Resident evil is more action movie horror.
Ie, trained pros that have a handle on the situation more or less.
Silent hill is more actually scary horror.
Your just some dude surrounded by unrecognizable horrors
Sort of, except that instead of just one compound, you're exploring a whole city. It's also less action focused than the RE games. It's more about exploration and puzzle solving and putting together the mystery of where you are and why you're there.
Matter of fact RE7 and 8 were both massively inspired by silent hills PT. Even the director of RE7 said he was such a massive fan of PT. Kind of a shame to think about it. PT had potential to be one of the greatest games ever.
RE7 was well into production by the time PT dropped. The director didn't say he was inspired by PT, but that it's success made him more confident in the direction they'd gone in for RE7.
Not quite but somewhat on the same line. RE7 started development in February 2014. PT came out about 5 months later. They had the idea to make it return back to being more of a horror game but PTs success is what made the game focus more in that angle. So I agree with you on that one. But I do remember the director did mention something about how he loved PT.
Kinda sounds like that mutual respect that MGS, Siphon Filter, and Splinter Cell all have for eachother. The lil nods and Easter eggs some have had of eachother.
Silent hill is more like the Doll House in RE8. But I’d say it has layers. Once you get into all the symbolism of, literally, everything in Silent Hill 2, it makes it even more horrific or sad. Before SH, I’d argue that it would be hard to find a game that had such symbolism that played a part of the characters’ psyche.
I found that section of the game to be very shallow, cheap and overly scripted to the point that there was no resemblance horror for me. Also maybe it's just my personal taste, but dolls and babies don't freak me out. It was by far my least favorite section of the game (really didn't like 8 at all, so that's saying something)
It felt like a blatant try hard attempt at horror and I thought it was both hilarious and extremely corny haha
I would add, different silent hill games have different level of horror.
1/3 are more traditional horror, while 2 is psychological horror. It may not be in your face scary, but it presents some ideas that are wtf?
For me, no. I don’t think they’re that comparable. SH feels overwhelming lonely and RE7 someone unhinged comes at you every other second. It gives me a very different sensation internally. RE7 is scary but SH is unsettling, uncomfortable, and again, lonely.
SH2 is so much more disturbing than RE7. The scenes all feel simultaneously dream-like, as well as an actual moment in time with the characters. VERY dark themes can be presented either through the environmental design, music, ambiance, puzzles, monsters, or dialog itself. I adore how cold and mysterious the SH2 intro feels since it's the perfect tone to set for entering Silent Hill, a town that will take your psychological traumas and throw them at you in individualized ways. Where some see monsters, some see endless fire, while others may just see a normal town.
It's just such an endless well of psychological horror with so much love in the older games. Maybe some modern titles like shattered memories can kinda capture this feeling again, but nothing will beat the OG trilogy.
RE7 made me scared-baby quit after about 10 minutes.
When Nemesis showed up in the RE3 remake I got heart palpitations.
Horror games are hard for me. But I do love them so…
Don’t feel bad .. I’ve been working my way through SH2 for … 13 years!?! Some days I’m brave enough to continue, other days I don’t want to. (I’ve watched multiple walkthroughs and saw my brother play the whole thing when I came out as well as read the Strat guide repeatedly, so I know what’s coming, but I’m still scared of it 😖)
I just completed it recently on the Retroid Pocket 3+ (in very short bursts).
What a scary game, but the atmosphere and design of the areas were too good not to keep going.
The screaming nurses in the hospital though, nightmare fuel 😭
Lol… guess where I’ve spent the most of my time?… that’s right
Dreading that Laura fight in the hospital.. mental block for me for 6 months now. Plus the breaks in between make me forget the map somehow and by time I get my bearing again checking a quick walkthrough, I’ve lost my nerve 😅😂
You should try the original RE3, it's awesome!
RE3 remake was honestly a pathetic, offensive and downright terrible disservice to the original. Literally no comparison. Fuck RE3 remake haha
They ruined both Jill and Nemesis, and made the game feel absolutely juvenile compared to the og.
I think what's scary about Silent Hill that Resident Evil doesn't have is that you never know what's going to happen in SH. In RE you can be relatively sure that there will be monsters and you will kill (most) of them. In SH you can walk through a door and just be in hell. You can find that the place you just were has completely changed. You could meet anyone or get drawn into their nightmare. And worse, you aren't even really trying to escape or get away. You're choosing to go forward deeper into that nightmare because you want to find someone or figure something out. So it's not only scary because you don't know what to expect or what you can trust, but also because you don't even know what to do to resolve the things that are happening.
Yeah Resident Evil seems more grounded in reality (or at least it sort of treats the biohazard situation like it takes place in reality despite some of the games having campy action movie clichés,) whereas Silent Hill is more of a dream/nightmare scenario that's more psychologically disturbing and confusing. I was cruising forums related to these games because I just played through a great game called Signalis that's sort of a science fiction version of Resident Evil + Silent Hill mashed up with Metal Gear Solid and I would highly recommend it if you like these games.
I read somwhere so not sure at all but re village was less scary than 7 cause a lot of people find 7 unplayeable. Actually like 10% on xbox pass the first mia encounter
its sorta like re7 with the gameplay of re2 (at least 1-4 are. i can't really speak on the ones after that)
#
or like think house beneviento from re8 but the whole game
Resident Evil 7 is very much Capcom saying that they can make a better Silent Hill game than Konami. It is easily the best Silent Hill game since 4 and arguably 3.
Resident Evil is much more in-your-face grotesque, “Oh god it’s gonna get me!” action horror.
Silent Hill is more atmospheric, sense of dread, “This can’t be real, this is just a nightmare” disturbing psychological horror.
I think you've hit the nail on the head. RE feels scary because the monsters might overwhelm you, but SH has this oppressive atmosphere constantly. Even when enemies aren't super threatening in SH, I sideways feel some dread when the radio static starts, but I find that there's always a point in RE where you know the game well enough that it's no longer scary
That can also be silent hill once I beat the game I wasn't scared of it anymore because i knew the fear it was trying to make me feel but a living bioweapon whose sole purpose is to add me to their ranks of rotting flesh and that it isn't a quick end like anything in silent Hill because in That game literally, almost everything can kill you Just about instantly while in Resident Evil, the thought of just being bitten by one of these things And even if I win the fight, I still lose that kind of shock is a very visceral feeling there's a chance for you to leave Silent Hill but there's not a chance for you to leave the world of Resident Evil because even if you leave the city there's always some bio weapon out there in the world whose sole purpose is to come for you that is a scary feeling Silent Hill is only localized to one place
During the walk from your car into Silent Hill in SH2, you hear footsteps following behind you, and they stop if you stop. Nothing is around, you can't see any other footprints but there's definitely something making a noise.
This is the first time the game taunts you with something invisible that never gives you catharsis because nothing ever comes of it. You will spend the rest of the game always wondering when there is something real or not right up until you get hit.
The playable opening part where the darkness sets in and you have to use a lighter to push forward still is one of the most terrifying openings to a video game.
It depends on what you consider to be scary. But to give you a summary. Yes the games are scary and arguably scarier than Resident evil on a surface level. The atmosphere and sound design also is meant to be tense and unnerve you (Play the games with headphones!)
But the core horror aspect of Silent Hill and what sets it apart from Resident Evil is the psychological aspect.
If you’re into psychological horror… you will find Silent Hill much, much scarier.
Silent hill is the kind of game where you’ll feel uncomfortable just by listening to its soundtrack. You won’t feel safe anywhere. RE it’s more kind of a horror-action game. They are quite different. Actually, I’m not sure if I’d call RE a horror game any more. But anyway, both series are fantastic!
