Summary
- Konami revives Silent Hill with Silent Hill 2 remake, which will soon be followed by Silent Hill F.
- Fans anticipating Silent Hill F can try similar games like Ghostwire: Tokyo.
- Play Siren: Blood Curse and Fatal Frame while waiting for the game to release.
After years of Silent Hill being abandoned in video game limbo, Konami finally unveiled they were reviving the series, starting with the remake of Silent Hill 2, much to the excitement of fans. With the release of the game having came and gone, fans are now looking ahead to future games, such as Silent Hill F.
Every Silent Hill Game, Ranked
Konami's Silent Hill has produced some of the scariest horror games ever, but some nightmares are more chilling than others.
Fans have been teased with a few scraps of information and an exciting trailer to introduce them to the world and themes of this new game, which looks to be taking the franchise in a bold new direction. What better way to pass the time until Silent Hill F's release by playing these other titles, which may be similar in aesthetics, themes, or just a solid game Silent Hill fans are sure to enjoy.
8 Ghostwire: Tokyo
Become Immersed in the Urban Japanese Horror Game
Ghostwire: Tokyo
- Released
- March 25, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T for Teen: Language, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Tango Gameworks
- Platform(s)
- PS5, PC, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
Ghostwire: Tokyo is sure to have a different vibe from Silent Hill F as it takes a more futuristic neon-overloaded approach compared to the more subdued and grounded aesthetics outlined in SH's trailer. But that is not to say it's at all an inappropriate game to recommend fans excited about its release, as both deal with urban Japan, horror, and more monsters than one can shake a steel pipe at.
Aside from the gorgeous visuals, Ghostwire: Tokyo presents truly intimidating challenges to its players, as occultists have unleashed supernatural entities onto the city. Creatures and cults are nothing new to the world of Silent Hill, as the Order is a present threat across many of the games. The game is a lot more action-focused than what horror fans might be used to, but this just means they will be a monster-killing champion but the time SHF comes out, so they only need to worry about the less tangible threats.
7 Siren: Blood Curse
Beware the Terrifying Shibito
Siren: Blood Curse
- Released
- July 24, 2008
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood, Intense Violence, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- JapanStudio
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
- Platform(s)
- PS3
An ensemble cast of characters find themselves in the fictional Hanuda Village in Japan, which was said to have vanished in the 1970s. Now everyone inside the village is unable to leave, and at the mercy of the dangerous undead humans called shibito. They attack without mercy anyway they see, and the player must either evade their notice or fight back. The handy and unique game mechanic called sight-jacking allows them to see through the monsters' eyes to better avoid notice.
Best Horror Games Set In Japan, Ranked
Japan is a popular setting for video games, and horror titles are no exception. For players who love to get scared, here are some of the best.
The combat is rather clunky at best, but classic Silent Hill fans should be used to this with how awkward it could be in older titles, and the difficulty can be rather challenging at times. Still, Siren: Blood Curse is not completely unforgiving, and is a safe bet for anyone who enjoys Japanese horror games.
6 Silent Hill: The Short Message
A Short Experience Steeped in Silent Hill Horror
Silent Hill: The Short Message
- Released
- January 31, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
Konami's return to Silent Hill was marked by another free short game, but the name of Silent Hill: The Short Message. It seemed only loosely connected to the series as a whole, with the monsters and the psychological horror on full display. Playing as Anita, players experience the hardships of adolescence, jealousy, and bullying, which are real issues people face daily.
The story is slowly pieced together through FMV cutscenes and notes found throughout the game, all the while, the player must avoid Sakura Head, the beautiful yet terrifying monster concealed in cherry blossoms. This creature almost looks like it could be from Silent Hill F itself, as flowers were a prevalent theme in its initial teaser trailer.
5 Detention
Explore the Nightmarish Other World of Greenwood High School
Detention
- Released
- January 12, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
School buildings are definitely not unexplored territories for horror, and Detention is one such game that demonstrates how terrifying these locations truly can be. Set in Taiwan during the White Terror Period, students Wei and Fang find themselves trapped in Greenwood High School after a typhoon swept over the area. Everyone else has since evacuated, leaving them as the only two souls stranded.
