Originally released on February 24, 1999, Silent Hill is the debut game from Konami’s Team Silent. Development on the title would begin in late 1996, with the game almost being shelved entirely following an initial lukewarm reception from the higher-ups at Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo. Despite this, the team would press on, continuing to craft a game that fully realized the team’s vision for a compelling survival horror title while also aiming to have the game appeal to a Western audience. As such, Team Silent would aim high in terms of Silent Hill‘s presentation and graphics, opting to use full-3D environments and more fluid controls contrary to its main competition and contemporary, Resident Evil. Additionally, the team would bring on composer Akira Yamaoka to assist with giving the game a true cinematic feel through the use of a dynamic score.
Reception to the first Silent Hill would prove to be incredibly positive, cementing the game as a classic in the PlayStation library and jump-starting a new franchise at Konami. Within just two years of release, the first Silent Hill had sold over 2 million units across all territories, resulting in the game earning the PlayStation’s “Greatest Hits” label. To date, total series sales of the Silent Hill franchise are estimated to be 8.8 million units, meaning the first game in the series is responsible for nearly 25% of the franchise’s total success. Despite some clunky controls and issues with pacing and combat, the original Silent Hill remains a cult classic in the PlayStation library and one of the greatest survival horror games of all time.
Silent Hill Premise
©Silent Hill gameplay screenshot – Original
The plot of Silent Hill truly begins years before the events of the game, with a mysterious doomsday cult calling itself “The Order” working its way into the town’s framework and pulling powerful figures over to its side. By the time main character Harry Mason and his daughter, Cheryl, arrive in the town, things are already supremely awry, and a strange accident leaves Harry stranded in the town and his daughter missing. Together with the few people remaining, Harry must find his daughter while also uncovering the secrets behind the town, the Order, the true identity of Cheryl, and other esoteric mysteries that threaten to unravel his sanity.
Regarding gameplay, Silent Hill is a fairly standard 5th-generation survival horror experience. Players control the singular protagonist, Harry Mason, as he navigates the maze-like streets and labyrinthine buildings of the strange titular town, Silent Hill. Along the way, players will need to defeat grotesque enemies using a mix of ranged and melee weapons, collect key items and clues, and solve puzzles to venture deeper into the rabbit hole at the center of the game’s compelling mystery. The game uses full 3D environments and a dynamic camera, giving it a distinctly different presentation than the other prominent PS1-era survival horror franchise, Resident Evil.
Depending on players’ choices during the course of the main story, there are 4 different possible endings. Additionally, Silent Hill ranks players using a star ranking system, awarding anywhere between 1 and 10 Stars for player performance during the game based on different metrics like total playtime, times healed, or shots fired.
Silent Hill Main Characters
©CheatCC
The story of Silent Hill is ultimately about the town itself, a cursed place with a dark history that draws in people throughout the years to inflict terrible tragedy on their lives. The first game in the series centers around protagonist Harry Mason, who on his daughter Cheryl’s request decides to vacation in Silent Hill following the death of his wife. After a mysterious accident leaves Harry’s car totaled and his daughter missing, he sets off in search of Cheryl within the strange and foreboding town, meeting plenty of interesting characters along the way as he uncovers a dark secret regarding a cult, mysterious psychoactive substances, and a plot to summon a demon. Main characters in Silent Hill include:
Heroes
- Harry Mason: The player character and hero of Silent Hill. Unlike future main characters, Harry Mason is a fairly standard hero character who just desperately wants to find his missing daughter and leave the strange town of Silent Hill.
- Cheryl Mason: Harry’s daughter, Cheryl goes missing upon their arrival in Silent Hill. Her past and true identity are inextricably tied to the town’s dark history.
- Cybil Bennett: A police officer from the neighboring town of Brahms, Cybil arrives in Silent Hill to investigate reports of a sinister underground drug trade and the cult responsible. She meets up with Harry and the two work together to find Cheryl.
Villains
- Lisa Garland: A nurse responsible for the care of Alessa Gillespie, Lisa is a tragic figure who wants Harry to rescue her from the nightmare that Silent Hill has become.
- Michael Kauffman: Dr. Kauffman is one of the game’s main antagonists, a manipulative and unethical doctor with ties to the Order and a direct hand in the cult’s drug trade.
- Dahlia Gillespie: Dahlia is the head priestess of the Order and the true antagonist of Silent Hill.
- Alessa Gillespie: Alessa is Dahlia’s daughter who unwillingly had the beliefs and aims of the Order cult thrust upon her at a young age. She currently resides in a catatonic state after suffering horrible burns all over her body.
