As a game that uses the names of Edgar Allan Poe and H.P. Lovecraft as the descriptors of difficulty settings, Song of Horror establishes very early on that it is heavily inspired by horror icons of the past. With the recent release of its final episode, players who are keen on their survival-horror knowledge have picked up on the many homages to horror games of the past throughout Song of Horror.
The dozens of easter eggs span a wide variety of some of the most prevalent names in horror gaming, such as Resident Evil, Silent Hill, and Fatal Frame. Some of these references are vital gameplay elements that are hard to miss, while others are more of the blink-and-you’ll-miss-it sort. In most instances, the references are fun and remain relevant to the world of Song of Horror, and some stand out more than others…
Opening Sequence (Alone In The Dark)
As episode 1 begins, the opening image of the character standing outside of the Husher Mansion may seem familiar if you’re a fan of Alone In The Dark. The scene has a striking resemblance to the cover of the original Alone In The Dark from 1992, featuring a man peering into a spooky-looking mansion at an identical angle to the way the characters are in Song of Horror.
Alina’s Walkie-Talkie (Silent Hill)
Each character in Song of Horror begins each episode with a character-exclusive item in their inventory; these items can have both active and passive effects that help the player. In episode 1, Alina begins with a walkie-talkie with the description, “It doesn’t work very well. It picks up a lot of weird interference.” The walkie-talkie’s passive effect picks up interference whenever the player is near The Presence, in reference to radios in Silent Hill: reoccurring items in each game that alerts the player whenever they are approaching a monster.
Type-90 Match Box (Fatal Frame)
A key item in episode 1 is the matchbox, necessary to ignite the fireplace which is used to complete one of the final puzzles of the episode. When examining the matchbox, the front is labeled, “Type-90”, which is in reference to the film used by the Camera Obscura in Fatal Frame.
Cursed Doll (Clock Tower: The Struggle Within)
At the end of episode 1, players must burn a dirty doll in the fireplace in order to prevent The Presence from attacking them as they try to rescue Daniel. This is in reference to the first episode of Clock Tower: The Struggle Within (which is titled, “Yellow Cursed Doll”), in which Alyssa must burn a cursed statue in order to rid her niece of a dark entity controlling her.
Himuro Piano (Fatal Frame)
As players explore the Husher mansion, they may encounter a piano in the room with the fireplace. If the piano is examined with enough light, the name “HIMURO” can be seen on it. This is in reference to the famous Himuro Mansion, which is the setting of the first entry of the Fatal Frame series.
Toilet Trouble (Silent Hill)
There are two instances in Song of Horror that require players to interact with toilets in order to move forward: one that takes place in episode 1, and another that takes place in episode 4. This is in reference to the reoccurring toilet events in the Silent Hill series, such as James in Silent Hill 2 who reaches his hand into a toilet, and Heather in Silent Hill 3 who doesn’t, but tells the player how disgusting it is and questions who would.
Shotgun In Farber & Son’s (Resident Evil)
If Daniel is selected, players can be treated to a subtle nod to the original Resident Evil in episode 2. While examining the antiques of Farber & Son’s, if Daniel examines the shotgun on the wall towards the back of the shop, he will reveal himself as a Resident Evil fan by saying, “If I take it…will the ceiling start to fall over my head?” – referencing the trap that Jill Valentine triggers in the Spencer Mansion that almost made her a Jill sandwich.
Toluca Lake Magnet (Silent Hill)
As players investigate the courtyard in episode 2, they come across an ornament with a magnet that must be used in order to obtain a key. While examining the magnet, Silent Hill fans will recognize the name “Toluca Lake” on the front and a foggy image that is in reference to the Toluca Lake of Silent Hill.
Crimson Butterfly Poster (Fatal Frame)
When investigating Julia’s room in episode 1, players may notice a collection of posters in the corner of the room. It’s a bit hard to see as it needs the flashlight to be shined on it and to look closely, but a poster featuring red butterflies with the word “CRIMSON” can be seen in reference to Fatal Frame: Crimson Butterfly, the third entry in the series.
Walter Sullivan (Silent Hill)
Towards the conclusion of episode 2, players must use a wrench and slip into a locked tool shed in the courtyard in order to obtain a square torch needed to solve the final puzzle of the episode. When looking around the shed, players can find a utility jacket donning a badge that has Walter Sullivan on it—the main antagonist of Silent Hill 4: The Room.