Silent Hill 4: Two Guys In A Room

By Kristan Reed Published 25 August, 2004

We sit down for a slightly disturbing chat with Silent Hill 4's chief designer Masashi Tsuboyama and producer Akira Yamaoka to find out if they're really as strange as the game suggests...

Is there a more freaked out series in gaming than Silent Hill? It's the game where you've lost before you've even begun, sending you on mostly hopeless quests to find the muddled truth of your deranged state of mind. Nothing is ever the way it seems, but as confusing as that might be, most of the compulsion to carry on is trying to work out what on earth it all means. With the fourth in the series having already been released in Japan (complete with English language version included as standard), we were in the unusual position of having completed the game before we got to chat with chief designer Masashi Tsuboyama and producer Akira Yamaoka. But given that The Room hasn't been as well received in Europe as the previous three titles in the series, we were curious to get to the bottom of the dramatic change of direction.

For the first time, Silent Hill uses a first-person perspective. Finding himself trapped in 'Room 302' Henry Townshend explores the four-room confines of his apartment through his own eyes, with the game switching to the traditional third-person view once you're in what the team calls 'another world'. Just why did they choose to make this switch? "Basically we wanted to create something new for our game," asserts Masashi Tsuboyama. "The way it looks should be somewhat different from the past games in the series, and also the theme of this title is, as the title says, a room, so we wanted to bring some atmosphere that is the fear of being in a room playing the game." We know that feeling already, having played the others, but we were still curious why the team chose to only use these first-person segments in what is a relatively small 'hub' of the game. "We could have implemented the first-person view in what we call 'another world'," Tsuboyama admits, "but we adopted a third-person view based on what we think is suitable for our action-style game. That way we could express what we wanted to express."

Day of the undead

'Silent Hill 4: Two Guys In A Room' Screenshot 1

It's this talk of The Room being an 'action-style' game that irked us. Silent Hill's action segments have traditionally been more puzzle, narrative and atmosphere-based, where number four has largely shied away from giving the player much in the way of riddles to solve, replacing it instead with an onslaught of sometimes-invincible enemies. By the end of the game, we'd killed nearly 500 enemies, which to us seemed excessive and made the game much more about slaying slimy otherworldly mutants than becoming immersed in a rich sinister atmosphere. Did they go too far into the realms of being an action game, we asked? "If we hear that kind of comment then we take it as a positive," argues Yamaoka, kind of missing the point entirely. "On a concept level we wanted to put more of an action style on the game, so we don't take that as a negative." Hmm. Sadly it seems that most of those that have played it so far don't agree.

But fair enough, then, if the intention was to make an action game - but just be prepared to alienate your core audience. To those who've played The Room, it doesn't even feel like a traditional Silent Hill game in many ways; with so little puzzle solving; tasks are reduced in the main to simple key/lock chores. In fact, the genius of being able to vary the puzzle and action difficulty independently has been stripped out altogether. Why do that? "It's just a matter of how we designed the game system," says Yamaoka. "Although we got rid of the difficulty level for the puzzles, actually it is kind of mixed with the difficulty settings for the action as well. If you select 'action': hard, it means riddles get hard as well at the same time." All well and good, of course, if you want even harder combat. But for those who've played it extensively, only a complete masochist would want to face an even more relentless onslaught. While the story remains as gripping as ever, to find the excellent riddle system removed is a questionable decision that may leave long-term fans of the series more than a little upset.

Another component that lets the game down is the decision to recycle the first half locations in the second half of the game. "It's based on a scenario... We introduce the characters for the first half of the game, and then we wanted to show how these characters change on the second half of it," argues Tsuboyama. "So, we needed to use the same locations to show how they changed - before and after." Hmm, indeed. We wish we could agree, but in truth half the fun of survival horror games is the discovery of new locations. Not trudging through the exact same ones with different monsters in them. It cheapens what - up to that point - is a fine game. Not to the point of making it boring, but just less interesting, if that makes sense.