Games in the Silent Hill Series
The release of the original Silent Hill in 1999 would kick off an incredibly successful series for publisher Konami. Interestingly, Team Silent (a development division within Konami) had originally designed Silent Hill as a game that would appeal to an American audience, hoping to capitalize on the survival horror craze that Capcom’s Resident Evil helped inspire. To date, there are 4 mainline Silent Hill games as well as several spin-offs. The highly regarded first sequel, Silent Hill 2, is helping to bring the series and its esoteric psychological horror to a brand new audience thanks to a recent remake that updates the game using modern technology while keeping the core elements of the narrative intact. Games in the Silent Hill series include:
- Silent Hill 2 (PC, PlayStation 5, 2024)
- Silent Hill (PlayStation, 1999)
- Silent Hill 2 (PlayStation 2, 2001)
- Silent Hill 3 (PlayStation 2, 2003)
- Silent Hill 4: The Room (PlayStation 2, Xbox, 2004)
- Silent Hill: Origins (PSP, 2007)
- Silent Hill: Homecoming (PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, 2008)
- Silent Hill: Shattered Memories (PlayStation 2, PSP, Wii, 2009)
- Silent Hill: Downpour (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, 2012)
- Silent Hill HD Collection (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, 2012)
- Silent Hill: Book of Memories (PS Vita, 2012)
- P.T. (PlayStation 4, 2014)
- Silent Hill: The Short Message (PlayStation 5, 2024)
Silent Hill Cheats & Secrets
While there are no official cheat codes for Silent Hill, there are plenty of secrets and unlockables. Additionally, Silent Hill has several Game Shark codes available that make the game significantly easier.
Silent Hill Unlockables
Endings
Meeting certain conditions during gameplay results in players earning one of 4 different endings to Silent Hill.
| Ending | How to Unlock |
|---|---|
| Bad | Skip the missable sequences in Annie’s Bar, Indian Runner, and the Motel. Kill Cybil during the fight at the Amusement Park. |
| Bad + | Skip the missable sequences in Annie’s Bar, Indian Runner, and the Motel. Save Cybil during the fight at the Amusement Park. |
| Good | Complete every sequence in the game but kill Cybil during the fight at the Lakeside Amusement Park. |
| Good + | Complete every sequence in the game and save Cybil instead of fighting her at the Amusement Park. |
Other Unlockables
| Unlockable | How to Unlock |
|---|---|
| Alternate Opening Cutscene | Complete the game earning the Good + ending |
| Chainsaw | Beat the game earning the Good + ending and then start a new game. Head to the Gas Station near the Church and grab the Gas Container. Head to the “Chain Saw Store” on the map to find the Chainsaw. Combine it with the Gas Container to use an incredibly powerful weapon. |
| Channeling Stone | Beat the game earning the Good + ending and save the game. Start a game in Next Fear mode and head to the Convenience Store in Old Silent Hill. The Channeling Stone will be on the counter. |
| HyperBlaster | Beat the game earning the Good + ending. After, beat the game again using the Channeling Stone to unlock the UFO ending. The next time you start a new game in Next Fear mode you will have the Hyper Blaster. |
| HyperBlaster – Green Beam | Beat the game with a 10-Star ranking |
| HyperBlaster – Orange Beam | Beat the game with an 8-Star ranking or higher |
| Katana | Beat the game on Hard mode and save the file. Start a new game in Next Fear mode and head to the Levin Street House (where you need to use the Dog House Key). The Katana is in a new room in the house that is now open. |
| Rock Drill | Beat the game while earning any ending. Start a new game and head to the Gas Station, grabbing the Gas Container. Head to the first floor of the Bridge Control Room to find the Rock Drill and combine it with the Gas Container for a powerful melee weapon. |
Silent Hill Secrets & Easter Eggs
UFO Ending
Aside from the standard 4 endings players can unlock in Silent Hill, there is also a secret 5th ending. This ending sees Harry make contact with a UFO, indicating that extraterrestrial forces have a hand in the high strangeness occurring within the town. To unlock this ending, players must first beat the game once and earn the Good + ending. After, start a new game to see that Harry has the Channeling Stone in his inventory. Use the Channeling Stone in the following areas to unlock the UFO ending:
- Alchemilla Hospital Courtyard (Before fighting the Moth)
- Evil Midwich Elementary School Roof
- Lakeside Silent Hill Motel Parking Lot
- Lakeside Silent Hill Boat (After talking to both Cybil and Dahlia)
- Top of the Lighthouse
Expanded Options Menu
While inside the Options menu, players can access a hidden options menu by pressing any of the shoulder buttons on the PS1 controller (L1, L2, R1, R2). This menu grants access to the following options:
- Weapon Control: Press/Switch
- Blood Color: Normal (Red)/Green/Violet/Black
- View Control: Normal/Reverse
- Retreat Turn: Normal/Reverse
- Walk/Run Control: Normal/Reverse
- Auto Aiming: On/Off
Additionally, beating Silent Hill opens up two more options in the Extra Options menu:
- View Mode: Normal/Self
- Bullet Adjust: x1/x2
Get HyperBlaster Early
The HyperBlaster is a powerful weapon that players normally receive as a reward for completing Silent Hill and getting the Good + ending. However, players can get the weapon early using a clever trick, as long as they are playing the game natively and have an old PlayStation accessory. Plugging the Konami brand light gun (the HyperBlaster) into the PlayStation’s second controller port will automatically place a HyperBlaster into Harry’s inventory when starting a new game.
