Silent Hill 2's Masahiro Ito says he'd "never have come up with the background of Pyramid Head" without one cult classic horror from 1990

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The oft-forgotten Jacob's Ladder gave Silent Hill its mascot

Silent Hill 2
(Image credit: Konami)

Silent Hill 2's original creature artist has revealed that the inspiration for the game's most iconic enemy can be traced back to an oft-forgotten 1990 horror film.

Pyramid Head began life as hellish penance personified. A walking manifestation of someone's guilt, ready to serve punishment to those who crave it the most with eery groans and a rusted cleaver. But the big boss has since become the closest thing Silent Hill has to a series mascot, so publisher Konami can thank 1990's Jacob's Ladder for its cash cow.

Over on social media, original Silent Hill 2 artist Masahiro Ito once again gushed over the cult classic. "If I had not seen a teaser of that on my TV, I would never have gone to watch the film, never have made the other world school in SH1, or never have come up with the background of Pyramid Head," he tweeted. "Goose bumps!"

Jacob's Ladder might not be the most common cultural touchstone - it was barely a success at first - but it's pretty easy to connect the dots between the two projects. Jacob's Ladder follows a Vietnam war veteran who becomes haunted by otherworldly apparitions, tentacled monsters, and alternate realities that blur the line between what's real and what's just a manifestation of Jacob's psyche. Very Silent Hill-y. 

When it comes to Pyramid Head in particular, Ito says that a very specific line in the film gave him the idea to create a physical representation of guilt and judgement. "The only thing that burns in Hell is the part of you that won't let go of life, your memories, your attachments. They burn them all away. But they're not punishing you. They're freeing your soul," is the line, which is itself a quote from German philosopher Master Eckhart.

On the topic of influences, Ito also said that Silent Hill’s Fukuro Lady was actually inspired by a BDSM magazine. 

Kaan Serin
Freelance contributor

Kaan freelances for various websites including Rock Paper Shotgun, Eurogamer, and this one, Gamesradar. He particularly enjoys writing about spooky indies, throwback RPGs, and anything that's vaguely silly. Also has an English Literature and Film Studies degree that he'll soon forget.