Silent Ashfield

'Silent Hill 4: Two Guys In A Room' Screenshot 2

Meanwhile, pedants will rightfully point out that the game isn't even set in Silent Hill. It's bizarrely glossed over that the game takes place in the town of South Ashfield, apparently 'nearby'. What? Apparently it was "the destiny for the creator," according to Tsuboyama, cryptically. "If you create the series and have to come up with something new every time, and we wanted to have a dramatic change this time The Room should be the safest part of your world. What if that changes to nightmares?"

It's certainly a dramatic change alright, but rumour has it that the game didn't even start life as a Silent Hill project. "That's actually the right information you have," Tsuboyama admits. "Originally this development was started from what we named Room 302, rather than Silent Hill, so the original concept wasn't from Silent Hill." Presumably that was to give the game a better chance commercially? He nods. "We started off with the title Room 302, but if the Silent Hill didn't exist then we still had the idea of Room 302. Without Silent Hill we didn't have this title, but because we did have Silent Hill we wanted to have something different, but it's kind of a mixture of ideas."

But what of the loss of the beloved flashlight? Surely that was a series staple? Was this to accommodate their action game style? "It's hard to say," Yamaoka says. "That brightness could affect the gaming style, but we didn't intend it to be that way. In the past games in the series it was more like a dark horror, like a dark terror where you need to put your flashlight on to search out a part. But this time we wanted to have more ambience so you could see what's there in front of you. There you start thinking of what to do next. That's kind of an obvious horror that we wanted to implement this time, that's a kind of major change."

Two-headed reality

'Silent Hill 4: Two Guys In A Room' Screenshot 3

Looking back, how is it that the Japanese managed to highjack a genre that originated in France (Alone In The Dark) and totally dominate the scene? "Well, game wise, Japanese animation is always detailed and specifically expressed, so that's something we are good at," says Tsuboyama. "If you make a horror title, you need to make it as realistic as possible or as specific as possible to express your philosophy or fear, otherwise it appears rubbish so in that sense that was well accepted here [in Europe]. Combined to these two categories [of film and games] right now it's maybe a conjunction of detail... some new idea which is appealing to [the West] from the film and the games industry I guess. But this is not new to us," he shrugs, talking of their influence from a rich vein of Japanese horror, with names neither they nor us can translate.

Talking of movies, what about the mooted Silent Hill flick? "Well, it's moving; the film company is working on it," states Yamaoka, vaguely. "We wish to do some collaboration on it. Obviously the movie industry is a lot bigger than the games industry so if there's a Silent Hill movie it has quite an impact into the market, so we wish to help with it." Beyond that they remain tight-lipped, but the signs are, at least, that the creators may have a hand in it, however small.

Presumably work has already begun on fifth game already, given their current work-rate. "One of the websites said we are creating a fifth [Silent Hill] called Shadows - I don't know where they get their information but obviously it's not Shadows that we are creating," Tsuboyama says, "but we are creating the next one. We're not sure which hardware we'll put it out on, but we will play it on the best one, be it PS3, be it Xbox 2..." But not on the current generation of consoles, the PS2 or Xbox? "No not on these consoles."

Back to their roots?

We hope by then the team will have learned what it was that made Silent Hill such a beloved series in the first place and reverse the peculiar decision to turn it into some sort of action hackandslash freak show. In the meantime, fans of the series won't be entirely put off by The Room, but the chances are it's not the game you wanted it to be. That's not to say that it's a bad game by any means, but be prepared for something that's very different, and just close enough to the terror of the previous three to still be somewhat essential for those needing their fix.

Silent Hill 4: The Room is released in Europe on September 17th on PS2 and Xbox, with a PC version to follow later in the autumn. You can read our review of the Japanese PS2 version here.

Picture of Kristan.

About Kristan Reed

Kristan is a former editor of Eurogamer, dad, Stone Roses bore and Norwich City supporter who sometimes mutters optimistically about Team Silent getting back together.

Read more articles from Kristan by visiting the Kristan Reed archive page.

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Comments (32) Latest comment 4 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Blerk #1 8 years ago

    It's only first-person when you're in your flat. Everywhere else (i.e. most of the game) it's the traditional viewpoint.

  • Blerk #2 8 years ago

    We hope by then the team will have learned what it was that made Silent Hill such a beloved series in the first place and reverse the peculiar decision to turn it into some sort of action hackandslash freak show.