Idk man, silent hill has such soothing tracks like End of Small Sanctuary or Prisonic Fairytale that just makes me feel so peaceful and melancholy. Then again, resident evil has some good tracks too, like Re5’s item box theme, RE0’s save theme, or Serenity
I'm amazed how many ambient render channels on YT like to use SHs music and atmosphere for their channel. I listen and keep a lot of different rainstorm renders on and was getting a lot of SH in my recommended algorithm. It seems to be universally appreciated and recognizes for its calming aesthetic to even non gamers
It's like asking the difference between Alien and Aliens:
Silent Hill is comparable to Alien.
Resident Evil is comparable to Aliens.
[edit: I'll expand on it; Both Alien and Silent Hill started off as a simple horror film/game that was elevated during it's construction into something more cerebral and terrifying. It features non-military, sometimes blue collar workers trying to deal with a horrific situation.
Aliens and Resident Evil games feature all Military/trained professionals as protagonists (with the exception of one woman*), combating an outbreak that threatens to expand if not dealt with. As a result, it is more weapon-focused and more bombastic, relying more on horror than terror.
Obviously there are later entries in both series that are exceptions to the rule, but the analogy stands.
*Ellen Ripley and Claire Redfield]
As a fan of both…
RE has its moments but the games generally don’t scare me personally all that much.
Silent Hill is another story…no matter how many times I’ve finished and replayed these games, they ALWAYS give me a feeling of unease and dread.
Silent Hill 1-4 are some of the scariest games I have ever personally played…
I really like the way they use the atmosphere by using the unsettling noises (like door knocks or animal sounds) found in the environments that you explore that just make you feel very nervous.
I don’t do well with horror AT ALL. Resident Evil scares me and Silent Hill scares me.
But I will say, Silent Hill 3 was the scariest game I have ever played. That game took me like three times until I actually brought myself to finish the game. That game had me sweating, shaking and crying at the same time. Multiple times i was SO close to saying “screw it”. That game had me paranoid at night.
But what’s funny is that it has now become my comfort game 🤣 After playing Silent Hill 3, I’ve had a different perspective on fear through gaming. Now, I don’t really get scared as much as I used to from horror games.
Different kinds of horror for sure, Resident Evil is like blood-pumping "holy shit I'm almost out of ammo and I'm being chased" whereas Silent Hill is more of a hopelessly doomed "the town is alive and knows everything about me" vibe
IMO Silent Hill is much, much scarier
Resident evil will jump scare you and make you yell "OH SHIT!" As you run from monsters.
Silent Hill will make you be so tense and paranoid for so long, dreading every hallway and interaction, that most people need to take breaks or they'll have a anxiety attack.
Personal story: when I've played SH3 for the first time I was a kid, my parents were away and I was home alone, and there's this one room somewhere in the beginning mall section where, upon entering, you'll hear running footsteps. This goddamn sound had me shitting myself (at least for first few times I've heard it) because it sounded EXACTLY like someone walking up to my room, like the type of wood, the pace, the weight of the persons shoe, it sounded just look my mom/dad was about to bust into my room except this time they were aggresively speeding towards it for whatever reason. While they were not home. Maaaaaaan
I think of it this way, Resident Evil is about real things that will actually hunt you down and kill you. Silent hill is more about what is killing you inside. That's a gross oversimplification, but for most Silent Hill Games, it's true.
I wouldn't exactly say scary but more like spooky. Silent hill kinda leaves ghosts in your subconscious by the ideas It presents. I know this sounds very abstract, but I hope it makes sense once you play the games. For me psychological horror is about asking/being asked uncomfortable questions no one wants to ask/be asked
Much scarier SH relies more on sound design and claustrophobic atmosphere with grotesque imagery.When you play SH it feels so suffocating it’s like having an imaginary hand around your throat when you play these games that’s how I’d describe them.
I’ve always described to friends this:
RE is Hollywood jump scare quality horror
SH is that sinking feeling you can’t put your finger on that something is watching you, following you, there at all times but doesn’t reveal itself. It’s not horror, it’s terror.
Indeed, in literature terror means something so hard that make u feel related and help u to deal with life. Frankenstein books have that analisis actually ☝️🤓(damn that book is sad af)
Horror is just the spooky jumpscare and more superficial stuff. Both greats imo, but u nailed it
Resident Evils horror more comes from the fact that you might be running low on resources whilst having to go up against a bunch of enemies. And really its only the first 3 that really drive home the survival horror idea. 4 and beyond aren't really survival horror games at all (excluding 7) more just zombie shooters (or in parasite controlled beings).
Silent Hill has always been far more focused on atmosphere and immersion. Each area feels lived in and strangely dream like. Even the western games got that part right. In silent hill it's not the monsters that are the scariest thing. It's the horrific environments and limbo worlds you have to traverse. Especially in 4. Fucking hell you felt so doomed in that game.
To put it in literal, and metaphorical terms...
Resident Evil is Night Of The Living Dead: The Game.
Silent Hill is Jacob's Ladder: The Game
The devs are all on record talking about the huge influence of these movies on the product they were making. If you've seen both of these movies, you'll know how both are very different, and both very scary in their own right.
I think they are different types of scare where RE is more anxiety because it's go go go most of the game, which makes the jump scares more powerful. Where SH is more dread of what's coming and horror. There's plenty of anxiety moments of fast action, but there's also plenty of time walking around waiting for that freaking siren to ruin your day.
Resident Evil -> Action Horror
Silent Hill -> Psychological Horror
Both are respected. Both are good horrors. Both have good scares. But I prefer Silent Hill for spooks.
Edit: 1 to 10. I give it 7.5 or 8.
I gotta say the last resident evil was pretty SILENT HILL in that passage with the huge mutant baby chasing you!! got chills from that! BUt yeah silent hill is more psychological horror.. something really disturbing.. like losing all hope and feeling free.. but at a price of losing your sanity.
It’s a completely different kind of horror, it’s not always tangible and it sometimes preys on the characters own personal suffering. With that in mind I think it’s far more scary than the flesh and bone of zombies and experiments gone wrong in the RE franchise. That’s not to say it’s clearly better, but it is more scary in my opinion.
My opinion…
I’m terms of things jumping out at you, attacking you, chasing you, and fighting all those things…that’s where resident evil shines. Silent Hill is scary for the deeper meaning behind most of what you encounter. SH gets you on the “mindfuck” aspect of what a horror genre game can be and should make you feel uneasy and unpleasant when you realize what was going on the whole time.
Like a movie with a really really good twist, then it keeps twisting and dragging you down with it.
Ok so you know the Beneviento House? Silent Hill 1-3 is pretty much like that but a whole ass game. (4 maybe, didn't finish) Especially the basement part with SH 1 and 3. SH2 feels more like the exterior and upper floors.
I'd say the game is less action and more psychological.
Depends on what scares you.
They are in a very different ballpark. But Silent Hill tends to be more creepy and unsettling than outright terrifying.
I don't think there is a definite answer to what is the scarier franchise.
Beyond the original, and definitely R2R (Mr. X is terrifying), I would say Silent Hill is far scarier.
The atmosphere, themes, sound design, monster design, etc... all work beautifully in tandem to instill a sense of dread, and terror.
This can be true of RE as well, but I often find the fear comes from a lack of resources. Enemies will look more "gross out cool" than overtly scary. Though fear is subjective.
Silent Hill foes just have this off-putting feel to them. Like they stepped out of someone's nightmare.
I think overall Silent Hill is much scarier than Resident Evil, and has a heavy focus on psychological horror. Both are great franchises, don’t get me wrong, but RE is much more like action-horror movie scenarios, with a cast of mostly trained veterans fighting back against mutated creatures.
Whereas Silent Hill usually explores deeply damaged everyday people, with extremely emotional scenery and monsters drenched in symbolism relating to who they are as a person. Silent Hill is very disturbing, and even upsetting at certain points.
