A hilariously spooky Shrek horror game, aptly titled 5 Nights At Shrek's Hotel, draws clear inspiration from Silent Hills to become a horror classic. The iconic animated ogre has become a popular internet meme in the years following his first film, with many exaggerating his power or monstrous nature. The Hideo Kojima game Silent Hills was sadly cancelled early in development, but gamers can now experience the horrifying P.T. demo through a unique green lens.
While Hideo Kojima is best known as the father of the Metal Gear series, he was working on a new entry in the Silent Hill franchise back in the mid-2010s. This game, titled Silent Hills, would have been a collaboration between Kojima and film director Guillermo del Toro. Before officially announcing the project Kojima released P.T., a playable teaser for Silent Hills, under the fictional 7780s Studio. P.T. was critically acclaimed for its intense first-person horror and interesting online mechanics, but it was sadly pulled from digital storefronts following the cancellation of Silent Hills. However, the appearance of P.T. and Silent Hills Easter eggs in games like Returnal have helped maintain the cancelled game's legacy.
A fan-made horror game called 5 Nights At Shrek's Hotel, created by itch.io user RenderPi, combines P.T. with the iconic DreamWorks character Shrek. The bizarre title has been popularized by a YouTuber named Caylus, who recently posted a playthrough of the game. 5 Nights At Shrek's Hotel sees players check into a hotel run by the lovable swamp-dweller, but Shrek's threatening gaze and horrific chase sequences turn the DreamWorks character into a nightmare. In a clear reference to Hideo Kojima's P.T., one particular scene sees the hotel bathed in creepy red light. Caylus' playthrough of 5 Nights At Shrek's Hotel can be watched below:
Since the 2001 animated comedy Shrek became a pop culture phenomenon, the titular ogre has made many cameo appearances in films and games. For example, players can find Shrek's swamp in Hunt: Showdown by exploring the bottom left area of the game's Old West-inspired map DeSalle. Hidden in a secluded area of the map, the set is an authentic replica of Shrek's swamp as portrayed in the beloved film series. The build naturally comes complete with Shrek's outhouse and undertree home, demonstrating the everlasting appeal of Shrek and letting gamers hunt monsters through the signature DreamWorks setting.
Despite being a short teaser for a cancelled game, P.T. has left an unmistakable mark on the survival horror genre. Games like Resident Evil Village have taken clear inspiration from Hideo Kojima's work, and even 5 Nights At Shrek's Hotel pays homage to the memorable horror experience. Given his massive strength and onion stench, Shrek may be an even more terrifying villain than the Silent Hills teaser's bloodthirsty Lisa.
Sources: RenderPi/itch.io, Caylus/YouTube