I am not into horror games.... but PT was a special case. And if it was released I could have easily seen myself play that game to conclusion. Brilliant write up OP!
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Examining P.T. [Silent Hills]: Plot Analysis, Gender Norms, and Media Hysteria
- Thread starter Finale Fireworker
- Start date
Well done OP.
In my opinion, P.T. will be remembered as one of the most remarkable, brow-raising events in gaming history. Everything about it, both intrinsically and extrinsically, was iconoclastic and it's easily one of the most memorable experiences I've had. Everything from the release of it, right after its own announcement, to the slow drip of info as people made their way through the game to the uncovering of the Silent Hills trailer was incredible.
While I no doubt would have loved to have seen Silent Hills, having it be cancelled actually cements P.T.'s legacy as being a phenomenon.
In my opinion, P.T. will be remembered as one of the most remarkable, brow-raising events in gaming history. Everything about it, both intrinsically and extrinsically, was iconoclastic and it's easily one of the most memorable experiences I've had. Everything from the release of it, right after its own announcement, to the slow drip of info as people made their way through the game to the uncovering of the Silent Hills trailer was incredible.
While I no doubt would have loved to have seen Silent Hills, having it be cancelled actually cements P.T.'s legacy as being a phenomenon.
I'm also looking forward to death stranding, but I have to admit pt/silent hills was more interesting...
Thanks for the write up OP! I really enjoyed the read and I wish we got to see the game explore more of these themes.
I'm willing to bet a lot it was Del Toro, honestly. Shame this will never happen.
"Fatherhood as immortality" is also a theme in Pan's Labyrinth, made by the other PT collaborator, Guillermo del Toro. In Pan's Labyrinth, the fascist Captain Vidal is obsessed with having a son because he wants to secure a legacy (and thus "immortality") by passing on his name. There's even the scene where Vidal rehearses his death in the shaving mirror, running the blade against his reflection's throat. Vidal is the ultimate example of masculinity gone awry.
Man, this opened up a wound I was for sure had healed. What could have been...
Let's hope one day Konami and Kojima bury the hatchet and reopen this file. Also, every time I see a Death Stranding trailer I feel Kojima took a lot of what he wanted to do in Silent Hills and is using it for that game. Just feels like they're connected spiritually.
Let's hope one day Konami and Kojima bury the hatchet and reopen this file. Also, every time I see a Death Stranding trailer I feel Kojima took a lot of what he wanted to do in Silent Hills and is using it for that game. Just feels like they're connected spiritually.
This didn't just reopen the wound, this was a visceral attack.
Man, I really wanted to see this horror world realized. Maybe we'll get lucky and Bridges has something to do with the alternate realities of Silent Hill.
Man, I really wanted to see this horror world realized. Maybe we'll get lucky and Bridges has something to do with the alternate realities of Silent Hill.
Lisa is such a fantastic monster. There's that bit that sometimes occurs in the foyer where something crashes down (a window? a chandelier? can't remember), and holy shit it's scary, but the best part is looking up and seeing her twitching on the second floor... I'm also quite fond of her appearance outside the window in the pouring rain. To my knowledge, you can safely observe her when she does that, but it's deeply unsettling, lol.
By the way, I love how it's raining outside. It adds so much atmosphere.
By the way, I love how it's raining outside. It adds so much atmosphere.
I don't have anything insightful to add, but I enjoyed reading this thread like I have with all your others. I think this may be my favorite just because I didn't play P.T. enough to think about the themes as I did with Luigi's Mansion, not that I had thought about Luigi's Mansion to that extent before.
Don't have much to add to this, just want to reiterate that your threads are always a joy to read and I really appreciate the amount of work you put into them.
It's crazy how KojiPro made one of the best horror games of all time..and it was all just a teaser experience for Silent Hills.
Death Standing looks cool and all, but it doesn't have the same wow factor (yet).
Death Standing looks cool and all, but it doesn't have the same wow factor (yet).
Honestly surprised nobody thought to link this video. It goes pretty in-depth no reading required and the channel itself has fantastically made videos on specifically PT. They were a one hit wonder and pretty much never made any other videos yet they were so good and cover everything.
