The developers behind SILENT HILL f have revealed that the game went through a major creative shift during its early development. According to writer Ryukishi07 and producer Motoi Okamoto in a recent interview with Dengeki Online, the team originally planned to follow the series’ traditional approach but ultimately chose a different direction.

The initial concept for SILENT HILL f included a mysterious doomsday cult working behind the scenes, similar to what fans have seen in previous Silent Hill games. However, as development progressed, the team decided this wasn’t the right fit for a game set in Japan.

“One of our earliest ideas was to make a literal Silent Hill set in Japan, with a religious cult operating behind the curtains, just like in previous series entries,” Ryukishi07 explained. “However, when I was working out the initial idea with Mr. Okamoto, we came to the conclusion that, rather than just setting the game in Japan, we should write a story that can only be written in Japan.”

This led the team to build the story around Japanese mythology, specifically focusing on the Inari mythos and other legends specific to Japan. While this approach includes many elements that Japanese audiences would be familiar with, the developers weren’t worried about whether international players would understand the shift.

“Of course, we were certain that overseas fans of the Silent Hill series would be able to digest the mythology behind it – we expected and trusted them to understand it,” Ryukishi07 said.

Okamoto pointed out that this change reflects a fundamental difference in how religion works in Japan compared to the West. Previous Silent Hill games drew from Christian beliefs, which center on one God. SILENT HILL f,  on the other hand, embraces Japan’s polytheistic traditions, where multiple gods and spirits exist together.

“There’s probably a portion of people who have a solidified image of what kind of god is the God of Silent Hill, but remember, the Western and Eastern gods are different,” Okamoto noted. “Being created with the Eastern understanding of God(s) in mind, that might be one of the most distinct characteristics of f.”