In my restless dreams … I see that town. Silent Hill.
In 1999, the original Silent Hill released for the PS1 and stole the hearts of horror fans the world over. In this supernatural, survival horror franchise, we follow people associated with a small town in New England — Silent Hill. The town is uninhabited … aside from a religious doomsday cult who are usually up to no good in the foggy township that gives the series its name.
But — it’s hardly a controversial statement that the series has been defunct as of late. In fact, the last mainline installment was all the way back in 2012! So, now that both a remake of Silent Hill 2, Silent Hill f, Silent Hill: Townfall, and Silent Hill: Ascension have been announced, let’s take a look at how new players can jump into the series in release order!
How to Play Silent Hill in Release Order
Silent Hill (1999)
Platforms: PS1
In the debut entry of the franchise, we follow Harry Mason as he seeks to rescue his daughter from the enigmatic town and its malicious cult.
Silent Hill 2 (2001)
Platforms: PS2 / Xbox / PC
Taking a step away from Harry Mason, this sequel follows James Sunderland as he — you guessed it — tries to find his missing, deceased, wife in Silent Hill.
Silent Hill 3 (2003)
Platforms: PS2 / PC
Silent Hill 3 picks up the storyline from the first game and follows Harry’s daughter Heather. In a series first, the protagonist doesn’t willingly enter Silent Hill, but rather, she’s pulled in against her will.
Silent Hill 4: The Room (2004)
Platforms: PS2 / Xbox / PC
In the fourth installment, we follow Henry Townshend as he finds himself trapped inside of his apartment.
Silent Hill: Origins (2007)
Platforms: PSP / PS2
Silent Hill: Origins follows Travis Grady as he’s sucked into the town of Silent Hill by accident. It is set years prior to the original game, and serves as a prequel to the events of that game.
Silent Hill: Homecoming (2008)
Platforms: PS3 / Xbox 360 / PC
This time around, we follow veteran Alex Shepherd, who seeks to find his family who has gone missing after he returns from deployment.
Silent Hill: Shattered Memories (2009)
Platforms: Wii / PS2 / PSP
In this reimagination of the original Silent Hill, we once again follow Harry Mason, though it diverges significantly from its counterpart.
Silent Hill: Downpour (2012)
Platforms: PS3 / Xbox 360
This one focuses on Murphy Pendleton, a prisoner who — you guessed it again — winds up in Silent Hill by sheer happenstance.
Silent Hill: Book of Memories (2012)
Platforms: PS Vita
So, this one is wholly unlike any of the other games in the series. It’s a dungeon crawler featuring an original character created by the player. It was the final entry in the series until …
P.T. / Silent Hills (2014)
Platforms: PS4 (currently unavailable)
*sobs openly*
P.T., or Playable Teaser, or Silent Hills was a concept released in 2014 by Hideo Kojima, of Metal Gear Solid fame. It was only revealed to be an entry in this series upon its completion, at which point the lead character was revealed to be played by Norman Reedus and the ‘Silent Hills’ title was confirmed. Silent Hills was cancelled by Konami following Kojima’s departure.
Related: 10 Best Indie Horror Games
Silent Hill is a remarkable example of supernatural horror, and now that it seems to be making a return, there’s never been a better time to start playing! Stick with Gamer Journalist for more on the Silent Hill 2 remake, as well as Silent Hill f, Silent Hill: Townfall, and Silent Hill: Ascension as more information is revealed!
