Silent Hillwas once the most terrifying horror franchise to grace gaming marketplaces. Its heyday has long since passed, but the greatest entries still hold up.Silent Hill 2,in particular,gets singled out as one of the greatest games ever made, regardless of genre.
To celebrate the series, and perhaps mourn a bit as well, the following list will rank all the games in the series based on their length as recorded by howlongtobeat.com. One thing to remember when going through this list - long length does not necessarily amount to a quality title. A short and sweet experience can be enjoyed dozens of times over, while a twenty-hour mediocre game is played once and immediately forgotten.
Updated July 16, 2025, by Jason Wojnar:When this article was originally published, it felt likeSilent Hill would never come back.The impossible has happened, andSilent Hillis once again in the gaming spotlight with a remake ofSilent Hill 2.Other projects are also on the horizon, so here’s hoping theSilent Hillrenaissance continues. Because of the new games, it was only appropriate to return to this list and see whereSilent Hill 2sits. It is also important not to forgetThe Short Message,a free game that was shadowdropped earlier this year.
16Silent Hill: The Arcade
One Hour
Being an on-rails shooter, one shouldn’t expect this arcade spinoff to last longer than most others in the genre. While the style has its place in the arcades, reviews at the time weren’t kind to it, calling it unnecessary and decrying how it feels nothing like a traditionalSilent Hill. There are plenty of intense light-gun games themed around horror games to play instead, likeResident Evil: The Umbrella ChroniclesandHouse of the Dead.
While not a full-length title,P.T.was an interactive demo for the ultimately doomedSilent Hillsfrom horror director Guillermo del Toro and Hideo Kojima. The enigmatic puzzles can be solved quickly if one knows what to do, but people are still unsure exactly how the final puzzle is solved. Despite it only being a demo, the playable teaser had a huge impact on the industry, and disappointment rippled through fans when the project was cancelled.
Everyone loves free stuff, so it was not hard to convince people to download and play throughSilent Hill: The Short Message. This game was the first newSilent Hillcontent in a long time. The bite-sized experiencefelt like Konami was trying to tell gamers that it understands whatSilent Hillis about. The game deals with psychological trauma and guilt, two major themes of mostSilent Hillgames. Even if one does not like the game, it only takes two hours to complete, so there’s little harm in it.
The game comes with a content warning that it deals with self-harm and suicide.
13Play Novel: Silent Hill
Two Hours
ThisGame Boy Advancetitle is an adaptation of the first game’s story in visual novel form. It only came out in Japan, though fan translations exist. The only real gameplay comes in the form of decision making, taking away the tension and fear added to the macabre story through combat. It is the perfect way to experience the game for those too scared to play the original PS1 classic. This is not a unique idea for Konami. After this game theMetal Gear Solid: Digital Graphic Novelcame out on PSP.
12Silent Hill: Orphan 2
The series wasn’t only available on consoles. Mobile platforms got in on the action too. Instead of being third-person survival horror titles, these games put players in a first-person perspective and employ point-and-click controls more manageable for cell phones. Oddly enough, the sequel comes in at only about half as long as the first entry. All the same, two hours isplenty for a mobile experience, especially one centered around narrative.
The first entry in the mobile series came out in 2007, long before gaming on phones was en vogue. Given the nature of the platform, the titles are nearly impossible to play these days. It is odd to think about games being inaccessible, but it isn’t the only game with the same problem.P.T.is also only available on the hard drives of people who never deleted it. While the full game never became a reality, its influence is felt in modern horror games.
The sequel toSilent Hill 2is often overshadowed by its predecessor, but it is fantastic in its own right. Fans of the series will at least get a satisfactory experience even if it is not as intense or emotionally charged as the second game.
The combat makes several subtle improvements and the graphics were leaps and bounds ahead of its time. The facial animations are particularly gorgeous. Its story isn’t the same personal gut-punch of the 2001 classic, though.
The prequel to the first game came out on the PSP in 2007. Going back to the past and having a direct relation to the first entry was a neat idea, but development problems led to a less than stellar product.
Sony’s first handheld console had numerous problems translating popular franchises to its format, andSilent Hill: Originswas yet another victim of the transition. The PSP maybe is not the ideal console for a horror game,but it is commendable to know one can take the frights on the go.
Shattered Memoriestakes enough liberties with the first game’s story to feel more like a reimagining than a straightforward remake. The gameplay also puts an interesting twist on the formula, dividing the action with questions and tests in a doctor’s office whose results impact the following chapter. The game takes advantage of theWii’s unique capabilities, but the PS2 version still provides the neccessary scares and tension.
The one that started it all distinguished itself from other survival horror games by featuring full three-dimensional graphics and a moving camera. Doing this was an impressive feat on the humble PS1.
The game stemmed from Konami’s wish to craft a game with the potential to become a hit in the West. Knowing this makes it ironic to find out that the series' downward trajectory started when western developers took over the franchise.
