Survival horror title Silent Hill f is well on its way to being my game of the year. I've even written about how I can't stop thinking about its story and creative approach to New Game Plus.
Someone else who might not have been able to stop thinking about Silent Hill f is Konatsu Kato, the actor who portrays protagonist Hinako Shimizu in the game.
In an interview with Japanese gaming outlet Famitsu, Kato talks about her time as Hinako and the mental toll it may have taken on her during Silent Hill f's development.
"I think the recording went smoothly at first," Kato told Famitsu. "However, as the recording progressed, the story branched out more and more. As we recorded various developments, I found myself thinking, 'It was the same scene just now, but the words and emotions are different... Huh... Where am I, what am I doing now, Hinako?'"
As an example, Kato brought up a scene that occurs late in the game (oh, spoiler warning for Silent Hill f, by the way!).
In the scene, Hinako comes face to face with another version of herself. The first time we encounter this scene, on the initial playthrough, we're not immediately sure if this is a hallucination on Hinako's part, or perhaps a past version of herself.
"I was Hinako, but the other person was also Hinako," said Kato in reference to the iconic scene, "and I got confused and lost track of who I was, both in character and in reality. At the time, there were times when I would burst into tears without even thinking about anything. As the time I spent facing her increased, my confusion also increased, and I remember there were days when I felt like I was going crazy."
Hinako seems to have left quite a profound impact on Kato, who praised the character's independent nature, while also sounding somewhat afraid of her. "I'm impressed that she has such diverse perspectives despite still being a high school student. But I hope she never appears before me. Just imagining meeting her makes me lose my mind."
Kato's closing comments, though, almost make the recording process sound a bit like a fever dream. "This may sound like a negative statement, but strangely enough, I don't really remember how I was involved in this project from the beginning to the end of its planning, or how I approached it," she said.
"The only thing I remember vividly is, as I mentioned earlier, not knowing where I was or who I was. Other than that, I can only recall fragmentary parts, such as the dubbing. What I've talked about today is something I've squeezed out from those fragmented memories..."
In my view, Kato's experience portraying Silent Hill f's lead character sounds pretty on brand for the series' many troubled protagonists. Her comments in this interview feel like they could just as easily be read in an in-game memo, or a note left behind by a character you never actually get to meet. It's almost eerie.
However, Kato's comments do a pretty excellent job of summing up why I personally rate Silent Hill f so highly. It's an incredible, unique take on the series' brand of painful, psychological horror. Hinako's journey is one I wouldn't wish on anyone, and I was constantly questioning what exactly was real.
Silent Hill f is one of the best horror games I've played in years, right up there with Alan Wake 2. And honestly, handing story duties over to Umineko creator Ryukishi07 turned out to be an unexpected stroke of genius.
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