Silent Hill f's writer views the series as a "pie crust" that hides "its true colors beneath a layer of horror and fog," and I say let him cook

Silent Hill f isn't just the latest in a long line of horror games, but another fresh interpretation. Ever since the first game arrived on our PS1s in 1999, 26 years ago, a combination of fresh story hooks and designed ambiguity makes it a series that can mean vastly different things to different players – and developers, too. After 5 hours going hands-on with the opening to Silent Hill f, that holds true here as well.

As I mentioned in my beginner's guide to Silent Hill, each entry in the series has its own texture – few fans will have the same favorites as one another. Playing Silent Hill f at Konami's headquarters in Tokyo, I also got the chance to meet with developers from Konami and NeoBards Entertainment. During a roundtable discussion with press, they shared with us what Silent Hill means to them, and how that has influenced their approach to tackling Silent Hill f – the first main game in the series in 13 years.

Restless dreams

The impact of Silent Hill 2 is something that comes out a lot throughout the lengthy discussion – when asked about which game has most influenced Silent Hill f, producer Motoi Okamoto says that he believes it to be Silent Hill 2. Yet, at the same time, the developer has tried to ensure that Silent Hill f still feels like something new, and an entry that can be appreciated even by newcomers.

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"From the very beginning when we decided to settle on a Japanese setting for the game, we believed that this would allow us to depart from the pre-established canon for Silent Hill f," shares Okamoto.

Bringing scriptwriter Ryukishi07 (well known for cult classics like Higurashi and Umineko) is also a constant refrain from Okamoto about how they're refreshing the series. "Our decision to incorporate Ryukishi07 as the scriptwriter of the game [brings in] players who are not familiar with Silent Hill, players who are fans of Ryukishi07 as a writer, but have not been initiated into Silent Hill," he continues – noting that this is a bigger consideration among Japanese players.

Ensuring Silent Hill f offers something new means it could entice new players. "There are many fans of him as a scriptwriter who have taken a renewed interest in beginning to play Silent Hill," he says. "And since we released Silent Hill 2 [remake], what's [important] for this game, once players have come on board with Silent Hill f, perhaps Silent Hill 2 will build their path into becoming Silent Hill fans."

With that said, the knowledge of the series' legacy has remained a consideration for Okamoto, even as they work to set Silent Hill f apart. "As the producer for the Silent Hill series, I've explored all the past titles, and personally I do feel that Silent Hill 2 is definitely a major benchmark when it comes to the content of the story and the quality," says Okamoto.

"But simply just repurposing Silent Hill 2 too closely will quickly lead players to get bored of the project. So rather than simply repeating, we try our best to make [the series] more versatile," he says. "For example, the case with Silent Hill f, this is the reason why we decided to go with Ryukishi07 as the script writer. By trying new things, and trying to imbue the series with new ideas, we're trying our best to make sure we can provide fresh [takes]."

Scriptwriter Ryukishi07, coming from an indie horror background, had to put some serious thought into how to approach Silent Hill f as part of such a longrunning series. "I was always under the impression that Silent Hill is called such because of the existence of the eponymous town, Silent Hill," he says. "Whereas this project, of course, takes place in Japan. So I had to re-evaluate my thoughts around what makes Silent Hill a Silent Hill game. From there I decided to latch onto more psychological aspects, and more internal turmoil."

"This may sound a bit peculiar, but in my eyes, I believe Silent Hill is the name of a type of recipe or type of cooking method in a way," Ryukishi07 says. "I view Silent Hill as the pie crust that covers the pie, because Silent Hill feels like a dish that covers its concepts and its true colors beneath a layer of horror and fog which becomes the pie crust. And players will take that pie and take a bite out of it, and as they try to chew and try to savor what they're eating, they try to decipher what exactly it is that they're to absorb from beneath that horror fog."

Keeping quiet

"I believe that you will get very different answers from all of us," shares game producer Albert Lee from NeoBards Entertainment, "but from me, personally, I believe that the psychological aspect is the most critical." It fits in neatly with the idea that Silent Hill f, despite being such a fresh take on the series, is moving closer in atmosphere to the purer survival horror elements of the original games. After all, the impact of Silent Hill 2 is a constant touchstone for the developers throughout the event.

How much each Silent Hill can stand apart from one another is also something noticed by some of the Silent Hill f developers. "If you look at the story and the themes of each Silent Hill, [they] vary quite differently," notes game director Al Yang from NeoBards Entertainment. "For me, personally, Silent Hill is more of a vibe, more of an atmosphere – it's kind of that feeling of dread. Not just the town itself, but the entire atmosphere that surrounds it. For me, that's what Silent Hill is."

Veteran series composer Akira Yamaoka also considers how different each entry is to be part of what defines the series. "In this case, Silent Hill f features Hinako as the protagonist, and of course in Silent Hill 2 it's James," says Yamaoka. "In my eyes, Silent Hill, it consists of the type of horror that you experience through the lens of that character [...] they will be controlling, and they will be seeing and experiencing things from that perspective."

Notably, for Yamaoka, that isn't solely about doom and gloom, but in feeling a whole range of emotions. "That will also include not just horror, but it also features more bright aspects, such as, for example, love," he continues. "In my eyes, Silent Hill is the type of horror experience that you the player can enjoy and sympathize and synchronize with the protagonist."

All five developers we got to speak with seem to agree that there is no single thing that makes Silent Hill into Silent Hill, and yet there's a constant atmosphere of unease just below the surface. With a new Japanese setting and its own distinct characters Silent Hill f is truly testing if that can hold true in a new format, while breaking fresh ground.

Silent Hill is about an approach to horror, about a vibe, and about conveying a range of emotions as we enter the headspaces of particularly haunted characters. Terror, fear, despair and the fleeting presence of more hopeful feelings too – after all, beneath the fog is always something precious, and what's more upsetting than the thought that it might drift away forever? So far, the vibes and story of Silent Hill f really understand that, and I'm eager to play more.

Take a look at our best Silent Hill games ranking for our takes on the series!