Silent Hill 2 is a game that leaves a lot for the player to interpret, thanks to its symbolism and complex lore. However, one popular fan theory has been swatted down by series artist Masahiro Ito, who seems to take particular umbrage with it.
The theory states that player character James Sunderland is not looking at himself in the mirror during the game’s iconic opening scene, but at you, the player. Such fourth-wall breaking wouldn’t be anything new for the Silent Hill franchise, but it apparently was not intended in SH2, at least according to Ito.
“So many people have asked me. But it’s a headcanon. James doesn’t look at the player,” Ito tweeted, along with an image of the scene. “…In the first place, why does he have to see the player who exists in out of the story? He is now there for looking for his wife. Consider the context of the story.”
The announcement of the long-rumored Silent Hill 2 remake reignited interest in this fan theory, along with several other Silent Hill projects. Those include Silent Hill F, which is being written by the author of the When They Cry visual novel series, and Silent Hill Townfall, which is being published by Annapurna.
While some fans might take this official denouncement hard, we encourage you to stick to your headcanon. After all, it’s not like the game is that clear about anything else.
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