My favorite moment in PT. I swear I jumped right out of my couch lol
Wow what a read, appreciate your effort OP in creating this thread. I am still hurt and so disappointed that we didn't see this project come to life as a full fledged game.
Fantastic analysis OP. It fits very well and it's amazing how much one can get out of this demo. This is an amazing accomplishment from Kojima and Del Toro and I'll always find it sad that the whole story won't be told. I do think this would have been the entire theme of the game and the voice at the end is the fetus from the sink. I think the fetus/son was pretty much gonna be the one terrorizing the main character throughout the main game. This means Norman Reedus was gonna play a villain basically, which is an interesting casting choice to go with, and I wonder if this is something that is transferred over to Death Stranding thematically.
Based on this I would have to agree although Death Stranding has my interest too.
Fantastic thread. I never knew much about P.T. as I never played it, but your analysis was a great read (regardless of how much of it is true or intended by the authors - again, I didn't play it, so I wouldn't know). Looks like Death Stranding might keep a lot of the themes involved in P.T., it definitely retains the authors and actor(s?), so there's hope some of it will still materialize one way or another. And while P.T. was just a teaser, it looks like it had its influence in a lot of the great horrors of this decade like Layers Of Fear, Outlast 2 and Resident Evil 7. Not many games that never were can claim to have inspired so many greats.
OP
OP
This burns me. It's probably the most influential horror game of the generation and we're supposed to pretend it doesn't exist. It's inventive and experimental and valuable and Konami wants to erase it from history. That's profoundly offensive to the medium. I know there are some workarounds to redownload it but that fact nobody new can experience the game is just… fucked up. It's hard to be eloquent about it because it's such a bruising gesture of corporate cruelty. One of the reasons I wanted to write about P.T. is because its continued legacy is going to rely on testimonials from its fans. It is kept alive only by our affection for it. It is very likely we'll never see it again unless we find a way to emulate it on another machine.
A headline I hope to see in my lifetime is that P.T. has been fully restored on PC. But that won't happen if we can't keep interest up.
I was really looking forward to Allison Road in the immediate wake of Silent Hills' cancellation, but then Allison Road never materialized either. It's too bad because, if nothing else, they really nailed the aesthetic. I enjoyed the Resident Evil 7 demo, but I really hated that the puzzle wasn't solvable from the beginning. That's something I hope people never do again. The puzzle should be finished from the outset so people can actually work together to solve it – not released in tiers.
But P.T.'s influence means we will see more games following in its footsteps. Maybe not every step, but it's a meaningful entry into the canon and it inspired a lot of developers. I am sure horror visionaries will continue to return to P.T.
I'm at work now but I'm eager to watch both of these. My post was originally 32 pages long, then I cut it down to 20, then I cut it down to 14. There's enough content that somebody could easily write a book on the game so I'm extremely interested in other academic explanations of the work. I'll come back and post again when I've had a chance to watch them and might update the OP.
Death Stranding will probably incorporate some of Kojima's ideas about fatherhood, upbringing, and identity based on what we've seen in the trailers. I don't think we'll get the same sort of story that Silent Hills was working towards, but we'll probably see some similar ideas explored. Who knows how interesting they will be, or if they'll be as thoughtfully executed, but this has always been part of his games. I think Kojima really values his own work. I definitely get the impression he views his creations as a part of his identity and wants to portray that POV in his projects.
Thank you very much for this, and everyone else who said something similar. I won't quote them all because it's self-indulgent but positive feedback motivates me to make more threads like this. I do it because I really like to do it, but it means a lot that other people like it too.
Great read. Thanks for taking trouble to keep this work sustainable and in people's minds against KONAMI's will.
Not necessarily. Today I stumbled across the news that PS4 firmware 4.05 has been jailbroken and some people have even got PT working on it (this on PS4's that previously didn't have it installed and not available for download).
I recently played through Layers of Fear and while it had a few "scary" moments, they were mostly just jump scares, and the level design was simply walking (limping) from room to room, fully anticipating the next jump scare.
