Man I got scared with part 3... but the first one has the record of the only game that scared me so much that I turned off the Playstation

Oh! I started playing part 2 today, looks creeeeeepyyyyy.....

Yeah, you'll enjoy it i'm sure, hehe.

i got this e-mail about SH4 from IGN a couple of days ago. i thought i would post it as it has some new info as for the storyline of it(which most of us already know).

July 22, 2004 - Even though Konami has never addressed or even referenced H.P. Lovecraft by name, the developers at Konami have a deep understanding of the kind of horror, the chilling, unexplainable, supernatural sense of evil that comprises so much of the author's work. If you've seen the movie The Ring, you're also familiar with this kind of evil. It's this supernatutal or even unnatural feeling that makes up all of the content in the ongoing Silent Hill series, now on its fourth iteration and due for Xbox and PlayStation 2 this fall.


The thing about Silent Hill is that it's not an arcade game in the traditional sense. You can't really enjoy it in the middle of the day with a bunch of friends over beers. More like a bat or coyote (dead and vicious of course); it comes out at night. You really should play it in a dark room, and it's honestly best played alone -- for the complete fight factor.

Silent Hill 4 The Room doesn't break drastically from the rest of the series. But it does introduce numerous changes, several improvements, and of course it brings a new lead character and an entirely new storyline to the table. You're Henry Townsend, a 20-something guy who lives in Ashfield, just outside of Silent Hill. One day, he awakes to heavy chains on the inside of his apartment door. While in the room, Henry is shown from the first-person perspective, a new wrinkle for the series, and for days he desperately tries to get out, but to no avail. Several days go by, and during that time, you begin to feel helpless, fatiqued, and worried. One morning Henry walks into his bathroom where a giant hole appears in the wall. A portal. What are his choices, really? Henry steps through the portal and into the alternate reality of Silent Hill.

The demo disc we played today is from E3, but we were able to explore it with a little more time (and a little less E3 noise and confusion). The demo consists of three partial locales, Water Prison, Forest, and Building. First some basics. The menu is totally revamped, appearing as a horizontal list of icons at the bottom of the screen. Using it players can switch to any of their weapons on the fly. Players can switch weapons, reload their guns, and mix items all in realtime. So in short, good bye Resident Evil. Press a button and the menu comes up; you can scroll through using the Dpad, and then press the same button to select an item. Another interesting new change is how health is handled. You've got a health meter, indicating how much life you have remaining, rather than the more unintuitive, less revealing method from previous games. You can hit Triangle (on PS2) or Y (Xbox) to instantly see the game map. And the weapon system has been modified; you're unable to carry as many weapons as you'd like.

If you've played any of the Silent Hill games before, you'll be familiar with this combat system. By pressing the right shoulder button (or right trigger on Xbox) and a face button, you initiate attack. Henry stands and shoots the same way, with a pivot foot and without being able to move while shooting. The weapon list includes pick axes and special swords (that can only be used to repel and slow down ghosts). Again, if you've ever played Silent Hill before, you'll know that avoiding enemies is often smarter and more resourceful than attacking them.

In the past, chasing down all of the enemies was a waste of bullets and health. The introduction of ghosts appears to be a solution. Ghosts attack using "ghostly essence," thus, if you get close enough to one, you'll incur minor damage. To counter them, Konami's new swords, The Sword of Obedience and The Sword of Despair, give players the ability to knock them down and then pin them to the ground. They'll eventually get up, but hopefully, it's long after you've left. Torches become interesting and useful items too. While they can't be used as weapons on regular enemies, they help Henry look into deep wells. They light up rooms to ward off ghosts. And best of all, they can light ghosts on fire. Later in the game Henry collects special silver bullets that do indeed finally kill off ghosts.

Henry shouldn't be as confused as the other Silent Hill lead characters. Why? He's at least aware that he's in two different worlds. Using a series of the ever-available portal holes, Henry can return to his room to travel back and forth between his apartment and… this other place. When he's in "Silent Hill," the camera system sees Henry from the same innovative third-person camera from Silent Hill 2 and Silent Hill 3. While in his room, the camera switches to a first-person perspective. Konami has added new angles to provide what are hopefully more cinematically emotional angles. You've got several top-down, isometric angles in narrow corridors and alleyways providing a sense of separation and fear. Henry's room is also a place or worry, not safety, as the game continues. Each time he returns, it shows more decay. Metal rusts. Walls crumble. Corrosion appears. In general, every inch of his house begins to collapse, decay or in some bizarre fashion ceases to exist.


In this fourth version, both new and old ideas are integrated seamlessly. The larger environments require more thorough exploration. The excellent high quality puzzles will of course return (and players can select their puzzle difficulty level), and as usual, a massive rogues gallery -- bigger than in any previous Silent Hill will appear. This surreal collection of brutally pieced together creatures and humanoid things continues to be unexplainable. You've got two baby-headed creatures that walk around on their two hands; a variety of ghosts that issue out of walls; the return of vicious dogs that gang up and attack you (in the demo they're far more difficult and harsh to fight than in previous games); huge nasty moths, and even muses. There are little creatures. There are dozens of slugs that coat the floor. And several difficult-to-describe humanoid creatures appear too, using hand weapons to attack.

Each of the three levels in this demo disc (Water Prison, Forest) is unique to the series. The Water Prison holds indoor and outdoor segments. Henry ascends up a series of staircases outside the tower itself, and finally reaching a switch to flood the section below, he confronts a huge enemy boss. This is where the demo ends, unfortunately. The Forest world is dark with wisps of fog floating through it (not the suffocating amount from Silent Hill 2). The ground comprises dirt paths, pine trees, small huts, barn sheds, wells and wooden fences. The Building is the least impressive of the three. But still, the things that happen in it are worthy of note. Walking into one room with base relief ghosts pushing part way through the walls but still trapped in them, Henry must pace himself to avoid their deadly swipes. If you run through this section, their hands smack him so hard he tumbles to the ground. But if he walks, he makes it through fine.

Reminiscent of Silent Hill 2, players have an NPC companion. Eileen, like Maria before her, is your buddy, and she follows you through some of the game. But something happens to her as you progress, something bad. She wears a short red skirt and she initially appears with small scratches and cuts on her arms and back. But as you progress, her wounds get much worse. She looks she's got Chicken Pox and has been beaten with a rake. It's painful to see her each time, and of course, disturbing. She'll soon begin to limp, and her injury leads to something, perhaps her transformation into a hellish creature. We're not entirely sure, but it's just another part of Konami's attempt to attack your senses. Eileen can also fight. In the Forest level, you hand her a chain, with which she can attack any enemy.

Due this fall, Silent Hill 4 The Room should hit Xbox and PlayStation 2 simultaneously, followed by a PC version. Despite digging deeper into this relatively short version, we weren't able to unveil anything more significant than before. But we did get a hint of how the new changes feel, and there was certainly a different feeling provided by the new characters, port holes, and the introduction of ghosts, and the entirely new city. With the exception of perhaps the Fatal Frame series, no games come close to delivering the surreal, freaky and frightening feel of Silent Hill. Stay tuned for more delectable darkness on Silent Hill 4 The Room as the summer progresses.

That's awesome HD, very good email. Alot of stuff there i didn't know and it's VERY interesting.

Silver bullets and sowrds to pin down/kill ghosts?
The part with Eileen sounds awesome and terrifying.
It's all so amazing. I can't wait, god i'm gonna be posting my every MOVE on here when i get it lol.

http://ps2.gamezone.com/gamesell/screens/s...3115.htm?Num=75

Some awesome Silent Hill screens, showing Eileen in various forms of hurt, and the ghosts!

those are really cool screens. i like the one with the close up of the dog. i cant wait till this game comes out! just a little over a month...

Yup.

SPOILER

Here's the unlockables:

Two secret costumes for the women: Eileen wears a sexy nurse/bunny suit and Cynthia wears a sexy fishnet lingerie thingie.

Weapons: So far you can unlock a chainsaw and a UZI for Eileen.

Modes: You can unlock One Weapon mode where you secect and play through the game with one weapon only.

theres gonna be an uzi?! thats awsome. i hope there are more than 3 regular guns in this game. one weapon mode sounds hard but fun. do you think there are still gonna be multiple endings?

Four endings, and unlike Sh2 and Sh3 they're you're going to get the ending based on what you do in the game, like Sh1.

The endings are called:

Mother
Escape
21 [something]
Eileens Death

what are you talking about? SH2 was like that. there was a lot of different things you had to do to get different endings.

you can get a chainsaw in 1 and 2 also. in 2, after you kill a monster, sometimes James will lift the chainsaw over his head and scream a battlecry. its quite amusing

Ya i know. Always loved that. Apparently Henry does the same thing with the Chainsaw in the forth one, but no battlecry.

Right. No more 'kill a certain amount of enemies' or whatnot. Only events.

Like in SH1, if you used the red liquid (i can't spell it) on Cybil, good ending, if not, bad. That sort of thing.

OMFG!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! *screams bloody murder and under my desk*
omg i just saw gametrailers.com e3 silent hill 4 trailer thingy....omg ive never seen anything more scary im my entire life....MUST GET!! *twitch* *twitch*

SH e3 trailer thingy

hey that's not a bad trailer anti girl, thanks, i hadn't seen that one before.

Played the first and second S.H.
The third I felt was becoming too blasphemas.

Hope the next is tamer along those lines.

New impressions...

Man, this is one SCARY game. The story starts quite slowly, but the thing keeps getting better and better as you go on. Actually you visit an orphanage which was mentioned in SH3, and the action is good, although sometimes there are weird camera angles. There are cool weapons, but unfortunately no katana
Well, I don't wanna spoil the rest of the game, you'll have to wait yet.

Greetings!!!!

Okay guys, here I found a very cool link. It's an English translation of "Lost Memories", the Silent Hill encyclopedia. It resumes pretty accurately every aspect of the three games, with explanations from the creators theirselves. Consider it as a little gift from me. Unfortunately, no pictures. Sorry.

Lost Memories

In another theme, which is the best track from Silent Hill, the whole series? My favs are "Love Me... Once More" and "You're not Here" from 3, "Laura's theme" from 2 and the main theme from 1.

Final gift: a quiz! What Silent Hill song are you? Enjoy!
Silent Hill test

This is me!!!!


"End of Small Sanctuary" from the Silent Hill 3 soundtrack, best fits you.

Didn't see that comming.

As for your LOST MEMORIES translation, well i feel i have something a little better.. the offical Konami US translated release, it's long and takes a good hour to read. I'll see if i can post it. All your Silent Hill questions answered!!

