Silent Hill f is setting itself apart from its fog-soaked siblings with its rural Japanese locale, which was apparently chosen because producer Motoi Okamoto felt the horror series was losing its distinctly Japanese edge.
While lifting the veil off of Silent Hill f, another third-person horror stuffed with psychological torment and twisted creatures, the developers also gave some insight into the project's inception.
"I believe the Silent Hill series was born out of blending the essence of Japanese horror with the essence of western horror," Okamoto said during the most recent Silent Hill Transmission. "However, as it was based in the West for the longest time, it felt like the Japanese influence was fading. And so, this made us think, 'What if we go in the opposite direction and make it 100% Japanese horror?' And this game is the result. "
- Silent Hill f disclaimer is even making a horror buff like me shudder: "If you feel uncomfortable at any point while playing, please take a break"
- Silent Hill f writer says many of the franchise's female characters experience "a great deal of suffering," so he wants his protagonist "to be able to make her own decisions, for better or for worse"
Of course, Silent Hill has predominantly been the work of Japanese developers making games set in America. But projects like Silent Hill 2 Remake and Silent Hill: Shattered Memories bucked that trend, and had western talent at the forefront. Silent Hill f seems like a course correction both in-game and behind the scenes.
Legendary composer Akira Yamaoka is also back for the game, after having worked on every mainline title, and he agreed that "there is a certain Japanese essence to the games, something that non-Japanese people can't replicate. As Japanese creators, there are certain creative choices and expressions that come more naturally to us." He continued to say that "for people outside Japan, this adds a sense of freshness and innovation to the games."
Elsewhere, the Silent Hill f writer delved into his thoughts on the series' treatment of women, while explaining he wanted the new game's protagonist to have much more agency. That doesn't mean she won't still be grappling with absolute horrors, though, as Silent Hill f's ESRB rating has absolutely no chill.
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