Skip Final Boss
Before heading into the room where Harry will confront the final boss, use up all available ammunition. Doing so will result in the game realizing the player has no possibility of defeating the boss, skipping the final boss battle, and going right to the ending sequence.
Sonic Youth Reference
Inside the School, head into the office near the entrance to begin looking for clues. Here you can look at the names of the faculty, which include K. Gordon, L. Ronaldo, and T. Moore. These are references to three members of legendary experimental rock band Sonic Youth — vocalist/guitarist Thurston Moore, bassist Kim Gordon, and guitarist Lee Ronaldo.
Silent Hill Game Shark Codes
There are several Game Shark codes available for Silent Hill. When playing the game natively on a PlayStation console, players will need a Game Shark device in order to use any of the following codes. Alternatively, players using an emulator can enter any of the following codes into the emulator’s “Cheat” menu.
General Cheats
| Cheat | Code |
|---|---|
| Infinite Health | 300BA0BD 0040 800BA0BE 0006 |
| Infinite Ammo, All Weapons, & No Reload | 800BA008 0001 |
| Infinite All Items 1 | 50002804 0000 300BCA35 00FF |
| Infinite All Items 2 | 8005346E 2400 |
| Always First Save | 800BCADA 0000 |
| Game Time is 0:0:0 | 800BCC84 0000 800BCC86 0000 |
| Have Map | 800BCB98 0002 |
| Completed Map | 800BCC08 FFFF 800BCC0A FFFF 800BCC0C FFFF 800BCC0E FFFF 800BCC10 FFFF |
| Maxium Brightness in Options | 300BC74B 001F |
| Roller Skate Mode | 800BA132 3800 |
| Radio Always On | 800BCAE0 0001 |
| Flashlight Always On | 800BC35C 0100 |
| Walk Thru Walls | 8006A5B8 A997 8006A5BA 0801 8006A694 A9AE 8006A696 0801 |
| Quick Load (Press Up + L2 Only in Save Screen) | D00BC76C 0110 800BCCBC 0008 |
| Control Demo Mode (Press L2 on Title Screen) | D00BC76C 0100 800BCCB2 00E0 D00BC76C 0100 800BC258 0004 |
| Have All Weapons (Overwrites all items unless used when starting a New Game) | 50000404 0001 300BCA34 00A0 50000304 0001 300BCA44 0080 50000404 0001 300BCA50 0084 300BCA60 00E2 |
| Have Max Slots | 300BCADF 0028 |
| Weapon-in-Hand Modifier | 300BCADE 00?? |
Inventory Modifier Cheats
| Cheat | Code |
|---|---|
| Slot 1-Max 255 | 800BCA34 FF?? |
| Slot 2-Max 255 | 800BCA38 FF?? |
| Slot 3-Max 255 | 800BCA3C FF?? |
| Slot 4-Max 255 | 800BCA40 FF?? |
| Slot 5-Max 255 | 800BCA44 FF?? |
| Slot 6-Max 255 | 800BCA48 FF?? |
| Slot 7-Max 255 | 800BCA4C FF?? |
| Slot 8-Max 255 | 800BCA50 FF?? |
| Slot 9-Max 255 | 800BCA54 FF?? |
| Slot 10-Max 255 | 800BCA58 FF?? |
| Slot 11-Max 255 | 800BCA5C FF?? |
| Slot 12-Max 255 | 800BCA60 FF?? |
| Slot 13-Max 255 | 800BCA64 FF?? |
| Slot 14-Max 255 | 800BCA68 FF?? |
| Slot 15-Max 255 | 800BCA6C FF?? |
| Slot 16-Max 255 | 800BCA70 FF?? |
| Slot 17-Max 255 | 800BCA74 FF?? |
| Slot 18-Max 255 | 800BCA78 FF?? |
| Slot 19-Max 255 | 800BCA7C FF?? |
| Slot 20-Max 255 | 800BCA80 FF?? |
| Slot 21-Max 255 | 800BCA84 FF?? |
| Slot 22-Max 255 | 800BCA88 FF?? |
| Slot 23-Max 255 | 800BCA8C FF?? |
| Slot 24-Max 255 | 800BCA90 FF?? |
| Slot 25-Max 255 | 800BCA94 FF?? |
| Slot 26-Max 255 | 800BCA98 FF?? |
| Slot 27-Max 255 | 800BCA9C FF?? |
| Slot 28-Max 255 | 800BCAA0 FF?? |
| Slot 29-Max 255 | 800BCAA4 FF?? |
| Slot 30-Max 255 | 800BCAA8 FF?? |