I don't know how well you're gonna be able to make this out, it's copied directly from my EMAIL so the text may go all over the place on the timeline, but other than that you should be able to make it out.

code:
year in American history relevance to Silent Hill
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
before 16th c. * Native Americans conduct
rituals here. This land is
valued as a sacred place in
Native American religion
(see: folklore)

around 1607 * England begins
colonizing North America

late 1600s * settlers begin to come to
Silent Hill

1692 * Salem Witch Trials in
Massachusetts

early 1700s * a mysterious epidemic
breaks out, and the town
is abandoned

1776 * U.S. declaration of
independence

1789 * first presidential
inauguration of
George Washington

around 1810 * civil war breaks out * the town is resettled as
a penal colony. Silent
Hill Prison is constructed
(see: prison) Brookhaven
Hospital is constructed in
response to the outbreak of
an epidemic (see: epidemic)

1820 * Maine becomes a state * Allen Smith paints
"waterfront landscape"

1830 * beginning of forced
removal policy for
Native Americans

around 1840 * Silent Hill Prison closes

around 1850 * A coal field is discovered
and Wiltse coal mine opens,
which leads to the activation
of the town

1861 * outbreak of the * a man called Chester and his
American Civil War son both participate in the
war (see: the Civil War)

1862 * Toluca prison camp is
constructed for POWs

1865 * culmination of the
Civil War

1866 * the prison camp is converted
into Toluca Prison

around 1890 * end of Native Americans' * at this time people everywhere
organized resistance in the town mysteriously
disappear one after the other

early 1900s * Toluca Prison closes and
Silent Hill becomes a sight-
seeing area

Nov. 1918 * a sightseeing ship called the
Little Baroness goes missing

1939 * strange events take place at
Toluca Lake (see: Toluca Lake)

19XX * the mayor of Silent Hill
dies suddenly, and one after
the other the staff at a
development group die
accidental deaths


folklore

Sacred ground where Native Americans conducted mysterious rituals

Before settlers came from Europe, Silent Hill was a holy place. Even then,
the land seemed to possess a mysterious power.

IMAGE: the memo titled "Lost Memories"
They revered the town as "The Place of the Silenced Spirits." However, they
were driven away by settlers and had to abandon the town.

====

prison

After the spread of an epidemic, resettling of the town as a penal colony
begins

Many people lost their lives on this abominable soil. Consequently, the
town was used at first as a penal colony. It was at this time that it was
given the name "Silent Hill."

IMAGE: James in the Historical Society
After the closing of the prison, the Historical Society was built on its
former site. It conveys a sense of the town's history.

====

epidemic

Once more, the threat of a plague steadily wraps the town in darkness

The town was stricken by an epidemic. It may be that because of the
unforeseen deaths of the town's population, as well as the thoughts and
feelings of the prisoners, the original power that the town held was
gradually distorted.

IMAGE: front doors of the hospital
The current incarnation of Brookhaven Hospital has existed since it became
large-scale in the late 1800s.

====

the Civil War

The town is drawn into the Civil War that divided the nation in two

The Civil War occurred in 1861. The stone statue by the lake is a
memorial to Patrick Chester, a soldier who fought in the war at this time.

IMAGE: James examines the statue in the park
Although the conflict was originally born from political opposition, it
was distorted by future generations into an issue concerning the birth of
the religious cult. (note: Whether the word used here, "suuhai," means
"cult" or "worship" depends entirely on context and the context here doesn't
seem to be clear enough to rule out the possibility that this sentence could
also mean something like, "...it was distorted by future generations into
an issue concerning religious worship.")

====

Toluca Lake

After becoming a sightseeing area, a series of misfortunes befall the town

With the closing of Wiltse coal mine came the attempted reinvention of the
town as a tourist attraction. However, due to a succession of boating
accidents the town gained a poor reputation as a sightseeing area.

IMAGE: a rowboat is barely visible through the fog on the lake
The famous Toluca Lake is a place of powerful emotions. It is known as an
ominous lake that has become completely shrouded in a pervasive mist.

(note: Although the Civil War lasted from 1861 to 1865, the dates for its
outbreak are listed as both 1861 and around 1810 so I can only assume that
this is a typo. The earlier date is probably meant to indicate the War of
1812.)

=============
Silent Hill Fugue
=============

Suggestion of Cards

I: The Magician

Valtiel

A mysterious creature that is always lurking near Heather. What is his true
purpose?

Valtiel shadows Heather as if stalking her ever since her encounter with him
in the shopping mall.

While this strange creature observes Heather, he makes no effort to inflict
harm upon her; the truth is that he has a unique purpose, a role he plays
which enters into the game.

The fact of the matter is that in the religious tradition of Silent Hill,
Valtiel is a saintly being corresponding to an angel.

Concerning that complex and profound reason for existence, let us consider
such things as his design and behavior from various angles.

IMAGE: Valtiel
Whenever there is a shift to the otherworld, Valtiel appears before Heather.
It can be said that this being is a guide to the otherworld.

IMAGE: from the elevator scene
First encounter in the shopping mall's elevator. This is after Heather was
found for the first time.

SECTION TWO: Watcher

To ensure the protection of the unborn deity, he watches Heather, mother
of God

Since the name Valtiel means "attendant" by way of the English word
"valet," his existence as an angel is derived from suffixing "-el." In
short, he is the being that attends to and watches over God. For the
purpose of carrying out his duty of watching and protecting the mother
until the time comes for God to be born, he does not harm Heather.

IMAGE: exploring the church
Valtiel persists in watching Heather in the church near the end of the game.

IMAGE: Claudia's final scene
Claudia assumes the role as mother and takes the necessary steps to birth
God.

SECTION THREE: Messenger

An angel in the town's religious organization that governs the cycle of
rebirth, he appears as a symbol of the otherworld

Valtiel's intentions have little to do with Heather; his concern is
primarily with the god that sleeps inside her. It can be thought that in
order to restore God to this world, every time Heather (Alessa) dies, he
is the one responsible for resurrecting her many times over. Additionally,
the valve handle that Valtiel turns with his left hand represents the idea
that "God can be reborn any number of times," which can be thought of as
having significance to the basis of the sect's doctrine.

IMAGE: dragging Heather's corpse away
If Heather should die, Valtiel takes action to resurrect the mother of God.

IMAGE: Heather stands opposite Valtiel in the church
In many places Valtiel is seen turning the handle, which signifies the cycle
of rebirth.

SECTION FOUR: An explanation of the meaning hidden in the design of the being
that ties together the three works of the series

In the long-standing religious tradition of Silent Hill, Valtiel is worshipped
as a way to become closer to God. And so even in the previous works of the
series, Valtiel has appeared in different forms. In other words this is why
Valtiel ties together various events that have taken place in Silent Hill.

In the case that any events transpire in Silent Hill in the future, that
distinct shape may again appear before players.

IMAGE: Valtiel before the fight with God
Noting the significance of Valtiel's design, the relevance between the three
works becomes clear.

Ceremonial robes from Silent Hill

In the school's otherworld, a number of body-shaped figures can be seen. If
one looks closely, it becomes clear that there is something familiar about what
the figure is wearing. What looks like a body bag is actually the ceremonial
robe of the town's religion. This robe is modeled after the appearance of an
angel from Silent Hill's traditions, namely Valtiel.

IMAGE: the hanging robed figures seen throughout the game
The rags the figures appear to be wrapped in are actually ceremonial robes.

Pyramid Head from Silent Hill 2

One notable connection between Pyramid Head and Valtiel is the fact that they
both stalk the protagonist persistently.

If the helmet that conceals Pyramid Head's face were to be removed, it would
become apparent that the designs of the two are surprisingly similar. When the
executioner's outfit that is Pyramid Head was designed, it was modeled after
Valtiel, an angel from the indigenous religion.

IMAGE: Pyramid Head
Pyramid Head's gloves are very similar to Valtiel's.

IMAGE: molesting the mannequin
At the back of the garment Pyramid Head wears, there is a mark stitched into
the cloth, which is also a shared characteristic.

Creator's Commentary: The connection to the first game is quite clear, but the
relationship with the second isn't so obvious. I wanted to give relevance to
the creatures of the series because it motivates me to continue the creative
process. In the religion of Silent Hill, those who are close to God through
Valtiel borrow his form as Pyramid Head. That is to say, Pyramid Head was born
from the townspeoples' ideas about showing devotion to God. In the first game,
the ceremonial robes were an homage to Valtiel.

-Masahiro Ito

SECTION FIVE: Making of Valtiel
(note: the three images here are hand-drawn sketches)

IMAGE: turning the valves
One of the early designs of Valtiel turning the valve handle. The central hole
closely resembles the one in the final church.

IMAGE: from the elevator scene
A rough sketch of a design in which multiple creatures seem to be intertwined.
The hole at the top of the creature's head is the same as in the final design.

IMAGE: behind the propeller blades
There is also a scene in the elevator with a giant propeller and Valtiel. The
propeller has a handle as well, which has the same implication as the valve.

XX: Judgement

Red Pyramid Thing

Manifested by James' subconscious, it takes the form of an executioner of times
past

The creature known as "Pyramid Head" introduced in Silent Hill 2 is an enigma
to many players. This is intended to shed some light on the subject.

Originally, the pyramid head outfit was the guise of Silent Hill's executioners.
Three years ago when James visited this town, that figure overlapped with his
own
feelings of guilt, and then later appears as a representation of his desire for
punishment in the otherworld created by his subconscious.

IMAGE: Maria about to be skewered
Pyramid Head persists in tormenting not only James himself, but Maria as well.

IMAGE: the painting of the helmeted executioner
A picture of Pyramid Head from the archives. It depicts the aftermath at an
execution scene of times past.

Creator's Commentary: Pyramid Head wounds Maria again and again to reiterate the
actuality of Mary's death and wake James from his delusion. In other words, to
force the crime out of his subconscious.

-Hiroyuki Owaku

Was the "red devil" that Walter Sullivan saw...?

Walter Sullivan murdered a young boy and his sister, and then took his own life.
The connection between the "red devil" he saw and Pyramid Head has become a
topic
of discussion among players. However, Pyramid Head is only a representation of
James' need for punishment. No one besides Sullivan himself can really know what
he saw.

IMAGE: Valtiel before the fight with God
Valtiel is the being that Pyramid Head is modeled after. His form appears
differently depending on the person who sees him.

