The creators of Silent Hill: Downpour provide a survey of this seminal survival horror series, describing the challenges of disempowering players and creating a sense of dread when mainstream titles are empowering players like never before. This discussion will dissect the past, present, and future of the survival horror genre; examine how technology and the changing fears and anxieties of society have influenced survival horror games; the challenges of updating a long-running horror franchise and meeting the expectations of both mainstream gamers and a dedicated fan base; and techniques which Vatra used to overcome these challenges.