    Me too. The greater emphasis on action spoils the atmosphere somewhat. Silent Hill 2 got the balance exactly right - there were beasties but not too many, so when you ran into one it was a shock rather than 'oh, another beastie'. SH3 didn't 'build' the tension in the same way as the other games did, instead just throwing you directly into the situation. As such, quite a lot of the underlying malice was lost and it felt more 'Resident Evil shock-horror' than traditional Silent Hill 'creeping fear'.

    Very much looking forward to seeing what they can do with the new platforms... Silent Hill 2 and 3 are among the best-looking games on the PS2.

  • mash the x button #3 8 years ago

    The fact that this didn't start as a Silent Hill game and became one later on solely for commercial reasons says it all really. I am a great fan of the first two, but it seems to me the Konami have lost their way with the series.
    Will I pick it up? When it comes significantly down in price perhaps.

  • Ali #4 8 years ago

    EG: "We think this bit is a bit crap. Guys?"
    K: "We wanted it to be like that, it's actually good."
    EG: "We disagree. It's a bit crap."

  • krudster #5 8 years ago

    LOL!

  • Isere #6 8 years ago

    Having only played silent hill 3 before, and having read the rather grim reviews, I was really very pleasantly surprised by the fourth in the series.

    I didnt find the gameplay dull in the least (maybe because it was my second silent hill) and although it might not be very scary, it is certainly full of atmosphere and has a great story (yes it does) .

    It took me about 14 and a half hours to finish it on medium difficulty (took me about 9 or so in silent hill 3) and I actually didnt mind the levels being 'redone' because I was having a wonderful time through and through and wanted to see the story resolved.

    I am a bit of a horror anything buff but I would say that everyone interested should atleast give it a try before completely writing it off.

    I did and really loved it.

  • el_pollo_diablo #7 8 years ago

    "Obviously the movie industry is a lot bigger than the games industry..."

    Really? I thought the games industry had overtaken movies, profit wise at least, a couple of years ago.

  • Blerk #8 8 years ago

    No!

    Remakes are evil!

  • itamae #9 8 years ago

    Remakes are evil!


    Not necessarily. The Resident Evil remake on the Cube is worth its weight in gold... although I'm glad that mini-DVDs don't weigh much. Come to think of it, a Silent Hill 1 remake with proper graphics is an excellent idea! It still is the scariest game in the series in my opinion.

  • mash the x button #10 8 years ago

    What would be the point of a remake? Didn't you appreciate SH1 as it was? That game proves that you do not need state of the art graphics to have atmosphere.

  • Blerk #11 8 years ago

    I've got the REmake but I just can't get up the enthusiasm to actually play it. Every time I'm about to start a new game I look at it and think 'I've played that before' and play something else instead.

    The trend for remaking old (and not-so-old) stuff is getting a bit annoying. I'd much rather they put their time and effort into new titles which are as good as the old ones rather than just rehashing the old ones with new graphics.

    All IMHO, of course.
    Edited by 1 at 25/08/04 @ 13:37

  • Blerk #12 8 years ago

    So your saying that you never go back and play old games? like with MAME or simply with the original hardware, because you appreaciated them back then so you never play them again? bullsh*t.

    I didn't say that at all - nor did I say that Silent Hill wasn't 'state of the art' at the time.

    I do go back and play my old favourites from time to time. And that's just the point - if I've played and can still play the original, why would I ever want a 'new' version with 'better graphics'?

    Forget rehashing, make a new one that's just as good as the old one! If I want to play the old one, I'll play the old one!

  • Bezzy #13 8 years ago

    Silent Hill 3 is the first one I played in the series, and I think it has tainted me against all this survival horror stuff. I mean...

    You have to open a nut using a VICE? A vice in a SPORTS SHOP??

    You have to use nutcrackers to open a fucking LOCK?

    No trains come for half an hour, but the moment you step on the tracks, it's all "BAM! PANZER DEAD AHEAD!" and you're fucked!

    At that point, I took the game back.


