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- Fans of Silent Hill and lovers of the horror genre in general are cheering over the announcement of Silent Hill 2 getting a remake in the same vein as Resident Evil games. Silent Hill still remains one of the most influential games in the survival horror genre so many games have taken inspiration from them.
Undoubtedly one of the most influential horror video game series of all time, Silent Hill was at the height of its popularity during the fifth and sixth console generations. Unfortunately, the ensuing gaming generations would see nary but a trickle of poorly-received spin-off games, culminating in the infamous cancelation of Silent Hills.
However, with the official reveal of the Silent Hill 2 remake after so many years, it's time to reminisce over the influence of these titles and recount a few memorable releases that were undeniably influenced by the survival horror series.
Updated on November 28th, 2022 by Melody MacReady:
Fans of Silent Hill and lovers of the horror genre in general are cheering over the announcement of Silent Hill 2 getting a remake in the same vein as Resident Evil games. Silent Hill still remains one of the most influential games in the survival horror genre so many games have taken inspiration from them.
Whether it's the threats the players face such as twisted monsters or a dread-inducing atmosphere that attacks the player's mind, Silent Hill's seeds are planted all over the horror genre. They may not have blossomed into actual Silent Hill entries, but they can be seen as spiritual successors of the horror franchise.
16 Deadly Premonition (2010)
A survival horror game like no other, the game puts its quirky set of characters and bizarre plot far ahead of gameplay to mixed results. Essentially playing like a mix between Silent Hill and Shenmue, Deadly Premonition features a ton of open-world traversal and a massive amount of dialogue encounters.
It's weirdly written and can be borderline hilarious at times, but it also juxtaposes these things with moments of utter terror that make the whole thing seem almost purposefully at odds with itself. It features a lot of similarities to David Lynch films, for better or for worse. Despite its divided reception and dated design, it's one to check out, for sure.
15 The Mortuary Assistant (2022)
This simple little indie game first comes off as another job simulator, but quickly devolves into a supernatural horror that plays tricks on the player. From subtle noises to booming jump scare, The Mortuary Assistant has it all while the player solves puzzles.
It may not have the same open world as Silent Hill, but it does have the same atmosphere leaking out of every nook and cranny. It's as if Silent Hill was confined to one location, similar to Silent Hill 4: The Room, but for the whole duration which adds claustrophobia to the overall experience.
14 Cry Of Fear (2013)
Beginning life as a mod for the original Half-Life game, Cry of Fear is perhaps one of the most notorious free-to-play titles currently available on Steam. Originally introduced to Valve's platform in 2013 and spurred on by a playthrough by YouTube gamers, Cry of Fear is a disturbing, deeply engaging romp through the inner psyche of a mentally ill man.
Strikingly similar to the Silent Hill series in nearly every way, this FPS survival horror experience will test the mettle of even the most seasoned genre veteran. It just goes to show that a game can be free-to-play and still get a legacy.
13 The Evil Within 2 (2017)
Though The Evil Within certainly felt inspired by Silent Hill, the nod belongs to the 2017 follow-up The Evil Within 2. Set inside a warped, artificially-constructed reality that takes the form of a crumbling suburban town swarming with monsters, the parallels to the Silent Hill games are obvious.
Especially the big boss monsters which are disturbing manifestations of the imagination. In some cases, the monsters seen in The Evil Within 2 are not only scarier than the first game but also most of the Silent Hill games.
12 Condemned: Criminal Origins (2005)
Condemned: Criminal Origins harkens back to a time during which AAA horror titles pulled no punches. Primarily remembered for its primal first-person melee combat, the game tasked players with scrounging for weapons like pipes bits of lumber with which to fend off foes.
There was something both satisfying and shocking about getting up close and personal while pummeling enemies to death, and it made the experience all the more unforgettable. Of course, the game's run-down buildings and their denizens are extremely reminiscent of the first four Silent Hill titles.
11 Dementium: The Ward (2007)
This is a first-person shooter for the Nintendo DS, Dementium: The Ward was one of the very few horror titles to release on Nintendo's mid-2000s handheld console. Originally pitched to Konami as an installment in the Silent Hill franchise, the series' influence on the title is beyond obvious.
Featuring a plot surrounding the horrific mental manifestations of a potential murderer, everything from the survival horror gameplay to the freakishly-polygonal monsters screams Silent Hill. While it's a fairly rare title these days, horror fans who manage to track down a copy owe it to themselves to check out the Silent Hill DS entry that almost was.
10 The Park (2015)
Though almost every Silent Hill installment featured some sort of combat, the emphasis of the games was never on fighting monsters. Instead, Konami's horror franchise was far more interested in exploring the depths of the human psyche, allowing for some truly creative and uniquely disturbing experiences.
