Fog World

James in the Fog World in Silent Hill 2.

“

I hear that it's almost never sunny in Silent Hill. And people say that when the fog comes out, strange things happen. —Henry Townshend

”

The Fog World or Misty World (shown in the tips menu of Silent Hill: Origins) is the name given to the universe that lies alongside the Real World and the hellish Otherworld of Silent Hill. The Fog World may be seen as another side of the Otherworld and considered to be part of the same realm or universe (though in a different cycle), but the exact distinction between the Fog World and Otherworld is unclear.

The Fog World has been compared to NREM (non-rapid eye movement) sleep, which is the period before heavy dreaming.[1] In other words, the Fog World could be seen as the "unconscious" while the Otherworld as the "subconscious".

The process by which someone passes into the Fog World from the Real World is not often touched upon in-game, but each time it occurs, it is typically depicted as a gradual transition, with most characters not even realizing that something is amiss until their first encounter with one of the town's creatures.

Characteristics

Harry Mason in the snowing Fog World.

In the games, the Fog World appears to be an almost exact copy of its Real World counterpart, except that it is perpetually shrouded in a thick fog and seems almost completely uninhabited. The fog usually tends to be white or light-grayish in color. In Silent Hill: Homecoming and Silent Hill: Downpour, however, the fog has a much darker tinge that is reminiscent of smoke.

While the Fog World is considerably less macabre than the Otherworld, it is still a relatively hostile environment, in part due to the monsters that roam freely. The various locales in the Fog World appear to be in a constant state of disrepair and almost completely deserted, with the exception of the town's monsters and few people. Bloodied corpses and wrecked cars are fairly common sights in this universe. Its roads often drop off into deep abysses, which prevent any means of escape for its inhabitants.

In the original game, snow falls in this world, while in the film, ashes fall from the sky instead. Silent Hill: Shattered Memories reintroduces the element of snowfall and in Silent Hill: Downpour, heavy rain becomes a common occurrence. In the other installments, the Fog World lacks any of the additional effects listed.

The Fog World is often constructed like a labyrinth, with many normal doors inexplicably jammed or with broken locks, that prevent passage. Also, many doors are locked with their keys hidden in bizarre places; for example, a key can be found inside of a soda can from a vending machine in Silent Hill 3. The Fog World can also expand into nearby towns, such as Shepherd's Glen in Homecoming, in order to punish certain people involved with the history of Silent Hill.

Origins

The Fog World in the first game helped to hide the game's graphical limitations (draw distance) on the Sony PlayStation. However, many players have praised the fog, stating that it created a "spooky" or "gloomy" environment.

Another popular idea is that Alessa Gillespie created the fog to give the world a limited view to visitors, since she herself never saw much of the world around her, and as such, left an imprint which causes the Fog World to appear to other people. The fog could also be a memory of the smoke from the fire Alessa was burnt in at the beginning of Silent Hill: Origins, as Travis Grady says "not fog... it's smoke" when he sees her burning house. This theory intersects the fact that the siren sound heard before the shift to the Otherworld is a print of the medical vehicles sirens that are heard after the burning of the Gillespie house. It could also explain the ashes falling from the sky in the film.

It is also speculated that the reason the later protagonists are exposed to fog is that it is the fog of the mind/memory. This seems the most likely in James Sunderland's case, as he last visited Silent Hill some time before the events of the second game. This theory is supported by the fact that when the Fog World transitions to the Otherworld, everything becomes much clearer, if not more terrifying, which could serve as a metaphor for the character clearing the fog from their mind, and facing/owning up to the terrible truths of their past.

Film series

Silent Hill in the Fog World.

In the film, it is implied that the Fog World was created by Alessa Gillespie and Dark Alessa at the same time as the Otherworld to entrap the cultists. It seems that the toxic fumes from the coal fire do not exist in the Fog World version of the town; it only exists in the real world.

Ashes.

The Otherworld's symbolism of Alessa after she was burned, as well as the symbolism of the change between the two realities representing what was done to Alessa's body, suggests that the Fog World is a representation of who Alessa was before she was burned alive. This would explain the almost total lack of monsters in the film's version of the Fog World, as well as the feeling of abandonment and isolation. According to director Christophe Gans, the ashes in the film's version of the Fog World represent the fires burning in the Otherworld.

