Bobby Ricks

Bobby Ricks

Ricks in Silent Hill: Downpour

Gender

Male

Age

Adult

Status

Unknown

Hair color

Black

Eye color

Brown

Occupation

Radio host at WLMN FM

Appearances

Silent Hill: Downpour
Anne's Story

Voice actor

Antoine L. Smith

“

Speaking of which, this next one goes out to Murphy Pendleton. A lost soul on a stroll. You keep on keeping on, bro and your pal DJ Ricks will do the same, playing the music y'all wanna hear. —Ricks to Murphy via radio.

”

Robert "Bobby" Ricks, also known as DJ Ricks, is a character in Silent Hill: Downpour. He is a radio DJ on the local radio station WLMN FM. According to Howard Blackwood, Ricks operates the radio station in the Centennial Building, a famous landmark.

Personality

Ricks was in the same situation as Murphy Pendleton; however, unlike Murphy, Ricks didn't have the courage himself to face the horrors of Silent Hill. This is why he was stuck inside using the radio station, to try and reach out to others who may have been able to help him escape Silent Hill. Because of taking this pitiful path he was trapped in Silent Hill, coming Full Circle indefinitely unless he got up the courage to leave himself.

Silent Hill: Downpour

Bobby Ricks is first learned of when Murphy passes several radios. In these radio transmissions, Ricks will call Murphy out and say there is a dedication to him. If Murphy turns on radios randomly about the town, he will find him dedicating to other people implying many other individuals in Silent Hill at this moment, but specific radios Murphy passes are automatically on and have Ricks dedicate to him. Murphy finally finds out he is a DJ at the top of the Centennial Building by Howard.

After Murphy Pendleton makes his way into the radio station, he tries to get Ricks to answer his questions, but Ricks repeatedly acts like he never sent out a dedication, nor knows anyone by the name of Murphy. After Murphy shouts at him, Ricks tells him to be quiet, insinuating that the town itself is listening. Ricks tell him he's been stuck there playing records for a very long time, and he seems to be aware that Silent Hill is not a normal place, and there are rules you must follow. He plans to leave the town using a boat at the marina, but the keys were stolen during a ransack on the station. When he learned of Murphy and others, he began sending dedications out over the radio with some messages, hoping somebody would finally show up to help him. During this conversation, Anne Marie Cunningham appears and holds Murphy at gunpoint. Moments after, Ricks gets a phone call, asking for a dedication to himself, and a pack of Screamers attack the place leaving behind only Murphy.

in the third issue of Anne's Story, DJ Ricks and Anne survived the attack, but found themselves in a cage hanging in front of the clock of the Centennial Building, though what happens next is not not known until the next issue of the comic is released. He is never referenced by Murphy again, nor is any clue ever given to where he ended up, why he was in the town, or what he hoped Murphy could do. It is also never stated who called Ricks and told him to send out the messages, whether it was some form of manifestation, the town itself, etc.

Since there is a key that can be used to arrive to Ricks station at the top of the tower, it can at least be inferred that Murphy was intended to meet and speak with Ricks, but what he was supposed to find out isn't certain since Ricks doesn't say anything particularly helpful to Murphy outside the fact that he owns a boat and the keys are missing. It is possible that the conversation took a turn the way the town didn't want it to, and thus ended the conversation prematurely.

Trivia

• Murphy's comment on Bobby is: "I don't know what his story was, but I am certain as hell he did not fit this place any more than I do. He knew things and his plan sounded solid, but in the end that narrow margin between knowing and doing, that little bit of courage to do things on your own, he lacked. That was what buried him here forever."

• Fans previously named him Sazh, due to physical similarities between him and Sazh Katzroy from Final Fantasy XIII.

• He is the sixth person of African American heritage in the entire Silent Hill game series, appearing after Howard Blackwood.

• Ricks makes a broadcast that Murphy can hear while at the Devil's Pit giving a shout-out to Murphy, knowing his name even though he had not yet met him. This happens throughout Murphy's journey until the two finally meet, give or take a random broadcast.
  • In certain parts of the game, when listening to another "random shout-out", Ricks will whisper to the listener stating that he knows a way out of town. It is most likely he is reaching out to Murphy directly.

• Ricks appears to have a certain degree of knowledge about the powers of the town. When Murphy suggests to hotwire the boat due to the lack of keys, he tells him that the town does strange things to reality, and you must "play along the rules".
  • This is further evidenced as he receives phone call requests that appear to be dedicated to targeted victims. In the end of his role, a caller dedicates one to Bobby himself after he confesses his knowledge to Murphy. He acknowledges this after saying, "They're coming!" immediately after hanging up.

• After his abduction, when Murphy continues turning on/listening to radios, Ricks can still be heard talking; however, the voice is distorted and may very well be playing on a recorded loop as music is played afterwards like before his abduction.
• In the third issue of Anne's Story, he was known to be alive after the raid in the radio station.

• Although hard to spot, Ricks made his first appearance in the Silent Hill: Downpour reveal trailer from E3 2010. He is seen when a TV flashes shortly after Murphy enters a building.

Gallery

Concept art.

Concept art.

Concept art.

Ricks talking to Murphy.

Ricks deejaying.

Ricks explains the "rules".

Mysterious phone dedication to Ricks.

Ricks talking to Murphy.