Of course, it won't remain as just an ordinary school, with the location itself taking on terrifying new looks with dangerous ghosts they must take care to pass by safely, almost like how Silent Hill games grow more dangerous when the siren rings out, and the location descends into a nightmarish version of it. Though Detention does it to a lesser extent, it is still terrifying to summon the courage to walk past these entities, and the game as a whole is a terrifying and worthwhile experience.
4 Higurashi: When They Cry
Experience Previous Works by the Same Writer
Higurashi When They Cry Hou - Ch.1 Onikakushi
- Released
- December 15, 2009
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- 07th Expansion
- Genre(s)
- Visual Novel, Horror, Drama
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 2, Nintendo DS, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Nintendo Switch
Avid visual novel fans might recognize the name of Silent Hill F's writer: Ryukishi07. For those not at all familiar with this genre, this is the writer behind the very popular Higurashi: When They Cry series, which gained a lot of attraction among fans, despite being made on a low budget, with that being evident in some of the character designs and the slow pacing of the first few chapters.
For those who want to experience what Ryukishi07's writing style might be like, this would be the perfect series of games to try, and with many entries within the Higurashi series, gamers might find the release date of the new Silent Hill right around the corner by the time they have finished. Though these games are bound to be different, with one being a visual novel and the other psychological horror, there might be similar motifs to be found, courtesy of the writer.
3 Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water
A Fatal Frame Game For Modern Audiences
Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water
- Released
- October 22, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Blood, Suggestive Themes, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Koei Tecmo
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
- Platform(s)
- PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Nintendo Wii U, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- OpenCritic Rating
- Fair
The Fatal Frame games have held fast as among the best survival horror games of all time, debuting back during the PS2 era. The series still remains just as popular today, with many playing the newer games on modern hardware, or dusting off their PS2 to experience the classics.
For those that don't have access to older consoles, they can still experience titles such as Maiden of Black Water, a game all about ghosts and the afterlife, familiar themes not only to Fatal Frame but to Silent Hill as well, as it does not shy away from such topics. Though it may not be the best entry in the series, it is still a fantastic entry point, especially for those looking for something steeped in urban Japanese horror to tide them over until Silent Hill F.
2 Kuon
A Forgotten Classic Survival Horror
Kuon
- Released
- April 1, 2004
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- m
- Developer(s)
- FromSoftware
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror, Adventure, Fighting
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 2
Many remember the PS2 as one of the best consoles for horror games, as there was a fantastic line-up of games, such as Silent Hill 2 and 3, Rule of Rose, Haunting Ground, and Kuon, which may be the least known among this legendary line-up.
Set during the Heian Period in Japan, Kuon is steeped in Japanese history, the surroundings holding the historical elegance of the era, while still maintaining an eerie atmosphere upon which the horror of the game thrives. With Silent Hill F opting for a Japanese setting as opposed to its usual American location, Kuon might just be the perfect game to sample similar aesthetics. The game is difficult to track down and expensive to buy, but those lucky enough to already have a copy should definitely take the time to revisit this overlooked classic.
1 Silent Hill 2
Replay One of the Strongest Entries in the Franchise
Silent Hill 2
- Released
- October 8, 2024
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Language, Sexual Themes, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Bloober Team
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PC
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Against all odds, the Silent Hill 2 remake was a smashing success, even surpassing the original in many ways. Fans had doubts that Bloober Team would be capable of handling the themes and topics of the game with the respect it deserved, or even producing a game that was even a shadow of the original, but they defied all the naysayers, delivering a phenomenal game.
This game followed a more personal tale of woe, that of James Sunderland, who returns to the titular city after receiving a letter from his dead wife. While looking for her, he encounters other souls such as Eddie, Laura, and Maria, who is a dead-ringer for his late wife. The story unabashedly follows themes such as grief and guilt, which monsters such as Pyramid Head are a manifestation of. The psychological horror elements are second to none, and if Silent Hill F is half as good as Silent Hill 2, it is certain to be a fantastic experience.
PS2 Horror Games That Deserve To Be Remade After Silent Hill 2
Apart from Silent Hill 2, these horror games on the PlayStation 2, deserve remakes of their own.