It's a shame that, at the current time of writing, it seems like Konami has shelved the Silent Hill series. Each game in the franchise explored different elements of the human psyche and, while some definitely vary in quality, the series as a whole had a major impact on the entire horror game genre. The impact was so great that when the highly anticipated ninth entry in the series, Silent Hills, was canceled and its playable teaser, P.T., taken off the PlayStation store, fans clung to their downloaded copies of P.T. like nothing seen in the industry before.
Thanks to the series' influence, however, fans of the horror franchise looking for new games to scratch the Silent Hill itch don't have to look very hard, as just about any horror game released past 2002 can cite the series as an influence. What's great about the influence of the series is that some of it comes in the form of the more subtle horror that stems from the original three titles, and more action-focused horror influence comes from the later entries. For those looking for games highly reminiscent of the long-dormant franchise, here are five titles to play that will offer new takes on the Silent Hill format.
Alan Wake
Alan Wake's plot seems like it comes directly from the Silent Hill series. Famed author Alan Wake goes on vacation with his loving wife, Alice, to the small Washington town of Bright Falls when she's kidnapped by the mysterious "darkness." The town then gets infected by the darkness and haunts Alan as he tries to rescue his wife and uncover the mystery of what's happened to Bright Falls. Take the game's well-written script and replace all instances of "Bright Falls" with "Silent Hill," and fans may not be able to tell much of a difference. The game is perfect for any Silent Hill fan who liked the haunted town aspect of the games. Alan Wake explores that element to the fullest while also providing a gripping story that ties into Remedy Entertainment's most recent game, the critically acclaimed Control.
Alan Wake is available on PC and Xbox 360.
Dead Space 2
While fans of Silent Hill would probably like the entire Dead Space series, Dead Space 2 is the most "Silent Hill" of them all as it focuses primarily on the character of Isaac Clarke and how he deals with the psychological trauma he's experiencing after the events of the first game. In a similar fashion to Silent Hill 2, Isaac is haunted by the memories of his dead girlfriend, Nicole and he has to come to terms with her death over the course of the game. Although its horror is far less subtle than some of the earlier entries in the Silent Hill series, Dead Space's combat and more "in-your-face" approach to horror might appeal to fans of the later Silent Hill titles. Additionally, as a Dead Space Reboot is in the works by EA Motive, there's no better time than now to get invested in the franchise.
Dead Space 2 is available on PC, PS3, and Xbox 360.
SOMA
Frictional Games established itself as a top-tier studio when it comes to indie-horror with the breakout hit Amnesia: The Dark Descent. One of the studio's most recent titles, SOMA, is much more in line with the Silent Hill formula, however, as it takes a more thoughtful approach to its horror by really basing it in the game's gripping narrative. Each horrific monster is born out of the terrifying PATHOS-II underwater station and the intense isolation that it forced its crew into. Similar to the Silent Hill series, SOMA focuses heavily on how its setting can inform a narrative, being just as scary as the monsters themselves when done right.
SOMA is available on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
The Medium
When doing a side-by-side comparison of The Medium and the original three Silent Hill games, it's pretty clear just how much inspiration The Medium is taking from the classic horror series. Just about every staple of the franchise is included in The Medium, ranging from the fixed camera angles to the story revolving around discovering the protagonist's potentially dark past. Setting itself apart from Silent Hill, The Medium has a mechanic where main character Marianne can see into the Spirit World, resulting in a split-screen view of the game: half in the real world and the other half in the Spirit World. It's an interesting mechanic that makes The Medium stand out in a sea of Silent Hill-inspired titles, along with its top-notch voice acting and winding plot.
The Medium is available on PC and Xbox Series X|S.
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
It would be hard to think of a better horror game than Resident Evil 7: Biohazard when it comes to recent releases. While it has plenty of its own merits, the game seems to have taken a lot of inspiration from the Silent Hill series, namely Silent Hill 2 and Silent Hills' playable teaser, P.T. The initial incident that kicks off the game's plot is straight out of Silent Hill 2: a man receives a message from his seemingly dead partner, heading to the location detailed in their message so the terror can ensue. As RE7's plot really gets going, it starts to distance itself from any Silent Hill comparisons, though it does serve as an example of what different game makers can do with similar premises. While the two series are staples of the horror genre and often borrow ideas from one another, the games couldn't be any more different in terms of where their stories end up going. Resident Evil 7 is an excellent game for any Silent Hill fan looking to branch out, as it offers similar ideas met with drastically differing outcomes.
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard is available on PC, PS4, and Xbox One.