There has always been a problem with Silent Hill. No, it’s not the underground cult that has lead the citizens of this accursed town to their unholy deaths. It also had nothing to do with the troubled souls that seem to constantly wander through the place looking to find/resurrect/avenge their significant others. To be honest, the biggest problem with Silent Hill has always been its combat, which is a comparable experience to hitting an airborne piñata while standing blindfolded on a moving rollercoaster. The developers of the upcoming Silent Hill: Shattered Memories decided to remedy this situation in the best way possible: removing the combat entirely.

Shattered Memories reimagines the tale of Harry Mason, the protagonist from the original PlayStation One classic. In this case, Harry can’t attack the demons that he encounters, as he is a normal person with no violent tendencies. The result is a true horror experience, where you have no way of defending yourself against the creatures that lurk around each and every turn. From my playtime with the game, I found that this ramped up the fear to levels not reached in many other horror titles. In games like Resident Evil 5 and Dead Space, you are deluged with so many ways to defend yourself that you can never truly fear what is in front of you. Why would you be, when you can fill each of them with lead quickly and effortlessly? In Shattered Memories, the only thing that you can do when faced with a threat is run, and you will have to do plenty of that as you hunt down your missing daughter.

The game starts off with an interview that asks some surprisingly personal questions, like “do you roleplay during sex?” and “have you ever cheated on your significant other?” The answers to these questions—as well as the decisions that you make during gameplay—actually effect the way the game plays out, as everything that you do is noted and utilized to determine what will happen in the next area. While many titles have offered branching paths before, I can’t recall a game that keeps track of every decision that you make. The on-hand developer noted that even relatively minor situations make a difference, like the choice to explore a ladies restroom before you examine the men’s room. Enemy placement, storyline branching, and character involvement will all be affected by your actions, making Shattered Memories a unique experience for everyone who plays it.