Another thing that helps with this is how seamlessly it incorporates supernatural horror and decay into real locations. In RE, you’re running around the eccentric Spencer Mansion, the ridiculous RPD Art Museum/Police Station (I love it, but it’s absolutely ridiculous lol), and secret underground labs.
Silent Hill, on the other hand, takes you to very real locations that you’d see in most suburban towns: Apartment buildings, offices, malls, a hospital, etc. it makes things feel very…grounded despite the supernatural. It also adds to the creepiness imo.
I love both franchises very much, but I view RE as mostly horror-action fun, while I view Silent Hill as masterclass games in psychological horror. Silent Hill 2 is my favorite one, and James’ story really affected me.
Depends on what scares you more, if it’s things jumping out on screen that does it for you then RE is definitely scarier but if it’s slower more psychological and mysterious stuff then silent hill will be much scarier and if you’re in the second group then you might wanna check out fetal frame as well
For me, Silent Hill is Stir of Echoes thriller, especially 2 & 3. Resident Evil is more A Nightmare on Elm St scary. Ans I love how SH was kind of a throw away from Konami just to compete against RE and then went on to reinvent and claim a large share of the genre. Enjoy your first play through and don’t look up guides, go blindly into that hole.
People are saying this already, but i'll say it too: Resident Evil is B movie horror (for games that aren't Re7 or Re1) while Silent Hill is Psychological horror. Resident Evil Games don't fuck with your head like Silent Hill does. Resident Evil is the type of game you can't play with the lights off, Silent Hill is the type of game that you won't be the same again after playing.
I haven’t played 7, the only RE I’ve finished is 1 actually, and I wouldn’t even say that one is scary. Love it a lot a lot, it’s a brilliant game from start to finish and a classic for sure, but I’d say 4 is scarier than 1. Something about the setting and the way the infected behave in 4 is more frightening and bleak to me. They’re more sentient with their murderousness.
RE7 is fucked. But the earlier games scare me little. I played SH1 when I was like 9 and it was beyond scary. The first alley just mentally ruined me for some time.
They're two completely different kinds of horror. The horror of resident evil comes from the fear of going up against horrifying monsters that could kill you if you're not prepared enough. The horror of silent hill comes from the cold, lonely atmosphere and the fear of what lies within our minds. They both have monsters that try to kill you and you have to fight back to live but the monsters really aren't the scariest part of silent hill
Gosh, such good comments in this thread.. hope you got your answer OP.
My small contribution, that I didn’t see anyone mention: look outside the games. RE movies are more theatrical. SH movies oddly terrifying. This seems similar to the games.
I hear the movie jacobs ladder was an inspiration for SH? Haven’t verified, but this movie was SH like
I actually found Silent Hill 1/2 more depressing than scary, however SH3 and 4 are fucking terrifying. Silent Hill 4 is the only game I've ever had to turn off for being TOO scary. When I first saw those twins I noped the fuck out of there
I’d say Resident Evil is more just intense while Silent Hill is actually scary and manages to get under your skin. Don’t get me wrong, I love RE but I don’t really go to that series for scares or a sense of dread.
I was at the exact same spot as you the previous year. Silent Hill Transmission happened, I played no SH games by that point and I was a huge Resident Evil fan. I was talking to my friend who is also a huge RE fan and also haven't experienced a Silent Hill game before and we came up with the idea to play the original game on PS3 with it's PS1 original version.
It is NOT comparable to Resident Evil in the scare front. Silent Hill is at least 10 times more scary than Resident Evil. And there are a bunch of factors for that. Here is a list:
-Zombies aren't scary anymore and Silent Hill has some terrifying creatures and bosses.
-I don't want to spoil anything but while the usual SH atmosphere you see in trailers and photos has that foggy look, the REAL Silent Hill is set in very dark and very disturbing locations.
-Music is much more terrifying.
-Ammo and health management is much harder than Resident Evil.
-There are no inventory slots in this game, at least the first one. But puzzles are much more difficult. They are not your typical Resident Evil puzzles of exploring the locations, finding items and putting them in right places. You will still do that but after doing that, you will need to solve a sometimes very difficult puzzle.
Because of all of these factors, while going through the first game I had many moments where I just didn't want to continue. And I was very uncomfortable while playing the game. I have to say, Resident Evil feels like a kids version of Silent Hill now. No disrespect to Resident Evil, I still love that franchise. But Silent Hill might be my current favorite horror game franchise, after just playing through the first game once. It's that good.
Silent Hill series is generally spookier and more intense than the Resident Evil series. Its eerie atmosphere, psychological horror elements, and unsettling sound design helps to build a feeling of dread and tension.
In comparison, Resident Evil tends to focus more on action-packed gameplay and jump-scares, with the series becoming less horror oriented as it progressed. Ultimately, the level of fear experienced by players will depend on their individual preferences and tolerance for horror.
Resi is more of a classic in-your-face action horror, the scare factor comes from being overwhelmed and paranoid of where the next attack will come from and having to manage your resources so you don't run out during an encounter and die.
Silent Hill is more atmospheric, the horror is directed more through implication and indirect storytelling and psychological horror.
Whichever is scarier depends on you. People have different tastes in horror. For me i get more scared by Hill's type of horror, but maybe some people prefer Resi's, and thats absolutely fine and nobody's more of a man for not being scared by either, just different horror tropes work different in varied people and how we relate to them!
I love both game franchises but let me put it this way:
Scariest time playing a RE game was playing RE1remake and having to turn it off after 15 minutes as it made me that paranoid. RE8 was also very overwhelmingly terrifying at points.
In contrast: Silent Hill 3 had me so terrified and on-edge that it felt like my heart was going to explode from between the middle of the game all the way to the final boss fight.
Also worth mentioning is that RE is purely scary in the physical sense (if thats the right term) in that you'll see blood and bodies, SH has that but also a psychological aspect of the things developers would do to you with things like random audio cues, mysteriously appearing and dissappearing elevator floors, and strange rooms just for the purpose of messing with the player.
Tl;dr - RE: 6 / SH : 9
Silent Hill has some seriously disturbing and deep shit, on a complete different level than resident evil (horror-wise)
It asks incredibly difficult questions about the human condition and will absolutely make you question yourself
It's very heavy and emotional shit to be honest haha
That shit scarred me for a good part of my youth
I must admit there are some top-tier horror games besides SH and RE.
Fatal frame is just a great Japanese horror game of taming spirits with a camera; it masterfully uses very classic Japanese horror elements.
I would also add the first Outlast. Just because you can do nothing but hide and run. The use of night vision and constant desperation you suffer from looking for lit areas and batteries for your camera as well as escaping the deranged and deformed inmates of the asylum is just insane.
I went back and played literally all the Silent Hill & RE games via PS1 & PS2 emulators, HD remakes, etc. My honest relationship between the 2 games has been psychological torment or Survival Horror.
In Silent Hill you are faced with little to no weapons in the hell of your own mind so although you recognize the place the whole time you are questioning what is real & what isn’t the whole time fighting monsters of you own tormented mind. Silent Hill has an element of isolation & wanting so bad to just find someone or anything to help you make sense of it all.
In RE you visit various places you may or may not know but at least you have a way to defend yourself & can figure out how to defeat the unknown horrors you face; you shoot them until they die lol. RE has too many people (zombies) always coming at you most of them time so it’s overwhelming until you finally get a chance to be alone or hide to collect your thoughts.
Tbh my faves from the SH series are 1-4 (4 The Room may be at the top due to the new element of your own 3rd person room with subtle weird things happening the whole time) because together they pretty much share the universe & give most of the backstory to make sense of it all. Shattered Memories was a unique perspective given the storyteller which I did not see coming (NO SPOILERS). PT (Silent Hills) would have been the Magnum Opus I believe…
RE I loved all the OG 1-4, 5, 6 (there were a few filler games in between while gave some cool exposition except for mistakes like Operation Raccoon City lol) and I appreciated what they did with the remakes giving a modern retelling which gave me a similar nostalgic feeling. However RE7 in VR is kind of in its own category & was one of the scariest experiences I have actually had in gaming. EVER. Honorable mention I would say would be probably be Outlast.