IMAGE: the memo written by Walter Sullivan
Sullivan says that he saw a "red devil." What was it that he saw?

(translation note: In sections concerning Pyramid Head, the word "jibatsuishiki/
jibachiishiki" is used frequently, and I think it's hard to translate perfectly
into English. Ji = self, batsu = punishment, and ishiki = consciousness, or in
the way it's used here, "sense of," so the meaning is that Pyramid Head comes
from James' "sense of self-punishment," or "self-punishment-mindedness.")
nd Here's some of the Movies in the *Inspire Works* Section (By WallofDeath):

*David Lynch's Lost Highway, Eraserhead, Blue Velvet, Twin Peaks, and Dune
*Stanley Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket, Lolita, and Clockwork Orange
*Alejandro Jodorowsky's El Topo, Holy Mountain, and Santa Sangre (Can't be sold
in the States).
*Terry Gilliam's 12 Monkeys
*Jacob's Ladder
*Event Horizon
*The Cell
*Exorcist 3
*Betty Blue Integral
*Gokumontou
*Chris Cunningham's video for Bjork's "All is Full of Love"
*Jan Svankmajer's Alice (Awesome Surreal "Alice in Wonderland" movie with
animated stuffed animals and disturbing imagery).
=============================
Silent Hill 2 Character Commentary
=============================

For a certain reason, they were drawn to Silent Hill.
What darkness do each of them hold in their hearts?

====

name: James Sunderland
age: 29
sex: m
job: clerk

profile: The protagonist. A letter from his late wife Mary has lead him
to Silent Hill.

creator's comment

In the initial stages of the scenario, the two characters we had were
"Joseph" and "James." The name Joseph was borrowed from a man suspected
of being "Jack the Ripper," so James was derived from that. (note: I'm
not sure if this indicates that the name "James" was used because it sounds
vaguely similar to "Joseph," or if it's implied that the name was borrowed
from another man who was believed by some to be the Ripper, James Maybrick.)

raison d'etre

The letter James received from Mary was an illusion. To free himself from the
burden of nursing his wife's poor health, and to release her from the misery
of her illness, he took her life with his own hands. However, he was unable
to withstand the weight of his crime, and, immersed in his own delusions,
one can think that he was drawn to the town of Silent Hill.

====

name: Mary Shepherd-Sunderland
age: 25
sex: f
job: housewife

profile: James' wife, who supposedly died of an illness three years ago.
Ever since visiting Silent Hill with James, it has been a place of memories
for the two of them.

creator's comment

Her name is taken from the victim Mary Kelly in the "Jack the Ripper"
case, who was living with the suspect Joseph as detailed in case files
regarding the murders.

raison d'etre

James' realization of the crime he has committed affects the story's
conclusion, as well as the dialogue that transpires. It is conceivable
that Mary's death three years ago is merely James' delusion.

====

name: Maria
age: 25
sex: f
job: dancer

profile: A woman who bears an uncanny resemblance to Mary, although
her personality and taste in clothing are completely opposite. For
some reason, she tags along with James.

creator's comment

The heroine from the first scenario also had an existence characterized
by a double personality. The first character is "Mary," and so the name
"Maria" is derived from that.

raison d'etre

James bears the weight of the crime of killing his wife, resulting in
the creation of this delusion. It is established in the third game
that Maria was a dancer at the club Heaven's Night.

====

name: Laura
age: 8
sex: f
job: --

profile: A young girl who was a patient in the same hospital as Mary.
Having no mother of her own, Laura loved Mary as if she were her real
mother.

creator's comment

Her name is taken from the nonfiction work "No Language But a Cry" by
Richard D'Ambrosio, the story of a young girl's search for happiness
while struggling to overcome the scars of abuse. (note: the title of
this book in Japan is something like "Laura, story of a little girl
burned by a frying pan," which refers to an incident in which Laura's
mentally ill parents placed her into a hot frying pan as a baby and
began to cook her alive.)

raison d'etre

Of all the characters, she is the only one who does not hold any darkness
in her heart. It may be that she came to Silent Hill looking for Mary.
To her the town appears to be normal; she does not see any monsters, nor
does she see Maria.

name: Angela Orosco
age: 19
sex: f
job: unknown

profile: A girl who came to Silent Hill in search of her mother. After
graduating high school, she ran away from home but was found and brought
back by her father.

creator's comment

Her name is borrowed from the protagonist of the film, "The Net." It's
also a religious name common in Spanish lineage that is derived from
"angel," which was a source of inspiration as well.

raison d'etre

From the article in the bloodstained newspaper, the conclusion can be
made that Angela was abused and that she took her father's life. After
this incident, being in a state of emotional turmoil, it may be that
Silent Hill called out to her.

====

name: Eddie Dombrowski
age: 23
sex: m
job: gas station employee (part time)

profile: A young man who is teased because of his weight. Although he
is usually passive, there is a side to him that is extremely violent.

creator's comment

In the initial stages of the scenario, Eddie was actually a very cheerful
character. Therefore, the name was borrowed from Eddie Murphy. In the
end however, we changed his personality completely.

raison d'etre

According to one of Eddie's monologues, his anger and frustration at the
way he was treated by others reached a climax when he killed a dog in a fit
of rage and also shot the dog's owner in the leg. While running from the
police, he began to have feelings of guilt, and it may be that Silent Hill
called out to him.





===========================
Silent Hill 2 Creature Commentary
===========================

Grotesque creatures brought forth by James, who is tormented by feelings
of guilt. This section will examine the significance of these creatures.

====

Lying Figure

area: Streets of the town, prison

character: Attacks by spewing a poisonous mist. Falls to a prone position
and moves by crawling along the ground

metaphor: "Lying figure." A being that represents the image of a patient
writhing in agony. A manifestation of James' suffering.

Lying Figure: rough sketch

IMAGE: Sketch of the creature wearing thigh-high women's boots. Its
upper body is completely covered and a long, thin appendage dangles from
its face
Early design incorporating a pair of red boots. It has a "mouth" that
allows it to nourish itself by feeding on corpses.

IMAGE: A similar drawing but with a darker, bulkier looking upper body
covering
A strong early design involving the image of "restraint," as represented
by the upper half of its body being wrapped in cloth.

====

Bubble Head Nurse

area: Hospital, streets of the town

character: Attacks by swinging the iron pipe it carries

metaphor: "Bubble Head Nurse." Its grotesquely swollen head faces the
wrong way. A being that is suggestive of Mary's hospitalization.

Bubble Head Nurse: rough sketch

IMAGE: Sketch of a hunched figure holding an IV stand
In this design it carries an IV stand instead of an iron pipe.

====

Mannequin

area: Apartment building, hotel

character: Reacts strongly to light and comes alive when approached

metaphor: A manifestation of James' natural urges and inclinations.
Accordingly, it is abused by Pyramid Head.

====

Mandarin

area: Labyrinth, hotel

character: Hangs from a mesh grating by the tips of its arms and
reaches out to attack with its tentacles

metaphor: "Mandarin." Symbolizes a mind that is stricken by
suffering yet is unable to acknowledge it. For this reason, it is
unable to stand above ground.

====

Red Pyramid Thing

area: Apartment building, hotel

character: With Great Knife and spear, he stalks Maria unrelentingly

metaphor: "Pyramid head." Takes the appearance of an executioner of
times past, but is actually incarnated from the part of James'
consciousness that feels that he deserves punishment.

====

Abstract Daddy

area: Labyrinth, hotel

character: Attacks by attempting to grab and envelop its victim

metaphor: "Ideal father." On top of its bed-like form are two covered
reclining figures. A symbol of Angela's past.

====

Creeper

area: Apartment building, prison

character: An insect-like creature that moves with great speed

metaphor: "Creeper." It may be that since it also appears in the
preceding work, it originates from a particularly potent aspect of
the town's power.

====

The prison's unseen monster

In the prison, an ominous voice resounds from one of the cells. This
is the voice of the creature called "prisoner" that appears only in
the prison.

IMAGE: James fires his handgun through the prison bars
Although it can't be seen, readying a weapon confirms its existence.

====

Flesh Lip

area: Hospital

character: Lattice-based monster that hangs from the ceiling and
attacks

metaphor: "Lustful lips." The lattice, which signifies a bed, and
the "mouth" located on the abdomen symbolize Mary.

Flesh Lip: rough sketch

IMAGE: Sketch of the creature
A strong rough sketch that is very similar to the final design.
Instead of a "mouth," a protuberance is visible in the abdominal area.

====

Mary

area: Hotel

character: Hangs in the air and attacks with a vine-like tentacle.
She is accompanied by insects

metaphor: A being of conflicted emotions that has to do with James'
wife at her hour of death. Her face is like the Virgin Mary's, and her
posture is reminiscent of a crucifixion.


==============================
Silent Hill 2 Endings
==============================
In water

He came to this town to take his own life in a place of memories

====
Leave

He leaves this town as a man who has accepted reality

Summary: On the rooftop, James finds Maria in Mary's clothing. When James
appeals to Maria to "end this nightmare," she becomes angry and attacks him.
After killing the monster, the scene switches to a hospital room. As James
agonizes over the fact that he murdered his wife, Mary tells him with her
last breath to go on living. James puts this nightmare behind him and
together with Laura, leaves Silent Hill.

Conditions: The possibility of this ending occurring is highest when... (this is
where I decided it was a waste of time to continue translating this section)

IMAGE: by Mary's side
As James expresses his anguish, his wife lies on the bed and imparts her
final words to him.

IMAGE: in the cemetery
James makes his way through the cemetery where he met Angela and leaves the
town with Laura.
====

Maria

A man who has murdered his wife a second time continues to live immersed in
a delusion

====

Rebirth

To resurrect his wife, he carries out a forbidden ritual

===================

the Bad ending of SH1: the caption for the pic says Harry is unconcious in his
Jeep , thus not dead living some kind of purgatory like some imagined.

========================
Silent Hill Creature Commentary
========================

A look at the many creatures that suggest important elements of the
otherworld

====

Air screamer (Bird)

area: Housing district, business district

character: Flying creature that moves in groups of five

metaphor: "Air screamer." An image that comes from an illustration in
one of Alessa's favorite books, The Lost World by Conan Doyle.

====

Night flutter (Bird of the business district)

area: Business district, resort

character: Appears in the business district's otherworld. It is
sensitive to light

metaphor: "Creature that flutters in darkness." The influence of
the shift that the world undergoes is strong; its head is completely
covered in worms.