  • Blerk #14 8 years ago

    Oh, right. Sorry! :-)

  • mash the x button #15 8 years ago

    Yes, SH1 graphics were good for the time, and as far as I'm concerned are fine enough now. If the game is good enough...
    "The trend for remaking old (and not-so-old) stuff is getting a bit annoying. I'd much rather they put their time and effort into new titles which are as good as the old ones rather than just rehashing the old ones with new graphics".
    This could easily be levelled at the cinema industry! Same old crap with unconvincing CGI.
    "At that point, I took the game back"
    Well, it is the worst of the series despite (ahem) the rather nice graphics :-)

  • Blerk #16 8 years ago

    This could easily be levelled at the cinema industry! Same old crap with unconvincing CGI.

    Indeed. The current trend of remaking classic movies only 'worse' is also driving me up the wall! :-)

  • mash the x button #17 8 years ago

    I hear that Peter Jackson is to remake King Kong. Hopefully not, because what's wrong with the 1933 original? Absolute classic!

  • mash the x button #18 8 years ago

    And that probably means another shyte console game tie-in, groan. Please tell me it is not so!

  • Blerk #19 8 years ago

    No, sadly it's true. Spielberg and Cruise are also doing 'War of the Worlds'. I am not happy.

  • mash the x button #20 8 years ago

    So the Americans save the world again eh?
    No doubt there will be a game, so....
    War of the Worlds
    King Kong
    The Matrix
    Catwoman
    Shrek 2
    And the list goes on and on. I call on all gamers to boycott such products!

  • Blerk #21 8 years ago

    I already do!

  • Zero Beat #22 8 years ago

    The thing that annoys me most in the demo is how enemies jerk backwards when melee attacked so you can't continuously whack away at them like before. It makes you move about a bit more and learn how the tongue dogs' attack pattern works but against the floating puppets it's just a pain in the arse... and they come back to life. Gits.

  • IronGiant #23 8 years ago

    I can see the second hand baskets full of this game a coupla weeks after release..

  • mash the x button #24 8 years ago

    Up until recently SH1 was still available on Platinum in some stores and is easily available second hand. There is no need for a remake.

  • krudster #25 8 years ago

    I hear what you're all saying about "no need for a remake" but if any of you saw how bad PSone games look on a big (wide) screen, you might see the benefits of such an idea. Even current gen stuff looks bad a lot of the time; HDTV stuff is going to make such a big difference once those big plasmas and LCDs start coming down to mass market prices in a few years. Honestly, it has to be seen to be believed. The difference is huge.

  • tiddles #26 8 years ago

    Blerk - give Resident Evil GC a go. I felt the same before I played it, but actually it works wonderfully. There's definitely enough new stuff not to feel that you're just rehashing old ground, and the production values are superb - still one of the best looking games I've ever played. Sure, a lot will be familiar from the original, but it's actually a warm feeling of "oh, I remember that" rather than "not that again". And they continually play with the fact you remember it - you never know whether a familiar sequence will turn out the same, or whether they're leading you into a sneaky trap.

    Stuff like Twin Snakes, where they just haven't added anything new, just doesn't compare.

  • mash the x button #27 8 years ago

    But surely it's more about what you remember it to be the first time round? That old magic, the strings, sparklers for engines (I'm showing my age) ets etc? Why play a remake game with improved graphics when you know what exactly is coming next?
    Edited by 1 at 26/08/04 @ 00:28

  • Scimarad #28 8 years ago

    You might ask why read a book or watch a film more than once.

  • Blerk #29 8 years ago

    dumb asses.. the point of remakes is so that people who havent played the first one can play it again. i know for a fact that theres not a lot of people out there that hasnt played the first SH.

    There's nothing to stop you picking up the original. Dumb ass.

    tiddles: I will give it a go at some point. I did spend money on it after all! :-)

    kruds: My heart bleeds for you. Oh the irony of buying a vastly expensive you obviously get paid too much telly only to discover that everything looks terrible on it. ;-)

  • krudster #30 8 years ago

    Heh, you'll all have them in a few years, mark my words.

  • Blerk #31 8 years ago

    We probably will! But by then the rest of the technology will have caught up, so everything will be fine.

    /not jealous at all

  • Dick Laurent #32 8 years ago

    Oi. Watch it with the spoilers, kiddo!

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