OneMetal.com ARTICLE:
Silent Hill: A Decade of Nightmares

For the last ten years since its 1999 debut, the Silent Hill video games have launched gamers into the heart of a macabre town crawling with unearthly creatures, cult secrets, and enough horrid psychological chicanery to justify a happily executed lobotomy. Despite the series’ notable footprint on the surface of the survival horror expanse, each installment bears its respective weight in flaws as terrifying as its disgusting creatures and unsettling music. So what makes Silent Hill unique and massively popular among horror addicts? Here’s a rundown of the Silent Hill landmarks that established the series and an envisioning of what fans can expect in the years to come. Feel free to add your own tribute in the comments below!

Silent Hill

(1999, PlayStation, PlayStation Network)

It all started with Harry Mason, a rather oblivious writer whose car crashes near the disquieting town of Silent Hill. Struggling to recover his daughter Cheryl, who wandered into the fog and ashes, the protagonist meets a cluster of odd persons in his search. From an equally confused police officer named Cybil Bennett to the mysterious Dahlia Gillespie, the suspicious Dr. Michael Kaufmann, and trembling nurse Lisa Garland, the original Silent Hill offers a chilling taste of a disconnected human condition as dilapidated as the characters’ surroundings. The transformation from violent town to hellish Otherworld mesmerized unsuspecting gamers and left them craving more. The most memorable scene? The claustrophobic degradation of an ordinary alley at the beginning hints at the game’s startling lack of mercy.

Silent Hill 2

(2001, PlayStation 2, Microsoft Xbox, PC)

The epitome of the series, Silent Hill 2 understood that the appropriate next step was to focus on and develop the power of the town itself. James Sunderland not only underwent an exploration of the frightening locale, but of the hideously dark reaches of his troubled mind, as well. With an assortment of deranged and problematic characters, objectified monsters with automaton-like movements, and even more disturbing environments, from top to bottom the game expertly manifests James’ personality. The achievement cemented the series as a fan favorite, establishing the town as a personal hell that morphs with the crimes of its latest trespasser. Cognizant of its own symbolism, the game introduced the recognizable “sexy nurses” and memorable Pyramid Head creature—two beings that would continue to trace rather ignorantly through subsequent games.

Silent Hill 3

(2003, PlayStation 2, PC)

In the same year that two Silent Hill-themed books landed in stores, a third game wrapped up the original adventure, receiving strong praise for its quite suffocating atmosphere. From the skin-prickling wheelchair scene to the sickening carousel ride, Silent Hill 3 completes Mason’s legacy through the destiny of Heather Mason. The visuals are gritty and detailed, playing with shadows and blood with ease; the soundtrack boasts a formidable collection of vocal and orchestral songs both perturbing and beautiful. Some of the most demented scenes involve the characters—a disappointingly small but unique cast—and the puzzles are among the best in the series. Despite its earned credit and the somewhat blinding critic approval, some argue that the game was painfully unnecessary in relation to its agonizingly poor execution. I certainly wouldn’t be included in that minuscule sampling. Nope, not a chance.

Silent Hill 4: The Room

(2004, PlayStation 2, Microsoft Xbox, PC)

The Room, an experiment in pushing the boundaries of the Silent Hill formula, perhaps attracted the greatest mix of audience and critic reception. Although faltering in its final half on top of various other problems, there are many factors that make Silent Hill 4 a worthy addition to the line-up. Delivering arguably the most remarkable musical compilation in the series, Silent Hill 4 draws upon previously insignificant details already grounded in Silent Hill’s video game history: a once-evident hole in the wall of the Silent Hill 2 Heaven’s Night club and numerous references to serial killer Walter Sullivan, brought to life as the primary antagonist. The game centers on Henry Townshend as he labors to deconstruct Sullivan’s 21 Sacraments ritual and thus circumvent his own demise in the process.

Silent Hill: Origins

(2007, PlayStation Portable, PlayStation 2)

Roughly three years passed before another major Silent Hill game hit shelves, and in that time the series produced several spin-off games and promotional discs, inspired numerous comic book stories, and gave rise to a movie incarnation. Not to mention the popular developer, Team Silent, handed over the reigns to the less traditional Climax Group, who would eventually return for the latest in the string of installments. As a prequel, Origins spotlights trucker Travis Grady, who becomes stranded in the town after rescuing a girl from a burning house. Although pursuing the tracks of earlier Silent Hill titles by raking in audience nods, Origins doesn’t stack up to its predecessors’ innovation—often borrowing stale ideas and techniques instead.

Silent Hill: Homecoming

(2008, PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360, PC)

Perhaps gathering the most lukewarm response out of all the games, Homecoming (from Double Helix Games) isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, dismissed as either a poor and capricious excuse for a Silent Hill game or a somewhat commendable endeavor to reinvent the series much in the light of Resident Evil 4’s successful 2005 revamp. Whichever way fans choose to see it, character voice-acting tremendously improved—as did the combat system more in favor of action thanks to Alex Shepherd’s army experience. The protagonist revisits his drastically changed hometown of Shepherd’s Glen, a location on the borders of Silent Hill, as he tries to save his missing younger brother Josh and the rapidly slipping neighborhood. Gamers travel back and forth between Silent Hill and Alex’s home in the effort.

As an extra incentive, the musical score sits nicely against the likes of The Room’s stellar auditory performance.

Silent Hill: Shattered Memories

(2009, Nintendo Wii, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable)

Marking the seventh major work in the franchise, Shattered Memories treads back to Harry Mason’s days and completely re-imagines them on the basis of easily corrupted memory. Climax Group usurps the office again, and in the spirit of a choose-your-own-adventure type gameplay the remake bends the traditional psychological element back on the player. From the design of monsters to character demeanor, Shattered Memories tweaks the overall experience according to individual fixations and … erm, special personal qualities. One of the most visually striking changes occurs with the “nightmare sequences,” in which the trademark sirens and reality shifts are replaced by one icy cold touch. Literally.

The Wii version released this past December, but PS2 and PSP users can grab their copies as of next Tuesday. To finish off, let’s take a peek into the next decade of Silent Hill.

The Years to Come

Series composer Akira Yamaoka stepped down only recently, leaving behind an empty hole in the hearts of fans. But like all HOLES, soon it’ll be GONE now that there’s an unfilled seat in the Silent Hill roster. While it’s difficult to say whether the next hire will understand the games’ essence as well as Yamaoka, there’s no doubt that he’ll be greatly missed. At least vocalists Mary Elizabeth McGlynn and Joe Romersa are still loitering about.

Rumor has it that another Silent Hill movie is on the horizon, promising to smooth over the rough patches evident in the original flick. Though one of the better works in the video game movie genre, the feat really isn’t anything to brag about—despite the gruesome Pyramid Head church scene, of course. Yikes.

Overall, the future of Silent Hill remains as obscure as the thick fog that cloaks it. Can we expect a Silent Hill 2 remake with pretty next-gen graphics? Will the series, as intended with Shattered Memories, slide further away from mediocre American horror trends and fall once again into the arms of its initial Japanese subtlety—or will it assimilate into a new breed of survival horror entirely? Only time will tell, but until then the Silent Hill legacy awaits for fans both old and new. Here’s a toast to what will hopefully be another fruitful and enjoyable decade of Silent Hill. Just don’t forget your trusty flashlight.