Spawn Kill Favorites: Silent Hill

One decade ago, Konami left a neoteric imprint on the survival horror genre with Silent Hill, a video game that would inspire a number of future titles, a movie, and several books and comics. But Harry Mason’s investigation into the fog-covered town and its strange occurrences accomplished more than just a household name among the likes of Resident Evil. The heart-pounding adrenaline rush introduced gamers to a nightmare founded on psychological Japanese horror and an equally unnerving musical score by composer Akira Yamaoka.

The first Silent Hill game suffers from more than a few bumps in the night. Controlling protagonist Harry Mason yields a clumsy and difficult affair, and one can safely infer that the impending orthodox flashlight proves brighter than the various characters. Nonetheless, the premiere established many conventions that would endure throughout consecutive installments—including literature-based puzzles, the radio which alerts Harry of nearby monsters, locations such as the nurse-infested hospital, and a ritualistic cult influence. Plus, the alternate but popular UFO ending peaked gamer curiosity. Many notable inclusions redeem the game’s minor flaws, and the inexplicable sounds and sights of the environments contribute the most. Whether players hear an unseen girl crying in the Midwich Elementary School bathroom, the radio’s white noise, or a loud albeit harmless crash in the sewers, or whether they witness the gritty and blood-drenched sights of the Otherworld, the rows of empty classroom desks, or even the menacing elevator descent into Alessa Gillespie’s personal hell, the game delivers plenty to rattle us besides Yamaoka’s soundtrack.

Not to mention the sequence that started it all: A winding and gradually degraded run through a narrow, dead-end alley bordered by wheelchairs and chain-link fences, offering supposedly certain death at its finish, lures us into Silent Hill’s delirium with unbridled success. Players quickly learn that between squeaking black shadows and the dimensional blurring of Alessa’s Nowhere, they are being issued a warning without the luxury of escape. More than a little frightening? Most definitely.

Again, not everything about the game courses smoothly. Documents are inconveniently not logged, the voice-acting sounds altogether horrific, and remembering to watch Harry’s health often becomes an afterthought (along with whether or not an ordinary Joe should be sprinting such long distances without pause). Over the years, the series built an unfortunate reputation for its surprisingly short length—a feature that, when compared with the relentless psychological scares and atmospheric chills, seems to defy reality itself. The possible endings, difficulty modes, and secret weapons unlocked with each game completion allow gamers to clock additional hours of torture and head-spinning encounters. Bring on the carousel rides and abandoned lighthouses, because the classic Silent Hill knows that we’re not just scared of the dark—we can’t get enough of it.

[Ed. Note: WITA. also known as Stephanie Carmichael, is currently a guest writer at Spawn Kill! We can guarantee you'll want to sink your teeth into more of her work, which you can find here at her personal blog, Impulse Creations, RadNerd, and now at OneMetal! Thanks for stepping in, Stephanie!]