Silent Hill

 PlayStation
  • Publisher: Konami
  • Release Date: Feb 24, 1999
User Score
8.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 896 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 807 out of 896
  2. Mixed: 48 out of 896
  3. Negative: 41 out of 896
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  1. BillyB.
    Dec 11, 2002
    10
    Yes, I browned myself, and loved doing it... It's so primal, isn't it?
  2. BenN.
    Jun 11, 2003
    10
    The originals r always the best and this is no exception, sure Silent Hill 2 & 3 r brill but this has the best ideas & storyline by far, oh & its the scariest without a doubt, all u gotta do now is try & find a copy in the shops somewhere !
  3. Jack
    Sep 29, 2005
    10
    Classic!
  4. SwtS.
    Oct 18, 2006
    10
    Brilliant! The suspense and thrill is exhilarating.
  5. Conval
    May 11, 2003
    10
    It is most interesting game that ever come on playstation, and how would we croatians say -savrseno !!!
  6. NathanM.
    Apr 27, 2007
    10
    Excellent in every way. Claustrophobic camera angles, the Kafka-esque fog, and distorted enemies wandering the streets all contribute to this games scariness. Nothing freakier than playing this game at night and hearing the dreaded air-raid siren that signals your descent into the nightmarish Otherworld.
  7. Rodrigo_31
    Aug 16, 2016
    10
    This is by far my favourite games franchise. Silent Hill is everything the horror movies can be and they are not when we talk about fear, tension and true scary moments. I always felt bored watching any kind of horror-suspense movie, whatever thriller already release or about the release in the future, it is simple not going to be or it is that grotesque, and horrifying.

    Amnesia, Soma,    This is by far my favourite games franchise. Silent Hill is everything the horror movies can be and they are not when we talk about fear, tension and true scary moments. I always felt bored watching any kind of horror-suspense movie, whatever thriller already release or about the release in the future, it is simple not going to be or it is that grotesque, and horrifying.

    Amnesia, Soma, Layers of Fear, Silent Hill, all put together put all the horror movies to shame!

    I'll never forget the **** pants moments while playing Silent Hill for the first time... Silent Hill 2 is my favourite video game ever, yes, EVER. But the first one is a 10 too. Both are perfects, are great and uniques, they are all incredibly made, true masterpieces, and no other games will ever come close in subject matters, its story is incomparable. No mater what you will say about Mass Effect, Bioshock, Metal Gear Solid, Silent Hill is deeper, complex and better!