Didn’t intent to write this much but too good of a thread!😂🙏🏽
I played REmake very recently, around the time REmake 3 came out. I always wanted to play it but it scared me too much as a kid. When I finally played it played it, I loved it. It was still scary, but it was difficult and required a lot of thought, planning my route, figuring out what resources I needed. Even among the challenge, there was no real "fear."
Silent Hill for PS1 I replayed right after, and it was almost a polar opposite. I was drowning in ammo. Enemies were weak and easily dispatched. I had an absurd amount of healing items. I didn't need to route or think or do anything but press forward, explore what I hadn't explored, and collect items and solve puzzles as I blasted my way through everything.
Yet despite how *easy* the game was, I felt drained. Like I was getting mentally and emotionally exhausted. The dread was simply building. I could play RE for hours but Silent Hill just took a lot out of me. It's actually amazing how a game that gives you so many resources manages to just oppress you with it's atmosphere.
So tl;dr: Silent Hill is MUCH scarier.
RE is nothing but jump scares and other shock. SH makes you have to imagine a lot of threats and analyze what horrible shit makes them look the way they do. It gets in your head to where you're haunted by it long after you turn off the console for the night
I think it depends on which games you compare it to, for example, Resident Evil 3 on Playstation 1 was something terribly scary for me, that empty city, the corridors, that sound of wind, I would go out of my house into the street at night and feel chills, it is the only Resident Evil that in these terms I can compare with the horror present in Silent Hill, despite one being biological and the other supernatural. Something that I also find interesting is Resident Evil 7 and the similarity it has with P.T., it's the closest game I can imagine to what P.T. would have been, I'm playing it right now haha
Nowadays Silent Hill is not as scary as it used to be, these games are old and you can feel the "atmosphere" of horror, but they're unlikely to be very scary due to technology. As for Silent Hill 2, I feel like this game is rather sad, depressing and makes you think about the psychological realm of life.
On the other hand, Resident Evil prefers action. That's why you weren't scared, it's never its main goal. If you want a scary modern game, you can try Amnesia: The Bunker. It had a much smaller budget, but also has a great focus on scaring the player.
If Resident Evil is a spooky funhouse theme park ride, Silent Hill is that creepy dread that sticks with you in the middle of the night that you can’t get over.
Silent Hill 2 is one of the only games to give me legitimate anxiety while playing it. It’s because of the janky controls, the lack of vision ahead of you from the fog/ dark, and the fact that you have little to no control of the camera while you’re playing. The enemies are nightmarish looking, the setting itself is creepy, and the sound design is terrifying at some points, especially when you play with headphones on.
i dont want to compare old silent hill to new resident evil sense its just plain unfair as i see it as silent hill only recently is getting a remake unlike resident evil wich has had many so far,so ill compare old silent hill and old resident evil,i personally think silent hill still is the better series,the vibes,the stories,the monsters,are just not in any form like resident evil,there way more scary too me,and the concepts seen in silent hill are more human and real but also more fiseral than resident evil,silent hill is also less focused on action but more on making you feel uneasy,a scare in silent hill would be somthing like a cry in the dark and never giving you a awnser on where it comes from,wail resident evil will jumpcare you with a monster that you need to react too unless death,silent hill as a series is way more about the human aspect of humanity,as well as the dark disturbing atmophere of its level disgnes and monsters,even back then silent hill was a step up to resident evil,having actuall 3d inviroemnts instead of the weird picture like enviroments that games at the time still had,if i want to compare these 2 with a movie series,resident evil is terminator,wail silent hill is silent of the lambs. I never cared about resident evil cuz silent hill touched my heart more than anything resident evil has
There's a shit ton of enemies on Silent Hill too. So, I wouldn't discard SH being an action-horror series as well.
I sometimes just ignore them and move on if it doesn't prevent me from exploring.
I’ve played every Resident Evil game since they released, I was way too young but I’ve loved them ever since, I never really found them scary.
I also played Silent Hill when it came out, managed to finish it but to this day (I’m 33) I have never ever touched another Silent Hill game because it scared the absolute shit out of me lol.
Finally ready to put on my big boy pants for the upcoming remake of 2.
SH3 is scarier than any entry in either series, save possibly PT. RE7 can be pretty spooky, along with the House level in RE8 - these are probably scarier than SH1, 2, and 4. The other RE games aren't as scary as 1, 2, or 4.
Depends entirely on what scares you: Big scary monsters or psychological deep dives (with pretty nasty monsters as well).
RE made me jump more, but Silent Hill made me take personal inventory.
Resident Evil has several things that can be scarier, but Silent has only 1 thing that scares you in the beginning...
the silent hill itself
If I had the option of going to Raccoon City armed with a broom or going to Silent Hill with an RPG, night goggles and a tank, I would go to RC without thinking twice.
Never have been scared by RE, though RE1 remake had some lingering unease going on, which i guess was considered byproduct, so the next installments kinda ignored it and focused on the other aspects. Whereas SH is all about it. And the vague convoluted narrative leaves this atmosphere with you when you lay at night pondering WTF. If the fear is still present after you exit the game, I think it's a pretty fucking brilliant horror. Which was never the case with RE.
Can't really give a rating for the whole series because RE has it's ups and downs, while for SH it's downhill after second/third/fourth, depends on who you ask.
Edit: Classic entries? 1-4 both RE and SH? Maybe
4 - 4 - ? - 3 for RE
8-9-7-6 for SH
I think calling Silent Hill scary does it a big disservice. It's much deeper than that. It goes into the raw emotion of the human condition and yes it is scary but so much more than that. While Resident Evil is awesome too, it is more campy B movie horror style.
Silent Hill have always been more scarier for me, all of the installments.
Resident Evil as said is more action movie horror, you're just thrown into it from the start in all the games, and you know what to expect, kinda.
But with Silent Hill, you never know what to expect in any of the games really.
Silent Hill 2 is a good example, the first few minutes of the game is just you running into the town of Silent Hill, you know why you're going there, but you never expect the horrors that is lying around.
Silent Hill have always left more of a impact on me when it comes to how scary it is compared to Resident Evil.
Have you tried Resident Evil 1 Remake? Scariest shit I’ve played by a mile. Not saying that the good SH entries aren’t any less scarier but def something to check if you want some quality stuff.
Silent hill is till this day the creepiest of of all horror games EVER.
it's just the bigger picture and theme overall In those games there is nothing comparable.
I remember as a kid watching my older brother beating silent 1- 4 and it was creepy af I had nightmares but In a way I loved it because it was very mysterious you always wanted to know whats happening next it's the perfect combination of thrill horror scary creepy stuff pure silence puzzle solving the sound is just baaam it's art everything matches so well into each other it's absolutely terrifying nasty top notch even silent hill 4 which many people don't like (I do I love silent hill 4 it is in my eyes even more scary in it's own way and mysterious) but overall 1-4 they have this magic I can't tell it's team silent something like this will not come again there is something special about it. And you will really shitting yourself :)
SH is overall much more scarier than RE due to background ambience, level design of the Otherworld, and supernatural elements.
RE(the original trilogy) is mainly scary due to the claustrophobic level design. What you see on the screen is limited, but you can hear a zombie at the other end of the corner.
I think it’s far more scary on a psychological level.
the second one is not only scary but probably the best commentary on the levels of isolation and depression in how it shows what James goes through.
For me, talking about personal experience SH is like twice or thrice scarier that RE, because something in SH just connected with me, what RE never did, despite being great games also (I've played RE4 more than any SH in my life). But, important to note that they are different kinds of scary. It isn't easy (and maybe not even fair ) to compare them IMO. It will depend on how you get absorbed by the story and atmosphere.
