7 things you may have missed in the Silent Hill Townfall trailer
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Just in time for Halloween, Konami has revealed its plans for the future of the Silent Hill franchise. At the Silent Hill Transmission showcase on October 19, the publisher revealed a number of Silent Hill projects in the works, including merchandise, movies, a long-rumored remake, and new games. Like an old Silent Hill fan, I was glued to my screen.
One project in particular caught my eye: Silent Hill Townfall. A spin-off game in the works at NoCode Studios, the teaser trailer for Townfall was gruesome, artistic, but also incredibly confusing. The footage and voiceover shown seemed almost cryptic in how they didn’t fit together.
What seemed like a normal CRTV pocket TV on some desk quickly became Konami’s psychological horror tool. From stills of hallways to gruesome and gory scenes, the small flickering screen moved quickly from image to static to show horrific sights. With just a one-way conversation overlaid on top for minimal context.
The trailer for Townfall was so abstract that NoCode’s creative director Jon McKellen told fans to go back and rewatch the trailer to see “what you may have missed”. Luckily, you don’t have to, as we’ve rounded up all the weird sights and fleeting footage you might have missed in the teaser trailer.
A map to nowhere
From what we can see on the table where the CRTV radio sits, there appears to be a red ordinance card. Whether this means we are in the cabin of a search and rescue officer, police officer or park ranger is unknown. However, the theme of a map was again referenced on the CRTV screen when it flashed a series of images that seemed to fit into one map that could reveal Townfall’s location.
Meat is weak
The words “flesh is weak” flashed on the small CRTV screen. While this was quick and hard to see due to the vague text, I think it will have a big impact on the direction of this Silent Hill story. Silent Hill games tend to play on the weakness and sins of the human psyche, so these few words confirm Townfall right in the middle of this franchise.
bloody bag
One of the more horrifying images in this trailer appeared to be a man holding the camera to face him, wearing some sort of mask or bloody bag over their heads. In a disturbing scene, the person appears to be filming themselves on purpose, what they have done or will do is yet to be shown.
shredded hand
The theme of blood is unmistakably present in Silent Hill Townfall. As the shooting progresses, the scenes turn into gore and violence – unsurprising for a Silent Hill game. This sequence is particularly disturbing because what at first looked like a dead man’s arm was quickly shot to life and grabbed or hugged the poor soul being captured. This hand looked like it had gone through a chipper, so whoever that hand belongs to must be looking grumpy.
Tidy
The bloodiest image on the CRTV was of a person wearing a bloodied full-body onesie — they must be fun at sleepovers. This recording was by far the fastest and shortest to appear on the CRTV; it was also the clearest of all the bloody images on display. But what this person does and who they are is another mystery to add to the growing list.
fire starter
The final image shown on the CRTV radio is much more interesting than it shows. In what appears to be a hallway leading to a boiler room, the image is fiery red – you can feel the heat it gives off. At first, this looks like a location that will be in play. But interestingly, the hue in the image perfectly matches the room the CRTV is in. This room has gradually changed from a default color to this fiery red in the trailer. Is that location important to the story, or is it perhaps the closest location to the CRTV radio?
Threats and Foreshadowings
The dialogue was the last element of the Silent Hill Townfall trailer that caught my eye. With all these obscure and secret images flashing on the screen, it’s easy to get distracted by the images. But the trailer ends with a bloodcurdling sentiment.
Throughout the trailer, we can hear an interrogator’s one-sided conversation before seeing a brief view of the person being interrogated in their final moments. The dialogue plays with the footage mentioned above, with the unidentified interrogator discussing why he and his subject were put in this situation, wondering if it’s something they deserve.
However, he ends with this sentiment: “But for you, I think you’re here for a different reason, and I don’t want to be around you…if you find out”. Do we play the character being interrogated, and if so, are we the real monster in Townfall? Again, I can’t say for sure, but themes of psychological horror and inner trauma are pillars of Silent Hill and so it wouldn’t be surprising to play as a monster.