    "The fear of blood tends to create fear for the flesh"    … Expand
  8. khalats
    Feb 21, 2011
    10
    This game is still rocks after 12 years. The atmosphere is fascinating, the music and the noises makes you frightened, even if you played with it several times. For me it's simply the best horror game.
  9. R4Zi3L
    May 12, 2011
    10
    Truly masterpiece of survival horror and artistic expression in games. Music and sound effects are hypnotic, same about graphics (for PS1). Must play for everyone.
  10. Sephiroth78
    Apr 17, 2011
    10
    By far the greatest game I've ever played. Chilling to its very end with a storytelling which no matter how many horror games will come will never be forgotten...
  11. doodlerman
    Jun 9, 2011
    10
    Without a doubt, the best horror game in existence. To this day I've never played anything this frightening or uneasy feeling, and I'm a horror game fanatic. Nothing I've played on the Xbox 360 or PS3 or ANYTHING made today has had the same effect on me that this has. Before I played this game I thought things like Dead Space and/or Resident Evil games were freaky, then I figured it wasWithout a doubt, the best horror game in existence. To this day I've never played anything this frightening or uneasy feeling, and I'm a horror game fanatic. Nothing I've played on the Xbox 360 or PS3 or ANYTHING made today has had the same effect on me that this has. Before I played this game I thought things like Dead Space and/or Resident Evil games were freaky, then I figured it was about time I played Silent Hill games. I started with Homecoming, which wasn't really all that great, and then I figured I should start from the beginning and work my way forward - so I found it online, bought it, and found myself successfully freaked out. The visuals alone are groundbreaking. It's like a well-shot movie and a nightmare at the same time, and, though the mysteries are explained in later games, I was never completely sure what the hell was going on in the town in the first place prior to my playing of other sequels. The game resembles a psychological, nightmarish experience as perfectly as a game can - and the crappy graphics of the late 90s helps with this effect. Also, though many may complain about the difficult controls, I think they helped add to the experience and desperation of certain situations. Even now the effects of this groundbreaking game can leave you on the edge of your seat, and though it isn't an easy game to find (unless, of course, you're able to buy it on PSN, which I haven't checked to see if it's available), you should definitely consider it.… Expand
  12. Mad_Hatter91
    Mar 6, 2013
    10
    One of the most beautiful horror games ever made. The game manages to scare you with the atmosphere scary, dark places, abominable monsters and a great plot. A play that will never be forgotten.
  13. sjbn002
    Aug 3, 2013
    10
    Sin duda una de los mejores juegos de terror de todos los tiempos, en donde los graficos no importaban si no la atmosfera, los puzzles, esa sensacion de miedo, soledad y no se diga la musica de Akira Yamaoka....
  14. CalR
    Feb 27, 2012
    10
    As far a horror and video-gaming are concerned there is increasingly only one category that is offered: survival-action. Since Devil May Cry appeared in the early 2000's we have witnessed a fundamental shift over time of atmosphere to action, and whilst this may only be a natural occurance, there remains a large section of gamer's who long for something other than a screen full of gore.As far a horror and video-gaming are concerned there is increasingly only one category that is offered: survival-action. Since Devil May Cry appeared in the early 2000's we have witnessed a fundamental shift over time of atmosphere to action, and whilst this may only be a natural occurance, there remains a large section of gamer's who long for something other than a screen full of gore. Even though Resident Evil is currently getting lost in its action-reboot since 4, Silent Hill - for better or worse- has for the most part stayed true to what it knows best. Unfortunately, whilst changing controls to make them more fluid may seem logical, I actually perceive this as a severe loss in gameplay. Silent Hill remains frightening and tense to some degree because of the interaction with the buttons itself. Turning around on the spot cannot for some reason recreate that. This original, arguably the best of the series has not aged well (though it has in comparison to Resident Evil)- however this has not dimmed the sheer fright and sense of dread at all. As Heavy Rain did upon its release, Silent Hill created a visceral and exciting game through its storytelling and pacing, which no other horror-game outside of the series has managed to match. Although the Siren franchise comes close to the gameplay aspects of horror, no other game has ever come close to the storytelling present here. Woven in narrative is not something you will often hear games being described these days and it is a real shame. I write this review a few weeks before the release of Silent Hill: Downpour and whilst I expect an improvement over the frankly dull 'Homecoming'- the days of old Silent Hill are over, but this will remain one of the PS One's finest hours.… Expand
  15. Carlitoxic
    Jun 19, 2014
    10
    Silent hill es el cielo de los juegos de terror. Nunca una atmósfera así nos había conducido por un mundo tan complejo y profundo, donde unos personajes maduros e inolvidables se abrían paso en un pueblo corrompido, de oscuros secretos y contínuas sorpresas y giros que marcaron un nuevo punto y aparte en el género.
  16. Subject98
    May 31, 2012
    10
    One of the best horror games ever made, only a few ticks below the second game in my opinion. You owe yourself to play it if you haven't, it starts out slow but never stops getting better and more mind bending all the way to the end.
  17. Rolento
    Nov 25, 2012
    10