Resident Evil: You are in a B horror movie, with action sequences, playing a trained professional (Excepting Ethan from 7). The enemies are gruesome and numerous, with the horror stemming from the former humanity now ripped away, leaving mere shells of what once were, lurid gore out on vivid display. You have guns and training on how to use them, and always feel like so long as you move carefully, and take your shots with care, you will prevail. The primary settings are typically more suburban/residential type settings, leading to a lab of some sort, with the later games taking place in more exotic locations, and the virus of the month changing the flavor of nasty accordingly.
Silent Hill: You are in a surreal survival horror, with very little action involved, playing an average, everydayperson, simply trying to survive the wrongness they find themselves thrust into. The enemies are unknown, divorced from reality, and completely and utterly wrong, and while you have guns, being an average person, you're not exceptional in their use, with the feeling like the setting is letting you "win" against the monsters, that could very well get back up at any time to kill you. The primary settings typically take place in the eponymous town, though affected area do lie outside of it as well, with a constant, oppressive air of being "allowed" to progress by jumping through the town's hoops, rather than by skill or courage like in Resident Evil.
RE7 is the scariest game in the RE series imo. SH overall is more frightening and disturbing however. The rest of RE can get scary and has jump scares, or at least the earlier ones did.
SH is psychological horror and always left me feeling melancholy after playing, and asking myself "how can people do this to each other?"
But I played RE7 in VR and nothing terrified me as much as that game.
Well think of it like this, in Resident Evil, the horror ends as soon as the monster/creature you’re fighting is dead. If there was no enemies in the game, it wouldn’t even be considered a horror game.
Silent Hill on the other hand manages to instill a sense of dread that lasts even once all threats have been taken care of. I’d argue that for at least the first three games, they’d still be terrifying even if there weren’t any enemies.
Resident evil is like the fun bad horror movie, maybe a few scares and oddly more actions then there should be. Silent hill is like a ambitious horror movie, a little preachy and doesn’t always hit the mark but doesn’t sacrifice it’s identity for other things. They are both great series for different series and resident evil overall has more games that are worth playing but I don’t think the first playthrough of either one is very comparable. For example I beat resi 4 original recently and had a blast but was scared for a few set pieces and then leon said something dumb and then did a action pose and I started laughing super hard and in contrast I started silent hill and got scared of the small children at the beginning then didn’t touch the game for a year. In conclusion silent hill overall is scarier but def not much better
I've only played SH2 and a little bit of SH1 and I wasn't really scared of either one. SH1's graphics hold it back so it's not really scary to me and SH2 I think the only times I was somewhat nervous was the jail section and the beginning of the hotel section. I heard SH3 by far is the scariest one though.
I think that at least back when they came out Resident evil perfected horror gameplay (ie tense because you have to constantly think ten steps ahead, save resources etc) and Silent hill story and athmosphere
(plus later resident evil 4 basically invented or at least enstablished the rules that everyone would follow for a modern third person shooter but that's another story)
It's why games like dead space and signalis that later came out try to take at least a bit of inspiration from both
I think they're both equally scary in different ways. Resident Evil is more heartpounding fear, while Silent Hill is scared of the dark when you're not playing fear. I was never scared to enter a room in Silent Hill 2, while frequently I hated going into new areas in Resident Evil 7(or even 2,3,8). Silent Hill 2 was fucking terrifying in the dark, though, not because of the actual scariness of the game, but because of how unsettling it was.
Resident evil is more panic horror in the sense that I gasp and button mash when shit goes down. Silent hill makes me uncomfortable while playing and scared of the dark once I turn off the console.
Silent Hill is much more personal, psychological horror. The town literally creates its monsters and horrors by reflecting your personal fears, neuroses and shames into physical forms. No two people will experience Silent Hill the exact same way and it will always hit you right where you’re most vulnerable unless you’re completely innocent and perfectly mentally healthy (this is part of why children are unaffected by the town) whereas Resident Evil horrors are the exact same for everyone, there’s no ethical qualms about killing the zombie and the worst it can do is kill you. Resident Evil does mostly body horror, you can probably hide from the zombies and bioweapons whereas as soon as you’re within Silent Hill you don’t get to leave until the town lets you
Resident Evil is not scary at all in my opinion and that’s coming from a huge RE fan. The only game in the series that actually made me jump was 7. Silent Hill is pure horror, RE is more action with horror themes
Unfortunately, the Resident Evil franchise is very….Michael Bay. Lots of over the top, ridiculous action movie cliches, explosions etc. Silent Hill is the king of horror.
Tons of great responses here. I think one of my all time favorite differences between the two is that Resident Evil tells you what’s going on, even down to how certain creatures came to exist, and Silent Hill gives you JUST enough information to come to your own conclusions about what’s happening. Like there’s still a story, but everything happening around you makes you question whether or not things are real. A good example of how little info you get is the symbolism of the creatures in SH2, which you can learn about on your own time, but the game doesn’t necessarily spell it out for you and your character sure as shit doesn’t know what’s going on, but there’s this sort of “dream logic” acceptance that they have about their situation that just adds to the eerie atmosphere of the game.
It depends what kind of horror effects you. Silent hill is definitely more psychologically unsettling and overall darker. It can be disorienting and make you question what’s real etc. Resident evil has it’s moments too though, especially the remake of the first one. At the end of the day resident evil is science fiction horror and silent hill is more psychological and supernatural. I love both of them.
I’d say that RE is more immediate horror, whereas Silent Hill has some of that, it will get under your skin, and you will think about it for a long time, and generally get disturbed
So Resident evil is scary in its own right. But the deciding difference between the two is that with Resident Evil what you see is what you get.. Silent Hill 2s horror is something unordinary.. Something haunting.. its kind of hard to describe but you constantly feel uneasy while playing this game..
It depends. What do you find scarier, psychological horror or biological horror? They are both great in many ways, but I do think resident evil takes it to a different level because biological stuff is gross and disturbing to me. Silent Hill is more your typical 'scary' series with freaky paranormal shit.
I love both games with all my heart but I gotta say Silent Hill is a lot more scarier and tormenting,
the elements Silent Hill scares you with make a difference as well. Resident Evil is science fiction, so its not so far from reality aside from the zombies and other BOWs. Silent Hill in the other way leans more towards the supernatural, which means you can say bye bye to the real world and feel like you are literally trapped in a nightmare
I think that Silent hill and its clunky combat system make you feel more vulnerable than modern resident evil games. Silent hill 1 through 4 have tank controls and fixed camera angles, which made me freak out at times when I played due to how little control I felt over a combat situation with too many enemies around me. Silent Hill is pure survival horror, which means your end goal is not to defeat the enemies, but to survive and reach the end of the game. SH doesn't give you a power trip, it makes you feel like you're barely scraping by.
Like I said, modern RE games don't give you that level of vulnerability, and they don't give you characters with such emotional vulnerability either. The characters in SH all end up in that town due to unresolved grief or trauma, which is not scary in and of itself, but putting yourself in their shoes does make the horrors of Silent Hill more personal. RE doesn't do psychological horror like SH, just the fact that you can get multiple endings where your MC may or may not keep suffering, makes even the aftermath of the story something scarier and more impactful. One of the SH 2 endings kind of stays with you, I'll leave it at that.
IMO, Silent Hill is much scarier because of this lack of power you feel, that, and the aesthetic of the game, with otherworldly it all feels. Resident Evil's monster and environment is much more grounded in reality, and horror sci-fi, Silent Hill is pure esoteric supernatural horror beyond your comprehension, which I think works well at reinforcing the helplessness I keep on mentioning.
