Konami’s survival horror may not be back, but it might be a good time to catch up on the saga. In what order?
Strong emotions, heart thumps and a fire engine siren that twists your stomach as if you had a very tight knot. These are some of the reactions to Silent Hill, a saga that has caused terror to millions of people around the world. The same butterflies that flutter in the guts of the followers multiply every time Konami winks at the saga. And everyone wonders: Is Silent Hill finally coming back? And then comes the disappointment. No, another false alarm. Or maybe a clue?
The chronology happened as follows: first, the Japanese company confirmed that Dead by Dylight would have a crossover in which iconic characters such as Pyramid Head or Heather would appear in the game. More recently, Konami opened the official Silent Hill account on Twitter and published a video in which the mythical siren from the second installment could be heard. However, given the reactions of many players, they denied that this action in networks was the sign of an imminent announcement. They clarified that any such maneuver would be carried out from the official account of the saga, not the company.
No one is oblivious to the rumors that resonate on the horizon. The Silent Hill theory developed by SIE Japan Studio has been flying overhead for a while. The fact that Keiichiro Toyama, director of the original title, is the head of this developer (the one who designed the Forbidden Siren and Gravity Rush saga) helps raise the hopes of all who expect a resurgence of the brand. However, as of today there is no official information to support these claims. Still, when the river sounds it is better to be prepared, so it is a perfect excuse to return to the cursed town.
The most difficult thing is to access the good versions of some games. Silent Hill Collection for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 included all three video games released on PlayStation 2, but the conversion was not up to scratch, making it more convenient to dust off the classics. Another question that usually arises, especially among neophytes of the saga, is in what order to play video games. There is no single proposal, but in the case of Silent Hill, we are going to be guided by the connections that some of the titles maintain. In any case, most of them tell independent stories.
1. Silent Hill (PlayStation)
Our recommendation is to start with the original title, even if Silent Hill: Origins comes earlier in the timeline. In 1999, a golden age for survival horror, Resident Evil had already begun to win over horror fans. However, the trend in those days was to produce titles with clear reminiscences of the B-series films. Instead, Team Silent opted for a more psychological terror, which played with the graphics and sound design by Akira Yamaoka. The story puts us in the shoes of Harry Mason, who travels by car with his daughter Cheryl, a girl who has been plagued by nightmares for months. Unfortunately, his journey to the cursed town culminates in a terrible accident. When Harry wakes up his girl has disappeared without a trace. It is then that he enters the misty streets of Silent Hill to unravel the enigmas that lie within its walls. Those who want to discover an alternative version of what is narrated in this title can try Silent Hill: Shattered Memories, a kind of reimagining of the original product (PSP, PlaStation 2 and Wii).
2. Silent Hill 3 (PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360)
Why have we skipped the second installment to position this game as the next one you should play? Without getting spoiled, the reason responds to the fact that the plot connections justify it. Like the other video games in the series, Silent Hill 3 can be enjoyed regardless of whether you have played the others or not, but if you want to immerse yourself in its history, the best option is to savor all its ingredients. It is no coincidence that the protagonist of this work is Heather Mason, a surname that is of course linked to Harry Mason, the protagonist of the original game. Who is Heather and why does she have visions of Silent Hill? Those questions that are solved during the adventure connect directly with the past. The young woman dreams of a dilapidated amusement park, a lonely place where nightmares come true. Thus begins a game that stands out for its impressive audiovisual design and careful plot.
3. Silent Hill: Origins (PSP, PlayStation 2)
Ever since the prequels of the Star Wars saga were released in theaters, the debate has extended over whether to watch them in chronological order or to see the classic trilogy first. Saving the distances, something like this can happen with Silent Hill: Origins. As a product that narrates the origins of the story, it is a plot prequel to the 1999 game. Although it is possible to play it first, whoever embarks on this journey for the first time may prefer to reserve some surprises. The bulk of the story can be understood without having played the original, but the whole is better understood if you have a previous background. Climax, an external North American studio of Konami, was in charge of the development of this production. Trucker driver Travis Grady is the protagonist of this chapter, who after driving outside of Silent Hill, notices that a house is burning to the ground. There he saves a girl and begins her fall to hell.
4. Silent Hill 2 (PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360)
With the first sequel to Silent Hill, Konami opened up new story lines. This product continues to delve into the foundations of the first installment, although with the advantages of operating on more powerful hardware, in this case the PlayStation 2. The graphical improvements reinforce the oppressive atmosphere, even more overwhelming thanks to unprecedented enemies such as Pyramid Head . Neither Harry Mason nor his daughter Cheryl are the protagonists of this terrifying experience. James Sunderland is married to Mary, a woman who has been dead for some time. One day, the sad husband receives a letter from his deceased wife. And that’s what brings you to the gates of Silent Hill. In the town, their internal ghosts will awaken a terrible truth. What happens next remains to be seen. Redemption? Condemnation? , Death? Or perhaps eternal oblivion?
5. Silent Hill 4: The Room (PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox, Xbox 360)
Just a year after the release of Silent Hill 3, Team Silent tried their luck with a much more experimental project. For the first time, the studio modified the playable bases to offer something different within a saga that had already squeezed the same formula in previous chapters. If we have positioned Silent Hill 4: The Room just after the second installment we have done so because both titles maintain a close relationship in the plot. Otherwise, the first person was introduced, although the third person did not disappear completely either. Henry Townshend lives in one of the towns near Silent Hill. That proximity, of course, does not augur anything new. And so, in apartment 302, his home, all kinds of paranormal phenomena occur. With Silent Hill 4: The Room a stage in Konami was closed, since Team Silent disbanded shortly after.
6. Silent Hill: Homecoming (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC)
The two main titles that were released in the final days of the series can be enjoyed as completely separate experiences, so we will follow the order of their release date. Silent Hill: Homecoming, without Team Silent behind the scenes, was the second project outsourced to Western companies. At that time, Konami opted for that option not only in its survival horror productions, but also in other licenses, such as the notable Castlevania: Lords of Shadow (MercurySteam). Double Helix Games had the responsibility of taking the baton from Team Silent and Climax to build a new game in the main saga, at first known as Silent Hill V, later re-branded. Alex Sheperd returns to the village after his brother has disappeared. How could it be otherwise, the consequences of that visit will not be pleasant for our character: no surprises in that sense.
7. Silent Hill: Downpour (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360)
We have already anticipated that the links between Silent Hill: Downpour and the rest of the saga are non-existent, apart from taking place in the same location, the town of the silent hill. Like Homecoming, it was not developed by Konami’s internal teams. The Japanese assigned the project to Vatra Games, a studio in the Czech Republic that did not suffer splendid luck after its experience with the series (anyone would say there is a curse behind it). As for the plot, the title focuses on the figure of Murphy Pendleton, who dared to rob a police patrol and it was very expensive. He remains locked up in a jail, but when he beats up one of the inmates, he will be sent to a maximum security prison. What the guards have not contemplated is that a bus accident that takes him to his new home ends up releasing him, which is possibly nothing positive for Pendleton, because his nightmare in Silent Hill has only just begun.
If you have not been convinced with the proposed order, there are always other options that can be considered. At FreeGameTips we propose the release date and the chronological order of the narration as other possible suggestions.
