How to Play the Silent Hill Games in Order

The Silent Hill video game series has captivated horror fans for nearly three decades. Set in a foggy town plagued by an alternate reality known as the Otherworld, each game features a standalone story centered around a different protagonist. Despite having numerous contradictions, the overarching lore connects these games through recurring characters and subtle details.

Initially, Team Silent developed four core Silent Hill games between 1999 and 2004, later joined by various studios and spin-offs created by a mix of Japanese and North American developers. Konami has also published mobile versions, including The Orphan trilogy and Silent Hill: The Escape, but these are not included in the main timeline for simplicity.

If readers only want a quick list of the primary games, they should focus on the "major canon" of Silent Hill: Silent Hill, Silent Hill 2, Silent Hill 3, Silent Hill 4: The Room, Silent Hill: Origins, Silent Hill: Homecoming, Silent Hill: Downpour, and Silent Hill ƒ. The original four games form the basis of the main narrative, while subsequent releases introduce contradictions and alternate perspectives.

For readers who wish to experience the series in order, Silent Hill ƒ is recommended as the starting point. Released in 2025, it takes place in 1960s Japan and introduces a unique take on the Otherworld, distinct from the American setting. Following this, Silent Hill: Origins (2007) serves as a prequel, connecting to the original game and the Alessa Gillespie storyline while presenting some questionable placement within the timeline.

The core games—Silent Hill (1999), Silent Hill 2 (2001), Silent Hill 3 (2003), and Silent Hill: Downpour (2010)—chronologically follow Harry Mason's journey to rescue his daughter and uncover the town's dark secrets. Silent Hill 2's "Good" ending leads directly into the events of the original Silent Hill, setting the stage for future characters and their stories.