====

Mumbler (Humanoid monster/Hook-clawed monster)

area: School, sewers

character: Although its movements are slow, it has a powerful claw
attack

metaphor: "Mumbler." The image of small menacing animals and small
demons from fairy tales.

====

Larval stalker (Small humanoid shadow)

area: School, amusement park

character: Completely non-aggressive

metaphor: "Larval stalker." Its laughter evokes memories of being
teased at school.

====

Groaner (Dog)

area: Housing district, business district

character: Appears widely outdoors. It is sensitive to sound and will
react to a gunshot

metaphor: "Groaner." The image of large dogs, which Alessa has a strong
dislike of, is the basis for this creature.

====

Wormhead (Dog of the business district)

area: Business district, resort

character: A more powerful dog-type creature

metaphor: "Wormhead." The effect of the shift to the otherworld is
strong; its head is completely covered in worms.

====

Puppet nurse (Parasitized nurse)

area: Hospital, nowhere

character: Its speed and physical strength differ depending on its dress
and hair style

metaphor: "Puppet nurse." A nurse that has been parasitized by something.
This parasitized body is the same as Cybil's after she becomes possessed.

====

Parasitized doctor that appears only in the first game

Although the female nurse-type creatures have become typical of the
series, there was also a doctor-type "puppet doctor" that appeared only
in the first game.

IMAGE: Harry aims his gun at one of the puppet doctors
In respect to the otherworld, the creature does not appear in the later
works of the series.

====

Romper (Jumping creature/Jack)

area: Business district, resort

character: Powerful monster that attacks with a body blow and pins down
its victim

metaphor: "Jumper." Manifestation of Alessa's fear of adults.

====

Creeper (Insect/Cockroach)

area: School, hospital, sewers

character: A giant insect that moves with great speed and reacts strongly
to light

metaphor: "Creeper." The manifested image of Alessa's dislike of insects.

====

Split head (Long-bodied monster/Lizard)

area: School

character: Although its movements are slow, its attack is powerful. Its
weak point is the inside of its mouth

metaphor: "Split head." The incarnation and transfiguration of a great
lizard that appears in a fairy tale from the elementary school.

====

Twinfeeler (Green caterpillar/Giant green caterpillar)

area: Shopping mall

character: Lurks underground, utilizes a ramming attack as well as a
poison gas attack

metaphor: "Twinfeeler." The manifested image of an insect specimen from
Alessa's room.

====

Floatstinger (Moth/Giant moth)

area: Business district

character: Mature form of the twinfeeler. Attacks with poison gas and
the poisonous stinger on its tail

metaphor: "Floatstinger." The image of an insect specimen that was used
to decorate Alessa's room.

====

Bloodsucker (Tentacle monster)

area: Hospital

character: Tentacle creature that has no effective attacks

metaphor: "Bloodsucker." The embodiment of a strong aversion to worms and
snakes and the like.

====

Hanged scratcher (Long-limbed monster)

area: Sewers

character: Its hook-like claws are its weapons. It also hangs from the
ceiling

metaphor: "Hanged scratcher." The manifestation of an image that is a
composite of insect specimens.

====

Incubus (Demon/Incubus)

area: Unknown realm

character: Hangs in the air and attacks intermittently with a thunderstrike

metaphor: "Dream demon." Incarnation of the image of God that Dahlia
believed in.

====

Fusing with God, Alessa awakens.

In the case of the bad ending, Alessa/incubator appears instead of incubus.
Alessa's image is projected.

IMAGE: a bright light emanates from Alessa's body
The name "incubator" signifies "incubator for a premature baby."

==========================
Silent Hill 3 Creature Commentary
==========================

Creatures that have come to have abundant variations. Each of them holds
a certain significance.

====

Numb body

area: Sewers

character: Creature with long, slender legs. Comes in various sizes

metaphor: It is given the name "numb body" due to its slow and clumsy
movements and the fact that its body appears pale as if frozen.

====

Double head

area: Office building, amusement park

character: Monster resembling a dog that has a split head with sharp fangs

metaphor: "Split head." Its appearance is greatly influenced by the image
of Alessa after she was incapacitated due to the fire.

====

Pendulum

area: Sewers, amusement park

character: Monster with two heads and a metallic body. Although it has no
wings, it revolves in midair

metaphor: "Pendulum." So named for the way that it moves and attacks while
the upper half of its body rotates.

====

Insane cancer

area: Subway, office building

character: Monster with a soft and flabby whitish body

metaphor: "Cancer running wild." So named because its outward appearance
is suggestive of a cancerous mass.

====

Closer

area: Subway, amusement park

character: Monster that has an extremely large body. Attacks with blades
that come out of the ends of its arms

metaphor: Named "closer" because of its ability to obstruct a route with
its huge body. It is the form of the Mandarin from the previous work that
has risen above ground.

(note: The creature's name implies "someone that closes (something)"
instead of the more common use of the word meaning "getting nearer.")

====

Slurper

area: Office building, church

character: Humanoid being that crawls along the floor. Plays dead in
order to lure its prey

metaphor: "Slurper." Named for its habit of slurping up the rust-colored
blood and bits of flesh that stick to the floor with its pointed bill.

====

Nurse

area: Hospital

character: Nurse-type monster that carries a handgun and iron pipe

metaphor: A nurse that roams the halls of the hospital. It may be that
the nurses of the hospital transformed into monsters, but the details
are unclear.

====

Split worm

area: Shopping mall

character: Gigantic worm with jaws inside the tip of its head

metaphor: "Split worm." It is patterned after the "split head" creature
that appears in the first game.

====

Glutton

area: Office building

character: An extremely large cylindrical monster. Regardless of what
weapons are used on it, it is impassable

metaphor: "Glutton." Although it is a "monster" that appears in a story
from a picture book, its form is manifested by the power of the otherworld.

====

Memory of Alessa

area: Amusement park

character: A facsimile of Heather that attacks and attempts to kill her

metaphor: "Alessa's obsession." Alessa's "other mind" that was separated
seventeen years ago, it is a memory that clings to this place.

====

Valtiel

area: Hospital, church

character: Appears in various places, but does not attack Heather

metaphor: Derived from "valet." As God's attendant, Valtiel observes Heather
in order to ensure the birth of God.

====

Missionary

area: Apartment building

character: Humanoid monster that obeys Claudia and carries out her commands

metaphor: "Missionary." Cult member transfigured by Claudia's power, to
Heather's eyes the appearance it takes is that of a monster.

====

Scraper

area: Church

character: Humanoid monster that carries a weapon in each hand. Moves with
great speed

metaphor: "Scraper." So named for its habit of incessantly scraping the two
sharp-edged tools it carries together.

====

Leonard

area: Below the hospital

character: Lurks in the water and surfaces to attack without warning

metaphor: Leonard's transfigured form. The shape he has assumed is the
embodiment of Claudia's hatred or of Heather's terror.

====

The God

area: Church

character: God that manipulates flames. The lower half of its body is in an
immature state due to its birth

metaphor: As a result of being born from Claudia's womb, its form is close to
the image of God she believed in (that of Alessa).
===============
History of Silent Hill
===============

A town that possesses a mysterious power, Silent Hill. This timeline attempts
to provide a foundation for the facts introduced into the game concerning the
history of this town.


XVIII: The Moon

Vincent

A professional who uses Heather and the cult for his own personal gain

Despite the fact that he is a priest in the town's religious organization,
Vincent actively opposes the rebirth of God. Using the contributions of
devotees he has been able to greatly expand the cult, and it is known that
he forces some of the cult's adherents to donate to the church funds.
Vincent's goal is to make money using the church. Although it is his plan
to tie Claudia's and Alessa's special powers to faith in the church, he has
no desire to take it so far as to actually see God restored to this world.
For this reason, he intends to approach Heather and prevent Claudia from
carrying out her plans.

IMAGE: in the library
To avoid putting himself in harm's way, Vincent approaches Heather in an
attempt to use her to his own ends.

Creator's Commentary: The Moon card can mean uneasiness, distrust, or
inconstancy. It seems appropriate to correlate this card which appears in
the game to the character of Vincent, who does not speak plainly to others
and makes them uneasy.

-Hiroyuki Owaku

The power of the Seal of Metatron that Vincent clings to is...?

IMAGE: Heather holds the seal
Vincent believes that the Seal of Metatron has the ability to defeat God, but...

IMAGE: the school's courtyard
In the first game, this seal is inscribed in many places around town.

IMAGE: the memo titled "day room notebook"
For some reason, Leonard protected the seal obsessively.

Creator's Commentary: To the town's religious organization, the Seal of
Metatron is an ordinary talisman with no particular significance. As Alessa
was unable to spread this crest throughout the entire town in the first game,
its power was never demonstrated. In spite of this, both Vincent and Leonard
misunderstood its abilities.

-Hiroyuki Owaku

====

XXII: The Eye of Night

The God

The being that sleeps inside the holy mother... is this truly God?

At the end of the game, the creature called "God" appears. However, the
form that it assumes seems too sinister for it to be the same being that
is supposed to bring paradise to this world. One possible explanation for
this is that if the town of Silent Hill holds the power to materialize
delusions and innermost thoughts from one's subconscious, "God" is the
result of someone's delusions just like the other creatures.

And did the seed of God that was growing inside Heather truly disappear?
That is left to the player to interpret.

IMAGE: Heather vomits up the fetus
The fetus that Heather vomited up may have been actualized by the human
subconscious as well.

Creator's Commentary: In the original tarot, there is no Eye of Night card.
The idea is that this card is added corresponding to a Hebrew vowel, even
though tarot originates from the Hebrew alphabet which has only letters that
are consonants. The card suggests God.

-Hiroyuki Owaku

The form of God that is born to the earth changes depending on those who
summon it

The God that sleeps inside Alessa has appeared in various forms throughout
the series. The fact is that there is no one form of God because the form
that it takes is projected by the minds of those who summon it.

IMAGE: the memo titled "about syncretic religions"
A book in the church regarding the form of God. It notes that the form
and name of God have come to change.

IMAGE: Incubus
With the influence of the red liquid, Dahlia's delusion is projected.

IMAGE: Incubator
A manifestation of the image of God that Alessa personally believed in.

IMAGE: the God
God vaguely resembles Alessa because Claudia's thoughts are projected.
====

XVI: The Tower

Cult

A long-standing religious tradition native to the region is twisted by history

The town of Silent Hill is where Claudia and Dahlia took steps to bring about
the revival of God, and where in the second game James attempted to resurrect
his deceased wife. It is a town that has an indigenous belief system that has
been passed down over the years. With the appearance of nothing but unearthly
rituals and fanatical priests over the course of the series, players have never
clearly seen the true essence of the town's religion. Exactly what is the
nature of the faith that originates from the town's former inhabitants?

