Summary
The safe room has become somewhat of a staple of the survival horror genre, having been around since its inception. Just as their name implies, these small rooms will be completely protected from enemies, giving players a chance to catch their breath, organize their items, and top up their health before setting out to continue the harrowing adventure.Silent Hillhas its fair share of memorable safe rooms, but there’s a select few that fans have looked back most fondly on for their aesthetic, design, and the general vibe they give off, whether it be creepy, or serene and peaceful.
There have even been occasions where the developers will try to make the safe room itself feel uncomfortable and a little creepy to keep players on their guard, which also goes a long way in making it stand out. Here are theSilent Hillsafe rooms that have gone on to be considered iconic, along with a breakdown of why exactly so many people love them.
The safe room found in the central square is the very first one players will run into inSilent Hill 3, and though it may look a little basic on the surface, some interesting details relate to the game’s themes, andHeather as a character. The most obvious one is the mirrors Heather is forced to look into to actually go through with saving the game.
Body insecurity is one of the major themes explored inSilent Hill 3’s story, and there’s a much more vivid scene later on which also includes a mirror that provides a clear indication of how much this affects Heather herself. The bathroom stall setting is also a subtle reference to the very first opening scene inSilent Hill 2, and it’s one of the few places in the entire game that feels like it might be truly safe from the creatures who are constantly hounding Heather throughout her adventure.
The further players get intoSilent Hill 2’s story, the more the town itself seems to transform and change to reflect James' diminishing mental state. By the time he gets to the Nightmare Hotel, he’s on the cusp of acknowledging what he did to his wife, but the environment continues to play tricks on him and the player, as is the case with this safe room.
Not only is it incredibly claustrophobic due to the limited space, but rather than having a single red note, for some reason, there are nine of them all positioned in the shape of a square. Just like a lot of the smaller details in this game, the nine red squares are meaningful, although Masahiro Ito has been vague regarding their exact significance. It’s a simple yet effective way to create an eerie atmosphere right at the end of a long and arduous journey.
3Brookhaven Hospital (Silent Hill 2)
A Comforting Bastion Of Safety Before One Of The Spookiest Areas In The Game
The Brookhaven Hospital is the second major area James will visit inSilent Hill 2after leaving the apartment complex, but this time, he’s also got a companion along for the ride who goes by the name of Maria. Stepping into the hospital is already scary enough with the random screams and clanking that can be heard in the background, but there is at least one save point right around the corner where players can prepare for what’s up ahead.
There are a few reasons why this safe room has become so memorable for many people, but a big one is the fact it serves as a crucial resting point before players venture into the unknown. There’s no predicting what sorts of monstrosities are aimlessly wandering around the hospital, which emphasizes this particular room as being a “safe” spot. There’s also the fact that two characters get to occupy the room at the same time, creating a kind of awkward atmosphere that perfectly fits in with the tense relationship shared between James and Maria.
Near the end of the first game, Harry is transported to a mysterious world that is drastically different from the one he was just in, but one which also contains a lot of crucial details on Alessa, the little girl who is at the heart of the entire story. Arriving in the Otherworld is one of the scariest moments in the series, so this safe room does feel like a beacon of hope in a world that is full of horrors.
Additionally, there is also a bit of visual storytelling here with the examination tools that are spread out across the room. There are implications in the story that Alessa becomes the victim of horrific experiments due to being born withgod-like powers, which makes this room all the more disturbing, yet sort of comforting in the same way considering where it’s stationed.
5Subway Car (Silent Hill 3)
Not Even The Red Save Symbol On The Floor Can Make The Subway Car Feel Truly Safe
The subway is often considered to be one of the scariest sections ofSilent Hill 3for many people, especially with the random bloodthirsty dogs who are always growling from the shadows, just waiting for their moment to strike. As a result, this safe room barely feels safe at all, but this is why it has become so memorable, since itmanages to create a sense of dread and anxiety, without even needing to show anything to the player other than a large red save symbol on the floor.
It’s also a nice touch that the save marker, which usually looks like it’s been neatly painted onto a wall, is splattered across the floor of the train car as if someone had left it there after losing some blood from a monster attack.Dead Spaceis a game that will usually put save points in random spots to trick the player into thinking they can be attacked, and this is the same with the ever-terrifying subway car.
Silent Hill 4’sRoom 302 almost feels like some sort ofsadistic parodyof the safe room trope that had been seen plenty of times throughout the survival horror genre up to that point. When the game begins, and Henry finds himself trapped in his room, it doesn’t seem too bad considering he lives in a pretty nice apartment, all things considered. However, as players continue traveling back and forth between the Otherworld and Henry’s only safe room, his apartment slowly starts to become corrupted, until eventually, it turns into something straight out of a nightmare.
If players don’t take the time to purify Room 302 with their Holy Candles, they can expect ghouls to start lunging out from the walls, random bursts of white noise on the TV, morphing photographs, and plenty of other spine-chilling hauntings to occur.Silent Hill 4might not be everyone’s most beloved entry in the series, but the way Team Silent managed to deconstruct the idea of a safe room and make it this horrifying is truly a highlight of the game and adds to its overall scare factor.
