In My Restless Dreams, I See That Town...

'Silent Hill. You promised you'd take me there again some day. But you never did. Well, I'm alone there now. In our special place...waiting for you.'

'I got a letter...'

And so begins one of the scariest games of all time, Silent Hill 2. The story follows a man named James as he searches for his wife, Mary. Sinister forces in the town of Silent Hill impede James' journey. As he unravels the mystery that envelops the town, both he and the player slowly begin to be scared beyond belief.   While the first game and subsequent sequels were all horrifying in their own right, the second game in the series is hands-down the best. 

And not just because it was the first to feature Pyramid Head!

The original Silent Hill was developed by Konami and is one of the most successful video game franchises of all time. It has spawned nine video games, two Hollywood movies, several soundtrack albums, and a ton of collectible merchandise. While other survival horror games, especially Resident Evil, have been equally profitable, none match the mesmerizing horror that is commonplace in the Silent Hill universe.

Speaking of merchandise- I want this sooooo bad...

While each Silent Hill game usually involves a different set of characters, there are certain elements that tie the series together.  The first, and most important, is the town of Silent Hill.  The fog shrouded village is a place of mystery in each game as is the alternate dimension, or  'Otherworld,' that lies within its boundaries.  A map of Silent Hill is available in each game and players who make it through each sequel will notice several familiar places in each including Toluca Lake, Woodside Apartments, and Brookhaven Hospital.

Another static feature in each game is the presence of a fictitious religious cult. The cult is at the forefront of the action in a few of the games and in the movies.  They are best known for corrupting the innocent (a child or children), fearing the 'Otherworld' and causing a general ruckus for the main character. 

And in the movie, cult members wore awesome masks

I could ramble on and on about Silent Hill forever, dear reader. But Ill spare you for the moment. I won't promise that this will be the only post on the subject though!

Recommended links:

Silent Hill Wikipedia article

Silent Hill Wiki

PewDiePie Let's Play: Silent Hill

Silent Hill Heaven: Ultimate FanSite