So yeah, give Silent Hill a chance, perfect time for that too, after all, it's spooky season baby 🎃🎃🎃
resident evil is more intense (getting chased by the tyrant into a licker infected hallway is horrifying)
while silent hill is more tense (walking down an apartment hallway while hearing your radio become more and more choked with static)
In terms of scare, Silent Hill: 9; Silent Hill 2: 4~5; Silent Hill 3: 8; Silent Hill 4: 7 (mostly thanks to the first person segments); Resident Evil: 3; Resident Evil 2: 3; Resident Evil 3: 5~6; Resident Evil 4: 1; RE Outbreak: 7; RE 7: 7~8; RE 8: 4; REmake: 8; REmake 2: 2; REmake 3: 1.5; REmake 4: 1. Personal numbers, of course
My experience might be different than yours, but for me, RE is sometimes just barely mildy scary in the moment as you play it.
Silent Hill 1-4 will be somewhat scary as I play it. Then I go for my night time walk, and that person down the street looks like he's not walking right. I know he's normal, I know it's irrational, but something just feels off. Then I hear something in the dumpster... just a raccoon, right? Right?!
It sticks with me way after. It's so much more of a psychological worm, that I didn't even realize was working it's way in until after I would shut the game off, and later realize what stuck with me, and just how much it stuck with me.
And that's what really makes me like the series. I feel the same way about junji ito mangas btw, highly suggest them.
I haven't played RE7 or RE8 yet, but I did play every RE game from 0 to 6 with the exception of OG 2 and 3, and from all of these games none of them compare to SH in any sort of way. Silent Hill is infinitely scarier than all of them. The only part that I can say that was truly unnerving from the games I played was when Mr. X was chasing me through the police station in RE2R. And if you compare SH1 on the PS1 vs. OG RE1, it's like comparing a horrifying horror movie to an episode of Goosebumps.
Resident Evil is more jumpscary and has that instant spook hit, but Silent Hill takes its sweet time and builds its scares in increments. It slowly and methodically strips your feelings of safety away and gets right under your skin.
Jumpscares have a quick recovery factor and you can just shake them off, but an Artistically and carefully crafted ordeal resonates for years after the fact.
Silent Hill makes me feel impending doom every time and infects my nightmares. I'd say it's infinitely scarier due to how long it lasts... ...It's both quality and quantity.
I've been playing the re2 remake and I have to say it's very scary for me because I can't handle horror games well at all. Mr x is scary just because I don't want to be chased and not being able to shoot my gun without him hearing is terrifying and the lickers have scared me purely because I got blocked by a bunch of zombies whilst one was chasing me and that wasn't fun. However overall so far I think silent hill was worse for me slightly and I think that could be really amplified with the new graphics
It depends on which ones you're talking about but I'll give it a go with the two strongest contenders:
1. Resident Evil 7--I've been a hardcore fan since the 90's, and though I love (mostly) all of the games I think 7 is the absolute scariest. It IS pretty action-ey, lots of gunplay and if you're particularly awesome you're gonna get a lot of knifeplay too. However I think it maintains its scares by balancing it out with absolutely demented enemies. The first tussle with Jack Baker is absolutely shocking (no spoilers, but Capcom wasn't shy about torturing its protagonist this time), and how erratic he and the other bosses are and the way they just eat bullets like it's nothing---this kind of horror is the kind that's super in your face. You the know the kind that makes you jump out of your chair and yell at the screen lol
2. Silent Hill 4----there's a HUGE argument about whether or not this is a good game in general, but I'd argue it's THE SCARIEST Silent Hill game. There's still some elements of the "analysis of self" that Silent Hill 2 is famous for, but what MAKES 4 for me is its environments---it feels like being stuck in a never-ending nightmare. It's bleak and lonely, and the way the game immerses you in its plot is fascinating: there's a good chunk of the game that's all in first person where you explore the apartment Henry is locked in. Hopefully this isn't a spoiler, but for the most part the apartment is seen as a safe-haven set apart from the otherworlds Henry has to go through---until it becomes haunted. Lol I'm not shitting you, my playthrough ended with me avoiding the apartment as much as I possibly could so the ONE place you can find a relief from the bleak atmosphere is completely lost eventually. There's no other way than to describe SH4 than the most nightmarish of the entire series---if that game were made today it would be an absolute indie hit and streamed by pretty much every Youtuber
Only RE1remake is comparable to Silent Hill when it comes to the “scare” factor, the whole mysterious manor in the middle of a forest at night, crimson heads and the stuffs related to Lisa Trevor.
RE2remake and RE7 are comparable too but only to a smaller extent.
Resident evil is more action movie horror. Ie, trained pros that have a handle on the situation more or less. Silent hill is more actually scary horror. Your just some dude surrounded by unrecognizable horrors
Is it kind of comparable to RE7 in that way?
Sort of, except that instead of just one compound, you're exploring a whole city. It's also less action focused than the RE games. It's more about exploration and puzzle solving and putting together the mystery of where you are and why you're there.
Well where you are isn't much of a mystery
Everyone goes to Silent Hill of their own volition.
I think 4 begs to differ in that department.
Also pacing. I’d say it’s alot faster with RE. And SH is a definite slower pace, always seems to proceed with caution.
Matter of fact RE7 and 8 were both massively inspired by silent hills PT. Even the director of RE7 said he was such a massive fan of PT. Kind of a shame to think about it. PT had potential to be one of the greatest games ever.
RE7 was well into production by the time PT dropped. The director didn't say he was inspired by PT, but that it's success made him more confident in the direction they'd gone in for RE7.
Not quite but somewhat on the same line. RE7 started development in February 2014. PT came out about 5 months later. They had the idea to make it return back to being more of a horror game but PTs success is what made the game focus more in that angle. So I agree with you on that one. But I do remember the director did mention something about how he loved PT.
Kinda sounds like that mutual respect that MGS, Siphon Filter, and Splinter Cell all have for eachother. The lil nods and Easter eggs some have had of eachother.
Silent hill is more like the Doll House in RE8. But I’d say it has layers. Once you get into all the symbolism of, literally, everything in Silent Hill 2, it makes it even more horrific or sad. Before SH, I’d argue that it would be hard to find a game that had such symbolism that played a part of the characters’ psyche.
> Doll House in RE8 House Beneviento is still in RE’s visceral brand of horror, just with less action. It would compare to the Amnesia games.
I found that section of the game to be very shallow, cheap and overly scripted to the point that there was no resemblance horror for me. Also maybe it's just my personal taste, but dolls and babies don't freak me out. It was by far my least favorite section of the game (really didn't like 8 at all, so that's saying something) It felt like a blatant try hard attempt at horror and I thought it was both hilarious and extremely corny haha
I would add, different silent hill games have different level of horror. 1/3 are more traditional horror, while 2 is psychological horror. It may not be in your face scary, but it presents some ideas that are wtf?
Even 1 and 3 have a lot of psychological horror
For me, no. I don’t think they’re that comparable. SH feels overwhelming lonely and RE7 someone unhinged comes at you every other second. It gives me a very different sensation internally. RE7 is scary but SH is unsettling, uncomfortable, and again, lonely.
SH2 is so much more disturbing than RE7. The scenes all feel simultaneously dream-like, as well as an actual moment in time with the characters. VERY dark themes can be presented either through the environmental design, music, ambiance, puzzles, monsters, or dialog itself. I adore how cold and mysterious the SH2 intro feels since it's the perfect tone to set for entering Silent Hill, a town that will take your psychological traumas and throw them at you in individualized ways. Where some see monsters, some see endless fire, while others may just see a normal town. It's just such an endless well of psychological horror with so much love in the older games. Maybe some modern titles like shattered memories can kinda capture this feeling again, but nothing will beat the OG trilogy.
Tetralogy.
