Akira Yamaoka, the legendary composer whose eerie, industrial soundscapes have defined Silent Hill for over two decades, has revealed a surprising dream project: scoring a Resident Evil game.
Yamaoka’s name is practically synonymous with Konami’s psychological horror series, having composed the haunting music for the first six mainline entries, the reimagined Silent Hill: Shattered Memories, last year’s Silent Hill 2 Remake, and even the film adaptations. His work, marked by unsettling ambience and emotionally charged melodies, has become a cornerstone of the franchise’s identity.
In a new promotional interview for upcoming survival city builder DarkSwitch, for which Yamaoka also composed the soundtrack, the composer was asked which franchise he’d most like to work on. His answer was Capcom’s Resident Evil, the long-time survival horror rival to Silent Hill.
“Well, I’d really love to work with the Resident Evil franchise,” Yamaoka said via the interview’s official subtitles, going on to state:
It’s a horror game I used to play a lot, so it would be great if I can get a chance.
The idea of Yamaoka’s signature style accompanying Resident Evil’s tense action-horror gameplay is an intriguing one for fans of both series. While Silent Hill leans heavily into psychological dread and surrealism, Resident Evil has traditionally blended atmospheric tension with visceral combat. Yamaoka’s ability to evoke unease through sound could add a new layer to the franchise’s already immersive horror experience.
The interview also touched on his views of Eastern and Western game development, especially relevant given that the Silent Hill 2 Remake was developed by Polish studio Bloober Team. “I don’t think they are getting similar, but I also don’t think they have many differences,” Yamaoka explained, noting that cultural backgrounds can influence artistic approaches, though the core essence of games remains consistent across regions.
In our review of the Silent Hill 2 Remake, we noted Yamaoka’s reworked soundtrack as “some of the best in recent memory.”
Whether Capcom will one day take him up on the offer remains to be seen, but for survival horror fans, the thought of Yamaoka’s music underscoring a Resident Evil title is a dream worth holding onto. You can view the new interview with Yamaoka below and let us know what you think.