PT actually captures a feeling of pure dread that is really only also found in (the full) Beginning Hour RE7. There's something about its fail states and freedom to explore that allows the player to really become attached to the POV in a way that Layers of Fear's linear narrative never accomplished.
I can see why it got some praise and where it got some of its influences, but to say it's a "great horror of this decade" says more about this decade than it does about its horror.
Read the thread, loved the thread, love you OP.
That said, I feel like you just opened up the wound for me again. That deep, deep wound.
I believe with every fiber of my being that Silent Hills would have been one of the greatest games ever made and certainly the best horror game. The sheer creativity and inventiveness shown in that hour slice far surpassed anything else in the medium and I have no doubt that Kojima would have created an absolute rollercoaster of an experience the likes of which the industry never could have prepared for or stepped out of the shadow of afterwards.
I'm fortunate enough to work in a creative industry and there's the age-old saying "when you know, you know." From the second reactions started pouring in from the reveal thread on the old site, I knew there was something special. Walking through that hallway and seeing the fridge hanging from the ceiling is still one of the most puzzling and frightening experiences I've ever had in my life, gaming or otherwise. Nothing could ever replicate that for me and the eventual reveal of the true nature of the game was completely mind blowing as a Silent Hill fan. There was limitless potential there and all we had was a short teaser trailer, some datamined assets and a small proof of concept demo.
Maybe I've learned to accept the fallout between Kojima and Konami. Maybe I've learned to accept the games cancellation. What I will never accept is the deletion of the demo and subsequent attitude of Konami and their attempts to seemingly bury the games existence. If there was never going to be a Silent Hills, the least we could have been left with was P.T. and they took that from us too. That's an unforgivable and unforgettable offense for me.
Thank you for dedicating your time to building a thread that serves as a memorial of something that so many people, including and especially me, have a special spot in our hearts for. It truly is an experience that will only live on through testimonial and memory and if that is how it survives, I'll always do my part to keep it alive.
That said, I feel like you just opened up the wound for me again. That deep, deep wound.
I believe with every fiber of my being that Silent Hills would have been one of the greatest games ever made and certainly the best horror game. The sheer creativity and inventiveness shown in that hour slice far surpassed anything else in the medium and I have no doubt that Kojima would have created an absolute rollercoaster of an experience the likes of which the industry never could have prepared for or stepped out of the shadow of afterwards.
I'm fortunate enough to work in a creative industry and there's the age-old saying "when you know, you know." From the second reactions started pouring in from the reveal thread on the old site, I knew there was something special. Walking through that hallway and seeing the fridge hanging from the ceiling is still one of the most puzzling and frightening experiences I've ever had in my life, gaming or otherwise. Nothing could ever replicate that for me and the eventual reveal of the true nature of the game was completely mind blowing as a Silent Hill fan. There was limitless potential there and all we had was a short teaser trailer, some datamined assets and a small proof of concept demo.
Maybe I've learned to accept the fallout between Kojima and Konami. Maybe I've learned to accept the games cancellation. What I will never accept is the deletion of the demo and subsequent attitude of Konami and their attempts to seemingly bury the games existence. If there was never going to be a Silent Hills, the least we could have been left with was P.T. and they took that from us too. That's an unforgivable and unforgettable offense for me.
Thank you for dedicating your time to building a thread that serves as a memorial of something that so many people, including and especially me, have a special spot in our hearts for. It truly is an experience that will only live on through testimonial and memory and if that is how it survives, I'll always do my part to keep it alive.
To each their own, but I wasn't in for Layers Of Fear for its scares, I think the story it narrated with its constantly changing "tricky" world, the photos and diaries that changed, etc. really created a creepy and disturbing story, even if the game itself was indeed mostly limping through stuff, solving micro-puzzles in the process. And reading some of P.T.'s themes, it seems that LoF has more than one element in common with it. But yeah, overall maybe LoF is more of a thriller in that sense, because it isn't really scary, it's disturbing.
I'd mostly agree with you then, although my personal hang-ups with its story are that it becomes abundantly clear where it's headed almost immediately, and the later stuff is more weird than disturbing. When it had a whole chapter focusing on dolls (which is a very specific and lame phobia), I was totally ready for it to be over with.