The same could be said of The Park, a walking simulator horror spin-off of the MMORPG The Secret World. Exploring the tale of a single mother questing to find her missing son in an abandoned, run-down amusement park, the title weaves a desperate narrative of selfishness and a desperate need to right the wrongs of the past.
9 Dead Space 2 (2011)
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Though both the first and third games can be considered somewhat like Silent Hill, Dead Space 2 carries the torch of the old franchise the most as one of the best sci-fi horror games. This is mainly due to Isaac Clarke having the mysterious Marker imprinted into his brain.
As a result, he becomes haunted by visions and illusions based on his past. Since Silent Hill is meant to bring out your sins and regrets in the form of monsters, it's easy to see Clarke's journey in the second game as a throwback to James' journey in Silent Hill 2, especially since both protagonists deal with twisted monsters along the way.
8 The Medium (2021)
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The mind creates horror from pain and trauma which has been a theme of Silent Hill since the start. It is also the theme of another horror game: The Medium. This game deals with the mechanic of going between two mirrored worlds, both affecting each other in different ways including puzzles.
It's actually this game's developers at Bloober who have been hired to be behind the remake of Silent Hill 2. That shows the impact that The Medium had overall, taking a more psychological horror approach rather than a straight-up survival horror. It also features a show-stealing performance from Troy Baker and the mysterious Maw who guides and taunts the player throughout.
6 Visage
One of the most intensely horrifying games to come out in recent years, Visage is a clear homage to the infamously unlisted Silent Hills P.T. demo. With set pieces and elements more or less ripped straight out of Konami's teaser, Visage is, in some ways, the Silent Hill game we never got.
Focusing on a series of disturbing hauntings and telling the perspectives of multiple protagonists, Visage was made memorable thanks to its starkly realistic, almost matter-of-fact presentation. The relatable setting and at-times photorealistic visuals allow for an uncanny feeling of dread, and it's the sort of thing fans were excited for with Silent Hills.
5 The Suffering (2004)
Released in 2004, The Suffering tells the tale of a death row inmate desperate to escape confinement after a cataclysmic event strikes the prison in which he is held. However, as he struggles to free himself, he is met with a series of supernatural terrors seemingly sent on providing punitive measures.
Famous for its morality system, elements of the game would change depending on how players interacted with NPCs. Though rough around the edges by today's standards, The Suffering was an ambitious horror title that deserved more recognition than it received.
4 Siren (2003)
The PlayStation 2 was a veritable breeding ground for seminal horror titles that are still talked about today. From Haunting Ground to Fatal Frame, fans of the horror genre owe it to themselves to go back and check out these older titles. However, the Siren trilogy is arguably the crème de la crème of forgotten horror gems.
A brutal, unmistakably Japanese survival horror title developed by SCE Japan, the first Siren game feels like a Silent Hill game dialed up to eleven. Famous for being one of the few examples of second-person gaming whereby players get to see through the eyes of pursuing monsters, Siren on the PS2 evokes a sense of fear unattainable through any other medium.
3 Alan Wake (2010/2021)
If Silent Hill was rebooted by Stephen King, it would probably result in a game somewhat like this. It's about a struggling author who retreats to a small town in a rural area only to be tormented by monsters. It's filled to the brim with tropes that Stephen King loves to use, but it honors his style mixed with Twin Peaks.
It may not have the looming fog, but the small town and forest of Bright Falls give a similar vibe of dread and terror as Silent Hill, and the gameplay is not that dissimilar to Silent Hill games of the time, just swap a gun or melee weapon with an all-powerful flashlight to fend off the shadowy monsters.
2 Rule Of Rose (2006)
Perhaps the rarest North American PS2 release in the console's history, Rule Of Rose is a horror game that primarily takes place aboard a zeppelin run by a cult of orphaned children. Though not as overtly terrifying as Silent Hill, the title certainly offers up some creepy vibes which the uninitiated will find off-putting.
More or less a puzzle adventure title that sees protagonist Jennifer and her dog Brown hunt for clues to get to the bottom of the mysterious cult, the game takes clear influence from pioneering survival horror titles of the fifth and sixth console generations, particularly in terms of setting and atmosphere.
1 Fatal Frame (2001)
In many ways, Fatal Frame can be seen as a Silent Hill rip-off. It features a person going to an old town where they become enveloped in a dark reflection of that world and the player needs to solve puzzles as well as defeat enemies to escape. This game would spawn a cult franchise that continued with titles such as Fatal Frame: Maiden Of Black Water.
Replace the monsters with deadly ghosts straight out of The Grudge and the result is a strong horror title that spawned its own franchise. Its biggest change other than the ghosts is that the spirits can only be vanquished by a special camera, hence the title of Fatal Frame. It may be somewhat derivative, but it still manages to pull off genuine scares, especially with the camera view.