Silent Hill, as a whole, is no stranger to the darker side of life. Konami wanted to contrast the more wholesome endeavors of the protagonist of the previous game, Harry Mason, with someone who had a lot more baggage. They wanted to tell a story more compelling and, in turn, more relatable. Everyone struggles with guilt, the death of a loved one is something that most of us will experience in our lifetimes, and James Sunderland is a way to explore that through the medium of video games. He doesn't have to be liked. He merely has to be experienced.