The voice acting was also uh... really amateurish. The closest I can compare it to is the voice acting from I Have No Mouth And I Must Scream.
OP
OP
That's excellent news. I hope the game becomes more and more accessible as time goes on.
Thank you for such a thoughtful post. I feel the same way as you about a lot of this. When you first start P.T. and get a view down the hallway from the door frame, I think you already feel the fear. The hard angle of the hallway, which puts you at a disadvantage of visibility no matter where you're standing, means you have to always be afraid of what you can't see. The construction of the space, and how it feels constantly navigate such a familiar area that still constantly surprises you, is such great set design.
People who spent too long playing the game definitely became immune to the hallway and its scares. That happened to me as I tried feverishly to advance the puzzle. Trying to crack the code meant was like turning the lights on in a dark room. You can see too much - so it's not scary anymore.
But I will absolutely never forget how it felt when I first started playing it. Those are the feelings I retain. Not the 200th pass through the hallway looking for scraps of paper.
I don't hate Konami for ditching Kojima. This happens. It was tough and ugly but it's the way of the industry. But I do not give them a pass for what they've done with P.T. It should be preserved for posterity and cultural relevance. It doesn't matter that it was just "marketing" for a canceled game. It's a unique work. I can't overlook this kind of negligence even if it makes sense from a business perspective not to "advertise" a canceled game.
Never did a demo generate such mass obsession. Good analysis but we barely scratched the surface and we will never know the full extent of the explanations. Kojima is making games only himself can solve.
You know the demo has been datamined and there is even more intriguing hidden stuff.
You know the demo has been datamined and there is even more intriguing hidden stuff.
I've actually wondered this since it came out, if it's possible to have a "full length" game be completely escape-the-room.
Would the game need to have all loading screens cleverly hidden to be seamless? How would the player know if they're making progress with PT's minimalist menus and no chapter indicators?
Would adding an in-game journal detract from the more fun real-life notetaking players were doing? How much real-life detective work would be needed to progress in the game world?
Would allowing the player to backtrack to a location where they've more or less "solved" be good or bad for its claustrophobic design?
Would allowing the player to "leave behind" previous areas as if they've triumphed diminish some of the dread?
Could you ever introduce weapons without killing tension? What threshold of time spent exploring keeps it from being a "walking simulator"?
A part of me wants to believe that PT is successful because it is so finite and so dense. I have a really hard time imagining anyone, even Kojima, having enough self control to maintain that for an extended period of time.
Speaking of immunity to the scares, it reached a point in the final loop where, on my 100th time through trying to solve it (that number is not even an exaggeration), my friend and I heard the creepy moaning and decided, "Screw it, let's go find Lisa." And we finally did — she was standing at the end of the hallway staring at us. This time, rather than retreating, we just ran at her... and she disappeared. We laughed, and ended up doing this each time she appeared...
...until the time she -didn't- disappear, and instead flew at us and killed us. THAT scared the fucking shit out of us.
...until the time she -didn't- disappear, and instead flew at us and killed us. THAT scared the fucking shit out of us.
Amazing thread!
Kojima Production added so much love to this demo. Even the goddamn radio has more personality than some other titles.
I am NOT deleting this in my OG PS4. Need to find a way to transfer juat P.T. to my PS4 Pro.
Kojima Production added so much love to this demo. Even the goddamn radio has more personality than some other titles.
I am NOT deleting this in my OG PS4. Need to find a way to transfer juat P.T. to my PS4 Pro.
Finale Fireworker Amazing analysis and write up. Good work. Now my heart hurts again since ill never get another SH on the level of SH2.
This part in particular jumped out at me:
A few days ago I was riding in the car with my mom who is very religious. She always listens to Christian radio broadcasts and that night a talk show was on her preferred station. As we were driving the host made comments about how society's morals were deteriorating and used this message as a springboard into abortion talks. Naturally, he agreed with the pro life side of the debate and had someone else on the show who was pro choice. There was another person there who agreed with the host.