    A classic, my favorite game, AND a childhood memory. My opinion on this game is biased, and rightfully so I say. It probably doesn't deserve a 10, and I'm usually of the opinion that if 10 is the maximum score it's supposed to represent perfection itself, but such a thing doesn't exist and Silent Hill is far from perfect. Still, with its tremendously unsettling atmosphere, itsA classic, my favorite game, AND a childhood memory. My opinion on this game is biased, and rightfully so I say. It probably doesn't deserve a 10, and I'm usually of the opinion that if 10 is the maximum score it's supposed to represent perfection itself, but such a thing doesn't exist and Silent Hill is far from perfect. Still, with its tremendously unsettling atmosphere, its intellectual approach to the survival horror genre that refused the mainstream Resident Evil-isms of "BOO" and precision shots, with its references... with everything, Silent Hill manages to steal my one and only 10/10 ever. Fanboyisms apart, even looking back at it after so many years the gameplay is not bad at all, the graphics make up for those times' technical limitations with a style that today is still considered a major influence on many works, and the soundtrack is beyond amazing. Yeah, about the flaws, the voice acting is terrible, we get it. Another flaw I found mentioned was the confusing camera movements, to which I definitely disagree, seem good to me.… Expand
  18. iddqd4
    Jan 23, 2018
    10
    Низкий поклон японцам, именно они сформировали многие жанры, в том числе жанр хорроров, где одним из столпов и был Silent Hill, игра с непередаваемой атмосферой.
  19. diegoadc23
    Aug 31, 2013
    10
    9.2 is way to low. 9.7 is the least we can rate. This game didn't give fear as resident evil 1 and 2, but mess with your minds like no other. Unique game of horror.
  20. sprintinmario
    Feb 8, 2014
    10
    This game is down right amazing. The graphics music story voice acting writing weapons puzzels and bosses are all better then the original resident evil. So yeah i dont know what else to say
  21. sengork
    Nov 24, 2013
    10
    Even without considering that most of the Team Silent folk were not particularly successful at their previous projects they managed to succeed at creating a masterpiece. This game was and still is original and full of dense atmosphere with a lead character whom you cold relate to throughout the gameplay. Even though this was one of the first music scores Akira Yamaoka made he managed toEven without considering that most of the Team Silent folk were not particularly successful at their previous projects they managed to succeed at creating a masterpiece. This game was and still is original and full of dense atmosphere with a lead character whom you cold relate to throughout the gameplay. Even though this was one of the first music scores Akira Yamaoka made he managed to score a memorable main theme tune. To day this still holds as one of the most memorable games for me.… Expand
  22. defpak
    Dec 31, 2013
    10
    The best of his generation!!!! It has good controls and mechanic, great story and sound. The original soundtrack still haunt me now and then. A MUST HAVE GAME FOR PSX
  23. kasparius
    Jul 8, 2014
    10
    This is easily the scariest and creepiest game I have ever played. And while I might never play it again, it lives on in my mind as the greatest horror game of all time. The sequels had their moments, but nothing ever came close to the original. The game feels like a horrible nightmare and it plays like one too. Don't be put off by the aged graphics, because in fact they are part of theThis is easily the scariest and creepiest game I have ever played. And while I might never play it again, it lives on in my mind as the greatest horror game of all time. The sequels had their moments, but nothing ever came close to the original. The game feels like a horrible nightmare and it plays like one too. Don't be put off by the aged graphics, because in fact they are part of the reason why the game is so scary, the lack of clear definition of characters and places feel like one of those dreams where everything is a little blurry, rusty and confusing. Nightmares are not in high definition and neither is Silent Hill. The soundtrack of the game might be the most brilliant aspect of the game, it never ceases to keep you wondering what those sounds actually are and long after you are done playing the game, you will probably still shudder in the dark as you recall your visit to Silent Hill.… Expand
  24. Kai82
    Jul 27, 2021
    10
    It is a cult classic of its time and a really influential game. Together with the Resident Evil franchise it made the survival horror genre a household name. In comparison with Resident Evil it is more psychology horror with a deeper atmosphere. It mastered to create an uneasy feeling of dread with fear of what might be lurking in the darkness, fog or unknown. The atmosphere, scenery andIt is a cult classic of its time and a really influential game. Together with the Resident Evil franchise it made the survival horror genre a household name. In comparison with Resident Evil it is more psychology horror with a deeper atmosphere. It mastered to create an uneasy feeling of dread with fear of what might be lurking in the darkness, fog or unknown. The atmosphere, scenery and ideas were quite amazing and many games tried to copy the formula. Sadly also later entries in the franchise but I lose track. The protagonist Harry Mason is driving with his adopted daughter Cheryl to the town Silent Hill for a vacation. When he arrives at the outskirts he hardly avoids hitting a girl that was on the road and loses his consciousness in the crash. When he awakes in the town his daughter is gone and something strange is happening there. So starts the story with Harry trying to find his missing daughter while trying to find out what happened with Silent Hill. While the set up sounds a bit generic the story is really engaging and keeps you wondering what could explain this horrible nightmare. It has a fascinating haunting atmosphere that sucks you into the game. There are multiple endings to the story depending on you and one is so ridiculous funny ending that even M. Night Shyamalan will not pull it of (I recommend to read a guide for the endings as a crucial point is easy to miss and some things are far away from self-explanatory). What enhances the atmosphere is the radio which give static noise when enemies are near. This increases the paranoia and dread level. Funny sidenote: The fog which helps with the atmosphere was added because of hardware limitations. This is one of the very rare cases where the hardware limitation improved the game (Thought before that this was impossible but stand corrected). The characters work also really well. Harry is just an