I think you’re coming around to the idea that the developers had in regards to Silent Hill. It’s not so much about concrete plot points, but a setting that can play with reality. In Silent Hill, emotions can become concrete, and people can be born from ideas and feelings.

To be honest, when I started the interview, I wanted answers to concrete questions about the plot and characters, but now I put more value on the lack of answers. I think it’s very cool that two different people can play Shattered Memories and walk away with two different – but equally valid – ideas about the characters and story.

Also Kurosawa – maybe you should slap a bandaid on that business.

I can’t wait to see what you think of it when you get a chance to play more. I’m curious – what are your thoughts on the story so far?

But I hadn’t even thought of Silent Hill 2. The alternate idea presented here, where the town manifests a character’s turmoil and fears and thoughts and gives them life, is much more appealing to me. It feels like, at least, that whole six hours I spent playing the game wasn’t something insubstantial.

It also fits in better with the other games in the series – Silent Hill 1 was Alessa’s psyche manifested. Silent Hill 2 was mostly James’, but we got glimpses at the others. With 3, we’re back to Alessa, but also Heather, who is technically the same basic person. In 4 it was the projection of the serial killer. With Origins, I don’t think it’s as applicable, because that’s the story of how the town came to be the way it is, but there’s certainly still Alessa’s influence there. Homecoming is a bit shakier here, as much of the world itself still seems tailored to Alessa’s psyche. But Alex has a lot of the same themes going on with him as Alessa – the decay and violence of war (even if the war was only in his head), the nurses from the hospital, the “sibling” (A bit like Cheryl and Alessa)…

Obviously this game doesn’t fit into the same timeline, but that theme seems consistent across the games. This one just makes it the main aspect. The way I see it, we ARE playing something real – Harry interacts a bit with the outside world with some of the phone numbers, for example. But everything happening is an aspect of Cheryl’s mind being manifested by the town.