In early November, Silent Hill Ascension arrived with promises that sparked curiosity: a fresh experience, an interactive series where the ending is shaped by the audience, an atmosphere steeped in Silent Hill, and plenty of chances to engage with the characters. After play and observation, it became clear the creators delivered many of these ideas, but in a form that felt different enough to leave fans divided. Here are impressions from a detailed look at the project.
Everything is wrong and everything is wrong
First, a quick explainer on what an interactive series is. Fans of Dark Pictures Anthology or Until Dawn will feel right at home. The cast includes multiple characters, each with their own issues, beliefs, and perspectives. In Silent Hill Ascension, a new metric enters the mix: hope. How it functions exactly isn’t crystal clear yet, but the creators describe it as a measure of potential success. A higher hope score motivates a character to strive for a hopeful ending.
All available heroes
Unlike The Dark Pictures, players do not directly control the protagonists. Viewers watch short episodes that set the scene, then vote on one of three possible plot directions. The following day, the story continues, following the majority choice. On paper, the concept sounds intriguing, but in practice the project feels more like a demo than a fully realized experience.
There is no continuous through-line. After an introductory video explains the basic mechanics, events begin almost immediately. This creates a string of issues. Viewers start with little knowledge of who the characters are, the context is unclear, and the atmosphere doesn’t fully sink in. The navigation to the character bios is buried within various windows and sections, so the bios are easy to miss by accident.
All three episodes can be watched in under 10 minutes
Episodes released so far tend to run about 2 to 3 minutes. The cast interacts as if viewers have followed every episode from the start, lacking proper setup and immersion. The moment monsters appear, they mostly scare the characters without impacting the meetings. These surprise encounters raise more questions than answers.
If someone spends a little extra time exploring the site, the picture becomes clearer. Three narrative strands appear: a young family drawn into a strange cult, a brother and sister seeking recovery from addiction who turn to the same cult for help, and a tale about the death of a domineering mother. The daughter suspects the father, who appears to suffer from amnesia and cannot speak. Perhaps this is the strand that most closely captures the Silent Hill spirit so far. Yet on screen, it remains interesting only on paper. In practice, viewers don’t feel empathy for the characters, and there’s little motivation to stay engaged with the show.
What do you think about these game series experiments?
Donut Silent Hill
To uncover the gameplay mechanics, viewers must participate. After registering, each participant creates a character. Character customization is basic, and Silent Hill Ascension’s visuals leave something to be desired. The created avatar does not directly affect events, but players can earn a cameo. Be aware—many interactive options are gated behind a season pass, so free access is limited.
Hair and emoji — worth paying for
Monetization is a major point of frustration for audiences. The project borrows a model seen in large mobile titles, with paid chances to showcase a cameo and a heavy emphasis on progression through purchases. The ability to customize a character or earn meaningful cameos without paying is extremely limited, and most options require payment. Prices are shown in dollars, and transfers from many regions may be restricted.
Votes cost special points. A typical vote can be worth around 100 units. Wallet replenishment is possible through puzzles, with roughly four puzzles available, one per day.
One of the puzzles
There is also a separate track to raise the hope indicator, but only for two or three heroes at any given time. Earning boosts requires completing mini-games, but free opportunities are scarce and the payoff is small, so meaningful progress requires constant play.
The second notable element is the quick-time event system. All crucial moments are available within 24 hours of release, but online guides can reveal ways to complete actions faster. The outcome still hinges on the majority in most cases, yet at pivotal moments a single viewer can determine the result. Those who don’t own a season pass may never access these opportunities.
Default avatars are very scary
During choices, the interface flags which options are considered ‘better’. Icons hover above actions to signal favored paths. The majority tends to push toward positive outcomes, leaving the remaining branches far behind in points.
The possibility of changing the outcome comes with a higher spend, either through paid options or relentless puzzle grinding. If Silent Hill Ascension truly embodied the spirit of the franchise, this might be tolerable, but as it stands, the price tag feels intrusive. Prices are shown in dollars and cross-border payments from certain regions may be blocked.
Redemption, suffering or damnation. This is a choice, this is a choice
A chat exists, but it lacks moderation. Viewers flood the space with emoji and purchases, leaving little meaningful discussion. The creators appear to have anticipated a dialogue that never fully materialized.
Right now, Silent Hill Ascension reads as a half-baked concept. The characters show potential but aren’t presented in a way that reveals them. The format caps exposure and demands donations at every turn, which erodes atmosphere at the core.
As an experiment, the series deserves attention, yet real influence is hard to come by, certainly without paying. Everything promised is present, but in a skewed form that leans toward monetization. As a standalone interactive experience, it might work better as an animated feature or a limited-participant interactive movie, similar to The Dark Pictures Anthology. Many viewers, including this one, left disappointed.
Have you seen Silent Hill Ascension yet?
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