After a long hiatus, the Silent Hill franchise is making its return after Konami’s Silent Hill Transmission. There were a few likely reveals Silent Hill fans hoped to see during the live stream, and Konami has revealed multiple Silent Hill projects in the works. In the meantime, newcomers to Silent Hill may wonder which games are the series’ must-plays. The franchise has been around for over twenty years with many releases, and finding a way in is a bit tougher than it would seem.
Of the eight main entries to the Silent Hill series, only a handful are readily available. The games were primarily made for consoles, with only a select few seeing a port to PC. What’s more regrettable is that, for most of the Silent Hill games, the console marketplaces do not have digital versions available for download. This leaves the inconvenient option of finding and purchasing expensive physical versions of the games.
However, four of the scariest Silent Hill games are easily acquired via digital download from select storefronts. Conveniently, they are among the most essential entries to the franchise, and therefore perfect games for newcomers looking to get a feel for Silent Hill. Unfortunately, the original Silent Hill is not among the games that can be obtained easily. However, acquiring it is possible, but only if players own the physical version of the game. This method will be discussed later in the article.
Silent Hill HD Collection Is Available On Xbox
The Silent Hill HD Collection is a remastered version of Silent Hill 2 and its secondary scenario, Born from a Wish, as well as Silent Hill 3. These are some of the series’ most beloved and praised entries. They depict both the psychological horror and supernatural aspects of Silent Hill, such as the town’s Dark God. The HD Collection is only available on the Xbox marketplace via backwards compatibility, and is not without flaws, however. It received mixed reviews, mostly citing issues with the new voice acting and graphical updates that made the games less scary. Despite not being the definitive way to experience these classic games, the HD Collection remains the best avenue for players looking to see what Silent Hill is all about in a hassle-free manner.
Of the two games included in the HD Collection, Silent Hill 2 stands out as it has the option to select the original vocal performances. In this way, it is much closer to the original developer’s intended experience. The game follows protagonist James Sunderland traveling to Silent Hill after receiving a letter from his deceased wife stating that she waits there for him. Silent Hill 2, a remake of which is part of the new Silent Hill games coming, is often hailed as the best in the series, so newcomers should definitely check this one out.
The Silent Hill 3 remaster in the HD Collection is a good update from the original. The graphical fidelity is much cleaner, and it plays pretty well. The downside is that it lacks the original voice performances, but this is unlikely to sway the opinions of first-time players as the world and gameplay are more than enough to satisfy. Silent Hill 3 is a direct sequel to the first Silent Hill and has little to no connection with Silent Hill 2. Newcomers may want to read or watch a summary of the first game’s plot to fully understand the events and themes of Silent Hill 3, and get in on the bread meme as well.
Silent Hill: Homecoming Is The Only New Game Available
Silent Hill: Homecoming is the only one of the newer era of Silent Hill games that is readily available for digital purchase. Silent Hill: Homecoming can be found alongside the HD Collection on the Xbox marketplace via backwards compatibility. It is also available for purchase on Steam. While the post-Team Silent era of Silent Hill games isn’t as widely praised, Silent Hill: Homecoming presents a more modern experience that may be more approachable for audiences new to the franchise. It focuses on action/combat-oriented gameplay, which some suggest works to the detriment of horror.
Nonetheless, Homecoming has some pretty terrifying imagery and has one of Silent Hill’s scariest monsters. It digs into the cult and supernatural origins of the town established in the original Silent Hill. Homecoming follows the story of protagonist Alex Shepherd, a veteran who returns home to discover his little brother has disappeared. As he searches for him, he descends into the madness of the town’s history. Homecoming doesn’t represent Silent Hill at its height, but is still a valuable entry that’s worth checking out.
Silent Hill 4: The Room Is Playable On PC
Silent Hill 4: The Room is the last game developed by Silent Hill’s original developers, Team Silent. It stands apart from its predecessors in that it mostly takes place outside the town of Silent Hill. In some ways, it kicked off the trend of horror games set in a small, everyday location, which undoubtedly inspired the Silent Hills teaser P.T. Silent Hill 4 recently released on PC via the GOG storefront.
Silent Hill 4: The Room follows the story of protagonist Henry Townshend, who has been inexplicably locked in his apartment and has vivid, recurring nightmares. It is a remarkable entry in the franchise and presents some interesting perspectives on the town’s mythology that both expand the lore and connect ideas from the previous games. Of all the Silent Hill games that are readily available, Silent Hill 4: The Room indeed provides the best classic experience in the vision of the series creators.
Hard-To-Find Silent Hill Games Can Be Emulated
Console emulation software is a popular method for PC owners looking to play the harder-to-find Silent Hill games. Through these means, the original Silent Hill is playable, as well as the original versions of Silent Hill 2 and Silent Hill 3. Even newer entries like Silent Hill: Origins and Silent Hill: Shattered Memories, which is woefully underrated, are accessible via emulation software. It must be stated that it is recommended that only players who own physical copies of the games they intend to download should play them using emulators. This method isn’t the easiest to approach, especially for players who do not have access to a PC, yet it is the only way to play some Silent Hill games that are no longer supported on digital storefronts.
The Silent Hill franchise is upheld as a survival horror cornerstone, and those looking to experience the classics before the next wave of the series launches should absolutely do so. Not only are they enjoyable and terrifying, but playing them now will surely provide some much-needed context for where the Silent Hill series goes next.