Concerning the history of this area which was revered as sacred ground and the
doctrine which became the foundation for this faith, let us arrange a
delineation
of the relevant documents and dialogue from the series.

Creator's Commentary: The religion of Silent Hill references various elements
of different religions such as the origins of Christianity, Japanese folklore,
and Aztec rituals. Original Native American beliefs have to do with animals and
spirits that dwell in places, and borrowing their power to make oneself
stronger.
The names of the gods have Mayan and Aztec motifs. As for the strange
pronunciations, they are completely original.

-Hiroyuki Owaku

SECTION TWO: History

Before settlers first came to Silent Hill, the future site of the town had come
to be valued as a holy place. The ceremonies that were conducted on this land
became the model for the belief system of the present-day cult. It is important
to note, however, that the native religion is not the same thing as the cult. It
should be easy to understand if one considers the likeness to the situation with
Shinto shrines and Jizo in Japan.

IMAGE: Harry stands before the altar in the "other church"
The altar under the antique shop from the first game. Doesn't it seem to bear a
striking resemblance to a household Shinto shrine in Japan?

IMAGE: James in the Historical Society
It seems that when the town's former inhabitants still lived here, strange
rituals
were conducted on this holy ground.

SECTION THREE: Dogma

The basis for what the cult believes is derived from a myth that has been passed
down over the years. In summary, "Once, God set out to create paradise and Her
power ran out, but someday God would be resurrected once again. The doors to
paradise would be opened, and everyone would be saved." One detail unique to
this
religion is the idea that during the dawn of humanity, there was only suffering
and hatred. It would seem that this has become a foundation for this unique
belief
system.

IMAGE: the prayer written on the wall in the hallway before the church
The voice of a believer that suggests self-sacrifice. One imagines that there
were
many such fanatical devotees.

IMAGE: The painting titled "Salvation"
The six paintings displayed in the chapel are a depiction of the myth that is
the
basis of the cult's doctrine.

SECTION FOUR: System

The popular beliefs native to the region began to take shape as a religion
several
decades ago. A rapid expansion took place over the course of a few years that
was
the result of Vincent's achievements. It can be surmised that Alessa, who was
born
around thirty years ago, was established as a saint in the cult and thus the
structure of the organization was only recently put in order.

IMAGE: Heather examines the memo titled "believers' complaints"
It seems that shaping the indigenous faith into a religion was the work of
Vincent.

IMAGE: The painting titled "St. Alessa: Mother of God, Daughter of God"
The three saints were probably established fairly recently, sometime after the
Civil War.

IMAGE: The painting titled "Creation"
This structure in which many lesser gods appear under the chief deity differs
greatly from Christianity.

SECTION FIVE: The otherworld's church sheds light on the history and true
image of the religious organization

Although the church that appeared in the first game was Christian, the design
of the church in the third game is unique to the cult. It can be surmised that
the cult's influence grew over a period of seventeen years before the church
was constructed. Furthermore, it is established that the underground area of
the otherworld's church is in fact a ruin where the town's former residents once
conducted rituals. If one examines the walls in detail, it becomes apparent that
there are new discoveries to be made.

IMAGE: the final room of the church
What appear to be murals on the walls in the church's otherworld indicate that
this place is a ruin.

IMAGE: the final room of the church
Unlike an ordinary church, the followers' seats are constructed to face each
other.

IMAGE: Heather approaches Claudia in the church's final room
It appears that the underground chapel is a ruin that was sealed up until now.

Creator's Commentary: In a church in the real world the adherents normally sit
opposite the priest, however in the otherworld's final church the priest is
encircled by the adherents. The purpose of this is not to pray while facing God;
it is so that everyone in attendance can watch the ceremony taking place in the
central area. The design has a motif inspired by British Parliament.

-Masahiro Ito
VIII: Strength

Power of the Town

Just what is the effect of the mysterious power of this town that was revered
as a sacred place?

Originally Silent Hill was a holy place to the area's former inhabitants. It
would seem that although the power of the town was not evil in nature, due to
a number of factors including the spread of an epidemic and executions at the
prison, the power that this place held was greatly distorted. Furthermore,
due to the large-scale shift to the otherworld that occurred in the first
game, the town has become a great catalyst for the manifestation of peoples'
unconscious minds. It appears to have become a place that beckons to those
who hold darkness in their hearts.

IMAGE: Mary from the video in the opening movie
Silent Hill was once revered as a sacred place. That power has been completely
twisted over the course of history.

SECTION TWO: Embody

The materialization of the darkness that sleeps in peoples' hearts

In the town of Silent Hill, a power exists that gives discernable form to
peoples' innermost thoughts. As for the otherworld that appears in the series,
the town is not merely showing the characters their nightmares, but actually
manifesting elements of their unconscious minds.

IMAGE: the otherworld in the chapel from the third game
If the subject's mind is in a state of turmoil, the state of the otherworld will
be chaotic as well.

SECTION THREE: Calling

Those who have guilt are summoned

Due to the appearance of the otherworld on a massive scale in the first game,
the town has come to be a place that calls those who hold a profound darkness in
their hearts. It seems that people with afflicted minds are easily drawn to the
otherworld.

IMAGE: Eddie says to James, "This town called you, too."
The town calls to those who bear the weight of some crime and shows them what is
in their hearts.

SECTION FOUR: Link

Transcending time, minds are connected

It would seem that in the otherworld, time and physical limitations are
transcended
and peoples' thoughts are communicated. In accordance with this are the
enigmatic
phone conversation and Stanley's letters in the third game, as well the
director's
letters, among other things, in the second game.

IMAGE: Heather receives a strange phone call in the locker room
It seems that in the otherworld, the flow of time has no continuity.

SECTION FIVE: The darkness of Silent Hill transcends the boundaries of the town?

In the third game, the otherworld appears even in the shopping mall and subway,
outside of the town called Silent Hill. It is possible that this is due to
Claudia's abilities. However, if one imagines that the human mind is where the
otherworld dwells and holds power, then perhaps the shift to the otherside could
occur regardless of the location.

IMAGE: the magazine from the subway
The occult magazine that was dropped in the subway has an article regarding
lingering thoughts.

Creator's Commentary: The shift to the otherworld that takes place outside the
town depends entirely upon a unique power. The power that absorbs and reflects
what people hold in their hearts is established as being exclusive to the town
of Silent Hill.

-Hiroyuki Owaku

====

XXI: The World

Another World

Does the real world influence the otherworld born of delusions and the power
of the town?

The power of Silent Hill absorbs what people hold in their hearts and
manifests delusions and elements of their subconscious minds. And so, the
truth is that the consciousness that becomes the main constituent of what
is called the "otherworld" varies. As a few different incarnations of the
otherworld have been presented up to this point in the series, let us
ascertain the differences in each of these respective works.

IMAGE: Angela tells James, "For me, it’s always like this."
In the otherworld of Silent Hill, the world is seen differently depending
on the person.

IMAGE: Heather experiences the shift in the office building
On some occasions the shift to the otherworld can occur suddenly.

SECTION TWO: The main constituent of the otherworld differs in each work of
the series

Silent Hill

Due to her severe burns and endless suffering, Alessa's power runs wild.
Her agony is manifested and the entire town is swallowed up by the otherworld.

IMAGE: Harry ponders the presence of the wheelchair
Harry searches for his daughter in the otherworld.

Silent Hill 2

Regarding James, who escapes from the crime that he has committed, elements
from the depths of his consciousness are manifested. What the power of the
town causes to appear before him is an otherworld that is a combination of his
delusions and his desire for punishment.

IMAGE: "I was weak. That’s why I needed you..."
As James acknowledges his crime, the otherworld disappears.

(note: Interestingly enough, what the Japanese script says here is "dakara
omae no sonzai o nozonde ita," which literally means, "and so I desired your
existence.")

Silent Hill 3

The shift to the otherworld that occurs in the shopping mall, among other
places, has to do with Claudia. As she recovers her memories, Alessa's influence
grows stronger.

IMAGE: Claudia in the chapel
Claudia possesses a unique power.

SECTION THREE: Inclusion of a phantom ending

If Heather should attack Claudia in the final stage of the game, God is born
and it's "game over." However, this can be interpreted as another conclusion
to the story.

IMAGE: Claudia's dream of reviving God is realized
It's intended not to simply be "game over," but another ending.

Creator's Commentary: The truth is that when we first started development on
this project, we considered including an ending for this situation. However,
in order to show another means of resolving this in a way that could be easily
understood, we decided to show it in the form of a "game over." Just what sort
of god was born, and what happened to the world? These questions remain, but
Heather is already gone so the player has no way of knowing what happens next.

-Hiroyuki Owaku
V: The Hierophant

Key Items

The many items with magical properties that give depth to the story

The works of the series are tied together through the town called Silent Hill
and the long-standing religious tradition native to the region. As might be
expected from such prevalent themes as the otherworld, resurrection of the
dead, as well as occult elements and other phenomena, various religious items
such as charms and equipment used in rituals appear widely in the games.

There are items that are referenced from various religions and folklore and of
course, there are original ones as well. These religious items give a unique
depth to the story. Let us examine this using a few representatives. If one
acquires more information on the subject, one should be able to gain a deeper
appreciation for the series.

Halo of the Sun/Talisman

The two crests of the series are deceptively similar. On the talisman, the seal
that appears in the first game is inscribed.

IMAGE: Heather stands on the emblem in the church
The Halo of the Sun is the crest of the religious organization. The difference
between the two seals has an important significance in the series.

Aglaophotis

A red liquid that appears in the first and third games. Made from a medicinal
herb, it seems to have the effect of repelling evil spirits.

IMAGE: Heather's pendant
It would seem that after the first game, Harry once again procured some of the
liquid for the sake of his daughter.

Flauros

A charm that appears in the first game. It has the ability to break the
continuity of the boundary that surrounds Alessa.

IMAGE: the Flauros
Harry receives the Flauros from Dahlia.

The Book of Lost Memories

An original book written about the history of the town. It appears in the
second game, Restless Dreams, and the third game.

IMAGE: the "Lost Memories" memo from Restless Dreams
A section of this thick book is quoted in each of these three games.

White Chrism and Obsidian Goblet

Items used in rituals required to see the "rebirth" ending in the second game.
Supposedly, they are used to resurrect the dead.

