Silent Hill 4: The Room

Silent Hill 4: The Room

Developers
	Team Silent
Windows	Konami Software Shanghai
Publishers
	Konami
Release dates
Windows	September 9, 2004
Reception
Metacritic	67
Taxonomy
Monetization	One-time game purchase
Modes	Singleplayer
Pacing	Real-time
Perspectives	Cinematic camera
Controls	Direct control
Genres	Survival horror
Art styles	Realistic
Themes	Horror, North America
Series	Silent Hill

Silent Hill
Silent Hill 2: Director's Cut	2002
Silent Hill 3	2003
Silent Hill 4: The Room	2004
Silent Hill: Homecoming	2008
Silent Hill 2	2024

Silent Hill 4: The Room is a survival horror game developed by Team Silent, and published by Konami. It is the fourth installment in the Silent Hill series.

The game was released on September 7, 2004 for the PlayStation 2, with the PC port coming out 2 days later on September 9, 2004.
The PC port included a handful of configurable visual options not available in the PlayStation 2 release, However suffered from several inconsistencies, such as a lack of soft shadows, Absence of some of the "hauntings" from the PlayStation 2 version, and some missing post-processing effects.
In 2020, the game was re-released on GOG, marking the first time the game made an appearance on a digital storefront.
This release had many improvements not present in the original version, such as anisotropic filtering, native widescreen support and fixed controller support. While the port did plenty to enhance the shortcomings of the title, the lack of "hauntings" and soft shadows are still present in the re-release - although some of it can be restored with mods.

Several modders over the years have made an effort to restore and correct missing and inconsistent features, as well as to update compatibility with modern systems. The GOG version with Steam006's fix is recommended, due to how much it covers to fix the port.

General information

Silent Hill Memories - Informative site

GOG.com Community Discussions

GOG.com Support Page

Availability

Source	DRM	Notes	Keys	OS
Retail		SecuROM v5 DRM.
GOG.com		Re-release of the European PC version with improvements.

Version differences

The GOG Re-release comes with a plethora of improvements, including native widescreen resolutions and FOV, restored post processing effects, improved controller support, more language options, and more.

In addition, It also includes a DirectX wrapper and configuration tool, which allows for Gamma control, Windowed Mode, Antialiasing, V-sync, and Anisotropic Filtering.

Essential improvements

Utilities

GOG DirectX Configuration tool

An image of the configuration tool.

Owners of the GOG version can use a configuration tool that allows users tweak various video settings.

Allows users take advantage of GOG's wrapper to configure features not present in the Retail release.

Run the configuration tool
Next to the play button of GOG Galaxy, click the settings icon. Hover over Additional executables and click on DirectX Settings. Configure the tool to your liking. Notes It is extremely important that you do not replace d3d8.dll in the game directory, otherwise the tool and it's enhancements will have no effect.

Modifications

Silent Hill 4 PC Fix by Steam006

Adds new features such as:

• Proper Widescreen support
• Hor+ FOV
• Cutscene FPS increased from 15 to 30 for Retail copies
• Default brightness/gamma settings more alike to the PS2 version
• Restored missing hauntings from the PS2 and/or Xbox versions
• Minor bug fixes

Some of these features are already present in the GOG version, although this fix is still recommended to be used in order to fix missing content.

Instructions

Download the archive and copy the contents to <path-to-game>. Configure options in Silent_Hill_4_PC_Fix.ini, if desired. Run the game from SILENT HILL 4.exe. Notes Password: pcgw If using this fix with the GOG version, do not overwrite the pre-existing d3d8.dll found in <path-to-game>. Rename it to d3d8R.dll; otherwise GOGs wrapper will be overwritten, causing the GOG DirectX Configuration tool and its enhancements to be dropped.

Silent Hill 4: The Room 16:9 FMV Pack by CataBridge

In-Game FMVs converted from the PlayStation 2 version scaled to 16:9.

Recommended to be used with Steam006's fix.

Instructions
Download the archive here. Copy the contents to the game directory and overwrite files when prompted. Notes Allows those using ThirteenAG's Widescreen Fix to view the FMVs in widescreen without the Fix2D option enabled.

Skip intro splash screens

Use ThirteenAG's Widescreen Fix
Notes Pairing with Steam006's fix may cause undesirable results.

