Interview: Silent Hill f Inspirations and Designs

We get to go through an entirely new Silent Hill game this month, with Silent Hill f taking the series to Japan and incorporating architectural designs, weapons, enemy designs, and lore into the experience. It's a big deal! To help better understand what to expect from this entry, Siliconera spoke with Silent Hill series Producer Motoi Okamoto about its design, inspirations, and gameplay elements.

Jenni Lada: Silent Hill f is the third entry with a female lead after Silent Hill 3 and Silent Hill: The Short Message. How did Heather and Anita influence Hinako and design decisions for this installment?

Motoi Okamoto: I have not been influenced by those two characters. From the perspective of overseeing the series, we are constantly exploring themes and protagonists that are representative of the key elements of Silent Hill. In Silent Hill f, the story is set in an era of strong oppression against women, but the protagonist, Hinako, is portrayed as a strong woman who resists oppression and asserts her own will.

Silent Hill games often act as both an introspective look at society as well as an examination of character’s actions and possible own sins, with both Silent Hill 3 and Silent Hill: The Short Message both doing so. How did Japan’s history and culture help shape Silent Hill f’s story?

Okamoto: Silent Hill f is set in 1960s Japan, a time when oppression against women was stronger than it is today. The history and culture of oppression against women in Japan during that era form the backdrop of this work. 

In this game, players can experience various forms of oppression against women. However, the protagonist, Hina, is undoubtedly a character who possesses the strength to resist such oppression. Through gameplay, players should be able to feel the courage and strength of women who stand up against oppression.

Hinako is seen using weapons like a naginata and pipe in Silent Hill f footage. How did you decide which weapons to use, and then also work in movesets that feel realistic for a high school girl to be performing?

Okamoto: The iron pipe was a traditional weapon in the series, so it was decided from the start. For other weapons, the development studio NeoBards Entertainment designed them to ensure combat actions had rich variety. Especially in the Otherworld, we prioritized fun over realism, allowing weapons like the Naginata to be used. NeoBards Entertainment is a team with extensive experience developing action games, so we could confidently entrust them with the full experience.

Crimson Spider Lilies appear frequently throughout Silent Hill f. While I’m sure these will also act as a sort of symbolism, how did you also weave the color schemes and design elements of it into other parts of the game?

Okamoto: This work was designed around the concept of “find the beauty in terror,” incorporating floral motifs extensively to symbolize beauty. Due to the large user response to the floral motifs shown in the teaser trailer which debuted in 2022, we increased the amount of floral elements throughout the game. The development team has carefully listened to user feedback throughout development of this title. 

In some of the early Silent Hill f art, we’ve seen a yokai that resembles a rokurokubi. How did you determine which kinds of yokai would be well-suited for a Silent Hill game, and is there any particular one you felt really needed to be present?

Okamoto: There are illustrated scrolls which appear in the game that feature traditional Japanese yokai. However, all monsters/enemies that appear in this game are linked to Hinako's trauma and inner conflicts, with designs that relate to the overall story.

In some Silent Hill games, such as Downpour, we also saw additional quests we could take on in the towns. Will Hinako be able to take on additional quests in Silent Hill f?

Okamoto: The ending is the same throughout the first playthrough, but subsequent playthroughs branch into multiple different endings. Designed for repeated play, later playthroughs introduce new explorable areas and new bosses. 

Will Silent Hill f continue the tradition of offering multiple endings?

Okamoto: Silent Hill f includes a total of 5 endings, including the series’ signature UFO ending. The ending is the same throughout the first playthrough, but in subsequent playthroughs, it is possible to reach multiple different endings. From the second playthrough onwards, the story changes depending on Hinako’s actions and choices, leading to different bosses and story developments in the final ending.

Silent Hill f is available on the PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC worldwide.

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