Summary
Having spent the past decade on ice, with the last mainline release being 2012’sDownpour,Konami’s psychological horror seriesis due for a resurgence thanks to the launch of aSilent Hill 2remake and promises of more in the future. Boasting a library of seven mainline titles and multiple spin-offs, it can be difficult to jump into the series, as finding the first one to start with feels rather daunting.
Some titles tie into the overarching story regarding The Order and the town’s creation, while others are built around exploring the dark, complex aspects of humanity. It can be tricky to find an avenue, but thankfully,Silent Hillis a franchise that has multiple valid ways of getting started. Thanks to the series' unique storytelling methods of combining self-contained stories with a deeper, more connected lore, finding a way to experienceSilent Hillfor the first time comes with several outstanding choices.
After Team Silent, the stewards of the first four games in the series disbanded in 2004, Konami transferred the development of the series to America. They tapped Climax Studios to work on it, with the result being 2007’sSilent Hill: Originsfor the PSP.
Silent Hill: Originsis set seven years before the events of the firstSilent Hill, establishing many of the characters and incidents that would transpire in the franchise’s debut title. In that sense,Originsmakes perfect sense as a place to begin withSilent Hill. It requires no previous knowledge of the franchise, immediately setting one on the path to playSilent Hill 1and continuing the story directly.
Konami had designs on remaking the first game in the series as early as 2006, resulting in 2009’sSilent Hill: Shattered Memories.Released as a Wii-exclusive, then later ported to the PS2 and PSP,Shattered Memoriesis a reimagining of the events of the first game and features the return of Harry Mason to the protagonist role.
As a remake ofSilent Hill 1,Shattered Memoriesis a unique game that features some interesting alterations to the original title and introduces some fascinating new ways to experience it. The Pysch Profile system reacts to the player, changing the way it presents information, and uses an in-game phone to relay some truly creepy bits of atmosphere. It’s a perfect start for newcomers, as a remake of the franchise’s debut makes this one easy to jump into.
The final game in the franchise developed by Team Silent, the fourth entry took the series in a decidedly different direction.Silent Hill 4: The Roomdoesn’t even take place in the eponymous town, instead seeing itsharrowing events unfold in Ashfield, which is relatively close to Silent Hill.
Telling the haunting story of Henry Townsend,The Roomis a standalone title that operates largely independently of the first three titles. Its isolated nature makes it a spectacular place to start, as it does not require any knowledge of the series to be enjoyed to its fullest.The Roomis still an outstanding game today and is readily available on GOG.
Silent Hill, the first entry in this long-running horror series, still makes for a fantastic first step into the franchise’s sadistic exploration of the human psyche. Although it has remained a PS1 exclusive since 1999 and still hasn’t seen a re-release, it is still a brilliant game that is worth diving into.
Following the frightening journey of Harry Mason, who is trying to find his missing daughter Cheryl,Silent Hillis agripping descent into darknessand the lengths a father will go to save his child. It focuses heavily on the ongoing story of The Order and the inner workings of the town, but playingSilent Hill 1first will set anyone up to explore the rest of the series in a fabulous way.
The originalSilent Hill 2wasreleased for the PlayStation 2in the year 2001, and is still one of the finest horror games ever made, along with being one of the console’s most incredible games. Twenty-three years later, Bloober Team has remade the game for the PS5, seeking to redefine this horror classic for a new generation and its fans.
Silent Hill 2does not tie into the mainline series in any direct ways beyond a few loose references, and the stunning PS5 remake of the game is easily the best way to get started with this remarkable horror franchise. The Order is practically non-existent, and can almost be seen as a soft reboot, as its exploration of grief came to define a lot of the series moving forward.Silent Hill 2’sdark and visceral study of guilt and trauma has played into numerous games in the series moving forward, making it the best way to jump in.
