Silent Hill

Silent Hill is a survival-horror video game that spawned a successful franchise. The game features disturbing imagery and a tense tone buttressed by unique and scary orginal music and ambient sounds. The original game was released o only one console, the original PlayStation, but since then many sequels have been released for virtually every major gaming system, with the notable exception of all Nintendo systems. Silent Hill and its sequels have garnered something of a cult following. All Silent Hill games have been published by Konami but some of the sequels have been developed by other developers.

Fast Facts

1. Developer: Konami
2. First Release: Jan. 31, 1999 for PlayStation
3. Current Platforms: PlayStation, PC, PlayStation 2, Xbox
4. Future Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3
5. Next in Series: Silent Hill 5

The World of Silent Hill

Silent Hill games have never featured the same protagonist in more than one game, but nearly every game has revolved around events taking place in a small town called Silent Hill. Protagonists find themselves trapped in the town, which occasionally changes into an alternate version of itself with blood-splattered walls and horrific monsters roaming the streets. Protagonists often find that their history is more closely tied to the town than they had thought, and must work through their inner demons to escape the actual demons they encounter.

Akira Yamaoka

Composer Akira Yamaoka directed the first few games of the franchise, but he has scored virtually all of them and worked closely with the development teams of each one. Yamaoka's music is often disturbing and atonal, conveying an oppressive mood more than it carries a discernible tune. Though disturbing, Yamaoka's music for the games has gained critical acclaim from many quarters, often being lauded as one of the game's highlights.

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