IMAGE: Maria retrieves the white chrism for Ernest
Details concerning the ritual to bring the dead back to life are written in
the book of Crimson Ceremony.

SECTION TWO: An examination of the names of key items reveals an influence
from various religions

The Seal of Metatron

According to the Kabbalah (Jewish mysticism), the angels Metatron and Samael
originally shared the same existence.

Aglaophotis

A medicinal herb that appears in the Kabbalah. It is used to expel demons
from the possessed and can also be used for a magical array.

Flauros

One of the seventy-two demons that appears in the Lemegeton, a book of magic
said to have been compiled from the writings of King Solomon of Israel.

The Book of Crimson Ceremony

The roots of the Crimson Ceremony lie in Mayan and Aztec rituals. At one time,
the ritual of human sacrifice was quite prevalent.

====

XIX: The Sun

Extra Feature

Are the "science fiction-like elements" that can be enjoyed after a clear game
connected to the UFOs?

Up to this point in the series, players have come to enjoy bonus elements in
various forms after clearing the game. From Silent Hill 3, a connection comes
to light: A "UFO ending" common to which are the three games of the series.
Could the science fiction-like additional elements that have appeared so far
have something to do with the UFO endings?

IMAGE: Heather in the "Transience" shirt
Depending on whether conditions are fulfilled and puzzles are solved, new
costumes are made available.

IMAGE: the password input screen
Including the overseas editions, the number of costumes added is twenty-five
in all.

IMAGE: Princess Heart
If one imagines that experiments have been performed on Heather, maybe her
ability to transform isn't so strange!?

IMAGE: Beam Saber
A sword of light that is clearly not a weapon of this earth. Who in the world
could have given it to her?

IMAGE: Hyper Blaster
The hyper blaster that appears in the first game is enabled after a clear game
with the UFO ending.

Is the UFO ending which establishes a continuity between the three games the
true ending!?

IMAGE: Heather enters her apartment
Does the reason why Heather can transform and use special weapons become clear
if one sees the UFO ending!?

Creator's Commentary: I think that those who have seen it know, but it
connects all three works of the series, doesn't it? The truth is that this
is what really happens.

-Hiroyuki Owaku

====

EDIT: Due to the fact that Owaku doesn't specify which game he's talking about
in his two
sentence commentary or even state that the subject is "the ending" (even if he
did, whether it's
plural or singular depends on context), I'd guessed that the implication was
that the UFO endings
connect the games because each of the three games has one. However, I just
realized that he could
be implying that there is a certain ending that connects the series, indicating
the sh3 UFO ending.
So-- I've changed the subject of the commentary from plural to singular.
Although I think it seems obvious that this section is quite tongue-in-cheek, it
occurs to me that some
humorless individuals could take section XIV: The Sun a bit too seriously. In
my opinion, it's in the
same vein as the UFO endings themselves-- that is to say, a bit of comic relief
from the seriousness of the subject matter.

================
Silent Hill Area Map
================

Silent Hill is a rural town located in northeast America. To start with,
let's look at a summary of the buildings and locations that have become the
setting for the series.

====

Lake Side Amusement Park: An amusement park built on the outskirts of town.
The park is adjacent to the church.

Lake View Hotel: Before the second game took place, the hotel was completely
destroyed by a fire.

Silent Hill Historical Society: The Historical Society traces the history of
the town with paintings and photographs.

Brookhaven Hospital: A hospital that was built in response to the outbreak
of an epidemic that once swept the town.

Rosewater Park: A park on the water that looks out onto Toluca Lake. Stone
statues and monuments here communicate the town's history.

Observation Deck: The entirety of Toluca lake is visible from the viewing
platform. This is the starting point of the second game.

Residential Area: The area that became the opening scene of the first game
is the new town situated on the north side of the lake. Among other things,
the church and elementary school are found here.

Business District: The business district across the bridge is the location
of a shopping center and hospital, among other things. It is busier than the
south side of the lake.

Resort Area: Located south of the residential area is the resort town.
The amusement park can be reached by advancing west on the main road.

====================
Characters Relation Map
====================

A diagram of the interrelations of the series' characters centered around
Alessa, who is repeatedly reincarnated. A deeper understanding is likely
to be reached from summarizing the relationship to the religious
organization.

====

Cybil--->Harry: Support in his search for Cheryl
Harry---Cheryl: Child that was found and adopted
Harry---Heather: Child that was born anew, picked up and raised
Douglas--->Heather: Support for her revenge
Vincent--->Heather: Support in stopping Claudia
Claudia--->Douglas: Commissions him to search for Heather
Claudia--->Heather: Seeks her to bring about the rebirth of paradise
Leonard--->Claudia: Abused her when she was a child
Heather--->Claudia: Revenge
Cheryl+Alessa---Heather: Restored to one body and reborn
Alessa---Cheryl: Divided into two due to resistance to the technique
used to bring about the descent of God
Lisa--->Alessa: Responsible for nursing her during her hospitalization
Kaufmann--->Lisa: Gives her drugs and oversees Alessa's nursing
Kaufmann<--->Dahlia: Alliance centered around drugs
Dahlia--->Alessa: Performs the technique used to bring about the descent
of God and impregnates her with the deity
James<--->Angela: Meet in Silent Hill
James--->Eddie: Murder
James--->Mary: Murders her due to the burden of nursing her
James--->Maria: Projection of his delusion
Maria<--->Mary: Closely resemble each other
Ernest Baldwin--->Maria: Asks her to search for items for a ritual
Laura<--->Eddie: Meet on the way to Silent Hill
Laura<--->Mary: Meet during hospitalization

Parent and child relationships: Harry and Cheryl, Harry and Heather,
Dahlia and Alessa, Leonard and Claudia

Husband and wife: James and Mary

Transmigration of souls: Heather, Cheryl and Alessa

Characters connected to the religious organization: Dahlia, Claudia,
Vincent, Leonard

Silent Hill residents: Lisa, Kaufmann, Dahlia, Alessa, Claudia, Vincent,
Leonard

===========================
Silent Hill Character Commentary
===========================

The story from which the horror originates. Let's take another look at
the significance given to the characters that appear in the game.

====

name: Harrold "Harry" Mason
age: 32
sex: m
job: writer

profile: A writer who lost his wife four years ago and currently lives
with his daughter. He takes Cheryl to Silent Hill in order to spend a
long vacation with her. With the occurrence of a sudden car accident,
he finds himself involved in strange events.

creator's comment

When development first began on this project, because of his role as the
doting, dutiful father he was given the name "Humbert Mason," which was
referenced from the protagonist of Stanley Kubrick's film Lolita. However
since this is such an uncommon name, it was changed by the English staff.
The truth is that "Harry" was the nickname of the person who named the
character. I thought, "they're the same," but...

====

name: Cybil Benett
age: 28
sex: f
job: police officer

profile: A police officer from Brahms, a town adjacent to Silent Hill.
Due to a sudden interruption of correspondence, she comes to Silent
Hill to investigate.

creator's comment

Her last name comes from a real-life policewoman who was a murderer,
Lawrencia Bembenek. It was slightly amended to sound more general.
The first name is a reference to both the model Sybil Buck and the
action star Sybil Danning.

====

name: Cheryl Mason
age: 7
sex: f
job: elementary school student

profile: Although she is Harry's only daughter, the truth is that they
are not related by blood. It is because of her wishes that the two of
them travel to Silent Hill.

creator's comment

Originally we wanted to call her Dolores for the same reasons as Harry's
character, but this met with fierce opposition and was rejected. The
name originates from Sheryl Lee, but there is no particular significance.

====

name: Lisa Garland
age: 23
sex: f
job: nurse

profile: A nurse who worked at Alchemilla Hospital. She was charged
with nursing Alessa, who was kept alive even with her severe burns
by means of an incantation.

creator's comment

The name Lisa comes from an actress who plays a nurse and is a murderer
in the movie Sanguelia. Her last name is borrowed from Judy Garland,
who plays a character in The Wizard of Oz who has lost her way in a
dreamland.

====

name: Michael Kaufmann
age: 50
sex: m
job: doctor

profile: A doctor who works at Alchemilla Hospital. Like Harry, he
struggles to escape Silent Hill but the truth is that he is closely
connected to the disaster taking place in town.

creator's comment

His name is a combination of the names Lloyd Kaufman and Michael Herz,
two Troma Studios producers known for many B-movies such as The Toxic
Avenger. There isn't a particularly deep significance.

====

name: Alessa Gillespie
age: 14
sex: f
job: unknown

profile: A young girl who carries God inside her body as a result of
a ritual conducted seven years ago. Cheryl was separated when the
ritual took place, but in order for the two of them to return to a
single body once again she was called back to Silent Hill.

creator's comment

In the initial stages of development we used the name Asia, which is
taken from the daughter of the Italian film director Dario Argento.
However, because it's such an uncommon name, we decided to rename her.

====

name: Dahlia Gillespie
age: 46
sex: f
job: unknown

profile: A mysterious woman who is devoted to the occult. She
conducts a ritual to bring about the coming of God using Alessa, her
real daughter, inflicting extensive life-threatening burns upon her.
She is the person responsible for setting a series of events that take
place in Silent Hill into motion.

creator's comment

She is named after a former wife of film director Dario Argento.
Argento has made many horror movies including Suspiria, and is a
master of the genre.
=====================
Silent Hill 3 Story Preview
=====================

A strange opening that begins with the symbolic appearance of the legs of
two young girls. For the theme song, a vocal accompaniment was used for
the first time.

====

01 Valtiel turns the handle. Overhead, the legs of two young girls that
resemble those of Alessa and Cheryl are hanging.

02 Heather awakens from a bad dream in the hamburger shop. The interior
of the store is strangely enveloped in the red of the setting sun.

03 Valtiel clings to the ceiling in a long corridor. His head trembles
and vibrates oddly.

04 The church is the setting of the final stage of the game. Claudia
stands before the pulpit with her back turned.

05 In the confessional, Heather listens to an unknown voice that
expresses repentance. The owner of the voice committed a murder in order
to get revenge for the murder of her own child.

06 Douglas drives Heather to Silent Hill. In the car, secrets regarding
her birth are revealed.

07 Heather passes through the gates of the amusement park. In the main
part of the game, she experiences the same sense of dread from the
beginning of her nightmare all over again.

08 Heather and Claudia confront each other in the church. Alessa, who
exists inside Heather, regains her memories indicating that the birth of
God is near.