Game data

Configuration file(s) location

System	Location
Windows	<path-to-game>

Save game data location

System	Location
Windows	<path-to-game>\saves\

Save game cloud syncing

System	Native	Notes
GOG Galaxy

Video

Graphics feature	State	WSGF	Notes
Widescreen resolution			GOG version only. See Widescreen resolution for retail versions.
Multi-monitor
Ultra-widescreen
4K Ultra HD			GOG version only. See Widescreen resolution for retail versions.
Field of view (FOV)		Corrected for widescreen in the GOG version. Use sh4tool to change.
Windowed		Available in the GOG version. See Windowed for more details and for retail versions.
Borderless fullscreen windowed		See the glossary page for potential workarounds.
Anisotropic filtering (AF)		2-16x in the GOG version. See Anisotropic filtering (AF).
Anti-aliasing (AA)		MSAA 2-8x in the GOG version. Minor rendering issues in specific circumstances[citation needed]. See Anti-aliasing (AA).
Vertical sync (Vsync)		Present in the GOG version and enabled by default through the DirectX Configuration tool.
60 FPS		Capped to 30 FPS in gameplay. Retail version cutscenes are capped to 15 FPS. See High frame rate to increase to 60 FPS.
120+ FPS

For a more visually faithful experience to the PS2's graphics, it's recommended to set all three gamma values to 1.0.

Widescreen resolution

Fixes specific issues with widescreen resolutions in the Retail version.

The GOG version does not require any of these.

Use Steam006's Fix

Use ThirteenAG's Widescreen Fix

This mod aims to correct the game for modern displays, as well as some extras, such as: Widescreen support. Disabling cutscene/FMV letterboxing. Increasing cutscene FPS from 15 to 30. Disabling hardware check before launching. Corrected Menus and FOV for widescreen. Notes Should not be used with Steam006's fix. The developer build should be used on the GOG version due to the regular one facing a crash upon launch. Fixing Menus/HUD via the 2DFix option disables some post-processing due to not being scaled correctly when enabled.

Use Nemesis2000's wrapper

A wrapper for the North American version which adds some fixes and new features, such as: Ability to change the resolution. FOV correction in widescreen. Disabling cutscenes letterboxing. Cutscenes at 30 FPS instead of 15 FPS. Disabling blur in cutscenes (change all values to 0). Pause background will render at native resolution. Experimental 60 FPS support. Notes Not compatible with the GOG release. Enabling 60 FPS comes with major issues. See High Frame Rate for more details.

Windowed

Use GOG DirectX configuration tool

Use DxWnd
Download and run DxWnd as administrator. Click on Edit, then Add. Set name and executable path. Set Acquire admin caps. Set Desktop for borderless fullscreen windowed. Click on Mouse tab, set Mouse Clipper to On. Click OK, then File and Save. Run the game directly from DxWnd.

Anisotropic filtering (AF)

Use GOG DirectX configuration tool

Anti-aliasing (AA)

Use GOG DirectX configuration tool

High frame rate

Install Silent Hill 4 Wrapper by Nemesis
Download Silent Hill 4 Wrapper by Nemesis. Open the 7z file and go to Nemesis 60FPS. Copy the contents to the game directory. Notes Causes Henry to be unable to move in attack stance. The game becomes unbeatable due to a game-breaking bug during the final boss.

Disabling blur in cutscenes

Cutscene blur used to create a depth-of-field effect is broken in Retail copies when using a widescreen fix.

Does NOT need to be disabled in the GOG version. Users may have a potential decrease in visual quality if done in the GOG version.

Use Steam006's Fix
Notes By default, the patch sets all blur values to 0.0. Original values can be restored in Silent_Hill_4_PC_Fix.ini.

Use Silent Hill 4 Wrapper by Nemesis
Notes After installing the wrapper, open sh4w.ini and change all blur values from -1.0 to 0.0.

Input

Keyboard and mouse	State	Notes
Remapping
Mouse acceleration		Mouse deceleration present in the first-person segments.
Mouse sensitivity		Can be adjusted with Steam006's Fix. X/Y axis sensitivity is inconsistent.[citation needed]
Mouse input in menus
Mouse Y-axis inversion		Can be done through Steam006's fix. Press F3 and F4 to invert the X/Y axis.
Controller
Controller support
Full controller support		Full support in the GOG version.
Controller remapping
Controller sensitivity		Can be adjusted with Steam006's Fix. X/Y axis sensitivity is inconsistent.[citation needed]
Controller Y-axis inversion

Controller types

XInput-compatible controllers		Fully working in the GOG version. See Controller support to fix the partial support on retail versions.
Xbox button prompts
Impulse Trigger vibration

PlayStation controllers		Added in the GOG version on August 27, 2021.
PlayStation button prompts
Light bar support
Adaptive trigger support
DualSense haptic feedback support
Connection modes

Generic/other controllers

Additional information
Button prompts		No prompts in-game. No icons for configuration.
Controller hotplugging
Haptic feedback
Digital movement supported
Simultaneous controller+KB/M

Controller support

Controller support was fixed in the GOG version.

Retail copies may have a problem related to specific inputs not working, such as the triggers or right stick.