average person who is thrown into something that surpasses his wildest imaginations or even nightmares but also someone who will not stop to safe his daughter even when it endangers his life. The rest of the cast I wont spoil works well and I was invested in them. Gameplay wise it was finest survival horror. The ammunition and healing items are scare so that you have to make harsh decisions as you continue through the game (More on higher difficulty). There are a lot of puzzles to solve but many are just in the take the right item to the right place category (Which was not a weakness or complaint back then). However it works well and kept me returning to the game many times. Graphically it was really good for its time. Especially the sequences. I must also say that it is outdated today but that is to be expected and cant be hold against the game. The enemy design left an impact as some types from the game / franchise are still wildly known and referenced. The soundtrack is unique and enhances the atmosphere as sneakily as awesome. Clarification: I beat the game before I realized how good it was just in another playthrough. Overall this is a cult classic of the genre and a must play of its time. A lot of hard work and effort was put into and this makes the game so great. Sadly the franchise is dormant now since P.T. was forcefully canceled by Konami but there are rumors that Hideo Kojima is working on a spiritual successor. Maybe we are lucky in the next years (Would name it “Quiet Mountains” to anger Konami;-).… Expand
  25. EduardoMeurer
    Mar 16, 2022
    10
    Jogo fantástico, até hoje ainda é o melhor jogo de horror já feito, imersão incrível tanto pelo ambiente quanto pela trilha sonora do mestre Akira Yamaoka.
  26. esbegan
    Jun 10, 2015
    10
    The very second game I had to play only with other person in the house (after Alone in the dark), It's creepy and it goes under your skin. I just wanted to finish it because the story was so good and well written that I did not give a **** of being scared 100% of time. Excellent.
  27. kailoone
    Oct 18, 2015
    10
    What can I say about this game, I played it back in july of 2000 I remember already having played other titles such as Resident Evil 1 2 and 3, I had played Dino Crisis and also Parasite Eve and many other games that weren't exactly horror. Well I was not ready for this game it just blew my mind, the level of horror was set that day and this is the game I use to measure any other horrorWhat can I say about this game, I played it back in july of 2000 I remember already having played other titles such as Resident Evil 1 2 and 3, I had played Dino Crisis and also Parasite Eve and many other games that weren't exactly horror. Well I was not ready for this game it just blew my mind, the level of horror was set that day and this is the game I use to measure any other horror game. I loved this game back in 2000 and I love it now in 2015 I keep coming back to this game over and over throughout my life. Have to play it at least once every 2 or 3 years. Story 10/10 brilliant story involving the ocult. Graphics despite that they are old and outdated actually helped this game to be scarier, yes that's right the poor graphics make the game scarier, 9/10. Sound and music 10/10 best about this game is the music and the sounds are right on even the akward voice acting helps to that desolating feeling to the game(dreamlike), finally the gameplay and controls, they are a bit clunky but not as bad as other games 9/10 final veredict 10/10. Despite having outdated graphics and awkward controls the gameplay story and sound are perfect for a horror game hands down the best horror game ever created and I have played tons of titles before and after this one throughout the years.… Expand
  28. SleepNot
    Mar 28, 2020
    10
    SILENT HILL is a perfect horror game! I love this game so much! I remember everything from this game after 20 years.
  29. Meraj
    Aug 11, 2016
    10
    The real score for this game is 9.5 but since Metacritic doesn't support these types of numbers I gave it 10. Probably one of the best games of PS1. This game has several good things.
    - Horrible Atmosphere
    - Amazing sound effects (Really great for 1999) - Arcane Music - Cool gameplay with cool items, cool weapons, cool locations and ... - Good story and characters - Graphics are also    The real score for this game is 9.5 but since Metacritic doesn't support these types of numbers I gave it 10. Probably one of the best games of PS1. This game has several good things.
    - Horrible Atmosphere
    - Amazing sound effects (Really great for 1999)
    - Arcane Music
    - Cool gameplay with cool items, cool weapons, cool locations and ...
    - Good story and characters
    - Graphics are also very good for it's release time
    This game can compete with classic Resident Evil games.
    If you love horror entertainments like horror movies or survival horror games make sure to play this masterpiece at least once.
    I hope to see this franchise returns with high quality versions just like before.    … Expand
  30. misterMiao
    Sep 3, 2016
    10
    holy **** **** This has 9.2? Well it is **** great but you know it isn't Silent Hill 2 but then again you know it isn't Silent hill 4 so I guess anything goes.
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Awards & Rankings

15
#15 Best PS1 Game of 1999
2
#2 Most Discussed PS1 Game of 1999
4
#4 Most Shared PS1 Game of 1999

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
86

Generally favorable reviews - based on 17 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 17 out of 17
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 17
  3. Negative: 0 out of 17
  1. Absolute Playstation
    94
    It's a horrifying action/adventure that will set the pulse racing and put the mind on constant alert.
    Read full review
  2. PSX Nation
    91
    With multiple endings, secrets and hidden items you'll find replay value deep within the game.
    Read full review
  3. IGN
    90
    From the inexplicable sobbing of an unseen child in a blood-stained school hall to the loud rattling of an invisible "something" underneath the floorboards that you're standing on, the game never sinks into predictability. Imagine all of this while never quite being able to see past arm's length into the darkness.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »