Don’t you just hate it when your door gets locked from the inside, causing you to live out your days in a parallel world inside your apartment, haunted by ghosts? I certainly do, and in Silent Hill 4: The Room I’m sure Henry Townshend isn’t a fan of it either. Overlooked by many but capable of turning fans into fanatics, the fourth entry in the series contains some of the best moments in any of the Silent Hill games, especially its tense, terrifying opening.
Released back in 2004, Silent Hill 4: The Room was introduced to the world with a divisive reaction. Unlike any of the other horror games in the series, moving away from some of the themes seen in the earlier titles and even daring to take place partly outside Silent Hill itself, it nevertheless earned a reputation as a cult classic. With an updated version released on GOG in 2020, it remains one of the most underrated yet enduring entries in the series.
Director Nick Merola definitely agrees, hence why he has meticulously recreated the game’s opening cinematic in a live action short film. The five minute long movie follows Henry Townshend, here played by actor Brian Dole, as he discovers that he’s trapped inside his apartment with the world carrying on as normal outside. Nearly every aspect of the intro is recreated, from the thick chains holding the door closed and the pale cream phone, to the contents of Henry’s nearly empty refrigerator.
In addition, this short movie contains a plea from the creator aimed at Silent Hill’s series director. In 2022 Motio Okomoto stated that he would welcome Silent Hill pitches from fans, promising to look through every one of them. “I have completed scripts and a comprehensive series bible, outlining a 10-episode journey through the depths of Silent Hill,” Merola says at the end of the short film. “It would be a profound honor to personally present this project to you.”
Whether or not this live action recreation heralds the start of a process which will end in a Silent Hill 4 TV series, following in the wake of the success of Fallout, depends on a variety of factors. With the Silent Hill series currently undergoing a revival including an upcoming remake of Silent Hill 2 and a new movie in the works, it’s impossible to say just how far this plea may travel.
If you’d like to check out more games in this vein, our guide to the top survival games will have you living your best, tensest life. You can also get a taste of times gone by with our best classic games guide.
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