Fix button assignment[citation needed]
Download and run XInput Plus. Set Target Program to SILENT HILL 4.exe. Go to the DirectInput tab and check Enable DirectInput Output. Assign LT/RT to Button11/12. Assign Right Stick to Z Rot/Z Axis. Click Apply and a DLL file will be added to the game directory.

Use XInput Plus and Wrapper by Nemesis

Go to the game directory and delete all DLLs besides checkdx.dll, drc.dll and dsetup.dll. Download the Wrapper by Nemesis. Extract the Nemesis 60FPS or Nemesis Wrapper folder to the game directory and rename it to scripts. In the scripts folder, delete dinput8.dll and rename sh4w.dll to sh4w.asi. Download the latest Ultimate ASI Loader. Extract dinput8.dll, then rename it to d3d8.dll and move it to the game directory. Install and use XInput Plus as described above in "Fix button assignment". Notes XInput Plus replaces the dinput8.dll included in the Wrapper by Nemesis.

Use Steam Input

Audio

Audio feature	State	Notes
Separate volume controls		Separate sliders for BGM and SE
Surround sound		Dolby Digital 5.1. May get up to 7.0 output with DirectSound3D restoration software.
Subtitles
Closed captions
Mute on focus lost
EAX support		Set Dolby Digital in-game and use DSOAL to get HRTF.
Royalty free audio		An optional scene, when the player is looking through the door viewer, features a copyrighted sound effect of "Spanish or Italian Couple Yelling at Each Other, Through Thick Wall Perspective". It is part of the Hollywood Edge Sound Effects Library and gets flagged on Twitch.

Localizations

Language	UI	Audio	Sub	Notes
English
Simplified Chinese				Fan translation, download.
French				European retail and GOG only
German				European retail and GOG only
Italian				European retail and GOG only
Japanese
Polish				Fan translation by grajpopolsku (no diacritics), download. A version with diacritics made by different authors is available here.
Brazilian Portuguese				Fan translation, download.
Russian				Retail only. Patch for digital release here.
Spanish				European retail and GOG only
Turkish				Fan translation, download.

Issues fixed

The game closes itself immediately after launching

White screen shows up twice, but no logos are visible when they should be. The game closes itself immediately after.

Install the game on the Local Disk (C:)

The game fails to start

Some systems may fail to launch the game despite meeting the technical requirements.

Use Steam006's Fix

Use ThirteenAG's Widescreen Fix

Delete or rename CheckSpec.dll located in <path-to-game>

Screen flickering on Windows 8/8.1

Use d3d8to9
Download d3d8to9. Copy d3d8.dll to the game directory. Notes It breaks FMVs and shows a black screen when they're triggered.

Audio does not correctly pan between channels on "Stereo"

The regular stereo mode, by default, does not seem to properly pan sounds between both stereo channels.
This results in incorrect mixing between the two channels when the camera moves.

Switch audio mode to Dolby Digital in the game settings
Notes The option for Dolby Digital seems to be mislabeled. When enabled, audio is properly panned between both channels. Among other things, audio is properly filtered when looking up or down due to the object-based 3D audio. Recommended to be paired with DSOAL in order to further enhance panning.

Error: "The game is not installed properly"

Edit Windows Registry
Run Notepad. Copy and paste the following code: Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\KONAMI] [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\KONAMI\Silent Hill 4] [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\KONAMI\Silent Hill 4\1.00.000] Save as sh4.reg wherever you wish. Double-click on the newly saved file, and apply the changes.

Black screen during gameplay (Retail)

Enable compatibility mode in the properties of SILENT HILL 4.exe, and set it to Windows XP (Service Pack 2).

Other information

API

Technical specs	Supported	Notes
Direct3D	8.1

Executable	32-bit	64-bit	Notes
Windows

Modifications

Silent Hill 4 Randomizer

Instructions
Download Ultimate ASI Loader and extract its contents. Rename dinput8.dll to dsound.dll and move it to the game directory. Download Silent Hill 4 randomizer and extract its contents. Move data and scripts folders to the game directory. Go to the scripts folder, open randomizer.ini and set RestoreHauntings to 0 if using Steam006's fix. Notes Not compatible with retail copies.

System requirements

Windows
	Minimum	Recommended
Operating system (OS)	98, ME, 2000, XP
Processor (CPU)	Intel Pentium III 1.0 GHz or AMD Athlon	Intel Pentium 4 2.0 GHz or AMD Athlon
System memory (RAM)	256 MB	512 MB
Hard disk drive (HDD)	3 GB
Video card (GPU)	Nvidia GeForce 3 Ti ATI Radeon 8500 32 MB of VRAM DirectX 8.1b compatible	Nvidia GeForce 4 Ti 64 MB of VRAM
Sound (audio device)	DirectX compatible