A lot of Silent Hill f's Japan town "did not exist initially," NeoBards director says, but the developer knew it had to "undoubtedly feel like a 'Ryukishi07 work'"

The town is a crucial aspect of any Silent Hill game, including the series' latest installment Silent Hill f, which ditches Americana to instead cattle prod its tortured protagonists in the fictional Ebisugaoka. But developer NeoBards tells me the haunted mountaintop – based on a real Japanese location – barely existed when it first started working on the horror game.

Director Al Yang knew whatever NeoBards pitched to publisher Konami had to ensure "the story would undoubtedly feel like a 'Ryukishi07 work,'" he tells GamesRadar+. Scriptwriter Ryukishi07, celebrated horror writer behind the When They Cry manga series, had already outlined his sympathetic story for Silent Hill f – and the development team had to honor it.

"I first read the initial draft of the script a few years ago," reflects lead level designer Kaiyu Chang. "At the time, I was pregnant, which made the story's depiction of the expectations and constraints placed on women by traditional society resonate with me even more deeply. Many scenes struck a strong emotional chord."

So while "the core essence of the story never changed," Chang continues, "we made a number of adjustments to its presentation." In fact, "many of the locations in Silent Hill f did not exist initially and were carefully selected to enhance not only the script, but also the atmosphere and world of the game," Yang adds. "An example of this is the school, which was initially proposed by the team at NeoBards, and then discussed carefully with Konami and Ryukishi07."

And Protagonist Hinako's house – one of the most substantial puzzle sections in the game, where family secrets are revealed – "was originally conceived simply as a labyrinth with an otherworldly atmosphere," says Chang.

"Later, we introduced the element of 'memory,' added multiple timelines, and allowed the space to shift depending on the route and ending," she continues. "Throughout this process, Ryukishi07 continuously wrote new text and lore to support gameplay needs. After countless rounds of discussion and refinement, the in-game version you see today finally took shape."

Then the team ended up with another one of Silent Hill series' characteristic towns swaddled in fog – where horror is unavoidable, but hope still lives.

Silent Hill f writer knows you don't really want to see "a happily ever after," and the game's horrific portrayal of young womanhood makes it my GOTY.