKE is factored in, or worse yet the Wii, we can't expect much from these games for pushing what can be considered a worthy PS3 Blu-ray level game like Uncharted 2 is.

    This generation is being stuck in dvd land of PS2 by Wii60. No matter what this turns out to be, it won't be a PS3 level game, it will be poop.

  • DEATH775

    Posted Feb 3, 2010 9:12 pm GMT

    This sounds good, always love horror games.

  • Just-Adam

    Posted Feb 3, 2010 9:09 pm GMT

    Plzzzzz give us a decent horror game !! This generation doesn't have any and that's pissing me off ..

  • Houtakiboy

    Posted Feb 3, 2010 9:04 pm GMT

    Its sad to think that if there are future Silent Hill games, they will be lacking a vital element in Yamaoaka's genius. I'm glad, however, that following a slew of reasonably okay to downright awful (Homecoming, anyone?) sequels, that Shattered Memories received great review scores. At least he left on a high note.

  • elbert_b_23

    Posted Feb 3, 2010 8:43 pm GMT

    very awesome news

  • mykel77

    Posted Feb 3, 2010 8:31 pm GMT

    YES!!!! 3 horror gods on one project, FINALLY. Akira is a musical genius, mikami is a legend, and Suda is one Tarantino of video games. Im in heaven to see what the 3 can create, and what better genre than HORROR
    Maybe this will ignite the survival horror genre again.

  • gamer082009

    Posted Feb 3, 2010 8:22 pm GMT

    Interesting indeed! "mysterious unique action-packed horror game" Excited about that line above^, we need more horror or survival horror games!

  • lamprey263

    Posted Feb 3, 2010 7:30 pm GMT

    While part of me thinks that talent should jump ship when their studio begins to make horrible decisions, it's not like Grasshopper Manufacture is any better, while Suda is very talented at giving us some great games, they don't think broader in releasing them on multiple platforms, the first No More Heroes sold horribly on the Wii despite critics loving it, and I expect No More Heroes 2 to do just the same. Suda was also the writer and director for Fatal Frame IV, I don't know how much say he had regarding publishing but it was a big effing mistake to give Nintendo publishing ownership of the title, because they never released it outside of Japan. Strangely they're delaying No More Heroes 2 in Japan while they work on the Xbox 360 and PS3 ports of the first No More Heroes, and they're not giving it the same treatment of the first NMH for the Xbox 360 and PS3 outside of Japan. Why they keep working on Wii titles despite nobody buying them is beyond me. They obviously make good games but people don't want them, I blame the Wii demographics most of all, but by now they should know better and start delivering their talent on the other consoles. Anyhow, I still play these games whichever console they're on, so I'm glad such a talented composer is joining Grasshopper Manufacture.

  • thps48

    Posted Feb 3, 2010 7:24 pm GMT

    Cool, but what the **** is it about. I'm sure it was announced over a year ago, so... Has it been a year? I'll check later. XD

    Whatever, as long as Suda devotes enough time to this if he's actually starting production on NMH3 or any other meth and murder masterpiece he comes up with.

  • xboxer36018

    Posted Feb 3, 2010 7:07 pm GMT

    this is going to be interesting.

  • TSNAKE617

    Posted Feb 3, 2010 6:50 pm GMT

    It's good that his talent won't go to waste.

  • travisstaggs

    Posted Feb 3, 2010 6:29 pm GMT

    Awesome!

  • joet1973

    Posted Feb 3, 2010 6:25 pm GMT

    excited.

  • WR_Platinum

    Posted Feb 3, 2010 6:22 pm GMT

    Thats a deadly combination there!

  • jasonharris48

    Posted Feb 3, 2010 6:08 pm GMT

    Sweet!

  • ffviiifreak

    Posted Feb 3, 2010 5:55 pm GMT

    he looks like he was in Fifth Element

  • mattg90520

    Posted Feb 3, 2010 5:46 pm GMT

    i cannot wait. whatever this winds up being, as of now, its like the crazy love child of strange, horror masterpieces. so, that being said, it will either be beautiful or nasty and inbred.

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