| Slot 31-Max 255 | 800BCAAC FF?? |
| Slot 32-Max 255 | 800BCAB0 FF?? |
| Slot 33-Max 255 | 800BCAB4 FF?? |
| Slot 34-Max 255 | 800BCAB8 FF?? |
| Slot 35-Max 255 | 800BCABC FF?? |
| Slot 36-Max 255 | 800BCAC0 FF?? |
| Slot 37-Max 255 | 800BCAC4 FF?? |
| Slot 38-Max 255 | 800BCAC8 FF?? |
| Slot 39-Max 255 | 800BCACC FF?? |
| Slot 40-Max 255 | 800BCAD0 FF?? |
Item Values for Item/Inventory Modifier Codes
| 20 – Health Drink 21 – First Aid Kit 22 – Ampoule 40 – Lobby Key 41 – House Key 42 – Key of Lion 43 – Key of Woodman 44 – Key of Scarecrow 45 – Library Reserve Key 46 – Classroom Key 47 – K.Gordon Key 48 – Drawbridge Key 49 – Basement Key 4A – Basement Storeroom Key 4B – Examination Room Key 4C – Antique Shop Key 4D – Sewer Key 4E – Key of Ophiel 4F – Key of Hagith 50 – Key of Phaleg 51 – Key of Bethor 52 – Key of Aratron 53 – Note: To School 54 – Note: Doghouse 55 – Picture Card 57 – Sewer Exit Key 58 – Channeling Stone 60 – Chemical 61 – Gold Medallion 62 – Silver Medallion 63 – Rubber Ball 64 – Flauros 65 – Plastic Bottle 66 – Unknown Liquid 67 – Plate of Turtle 68 – Plate of Hatter 69 – Plate of Cat 6A – Plate of Queen 6B – Blood Pack 6C – Disinfecting Alcohol 6D – Lighter 6E – Video Tape 70 – Kaufmann Key 71 – Receipt 72 – Safe Key 73 – Magnet 74 – Motorcycle Key 75 – Bird Cage Key 76 – Pliers 77 – Screwdriver 78 – Camera 79 – Ring of Contact 7A – Stone of Time 7B – Amulet of Solomon 7C – Crest of Mercury 7D – Ankh 7E – Dagger of Melchior 7F – Disk of Ouroboros 80 – Kitchen knife 81 – Steel Pipe 82 – Rock Drill 84 – Hammer 85 – Chain Saw 86 – Katana 87 – Axe A0 – Handgun A1 – Hunting Rifle A2 – Shotgun A3 – Hyper Blaster C0 – Handgun Bullets C1 – Rifle Shells C2 – Shotgun Shells E0 – Flashlight E1 – Pocket Radio E2 – Gasoline Tank |
Silent Hill Cheat FAQs
Does the Konami Code work in the first Silent Hill?
The Konami Code (Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A) works in several Konami titles, including other Silent Hill games. However, the classic code has no use in the original Silent Hill.
What is the short message locker code in Silent Hill?
The locker combination is 0312. Players will come across a desk with the word “LIAR” painted on it. The colors of each letter correspond to the numbers in the hallway, resulting in the solution that the locker code is 0312.
What is the best ending to Silent Hill?
The best ending to the original Silent Hill sees Harry, Cybil, and the baby all escape the town. To achieve this ending, players must play through the missable/skippable sequences at Annie’s Bar, Indian Runner, and the Motel. Doing so will result in players getting the Glass Bottle, the Strange Liquid after saving Kauffman, and then being able to use the liquid on the possessed Cybil to save her instead of killing her.
How long to beat Silent Hill?
Games in the Silent Hill series tend to run slightly longer than what’s on offer in Resident Evil, traditionally taking 7-10 hours for a single playthrough. The original Silent Hill is no different, with most playthroughs taking 7-8 hours. Players hoping to see and do everything and unlock all the different endings can expect to spend roughly 15 hours on a completionist playthrough.
The image featured at the top of this post is ©CheatCC/Matt Karoglou.