The protagonist of Silent Hill f Hinako’s relationship with one of the love interests Shu is somewhat frustrating to sit through. On one hand, their tendency to call each other “partner” hints at their lifelong friendship. On the other hand, the section of the game where Hinako and Shu are traveling together paints him as negligent, uncaring, and easily distracted and manipulated. He will talk to Hinako in a cutscene, and as soon as gameplay starts, he will have disappeared, leaving her to fend for herself against horrible monsters. Despite speaking to Hinako mere game minutes ago, Shu seems easily swayed by Hinako’s jealous friend Rinko’s insistence that Hinako is dead. This leaves the player wondering what business Hinako has even being friends with this guy.
Granted, like all Silent Hill games, the horrific world is the protagonist’s inner turmoil manifested and amplified. Shu’s indifference throughout the game could be interpreted as Hinako’s fear that Shu won’t or can’t become more than a friend. Despite their close friendship, he will abandon her to her arranged marriage and find someone else. It could also be interpreted as her subconscious warning her that Shu is intentionally drugging her to make her less attractive to her betrothed, which he is actually doing as some of the endings reveal. While this is somewhat romantic in that Shu does this to fight to keep her, it is also sinister.
While this method of storytelling is interesting, it’s also frustrating that the friendship these characters have can’t actually be shown. The player must take it for granted that these characters have a reason to be friends, so that the horrific atmosphere can be maintained and so all the game’s endings make sense. Additionally, their relationship must be developed and their feelings for one another voiced within the few cutscenes composing each ending rather than built throughout the game.