Trivia

A foggy morning in Twin Peaks.

• In Silent Hill 2 and Silent Hill 3, the fog seems to change color slightly the more the player waits outside, especially after meeting Maria in Rosewater Park. It seems to adopt a more orange-ish sunset hue.

• The cloudy look of the fog in Silent Hill 2 could be inspired by Twin Peaks.

Gallery

Silent Hill

Cheryl Mason in the Fog World.

A corpse encountered by Harry Mason.

Harry Mason walks through the fog in search of his adopted daughter.

Harry encountering an Air Screamer in the Fog World.

Harry on the post office surrounded by fog and light snowfall.

Silent Hill 2

James at the beginning of Silent Hill 2, which initially opens in the Fog World.

James meets Angela Orosco in the fog-covered graveyard.

A Lying Figure in the fog.

A foggy street.

Real world/Fog World comparison.

Silent Hill 3

Heather running in the foggy streets.

Heather using the katana on a Double Head.

A Pendulum in the fog.

Heather mauling a Pendulum.

A Pendulum walking on its blades.

Heather surrounded by two Closers on Brookhaven's roof.

Silent Hill: Origins

Travis standing in the street with dark fog behind him.

Travis facing the "Welcome to Silent Hill" sign with fog up ahead.

Travis in front of Andy's Books.

Travis near a broken off road.

Silent Hill: Homecoming

Shepherd's Glen.

Shepherd's Glen with a thick fog.

Alex Shepherd searches for his lost brother Joshua.

Alex standing in the street with fog behind him.

Alex in the Fog World.

Alex running past a merry-go-round in a park covered in smoke-like fog.

Silent Hill: Downpour

Silent Hill: Downpour features a dark version of the fog, yet not as dark as in Silent Hill: Homecoming.

Murphy facing a residential home enshrouded in fog and heavy rain.

Murphy walking past the 'Welcome to Silent Hill' sign.

Murphy standing near a pile of rubble in an alley.

Murphy standing in front of a nearby gas station on the way to Silent Hill.

The fog in an area near the bridge.

Another foggy street.

Silent Hill: The Arcade

Tina and Eric in the Fog World.

Eric with Tina.

Eric, Bill and Tina.

Eric, Tina and Emilie arriving at Toluca Lake.

Silent Hill film

Rose exits the car.

Rose notices the ash falling from the sky.

Rose entering Silent Hill.

Rose entering Silent Hill.

Rose enters the foggy ghost town.

Rose explores the Fog World.

One of an abandoned shop in the Fog World.

Rose in Fog World.

Rose looks around for Sharon.

Alessa Gillespie in the Fog World.

Rose runs through an alley in pursuit of Sharon.

Dark Alessa running away from Rose.

Rose in the Fog World.

Dark Alessa runs into an alley.

The alleyway in the Fog World.

The alleyway in the Fog World.

Bowling alleyway in the Fog World.

Rose Da Silva searches for her daughter in the Fog World.

Dahlia appears to Rose.

A deserted street in the Fog World.

Cybil and Rose, heading to Brahams.

Rose and Cybil beside Cybil's motorcycle.

Cybil heads to the drop off.

Rose waits as Cybil notices the dropoff.

Rose and Cybil heading back into Silent Hill.

Armless Man in the Fog World.

Rose finding the way to Midwich Elementary School in the Fog World.

One of the alleys in the Fog World.

Midwich Elementary School in the Fog World.

Rose running from the Brethren members.

The transition from the Otherworld back into the Fog World.

Grand Hotel in the Fog World.

Fog World of Silent Hill.

Rose, Cybil and Anna running towards the church.

Cultists running to the church in the Fog World.

Church in the Fog World.

The Brethren leaving the church.

The Brethren leaving the church.

Rose and Sharon returning to their vehicle.

Rose leaving Silent Hill.

Rose and Sharon, arriving home.

Silent Hill: Revelation

Heather staring at the sign.

Heather entering Silent Hill.

The Fog World in Silent Hill: Revelation.

Heather in the Fog World of Silent Hill.

Heather in the Fog World.

TRAITOR.

Heather talking to Dahlia.

Exiting Silent Hill.

Silent Hill Main St. in the Fog World.

Heather hides from cultists in a deleted scene.