09 Heather sees a "closer" creature for the first time. It becomes
aware of her as she enters the room, and attacks her.

10 Vincent appears before Heather and gives her an enigmatic piece of
advice. When she first encounters him, his intentions are unknown.

11 Heather in the car on the way to Silent Hill. She holds her father's
notebook, which was found by Douglas.

12 The "split worm" creature attacks Heather. Its appearance resembles
that of the "split head" that appears in the first game.

13 An unmanned subway train enters the station at high speed. Heather
seems to be in imminent danger of being run over and killed by the train.

14 Valtiel drags Heather's body away after her strength has run out.
In certain locations, seeing this scene is the same as getting "game
over."

15 Heather sets foot in the otherworld for the first time in the
shopping mall's elevator.

16 A scene connected to 09. Heather, who has picked up a gun, takes
the life of another for the first time at this point in the game.

17 Douglas, who has collapsed due to his injury, aims his gun at
Heather's back as she walks away.

18 Valtiel's silhouette wriggles behind a giant ventilation fan.
He first discovers Heather's existence in the shopping mall.

19 On the revolving merry-go-round, countless strange shadows
reminiscent of burn marks crawl.

20 As in 01, Valtiel continues to turn the valve handle. What meaning
could his behavior hold?

21 When the vinyl bag filled with blood is offered to the altar in the
hospital, a huge hole appears in the room.

22 The bottom of the hole that becomes the scene of the final battle.
Here, Valtiel is present, continually watching Heather.

23 Heather stands motionless at the unmanned merry-go-round. Sensing
that someone is there, she turns her head...

24 The image of Heather looking over her shoulder is completely enveloped
in a shade of an orange that is quite like the color of flame.

=============================
Silent Hill 3 Character Commentary
=============================

Silent Hill 3 develops a rich story using a limited number of characters.
Let's look at a deconstruction of the transitions of their designs.

====

name: Heather (Cheryl Mason)
age: 17 (24)
sex: f
job: various part-time work

profile: An ordinary girl that could be found anywhere. She visits the
mall to go shopping and finds that she has set foot into a nightmarish
world.

creator's comment

Her name comes from Miss Heather Morris, who did Heather's voice and motion
in the game. At first we had chosen the name "Helen," but it was pointed
out that this name is old-fashioned and so it was changed.

rough sketch

IMAGE: two sketches detailing facial features
French actresses such as Charlotte Gainsbourg and Vanessa Paradis were the
models for these sketches.

IMAGE: Heather in three different outfits
The outfit designs include coloring. Many of these drafts were considered.

====

name: Douglas Cartland
age: late 50s
sex: m
job: private detective

profile: A middle-aged private detective who handles missing person and
personal conduct cases. He originally worked as a police detective but
retired ten years ago. On that occasion, he and his wife were divorced.

creator's comment

His name comes from a famous actor from the 1920s, Douglas Fairbanks.
Simply put, this name just seemed to suit him. There is no real connection
to his namesake.

rough sketch

IMAGE: two sketches detailing facial features
Actors such as Ian Holm and Giancarlo Giannini were the models for these
sketches.

IMAGE: an outfit sketch
It seems that his image as an unremarkable middle-aged detective was
solidified in the early stages of design.

====

name: Claudia Wolf
age: 29
sex: f
job: priestess in a religious organization

profile: A priestess who believes deeply in her religion. In order to
create paradise, she shadows Heather and attempts to cultivate the hatred
inside of her.

creator's comment

Her name comes from an Italian actress from the 1960s, Claudia Cardinale.
Originally we had named her "Christie," but it was pointed out that this
name is too "cute" and so we decided to change it.

rough sketch

IMAGE: a flowing dress that covers her head and arms
A draft featuring a long robe that trails along the ground.

IMAGE: a saintly figure with a halo
Of the four characters, her design was the most difficult. Dressing her
like a holy woman was considered as well.

IMAGE: no hair and tattoos
An early design in which she is a skinhead covered in tattoos. This
design was discarded.

IMAGE: three sketches detailing facial features
The model for these sketches was Hollywood actress Julianne Moore.

====

name: Vincent
age: 24~26
sex: m
job: priest in a religious organization

profile: A young priest who is at odds with Claudia and supports Heather
in order to thwart her plans. The prospect of putting himself in physical
danger scares him.

creator's comment

His name originates from Vincent Gallo, an actor known for films such as
Buffalo '66. The association is suggested by his unshaven look. He isn't
cool like his namesake, though.

rough sketch

IMAGE: Vincent in three different outfits
Although Vincent's clothes in the game are formal, casual outfits were
considered as well.

IMAGE: two sketches detailing facial features
Modeled after the actor Ethan Hawke. These sketches emphasize derangement
and moodiness.

==============
Alessa's History
==============

Silent Hill is a town where an ominous god is worshipped, and where those
who hold darkness in their hearts gather. This is a look back at half of
the lifetime of the young girl from whom it all originated.

====

around 20 years ago: one after the other, the staff at a development
group die accidental deaths

mysterious consecutive deaths

The staff of a company that was working on developing the town as a
sightseeing area died mysteriously one after the other. Because of the
extent of the the mystery surrounding the cause of these deaths, it was
rumored that there was some connection to the town's religion.

IMAGE: Lisa tells Harry about the string of deaths
It was thought that the mysterious deaths overlapped with the strange
faith from the town's past.

====

around 14 years ago: Alessa is born

Alessa had unique abilities since she was very young. In school they
called her a witch and tormented her by excluding her and scribbling
on her desk.

IMAGE: an ethereal image of Alessa huddled in a corner
In "nowhere" of the first game, we catch a glimpse of the pain that
characterized Alessa's childhood.

====

around 12 years ago: Claudia is born

Two years after Alessa, Claudia is born. The parents of the two girls
were of the same faith, and it seems that they were on extremely good
terms during their childhood.

IMAGE: Heather reminisces about playing cards with Claudia
In Alessa's room, memories of the two of them remain.

====

around 4 years ago: Harry suffers the death of his wife

====

around 7 years ago: Cheryl is born

Dahlia's ritual

A fire breaks out that burns down six houses in the business district.
It was arranged so that Alessa's dead body was found at the Gillespie
house, which was the origin of the fire. However, the cause of this
fire was a ritual that Dahlia conducted using her daughter Alessa in
order to bring about the coming of God.

IMAGE: blood cascades down Lisa's face
Lisa nursed Alessa, who was made to continue living by means of an
incantation.

IMAGE: the scene in the Aratron room
Kaufmann probably replaced the body.

====

(no time indicated)

drug circulation

After the fire in the business district, a drug known as "PTV"
becomes prevalent in town. First a criminal investigator and then
the mayor, who had redoubled efforts to impose control, met with
mysterious deaths one after the other.

IMAGE: Harry opens the safe
PTV was circulated among tourists and the town was corroded.

IMAGE: Dahlia and Kaufmann at the scene of the final battle
An unseen alliance existed between the hospital and the religious
organization.

====

0: Silent Hill

"Heather" is born

Alessa (14 years old at the time) suffered from the burns inflicted
upon her since the ritual that brought about the descent of God. In
order to escape Dahlia's control, she calls out to Cheryl, her other
self (7 years old at the time) to return. Due to the power of
Alessa's thoughts, the town is transfigured into the otherworld.

IMAGE: Harry awakens in the diner
In his attempt to rescue his daughter, Harry becomes involved in the
events that take place in Silent Hill.

IMAGE: Alessa's form enveloped in light
After the two girls became one, a new life was born.

====

5 years later: a murder case in Portland

After the events of Silent Hill, Harry took Cheryl (Heather) and moved
to Portland. However, her whereabouts were discovered by a cult member
who was searching for her.

IMAGE: Douglas' notebook
Apparently at this time Harry kills a perpetrator.

====

(no time indicated)

expansion of the religious organization

After Dahlia's death, there was a period of inactivity in the religious
organization. However, after around ten years had passed it became active
once more. The structure of the organization was adjusted and the number
of adherents rapidly increased. One young priest was behind this
renovation.

IMAGE: Vincent in the library
Vincent is the one whose efforts financed and implemented the structure
of the organization.

====

? years later: Silent Hill 2

the materialization of delusions

Starting with the first game, the power that the town holds has
intensified greatly. It has reached the point that those who hold darkness
in their hearts are called to gather, and each of their unconscious minds
is manifested.

IMAGE: James in the prison
Deep "holes" appear to those who hold darkness in their hearts.

====

around 17 years later: Silent Hill 3

a priestess behaves recklessly

Claudia, a priestess in the religious organization, discovers Heather, who
is the reincarnation of Alessa. In order to bring paradise to the world
she tries to resurrect the god that sleeps inside Heather.

IMAGE: Heather's encounter with Claudia in the shopping mall
Claudia attempts to nurture the god that sleeps inside of Heather with
hatred.

=====================
Silent Hill 2 Story Preview
=====================

An opening movie featuring many images and various speculative situations
that do not appear in the main part of the game. Spoken dialogue is added
once the game is cleared.

====

01 Maria speaks to James from the other side of the bars. For some
reason she seems to possess the memories of his wife, who is supposedly
dead, and yet...

02 James and Maria hold a conversation through the bars. James is
confused by the fact that Maria has Mary's memories.

03 Light streams in through the window of the vacant sickroom. It appears
to be the same as Mary's sickroom, which is seen in the endings.

04 Countless objects are sucked into a "hole" at tremendous speed. This
image does not appear in the main part of the game.

05 A strange creature lurks in the innermost darkness. It is analogous
to an image symbolizing what lies hidden in the depths of peoples' hearts.

06 A light shines into the vacant private room, as if searching for
something. Could the shadows of bars indicate that this is a prison cell?

07 James stares at his reflection in the mirror in the observation deck's
restroom. This is the scene that leads into the story.

08 When Mary visited Silent Hill with James three years ago, James made a
video tape recording.

09 James wanders through a place that resembles a prison holding a woman
in his arms. Could this scene which doesn't appear in the main part of the
game be an image from James' mind?

10 As in 08, an image from the recording that was made three years ago.
Mary likes the location of Silent Hill very much.

11 Maria meets James again in the hospital's otherworld. She becomes
angry at being mistaken for Mary and vehemently presses James to explain
himself.

12 James encounters Angela for the first time in the cemetery. She stares
suspiciously at James, who is using the trail to pass though to the town.

13 As the light is suddenly directed onto him in the underground
prison, Eddie loses his cool. His agitated expression betrays his
consciousness of his crime.