As the pro choice speaker would state his points the other two would scoff at the presented ideas and often interject with their own ideology. At the end of the session the host said that both sides of the debate need to be able to hear one another out and be receptive to each other's ideas. Insinuating that thats what they were doing(it wasn't), and that pro choice advocates do not.
Remember that he prefaced the session with the opinion that society's morals are deteriorating and this is a southern Christian radio channel.
Reading your above quote called this to my mind immediately and really illustrates the truth behind your analysis and the studies you presented. It's toxic masculinity, broadcast through radio and other forms of media, and sometimes shrouded in a veneer of religiosity.
This game needed to exist.
This part in particular jumped out at me:
A few days ago I was riding in the car with my mom who is very religious. She always listens to Christian radio broadcasts and that night a talk show was on her preferred station. As we were driving the host made comments about how society's morals were deteriorating and used this message as a springboard into abortion talks. Naturally, he agreed with the pro life side of the debate and had someone else on the show who was pro choice. There was another person there who agreed with the host.
As the pro choice speaker would state his points the other two would scoff at the presented ideas and often interject with their own ideology. At the end of the session the host said that both sides of the debate need to be able to hear one another out and be receptive to each other's ideas. Insinuating that thats what they were doing(it wasn't), and that pro choice advocates do not.
Remember that he prefaced the session with the opinion that society's morals are deteriorating and this is a southern Christian radio channel.
Reading your above quote called this to my mind immediately and really illustrates the truth behind your analysis and the studies you presented. It's toxic masculinity, broadcast through radio and other forms of media, and sometimes shrouded in a veneer of religiosity.
This game needed to exist.
Great read OP. This is the kind of discussion on games I'd love to see more of but am incapable of providing.
I honestly don't love, any Kojima game post the original Metal Gear Solid but I can appreciate he thinks in a level above most other creators. Or perhaps he is the only one with the agency to do it, I dunno.
I honestly don't love, any Kojima game post the original Metal Gear Solid but I can appreciate he thinks in a level above most other creators. Or perhaps he is the only one with the agency to do it, I dunno.
As a long-time admirer of del Toro, I think del Toro's huge stature was able to regulate some of Kojima's more excessive tendencies. After all, del Toro is the creator of the GOAT movie Pan's Labyrinth, and he's currently reaping awards for The Shape of Water. If Kojima will listen to anyone, he'll listen to del Toro.
On a side note, del Toro is seriously the nicest, sweetest, most gentle human being in Hollywood. He's like the film industry's Iwata. Everyone loves him.
During the first Hellboy and Pan's Labyrinth, he actually talked to fans directly on his own messageboards. We had some amazing in-depth discussions there. I recall he even invited everyone to the premiere of Hellboy (possibly on his own dime). I didn't go, but I remember he took the others out for Chinese afterward. He even got one guy a job in the industry after looking at his art portfolio.
Extremely generous and compassionate dude. Very down-to-earth and nonjudgmental. No ego, either — he has a very humble and self-deprecating sense of humor. Wears his heart on his sleeve, too, and really appreciates others who do the same.
...I, uh, really like del Toro.
On a side note, del Toro is seriously the nicest, sweetest, most gentle human being in Hollywood. He's like the film industry's Iwata. Everyone loves him.
During the first Hellboy and Pan's Labyrinth, he actually talked to fans directly on his own messageboards. We had some amazing in-depth discussions there. I recall he even invited everyone to the premiere of Hellboy (possibly on his own dime). I didn't go, but I remember he took the others out for Chinese afterward. He even got one guy a job in the industry after looking at his art portfolio.
Extremely generous and compassionate dude. Very down-to-earth and nonjudgmental. No ego, either — he has a very humble and self-deprecating sense of humor. Wears his heart on his sleeve, too, and really appreciates others who do the same.
...I, uh, really like del Toro.
once my friends and I got used to Lisa's appearance, we were dicking around trying to solve the last puzzle and whenever we heard Lisa's music we'd turn and look for her. We were examining the shelf with all the pills on it and her music played. We turned to our left. Not there. We figured she must have spawned behind us, near the basement or in the bathroom. We turned around to see her and when the camera reached the window next to the shelf we all screamed, as she was standing outside the window banging her head against the glass.