Higurashi and When They Cry creator Ryukishi07 has opened up about writing Silent Hill f, likening the sport’s supernatural and psychological components to, uh, “salad dressing.”
Whereas the hype practice is firmly out of the station for Silent Hill f — the upcoming Silent Hill title that resurrects a franchise that hasn’t had a brand new mainline recreation since 2012 — we have not heard very a lot from author Ryukishi07 in any respect, which made his latest look at Anime Expo 2025 in LA final month significantly thrilling.
On a panel alongside producer Motoi Okamoto and composer and sound designer Akira Yamaoka, Ryukishi07 admitted he’d approached this challenge in a different way from how he usually writes a e book, focusing the story on a single central theme.
Based on Famitsu, through Automaton, Ryukishi07 mentioned that it will initially be tough for gamers to differentiate between the sport’s supernatural and psychological horror motifs, as they will usually really feel like one and the identical. As the sport progresses, nonetheless, gamers will perceive extra of what is going on on —and it is right here that the sport “will probably be like a salad dressing”, he mentioned.
Explaining the metaphor, Ryukishi07 mentioned it was like the 2 components would really feel distinct, like a salad dressing the place the oil and different elements like vinegar finally separate, even when there have been initially blended collectively.
For those who’re just a little greatly surprised by such a comparability, I promise you aren’t alone. Ryukishi07 did, nonetheless, add that along with uncovering information and clues in regards to the city of Ebisugaoka as we progress, loads will probably be left for us to interpret or speculate on — which is what Silent Hill followers like to do, in fact.
Ryukishi07 additionally revealed that Silent Hill f’s story is not simply one in every of horror and torment. Like lots of Silent Hill’s again catalog, this recreation explores facets that make us human, together with love, disappointment, and extra.
Silent Hill f shouldn’t be a sequel to any of the prevailing Silent Hill video games. As a substitute, it would supply a standalone story “unbiased from the collection.” That got here from writer Konami itself, which lastly confirmed on X/Twitter that the most recent instalment of the horror collection — which is normally, if not at all times, primarily based in a sleepy resort city on east-coast America — will probably be “a very new title” that “individuals who have by no means performed the Silent Hill collection can take pleasure in.”
Okamoto mentioned that harder fight, with the visuals and music’s “juxtaposition between magnificence and terror,” together with the “horrible great thing about the sport’s monster design,” makes for a terrifying journey. Even the puzzles are apparently “grounded in psychological anguish and struggling.” Yikes.
Silent Hill f takes us to Nineteen Sixties Japan, the place we’ll observe Hinako Shimizu, an adolescent struggling below the strain of expectations from her buddies, household, and society. As displayed initially of the Japanese-language reveal trailer again in March, it’s the primary Silent Hill recreation to get an 18+ score certification in Japan. It is out for PC, PS5, and Xbox Collection on September 25.
Vikki Blake is a reporter for IGN, in addition to a critic, columnist, and guide with 15+ years expertise working with a few of the world’s greatest gaming websites and publications. She’s additionally a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually Excessive Chaos. Discover her at BlueSky.