22 Years Ago Today, Konami Delivered One of the Most Divisive Video Games In History

For a long while, it seemed Konami had abandoned its future in the video game industry, choosing to focus on pachinko machines and Gatcha-style entertainment. In 2026, the company is on the rise again, with consistent releases in the Silent Hill franchise and the upcoming Castlevania: Belmont's Curse. However, 22 years ago, Konami released one of its most polarizing games.

Today, June 17, 2026, marks the 22nd anniversary of the original Japan release of Silent Hill 4: The Room. Developed by Team Silent as its final game before the team was disbanded, Silent Hill 4 attempted to tell a horrific, gruesome story with new ideas and gameplay mechanics, to varying degrees of success.

Silent Hill 4: The Room follows Henry Townshend, who awakens one day to find himself trapped in his apartment. Using a hole that manifests in his bathroom, Henry is able to go to other dimensions and find a way to escape his apartment that is slowly becoming haunted.

The game, much like its predecessors, is a survival horror game with an emphasis on resource management. Unlike previous entries, Henry's inventory is also limited, which forces players to return to the apartment to store equipment and eventually experience the apartment hauntings.

According to Metacritic, Silent Hill 4: The Room is sitting at a generally favorable 76 metascore. Critics were divided on the game's story, combat, enemy designs, and the reuse of environments in the second half of the game.

One of the most contentious parts of the game, though, is the use of Eileen as an escort mission in virtually the entire second half of the game. In order to get the good endings, players must protect her, use Holy Candles to both heal and block antagonist Walter Sullivan's possession of her, and be somewhat close to her at all times.

The series would become rocky from Silent Hill 4 on, until the critical and commercial success of the Silent Hill 2 remake in 2024, and the series has been on an upward climb since, with the release of Silent Hill f in 2025, and the upcoming release of Silent Hill: Townfall on September 24, 2026.

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Jun 17, 2026, where it first appeared in the Entertainment section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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This story was originally published June 17, 2026 at 12:54 PM.