During an interview between Motoi Okamoto and Inverse, we learn that the Silent Hill developer is considering other locations for future titles of the renowned psychological horror franchise. With recent successes with the Silent Hill 2 remake and Silent Hill f, which took place in 1960s Japan, Konami has big plans for Silent Hill. If the series is leaving Maine behind, which locations would you want to see deep, dark, and horrific secrets explored?
Whether you liked Silent Hill f or not, Okamoto explained the importance of trying a setting outside of Silent Hill, Maine. It allowed the development team to really explore local Japanese folklore and find a creative way to tie it into the horror genre. Thus, the theme, “find beauty in terror” was born. Okamoto mentioned that they are considering Russia, Italy, other Asian regions, and Central or South America.
While Silent Hill purists may find it blasphemous to set the game outside its original location (and namesake) in Maine, this open-minded stance will only benefit Konami and the dev team. Exploring other locations will open a sea of options to draw inspiration from. There are loads of folklore in every country that could bring us fresh nightmares and prevent the franchise from becoming stale.
This stance reminds me a little of Final Fantasy. Yes. Final Fantasy. While not a horror game by any stretch of the imagination, Final Fantasy has had a longstanding success in part because it does not rely on continuity between titles. They aren’t direct sequels; however, they have similar threads and themes instead. If Konami takes this approach, they can continue as one of the leaders of psychological horror for years to come.
Personally, I think lesser-known cultures would be an excellent choice. What I mean by lesser known, is avoiding the more obvious choices whose folklores are overused (e.g. Norse or Egyptian mythology). For example, I would love Okamoto and team to explore Native American lore across the Americas. There’s a lot of beauty and darkness in Native American history and folklore of theirs that is just waiting to be explored.
Credit: Legends of America
I think certain time periods in Russia or Italy are also choice picks. For example, these countries were heavily involved in the World Wars, and it would be interesting to combine the wartime time period with their respective cultural beliefs. I just imagine it now–Konami warping the innocence and playfulness of Matryoshka nesting dolls or Italian urban legends. Did you know some Italian urban legends include a carnival monster, Bombain, who is bullish in looks and nature, chained up and meant to scare people. There are also creatures that live in wells, a cause of earthquakes, and a master of deception. The ideas are endless.
Credit: Wikipedia
Where would you like to see Silent Hill next? Please share your thoughts with us on our Boss Rush Facebook Group or our Boss Rush Discord.
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