As some of you may know, I’m not a big horror fan. Wait, no. Maybe I should rephrase that… I love horror of a particular kind, but can’t really stand anything else. I don’t want any cheap jumpscares or gore. What I look for in a horror story is this deep feeling of unease. I just like psychological horror, I guess. So it’s a no-brainer that Silent Hill was what introduced me to horror games. Right now, I specifically want to talk to you about…
SILENT HILL 4: THE ROOM
My wife and I have made it a tradition to play a Silent Hill game every Halloween and this is the one we’ve played the most recently. Needless to say, I was pretty wary of the title. Silent Hill 3 was a really good game, but people have said that that was pretty much the last good game. So many people on the internet were slamming Silent Hill 4 I was starting to think I would regret it. Boy, was I wrong!
No, wait. I regret everything!
Yes, it’s a bit different than a typical Silent Hill game. You don’t really even physically explore Silent Hill and, in a way, you are confined to your own room. But then again, you are supernaturally confined to your own room. You’re stuck in your apartment for months due to some unseen force and you get to visit some terrifying places by using a hole in your bathroom wall. Now if that isn’t an original idea for a story, I don’t know what is!
"Aw, man. My insurance can't cover that..."
The story itself is also different. It’s not really the protagonist’s journey to discover himself. Henry simply wants to get out of his apartment. And to do that, he needs to solve a bizarre murder mystery. In a nice twist, we get to go into detail of a murder case mentioned in Silent Hill 2 and explore the twisted mind of the culprit. People often complain that Henry isn’t too well developed, but I think that’s fine. He’s meant as just an avatar for the audience, plus the time he spent alone would really serve to make him seem more apathetic and reserved. And I just love how awkward and shy that makes him. He’s an adorkable little fella that I just want to hug and he has the best catchphrase out of all the Silent Hill protagonists.
I mean, look at him!
This game is derivative of SH2 in more ways than one. Not only do you get a lot of shout-outs to that game (like your landlord is James Sunderland’s father), but the tone is more similar to what we had there than in Silent Hill 1 or 3. People often claim that 3 is the scariest entry, but I disagree. Silent Hill 4 probably has the most cases of truly subtle horror, as opposed to Silent Hill 3’s oppressive, over-the-top hellish environments (that I still enjoyed a lot). Just take a look at some of these scenes.
Hey, your apartment actually starts getting possessed later in the game!
The hauntings are always super fun!
You get to exorcise your room with candles if you want to.
They're mostly harmless!
Mostly.
Okay, only people who've played the game know exactly how terrifying this thing is.
This game is also a bit more combat heavy than previous games, but that works. You get a limited inventory and breakable weapons, so proper management is key. It really adds to the oppressive atmosphere and survival aspect of the game.
As usual, the music is pretty damn good. Akira Yamaoka is a master of atmospheric ambient tracks, but this game also has some of his prettiest melodies. It’s definitely worth a listen!
If you’re a horror fan, don’t miss out on this. Don’t listen to the haters. Come into this game with an open mind. Don’t expect this game to be the same as the previous games. Play it and enjoy it for what it is – an original game with a very interesting story and unique sense of horror. Perfect for Halloween gaming!
