The original Silent Hill is heading to Wii, says Konami. Although it’s not a remake or any kind of direct port - and the combat has gone too. We’re confused…

Silent Hill: Shattered Memories, as it will henceforth be known, is revealed in the latest issue of Nintendo Power magazine, where Producer Tomm Hulett announces that the new title should be thought of as a “re-imagining” of the first Silent Hill and that it really will feel like a new game. He’s not kidding either:

“The characters play different roles, things don’t necessarily happen in the same order, and the story is taken in lots of new directions,” he begins.

“You still play as Harry Mason, you’re still looking for your daughter, and you’ll see familiar elements, but they’re all twisted to betray your expectations.”

Even more fascinating:

“One of Shattered Memories’ most significant and intriguing additions—your answers actually affect how the game unfolds. And it doesn’t end there. The game “watches” you constantly, and your behaviour throughout can determine when you’ll meet certain characters, which scenes you’ll witness, and a variety of other factors.”

On top of that Hulett has a sop for Silent Hill stalwarts:

“Longtime fans of the series will also be delighted to learn that there’s a way through every locked door; no more checking dozens of entrances only to find that 90% of them are permanently barred shut.”

Sounds good enough so far, right? Although the promise is somewhat undone with the news announced elsewhere that the visceral combat of old is replaced with a system of, er, running away. Yup, when faced with a particularly nasty foe players just leg it, using the Nunchuk Z-Button to bust down doors, jump through windows and hop over fences like some kind of cowardy-cowardy-custard.

Well, that might just be more fun than it sounds, even if we’re starting to suspect that what we have here is not the grim and ghoulish game beloved of survival/horror fans the world over, but some kind of watered down version for the Wii casual crowd. But let’s just wait and see, eh. More soon.