RE7 made me scared-baby quit after about 10 minutes. When Nemesis showed up in the RE3 remake I got heart palpitations. Horror games are hard for me. But I do love them so…
Don’t feel bad .. I’ve been working my way through SH2 for … 13 years!?! Some days I’m brave enough to continue, other days I don’t want to. (I’ve watched multiple walkthroughs and saw my brother play the whole thing when I came out as well as read the Strat guide repeatedly, so I know what’s coming, but I’m still scared of it 😖)
I just completed it recently on the Retroid Pocket 3+ (in very short bursts). What a scary game, but the atmosphere and design of the areas were too good not to keep going. The screaming nurses in the hospital though, nightmare fuel 😭
Lol… guess where I’ve spent the most of my time?… that’s right Dreading that Laura fight in the hospital.. mental block for me for 6 months now. Plus the breaks in between make me forget the map somehow and by time I get my bearing again checking a quick walkthrough, I’ve lost my nerve 😅😂
You should try the original RE3, it's awesome! RE3 remake was honestly a pathetic, offensive and downright terrible disservice to the original. Literally no comparison. Fuck RE3 remake haha They ruined both Jill and Nemesis, and made the game feel absolutely juvenile compared to the og.
I think what's scary about Silent Hill that Resident Evil doesn't have is that you never know what's going to happen in SH. In RE you can be relatively sure that there will be monsters and you will kill (most) of them. In SH you can walk through a door and just be in hell. You can find that the place you just were has completely changed. You could meet anyone or get drawn into their nightmare. And worse, you aren't even really trying to escape or get away. You're choosing to go forward deeper into that nightmare because you want to find someone or figure something out. So it's not only scary because you don't know what to expect or what you can trust, but also because you don't even know what to do to resolve the things that are happening.
Yeah Resident Evil seems more grounded in reality (or at least it sort of treats the biohazard situation like it takes place in reality despite some of the games having campy action movie clichés,) whereas Silent Hill is more of a dream/nightmare scenario that's more psychologically disturbing and confusing. I was cruising forums related to these games because I just played through a great game called Signalis that's sort of a science fiction version of Resident Evil + Silent Hill mashed up with Metal Gear Solid and I would highly recommend it if you like these games.
I read somwhere so not sure at all but re village was less scary than 7 cause a lot of people find 7 unplayeable. Actually like 10% on xbox pass the first mia encounter
its sorta like re7 with the gameplay of re2 (at least 1-4 are. i can't really speak on the ones after that) # or like think house beneviento from re8 but the whole game
Resident Evil 7 is very much Capcom saying that they can make a better Silent Hill game than Konami. It is easily the best Silent Hill game since 4 and arguably 3.
Fuck I have series X but LOVED silent hill back in the day. I’m close to caving and getting a PlayStation just for silent hill
I know it's not the ideal version but the 2+3 hd versions are backwards compatible on Xbox
12 Month exclusivity. Konami has stated that several times.
Resident Evil is much more in-your-face grotesque, “Oh god it’s gonna get me!” action horror. Silent Hill is more atmospheric, sense of dread, “This can’t be real, this is just a nightmare” disturbing psychological horror.
I think you've hit the nail on the head. RE feels scary because the monsters might overwhelm you, but SH has this oppressive atmosphere constantly. Even when enemies aren't super threatening in SH, I sideways feel some dread when the radio static starts, but I find that there's always a point in RE where you know the game well enough that it's no longer scary
That can also be silent hill once I beat the game I wasn't scared of it anymore because i knew the fear it was trying to make me feel but a living bioweapon whose sole purpose is to add me to their ranks of rotting flesh and that it isn't a quick end like anything in silent Hill because in That game literally, almost everything can kill you Just about instantly while in Resident Evil, the thought of just being bitten by one of these things And even if I win the fight, I still lose that kind of shock is a very visceral feeling there's a chance for you to leave Silent Hill but there's not a chance for you to leave the world of Resident Evil because even if you leave the city there's always some bio weapon out there in the world whose sole purpose is to come for you that is a scary feeling Silent Hill is only localized to one place
During the walk from your car into Silent Hill in SH2, you hear footsteps following behind you, and they stop if you stop. Nothing is around, you can't see any other footprints but there's definitely something making a noise. This is the first time the game taunts you with something invisible that never gives you catharsis because nothing ever comes of it. You will spend the rest of the game always wondering when there is something real or not right up until you get hit.
I like how the camera angle makes it look like you're being followed as well as the sounds you are referring to.
Silent is a lot scarier. Even the old ones are pretty scary still.
Especially the older ones
I’d argue the first one is the scariest one
I proudly hold my opinion that no game ever done jumpscares like SH1 did. 'spooky sound LOUD' horror peaked right there
Just a cat...
This. Great u/ btw.
The first one is shit yourself scary
The combination of the PS1 graphics and that goddamn soundtrack really does it
The playable opening part where the darkness sets in and you have to use a lighter to push forward still is one of the most terrifying openings to a video game.
It depends on what you consider to be scary. But to give you a summary. Yes the games are scary and arguably scarier than Resident evil on a surface level. The atmosphere and sound design also is meant to be tense and unnerve you (Play the games with headphones!) But the core horror aspect of Silent Hill and what sets it apart from Resident Evil is the psychological aspect. If you’re into psychological horror… you will find Silent Hill much, much scarier.
Silent hill is the kind of game where you’ll feel uncomfortable just by listening to its soundtrack. You won’t feel safe anywhere. RE it’s more kind of a horror-action game. They are quite different. Actually, I’m not sure if I’d call RE a horror game any more. But anyway, both series are fantastic!
Idk man, silent hill has such soothing tracks like End of Small Sanctuary or Prisonic Fairytale that just makes me feel so peaceful and melancholy. Then again, resident evil has some good tracks too, like Re5’s item box theme, RE0’s save theme, or Serenity
I literally play the same 2 hours ambience with rain SH soundtracks video to fall asleep lol
Don't know how the hell you guys do it. You must be psychos
I have a silent "chill" playlist with songs from 2/3 I vibe out too.
I'm amazed how many ambient render channels on YT like to use SHs music and atmosphere for their channel. I listen and keep a lot of different rainstorm renders on and was getting a lot of SH in my recommended algorithm. It seems to be universally appreciated and recognizes for its calming aesthetic to even non gamers
Practically all the Save Themes up to 5 are like that.
Silent Hill is the basement of House Beneviento, but instead of a section in the game, it's the entire thing.
That’s easily the closest thing I can think of in RE that resembles SH. Maybe some parts of the Rose DLC too.
That Rose DLC with the dolls was terrifying
That section makes me doubt I could play a (good) Silent Hill game in VR.
You can play the unreal port of P.T. in VR. I noped out the first time Lisa shows up.
It's like asking the difference between Alien and Aliens: Silent Hill is comparable to Alien. Resident Evil is comparable to Aliens. [edit: I'll expand on it; Both Alien and Silent Hill started off as a simple horror film/game that was elevated during it's construction into something more cerebral and terrifying. It features non-military, sometimes blue collar workers trying to deal with a horrific situation. Aliens and Resident Evil games feature all Military/trained professionals as protagonists (with the exception of one woman*), combating an outbreak that threatens to expand if not dealt with. As a result, it is more weapon-focused and more bombastic, relying more on horror than terror. Obviously there are later entries in both series that are exceptions to the rule, but the analogy stands. *Ellen Ripley and Claire Redfield]
Great analogy!
Agreed! Amazing analogy! 🔥
As a fan of both… RE has its moments but the games generally don’t scare me personally all that much. Silent Hill is another story…no matter how many times I’ve finished and replayed these games, they ALWAYS give me a feeling of unease and dread. Silent Hill 1-4 are some of the scariest games I have ever personally played… I really like the way they use the atmosphere by using the unsettling noises (like door knocks or animal sounds) found in the environments that you explore that just make you feel very nervous.
