<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=0xMvJS_0vy0E1ib00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0xMvJS_0vy0E1ib00" width="1140" height="570" ></figure><p>When it comes to survival horror, the Silent Hill franchise stands out as one of the most creative and influential in gaming. The foggy town inhabited by some of the most imaginative, yet surreal, creatures from otherworldly environments forever changed the genre as its impact can be found among other horror titles. Where some video games are hailed for their gameplay, this series is known most for its unique puzzles, remarkable writing, relatable characters, gorgeous original score, and most of all, their monsters.</p><p>The only thing more bizarre than the town is the fact that the classic franchise has had so many releases. Some have been praised by fans, while others have been disowned or panned, making it difficult to locate the best without a guide. So, grab a map and pack a bag because it’s time to take a trip through Silent Hill and see how each release compares.</p><p>This list will only focus on games released on console or handheld. Mobile games, arcade cabinets, and re-releases will not be included. This, unfortunately, must include P.T. as well. Though a terrifying and phenomenal playable teaser by legendary game director Hideo Kojima, only released games will be covered.</p><h2>10 Silent Hill: Book of Memories </h2><h2>The Forgotten Dungeon Crawler </h2><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=4a4qN7_0vy0E1ib00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=4a4qN7_0vy0E1ib00" width="825" height="413" ></figure><p>Book of Memories is a spin-off with an admittedly ambitious idea that probably sounded better on paper. The Silent Hill games are known for their compendium of monsters, and although it goes against the lore of the series, being that every monster is unique to each protagonist, why not make a game where the player gets to battle them and other creatures in a dungeon crawler? What could go wrong?</p><p>Released only for the PlayStation Vita, there’s a reason Book of Memories has stayed there. In terms of monsters and combat, it’s decent for the hardware it was made for, but everything players expect of Silent Hill is absent. There are no interesting characters and little to no story, making this the weakest in the series. It’d be like if someone made a sequel to The Shining where it was about busting ghosts.</p><h2>9 Silent Hill: The Short Message </h2><h2>Clumsy Free-To-Play Horror </h2><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=2Gg0vw_0vy0E1ib00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2Gg0vw_0vy0E1ib00" width="825" height="413" ></figure><p><b>Horror</b></p><p>Systems</p><p>Top Critic Rating: 56<i>/100</i> Critics Recommend: 24%</p><p>Released</p><p>January 31, 2024 </p><p>Developer(s)</p><p>Publisher(s)</p><p>Trapped in an apartment complex after being called there by her friend, Anita will have to face her past and her actions in a warped reality while being hunted by a monster. Released as a free-to-play game, The Short Message possesses a first-person perspective in the style of Silent Hills P.T. with an impressive atmosphere and some nice-looking visuals. However, that’s about the extent of its positives, as the overall game is a massive disappointment.</p><p>It’s hard to criticize something that's free, but since it carries such an iconic label, it was fair to expect something more. The story attempts to focus on serious themes such as social media influence and depression, but it’s hindered by writing that doesn’t understand how to properly execute them. It does live up to its subtitle, The Short Message, as it’s a quick game that you can finish within two hours, though it’s not recommended.</p><h2>8 Silent Hill: Homecoming </h2><h2>Too Many Shortcomings </h2><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=3GsapT_0vy0E1ib00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3GsapT_0vy0E1ib00" width="825" height="413" ></figure><p>After being away at war, soldier Alex Shepherd returns home to discover his hometown has changed. The adults are acting peculiarly, strange creatures roam the streets, and the children are all missing, including his little brother Josh. Using his combat skills, Alex’s search for his lost sibling will take him from the cemetery of Shepherd's Glen to the depths of Silent Hill.</p><p>Though it started with a decent premise, a soldier experiencing the psychological horrors of Silent Hill while uncovering the secrets of a cult, and some decent monster designs, the final product leaves much to be desired. The overall story falls apart in its delivery, has a twist that you can see coming a mile away, and for some reason, features a surprise cameo from Pyramid Head. Guess those Silent Hill: Revelation royalties weren’t paying the bills.</p><h2>7 Silent Hill: Downpour </h2><h2>The Unfortunate Downer </h2><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=0sMIRH_0vy0E1ib00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0sMIRH_0vy0E1ib00" width="825" height="413" ></figure><p>Released</p><p>March 13, 2012 </p><p>Developer(s)</p><p>Vatra Games </p><p>Publisher(s)</p><p>While being transported to another penitentiary, prisoner Murphy Pendleton’s bus crashes in the woods near Silent Hill. Now free, the convict flees into town, not realizing he’s escaped one jail only to trap himself in another more cursed one.</p><p>Downpour deserves credit for having some creative ideas. While the other games try, with mixed results, to hide the fact that the protagonist has done bad things, Downpour shows Murphy’s actions right at the intro. The game also includes side-quests the player can undertake for extra items and rewards. While it can be fun exploring Silent Hill, in the end, the main game is hindered by its bland enemy design. One of the worst sins any horror game can commit is having boring monsters, and Downpour’s offer nothing of value. Also, the monsters spawn from haunted patrol cars. No, that’s not a joke, unfortunately.</p><h2>6 Silent Hill: Origins </h2><h2>A So-So Prequel </h2><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=2cdE9x_0vy0E1ib00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2cdE9x_0vy0E1ib00" width="825" height="413" ></figure><p>Traveling on the open road, trucker Travis Grady happens upon a burning house in Silent Hill with a trapped girl inside. Rescuing her from a terrible death, Travis’ choices will unknowingly cause a chain of events that’ll spell doom for the whole town and its inhabitants.