Silent Hill

Silent Hill is a third-person action-adventure survival horror, which started one of the most popular series in this genre. The game was developed by Team Silent, one of Konami's internal studios.

Plot

The action takes place in the titular town where the main character, Harry Mason, and his daughter Cheryl go on holiday. The characters have an accident in the suburbs of the city after which the protagonist loses consciousness. When he wakes up, he notices that his daughter has disappeared and that the city is shrouded in dense fog. Harry notices his daughter's silhouette in the distance but she doesn't react to his cry, leading him deep into the mysterious town. Continuing his search for Cheryl, the protagonist gets deeper and deeper into the nightmare, trying to unravel the causes of inexplicable events.

Mechanics

The gameplay in Silent Hill boils down to exploring new corners of the city, solving logical puzzles and fighting monsters. One of the most important elements of the hero's equipment is a pocket flashlight and a broken radio, informing about the approaching threat. While exploring, however, we find many useful items, which can also be used during the fights. Depending on the course of the game, the title offers several possible endings (some are better than the others). A peculiar curiosity is a humorous ending starring a UFO, unlocked after finishing the game with GOOD+ rating.

Technical aspects

The first Silent Hill is characterized by an unforgettable, dark atmosphere, which has become a standard for many more or less successful followers. Interestingly, the concept of the fog enveloping the city was largely due to technical reasons and its goal was to reduce the number of 3D objects displayed on the screen. Attentive players will also find many cultural references during the game. The atmosphere of the game was inspired by Adrian Lyne's Jacob's Ladder, and the streets of Silent Hill are named after the popular authors of horror movies. Akira Yamaoka's atmospheric soundtrack combines elements of ambient with aggressive, industrial sounds.

Last updated on 16 April 2015