One of my all time favorite video games - ever!
It's scare - terrifying even! But not in that "gore-gore-slash" kind of way - but it's gets under your skin psychologically.
As a quick run down of the game. Silent Hill was once thought to be a peaceful secluded resort somewhere in America (namely Virgina). Silent Hill is actually the worst nightmare anyone can wake up to. Haunted by an ancient evil, Silent Hill is home to demonic and disfigured creatures that rome the streets and buildings and that can completely shift from reality and teh decaying other world. Gamers were introduced to this innocent looking town in 1999 with Konami's release on Play Station 1, in it you resume the roll of Harry Mason, a widowed father who was passing through the town with his daughter, Cheryl.
She went missing after their car crashed and Harry was forced to manuever his way through the mysterious fog filled streets and deserted neighborhoods. Gamers soon discovered that Silent Hill, the town and the game, wasn't like anything they've seen before. To the dynamic camera angles, to the disturbing creatures, to the dark and disgusting enviroments, to the strange and scary sound design. The first game tossed you in between realities and forced you to question which was real and not. Silent Hill was more that a horror action video game it was a psychological head turner, gamers had yet to experience. The demented invention was not a best-seller, due to its abstract storyline but it definately found an audience. Anoyong looking for a 3D action adventure that pushed the boundaries of video game story telling had a game they could enjoy but never completely understand.
Konami released Silent Hill 2 on Play Station 2 in 2001. In it, gamers were turned to the homocidial Hamley known as, James Sunderland. James also lost his wife but recieved an invitation from her to meet at their "special place".
The plot continued the series goal by putting hte characters into their worst nightmares only to discover the truth about themselves. Utilizing the Play Station 2 installment, Silent Hill 2 made great leaps in character design, enviroment textures, camera angles and directional light. And the haunting storyline delievered plenty of the twists and graphic images fans had expected. These loyal gamers have discovered that games could be more than just collecting coins and completeing levels; they could be metaphorical, philosophical and give who ever played them a deeper and more thought provoking experience.
The first two games dealt with characters being drawn to Silent Hill, the next two, the town reached out to the desperate people who had some previous connection to it. Silent Hill 3 followed Heather, the adopted daughter of Harry Mason, 17 years had gone by since the events of the first game, and her past just caught up to her.
Heather was a unique heroine as she didn't fill the big chest, scantily clad stereio types as seen in most games today. She looked and dressed just like a normal girl and teh story was more about her character than her physical appearance.
Silent Hill 4 was not meant to be a Silent Hill hame; it wasn't until after pre-production that Konami decided to add it into the series. Connections were drawn from a serial killer in Silent Hill 2 and the game was released in 2004. Silent Hill 4: The Room had new controls and modifications to the item and map manuels; the game was just as frightening and twisted as it's predecessors.
Henry Townsend lived near Silent Hill and awoke one day to find himself locked inside his apartment, no one could hear him and there was no way out except through a strange hole in the bathroom wall. Henry had to travel back and forth between his apartment and the hellish madness of Silent Hill to discover the mysteries to his bizarre incarceration. It wasn't the most warmly recieved title in the series but it certainly continued Silent Hill's psycho trauma with it's unique story and game play.
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Recently added games to the franchise include:
Silent Hill: Origins
Whichc came out fo the Play Station 2 and PSP in 2007. The game is a prequel intended to explore the backstory to the series' Silent Hill, it follows protagonist, truck driver Travis Grady, who finds himself becoming involved in the events of Silent Hill when he rescues a young girl from a burning house. As he tries to investigate the mystery surrounding her fate in the town of Silent Hill, he also finds himself uncovering long-forgotten truths about his childhood.
Silent Hill 5: Homecoming
(This is not part of Japanese Silent Hill group anymore - but an American based Silent Hill group).
Released in 2008 for the Play Station 3. This entry in the horror series follows the journey of protagonist Alex Shepherd, a soldier returning from war, to his hometown of Shepherd's Glen, where he finds the town in disarray, and his younger brother missing. As he continues on his search to find his younger brother, he discovers more about the Order — the cult of Silent Hill — as well as the town's history, and his own past.
Silent Hill: Shattered Memories
(NOT RELEASED YET - BUT HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED!)
Silent Hill: Shattered Memories is a makeover of the original Silent Hill video game, complete with modified story and brand-new gameplay mechanics.
Hopefully these bits of background information will get you to want ot play these games nad make you fall in love with them as much as I have!