Silent Hill games in order: Release and story timeline
The hills aren't silent anymore.
The remastered version of Silent Hill 2 has introduced plenty of new fans to the franchise.
If you've never paid a visit to Silent Hill, though, you'll want to know how to play the Silent Hill games in order, and whether you need to do so to fully understand the story.
With four main entries in the series in addition to a number of spin-offs, there are plenty of games to get your teeth into, but knowing where to begin is essential to start the story in the correct place.
Considering there are several entries into the Silent Hill franchise, it's easy to get confused if you're new. That's why we're here to make things easier.
Keep on reading to find out how to play the Silent Hill games in release date order, along with the order of the story.
Silent Hill games in release date order
The Silent Hill franchise started in 1999 with the launch of the original release, with the most recent entry into the franchise coming in 2024 with a remastered version of Silent Hill 2.
There are also numerous spin-offs, which we've listed below along with their original launch and their respective platforms.
Without further ado, here's the complete list of Silent Hill games in release date order:
- Silent Hill (1999 | PS1)
- Silent Hill 2 (2001 | PS2)
- Silent Hill 3 (2003 | PS2, Windows PC)
- Silent Hill 4: The Room (2004 | PS2)
- Silent Hill: Arcade (2007 | Arcade hardware)
- Silent Hill: Origins (2007 | PS2, PSP)
- Silent Hill: Orphan (2007 | iOS, FOMA)
- Silent Hill: The Escape (2007 | iOS, FOMA)
- Silent Hill: Orphan 2 (2008 | iOS, FOMA)
- Silent Hill: Homecoming (2008 | PS3, Xbox 360)
- Silent Hill: Shattered Memories (2009 | Wii, PS2, PSP)
- Silent Hill: Orphan 3 (2010 | iOS, FOMA)
- Silent Hill: Downpour (2012 | Xbox 360, PS3)
- Silent Hill: Book of Memories (2012 | PS Vita)
- PT (2014 | PS4)
- Silent Hill: The Short Message (2024 | PS5)
- Silent Hill 2 Remake (2024 | PS5, PC)
Several of the games listed above are also playable on modern-day systems thanks to their digital storefronts.
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How to play the Silent Hill games in story order
Considering there are several spin-offs, it can be tricky to play all of the Silent Hill games in the correct order.
There are a few games in the franchise that have no connection to the main story, so we've not included them to avoid any kind of confusion.
Silent Hill: Origins (2007)
Set around 1976, trucker Travis Grady takes a detour through Silent Hill that causes him to be involved in the events that affected Alessa Gillespie before the first Silent Hill game took place.
The game sees Travis getting involved with Alessa's mother, along with the Order – which is attempting to bring their deity into the world. Silent Hill: Origins sets the scene for the first game, as Harry Mason and his wife adopt a child, named Cheryl, from the town.
Silent Hill (PS1)
The first of the four main Silent Hill games takes place seven years after what happened in Origins. Harry and his wife raise Cheryl without much issue. Harry's wife passes away four years before this game takes place.
Harry isn't best pleased with the Order continuing its attempt to resurrect the god they're worshipping, and returns to Silent Hill. He eliminates the god and Dahlia from the cult but loses Cheryl in the process. He does manage to rescue Heather, the reincarnated entity of Cheryl and Alessa.
Silent Hill 2 (PS5, PC, PS2)
Silent Hill 2 focuses on the tale of James Sunderland, and is set in the early 1990s. Sunderland receives a letter from his late wife instructing him to find their 'special place', the town of Silent Hill.
Instead of finding the happy place, he finds other tortured people who've been affected by the evil located within the town.
Silent Hill 3 (PS2, Windows PC)
Silent Hill 3 is set 17 years after the events of the first Silent Hill game. Harry raises Heather as his own, but the Order has managed to rebuild under the supervision of Claudia, another protagonist focused on resurrecting the mysterious god.
Heather is the main focus of this particular game. She's been lured back to Silent Hill and attempts to stop the Order once and for all.
Silent Hill 4: The Room (PS3)
Silent Hill 4 sees players follow Henry Townsend, a resident of a town close to Silent Hill. He wakes up one day to find himself locked inside his own apartment thanks to numerous chains and locks covering the door.
A hole in the bathroom looks to be his way out, but it's a way to the Otherworld, a mirror of his world but with plenty of horrors. Alongside Henry, there's the spirit of a serial killer that also resides in his apartment.
Silent Hill: Downpour (PS3, Xbox 360)
This particular story is self-contained within Silent Hill: Downpour. The game follows Murphy Pendleton, who's after revenge following the death of his son.
While a bus transferring Murphy to another prison crashes in the cursed town, he and Officer Anne Cunningham look to fend off the demons to survive.
Silent Hill: Homecoming (PS3, Xbox 360, PC)
Similar to Downpour, Silent Hill: Homecoming has its own storyline that struggles to fit into the main timeline. The game follows Alex Shepherd, a war veteran who is grabbing a lift from Travis Grady, the main protagonist from Silent Hill: Origins
Upon his return, his hometown is covered in the mysterious fog, while his brother has disappeared and his parents aren't acting normally. The Order is back once again to follow through on a pact that was made with the founders of the town. Alex manages to make an escape, but his life isn't what it's seemed.
Silent Hill: Shattered Memories (Wii, PS2, PSP)
Last but not least on this list is Silent Hill: Shattered Memories, a reimagining of the very first game. You follow Harry Mason, who explores a Silent Hill which sports a new icy look.
The majority of the plot is the same, but there are notable changes that have huge implications on the events that take place in Silent Hill 1 and Silent Hill 3. It doesn't fit in the game's main timeline, but we think it's worth a mention due to its plot.
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