</p><p>Serving as a prequel to the first game in the series, Origins details the story of the cult and the actions that led to Silent Hill becoming the town that it is. Overall, it’s a decent release, but its ties to the first game are its only strengths. Unless you’re a die-hard fan who wants to see your favorite characters from Silent Hill 1 get more screen time, there’s not a lot here worth your attention.</p><h2>5 Silent Hill: Shattered Memories </h2><h2>Silent Hill 1 Reimagined </h2><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=4D7haE_0vy0E1ib00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=4D7haE_0vy0E1ib00" width="825" height="413" ></figure><p>The game’s plot is more of a what-if retelling of Silent Hill 1. The player controls Harry Mason searching for his missing child amid winter. Suffering from memory lapses, he finds himself teetering between reality and a frozen otherworld populated by shrieking nightmares.</p><p>What makes Shattered Memories stand out is its presentation and manner of altering the story depending on your choices. It’s not just the ending, even the cutscenes will vary based on the player’s actions. The gameplay is focused more on puzzles than combat. The only thing you can do is run from monsters, which can make these encounters rather tedious. Still, Shattered Memories stands out as a fascinating addition to the franchise that'll require your thinking cap.</p><h2>4 Silent Hill 4: The Room </h2><h2>The Controversial Black Sheep </h2><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=4WWo4z_0vy0E1ib00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=4WWo4z_0vy0E1ib00" width="825" height="413" ></figure><p>A paranormal entity has ensnared Henry Townshend’s apartment, sealing all exits and preventing him from leaving. When strange holes suddenly appear throughout his home, they transport Henry to otherworldly places populated by monsters. In his quest to find a way out, he’ll encounter other people trapped in these realms, all being hunted by an undead serial killer.</p><p>The Room holds the record for being the first of many things. It was the first game to focus outside the town of Silent Hill, the first to feature a first-person perspective, and it was also the first to be discarded by fans for these reasons during its original release. It’s gaining a new following, however, with players praising The Room for its premise, surreal story, and disturbing content. Despite some hiccups, this remains an incredible Silent Hill game that deserves a chance.</p><h2>3 Silent Hill </h2><h2>Survival Horror Classic </h2><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=2cVxDo_0vy0E1ib00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2cVxDo_0vy0E1ib00" width="825" height="413" ></figure><p>When a car accident strands Harry Mason on the outskirts of Silent Hill, he awakens to discover his daughter has disappeared. Searching through the abandoned town, Harry will face a gauntlet of strange nightmares as he discovers his daughter has been taken by the town’s cult, who intend to use her use in birthing their god.</p><p>This is where it all started, the beginning of Konami’s classic. As one of the earliest in its genre, the game has stood strong against the test of time. This is not a story about a soldier or elite police officer, but an average man trying to rescue his daughter in a town filled with monsters. Despite being decades old, Silent Hill 1’s haunting soundtrack and unnerving setting still make this a creepy video game to experience, with cinematic cutscenes that look impressive even to this day.</p><h2>2 Silent Hill 3 </h2><h2>“They Looked Like Monsters to You?” </h2><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=4fmiDI_0vy0E1ib00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=4fmiDI_0vy0E1ib00" width="825" height="413" ></figure><p>17 years after Harry Mason defeated the cult, its remnants have returned for his daughter Heather. Tangled in events that have been surrounding her since her birth, the only way for Heather to free herself from the cult and the nightmarish creatures haunting her is to return to where it all began: the town of Silent Hill.</p><p>As a direct continuation of the first game, Silent Hill 3 stands out as a perfect horror sequel by expanding the franchise’s lore while closing the book on the nefarious cult. This remains one of the scariest with music and sound effects that feel like they were recorded from another world, and terrifying scenarios that’ll have you pausing the game in shock. Seriously, Silent Hill 3 does things that were never thought possible with the PlayStation 2’s hardware. Even its character models look more impressive than certain modern games.</p><h2>1 Silent Hill 2 </h2><h2>Pinnacle of Psychological Horror </h2><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=1JvvlJ_0vy0E1ib00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1JvvlJ_0vy0E1ib00" width="825" height="413" ></figure><p>James Sunderland is a widower who lost his wife Mary due to an unknown illness, or so he says. So why did he receive a letter from her saying she’s waiting for him in Silent Hill? To find her, he’ll have to brave the fog and the monstrosities lurking beneath the cloud to discover the truth.</p><p>It doesn’t matter if it’s the original or the remake, the story of Silent Hill 2 remains the most compelling and jaw-dropping story that set the standard for future survival horror games. The second game introduced players to some of the most disturbing and unhinged-looking monsters, including the fan favorite, Pyramid Head. Not to mention the original soundtrack that both terrifies and mystifies players to this day. Even now, fans still debate which ending is the better, serving as another example of its level of writing.</p></div></body>

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Every Silent Hill Game, Ranked

When it comes to survival horror, the Silent Hill franchise stands out as one of the most creative and influential in gaming. The foggy town inhabited by some of the most imaginative, yet surreal, creatures from otherworldly environments forever changed the genre as its impact can be found among other horror titles. Where some video games are hailed for their gameplay, this series is known most for its unique puzzles, remarkable writing, relatable characters, gorgeous original score, and most of all, their monsters.

Every Silent Hill Game, Ranked

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