14 James meets Laura again on the way to the park. She clearly harbors
some animosity towards him.

15 Lying in front of a mirror, Angela gazes with vacant eyes at the
kitchen knife that she holds in her hand. She entrusts James with the
knife before she leaves.

16 Eddie puts the gun muzzle to his temple. Like 13, this is the scene
in which he encounters James in the prison.

17 Laura gives Eddie a kick while he sits on the street. This scene
indicates that the two of them met by chance on the way to Silent Hill.

18 Maria speaks to James from the other side of the bars. Like 01, this
is an image from the scene in which she meets James again in a passageway
in the labyrinth.

19 In contrast with 04, this time a large quantity of something is
ejected out of a hole. The objects seem to resemble mannequins and body
parts.

20 A close-up of a "mouth" that writhes bizarrely. It is a being that
portends of Mary, the "flesh lip."

21 Eddie vomits into the toilet. He appeals to James to believe that he
hasn't killed anyone.

22 Maria lies sprawled on the stage at Heaven's Night. Although this
image doesn't appear in the main part of the game, she possesses a key
to this establishment.

23 Laura visits Mary's room. She enters tentatively while assessing the
situation. Who could be there that she has set her eyes upon?

24 Reaching through the gap in the bars, Maria touches James' cheek and
says, "See? I'm real."

=====================
Silent Hill Ending Analysis
=====================
(ending titles and image captions)

The first game has four conclusions that play out depending on the
protagonist's actions. Let's reaffirm their respective differences.

====

Good

The orthodox ending, which is connected to the third game

IMAGE: after the battle
After incubus is defeated, the woman appears once again. She presents
Harry with a baby.

IMAGE: Harry holds the baby
Harry escapes the town. In once again raising a child found in
Silent Hill...

====

Bad

It was all a delusion? The incident ended with the crash

IMAGE: Harry mourns the loss of his daughter
Suffering from the knowledge that his daughter may have been taken
away from him, Harry involuntarily collapses.

IMAGE: the scene of the crash
The final scene depicts Harry's form with blood streaming from his head.
He already seems to be unconscious.

====

Good+

An ending that has a hidden aspect of changing the opening image?

IMAGE: Cybil trains her gun on Dahlia
Cybil is one step ahead of Harry and finds her way to Dahlia before
he does. However, her handgun is useless because of Alessa, who has
regained her powers.

IMAGE: Harry holds the baby
When the woman presents Harry with the newly born baby, she shows him
which way to go in order to escape.

IMAGE: escaping after the battle
Alessa uses the last of her power to stop the falling sparks. Harry
and Cybil escape to safety.

====

Bad+

Cybil rescues Harry, who is crushed by despair

IMAGE: Alessa's transformation
The bullet that Cybil fires is repelled and Alessa, who has returned
to a single being, attacks Harry as incubator.

IMAGE: after the battle
Facing Harry, incubator expresses her gratitude. Her voice is
unmistakably that of his daughter.

IMAGE: Cybil attempts to motivate Harry
Cybil roughly forces Harry to snap out of it as he has crumbled from
the pain of the loss of his daughter.

=======================
Silent Hill 2 Ending Analysis
=======================
(ending titles and image captions)

In water

He came to this town to take his own life in a place of memories

IMAGE: the scene in the sickroom
James lifts Mary's lifeless body in his arms and leaves the sickroom. His
destination is...

IMAGE: Mary's letter
After the violent sound of brakes, a view from beneath the surface of the
water fades in. Finally, the screen fades to total darkness.

====

Leave

He leaves this town as a man who has accepted reality

IMAGE: at Mary's bedside
As James expresses his anguish, his wife lies on the bed and imparts her
final words to him.

IMAGE: in the cemetery
James makes his way through the cemetery where he met Angela and leaves the
town with Laura.

====

Maria

A man who has murdered his wife a second time continues to live immersed
in a delusion

IMAGE: Mary on the rooftop
In the case of this ending only, not Maria but Mary waits on the rooftop
of the hotel. She vehemently blames James for killing her.

IMAGE: James and Maria
James makes the decision to continue to depend on Maria, the product of
his delusion.

IMAGE: the observation deck
Leaving the town from the observation deck that is the starting point of
the story. Could this suggest that nothing has been resolved at all?

====

Rebirth

To resurrect his wife, he carries out a forbidden ritual

IMAGE: James listens to the recording in the reading room
The four special items all have to do with Silent Hill's long-standing
religious tradition. This reveals a point of contact with the preceding
work.

IMAGE: James and Maria on the rooftop
In order to escape, James rejects even the illusions that he himself has
created. That unadulterated emotion is...

IMAGE: James rows out onto the lake
Finally, James is driven to carry out the forbidden ritual that can bring
the dead back to life.

==================================
Silent Hill 3 Ending & Theme Song Analysis
==================================

A review of the ending along with a look at the significance entrusted to
the theme and insert songs.

====

Ending Analysis

After God was dead, what was it that she saw?

summary: After Heather has defeated the monster, all of her stress and
tension seems to loosen at once and she breaks down crying while calling
out for her father. However, immediately afterwards she senses that someone
is there and looks back over her shoulder. After this, Heather returns to
where she left Douglas and cheerfully discusses how her assumed name is no
longer necessary.

IMAGE: after the battle
Heather kicks the monster in the head and puts the church behind her. Valtiel
is already nowhere to be seen.

====

opening theme: You're Not Here

The opening theme is sung about the feelings involved with the loss of an
important person. These feelings of loss become an important factor in what
drives the heroine in the latter half of the game.

insert song: Letter - From Past Days

This insert song is the background music for the scene in the car driving to
Silent Hill. In a voice expressing pain, it is sung about hope for the future.

insert song: I Want Love

This is the insert song for the scene in which Heather and Douglas meet again.
The two of them are in the mutual situation of having lost a family member,
which overlaps with the world of the lyrics. The song emphasizes sorrowfulness.

ending theme: Hometown

The memorable lyrics of the ending theme seem to be about the story of Silent
Hill being told in a town somewhere far away.

====

footnote: The lyrics in Silent Hill 3 were made to fit the songs from the
original Japanese verses and produced with the English translation. The
Japanese is written strictly in poetic verse, and the English translation
isn't exact in quite a few sections because it was fitted to the music and
converted to English.

====================
Silent Hill Story Preview
====================

Not being limited to simple character introductions, the opening depicts
events that take place prior to the start of the game. After the "Good+"
ending, the image in one section of the opening is altered.

====

01 A photograph of Alessa is projected following the words, "The fear
of blood tends to create fear for the flesh."

02 Harry stands with his wife holding a baby in his arms. Although
it doesn't appear in the main part of the game, this image is probably
from the moment when Cheryl was found.

03 Cheryl stands amidst the fog. Harry comes to wander about the town
of Silent Hill in his attempt to find her.

04 Harry awakens on the sofa in the cafe. He was dreaming that he was
pursuing Cheryl and had lost his way in the otherworld.

05 The nurse Lisa crawls out from under the desk where she was hiding.
This image is from the scene in which she runs into Harry for the first
time in the hospital.

06 Dahlia turns around as she becomes aware that Harry has entered the
church. Behind her is an image of Christ on the cross.

07 Only for an instant, a vision of Alessa appears in the boiler room
in the basement of the elementary school. She looks older than she does
in the photograph in 01.

08 Imploring him to help her, Lisa clings to Harry. She appears before
him whenever the world is transfigured into the otherworld.

09 Having killed a creature with his gun, Kaufmann feebly sits in a
chair. This image is from the scene in which he encounters Harry for
the first time in the hospital's examination room.

10 Cybil walks up with a mysterious smile. When she encounters Harry
in the cafe, she is not yet aware of the seriousness of the situation.

11 A single car drives up a deserted county road. Riding in the car
are Harry and Cheryl, who are going to Silent Hill for their vacation.

12 Nodding off in the passenger seat, Cheryl holds the sketchbook that
Harry gave to her. Later, this sketchbook is found in the otherside
alleyway.

13 A woman whose skin is inflamed as a result of burns and is wrapped
in bandages which cover her whole body. This is the only image seen
of Alessa suffering in her sickbed.

14 After getting confirmation over her wireless, Cybil leaves the room
in a haste. This is a depiction of the sequence of events prior to her
arrival in Silent Hill.

15 Drawing near to Kaufmann, Lisa quarrels in a vehement tone. The fact
that the matter of Alessa's nursing is at hand indicates the subject of
their dispute.

16 Lisa laughs as if possessed by something. Could this be the state
induced by the drug administered to her by Kaufmann?

17 Driving alongside Harry's car, Cybil uses her fingers to signal
something to him. She passes Harry and continues to drive on head.

18 Immediately afterwards, for unknown reasons Cybil's bike is rolled over
on its side. His attention attracted by the bike, Harry is unaware
of the imminent danger he is in.

19 A close-up of Dahlia looking back in bewilderment as she becomes aware
of someone's presence. This is yet another image that doesn't appear in
the main part of the game.

20 A single house surrounded by disused telephone poles and a pool of
water. Could this be Dahlia's house where Alessa was burned in the fire?

21 Harry hurriedly turns the wheel as he realizes that someone has
appeared suddenly in front of the car.

22 In front of the car is a young girl with the same appearance as in 07.
Could the female figure that Harry saw really have been Alessa?

23 Upon attaining the "Good+" ending, the image in 02 is altered. Cybil
replaces Harry's wife.

III: The Empress

Alessa

The suffering of a young girl who is unable to die as a result of being
impregnated with God

Alessa attempts to release Heather from the suffering that God would surely
cause her. Ever since she was born, the original Alessa had unique abilities.
The direct cause of her undying state is the seed of God that was implanted
within her by means of a ritual that Dahlia conducted in order to bring about
God's descent. Heather, who is Alessa's reincarnation, is finally drawn to
the town of Silent Hill when her body has matured enough for her to take on
the role of the mother.

IMAGE: Heather addresses Claudia in the church
It becomes clear that Claudia and the original Alessa were childhood friends.

IMAGE: Heather reads the memo at the carousel
Heather regains Alessa's memories, but the will that dictates her actions
still differs from hers.

Creator's Commentary: Alessa, who lies dormant inside Heather, makes
appearances in various places as her memories are revived. Although Alessa's
behavior differs depending on the place, the reason for this is in accordance
with what's written in the occult magazine that was dropped in the subway
station. The principle behind her behavior is that she desires to escape
from suffering. It will become easier to understand if I say "to die."

-Hiroyuki Owaku

SECTION TWO: From "Silent Hill:" In order to escape from her suffering,
she attempts to r