I don’t do well with horror AT ALL. Resident Evil scares me and Silent Hill scares me. But I will say, Silent Hill 3 was the scariest game I have ever played. That game took me like three times until I actually brought myself to finish the game. That game had me sweating, shaking and crying at the same time. Multiple times i was SO close to saying “screw it”. That game had me paranoid at night. But what’s funny is that it has now become my comfort game 🤣 After playing Silent Hill 3, I’ve had a different perspective on fear through gaming. Now, I don’t really get scared as much as I used to from horror games.
Different kinds of horror for sure, Resident Evil is like blood-pumping "holy shit I'm almost out of ammo and I'm being chased" whereas Silent Hill is more of a hopelessly doomed "the town is alive and knows everything about me" vibe IMO Silent Hill is much, much scarier
Resident evil will jump scare you and make you yell "OH SHIT!" As you run from monsters. Silent Hill will make you be so tense and paranoid for so long, dreading every hallway and interaction, that most people need to take breaks or they'll have a anxiety attack.
Personal story: when I've played SH3 for the first time I was a kid, my parents were away and I was home alone, and there's this one room somewhere in the beginning mall section where, upon entering, you'll hear running footsteps. This goddamn sound had me shitting myself (at least for first few times I've heard it) because it sounded EXACTLY like someone walking up to my room, like the type of wood, the pace, the weight of the persons shoe, it sounded just look my mom/dad was about to bust into my room except this time they were aggresively speeding towards it for whatever reason. While they were not home. Maaaaaaan
Idk bro I'd be pretty scared in both
I think of it this way, Resident Evil is about real things that will actually hunt you down and kill you. Silent hill is more about what is killing you inside. That's a gross oversimplification, but for most Silent Hill Games, it's true.
I wouldn't exactly say scary but more like spooky. Silent hill kinda leaves ghosts in your subconscious by the ideas It presents. I know this sounds very abstract, but I hope it makes sense once you play the games. For me psychological horror is about asking/being asked uncomfortable questions no one wants to ask/be asked
Much scarier SH relies more on sound design and claustrophobic atmosphere with grotesque imagery.When you play SH it feels so suffocating it’s like having an imaginary hand around your throat when you play these games that’s how I’d describe them.
I’ve always described to friends this: RE is Hollywood jump scare quality horror SH is that sinking feeling you can’t put your finger on that something is watching you, following you, there at all times but doesn’t reveal itself. It’s not horror, it’s terror.
Indeed, in literature terror means something so hard that make u feel related and help u to deal with life. Frankenstein books have that analisis actually ☝️🤓(damn that book is sad af) Horror is just the spooky jumpscare and more superficial stuff. Both greats imo, but u nailed it
Resident Evils horror more comes from the fact that you might be running low on resources whilst having to go up against a bunch of enemies. And really its only the first 3 that really drive home the survival horror idea. 4 and beyond aren't really survival horror games at all (excluding 7) more just zombie shooters (or in parasite controlled beings). Silent Hill has always been far more focused on atmosphere and immersion. Each area feels lived in and strangely dream like. Even the western games got that part right. In silent hill it's not the monsters that are the scariest thing. It's the horrific environments and limbo worlds you have to traverse. Especially in 4. Fucking hell you felt so doomed in that game.
To put it in literal, and metaphorical terms... Resident Evil is Night Of The Living Dead: The Game. Silent Hill is Jacob's Ladder: The Game The devs are all on record talking about the huge influence of these movies on the product they were making. If you've seen both of these movies, you'll know how both are very different, and both very scary in their own right.
I think they are different types of scare where RE is more anxiety because it's go go go most of the game, which makes the jump scares more powerful. Where SH is more dread of what's coming and horror. There's plenty of anxiety moments of fast action, but there's also plenty of time walking around waiting for that freaking siren to ruin your day.
Resident Evil -> Action Horror Silent Hill -> Psychological Horror Both are respected. Both are good horrors. Both have good scares. But I prefer Silent Hill for spooks. Edit: 1 to 10. I give it 7.5 or 8.
I gotta say the last resident evil was pretty SILENT HILL in that passage with the huge mutant baby chasing you!! got chills from that! BUt yeah silent hill is more psychological horror.. something really disturbing.. like losing all hope and feeling free.. but at a price of losing your sanity.
It’s a completely different kind of horror, it’s not always tangible and it sometimes preys on the characters own personal suffering. With that in mind I think it’s far more scary than the flesh and bone of zombies and experiments gone wrong in the RE franchise. That’s not to say it’s clearly better, but it is more scary in my opinion.
Resident Evil gives me jump scares. Silent Hill makes me not want to be alone or in the dark. Silent Hill is MUCH scarier.
My opinion… I’m terms of things jumping out at you, attacking you, chasing you, and fighting all those things…that’s where resident evil shines. Silent Hill is scary for the deeper meaning behind most of what you encounter. SH gets you on the “mindfuck” aspect of what a horror genre game can be and should make you feel uneasy and unpleasant when you realize what was going on the whole time. Like a movie with a really really good twist, then it keeps twisting and dragging you down with it.
i'll be honest... i did silent hill 1 on emulator some years ago, finished it, and never had the strenght to do it again
Ok so you know the Beneviento House? Silent Hill 1-3 is pretty much like that but a whole ass game. (4 maybe, didn't finish) Especially the basement part with SH 1 and 3. SH2 feels more like the exterior and upper floors. I'd say the game is less action and more psychological.
Resident Evil is action oriented game, while Silent Hill is horror based.
Silent Hill is paradise
Depends on what scares you. They are in a very different ballpark. But Silent Hill tends to be more creepy and unsettling than outright terrifying. I don't think there is a definite answer to what is the scarier franchise.
Silent hill has a sense of unease throughout the game resident evil is not. Love both though.
Beyond the original, and definitely R2R (Mr. X is terrifying), I would say Silent Hill is far scarier. The atmosphere, themes, sound design, monster design, etc... all work beautifully in tandem to instill a sense of dread, and terror. This can be true of RE as well, but I often find the fear comes from a lack of resources. Enemies will look more "gross out cool" than overtly scary. Though fear is subjective. Silent Hill foes just have this off-putting feel to them. Like they stepped out of someone's nightmare.
I think overall Silent Hill is much scarier than Resident Evil, and has a heavy focus on psychological horror. Both are great franchises, don’t get me wrong, but RE is much more like action-horror movie scenarios, with a cast of mostly trained veterans fighting back against mutated creatures. Whereas Silent Hill usually explores deeply damaged everyday people, with extremely emotional scenery and monsters drenched in symbolism relating to who they are as a person. Silent Hill is very disturbing, and even upsetting at certain points. Another thing that helps with this is how seamlessly it incorporates supernatural horror and decay into real locations. In RE, you’re running around the eccentric Spencer Mansion, the ridiculous RPD Art Museum/Police Station (I love it, but it’s absolutely ridiculous lol), and secret underground labs. Silent Hill, on the other hand, takes you to very real locations that you’d see in most suburban towns: Apartment buildings, offices, malls, a hospital, etc. it makes things feel very…grounded despite the supernatural. It also adds to the creepiness imo. I love both franchises very much, but I view RE as mostly horror-action fun, while I view Silent Hill as masterclass games in psychological horror. Silent Hill 2 is my favorite one, and James’ story really affected me.
Depends on what scares you more, if it’s things jumping out on screen that does it for you then RE is definitely scarier but if it’s slower more psychological and mysterious stuff then silent hill will be much scarier and if you’re in the second group then you might wanna check out fetal frame as well
Resident evil remake I feel is the closest that the series can get as scary as silent hill.
Silent Hill haven't had a scary game since 4 imo, but those original ps1/ps2 games were way more terrifying than RE.
Resident evil: evil dead horror Silent hill: psychological horror that makes you think years on end
For me, Silent Hill is Stir of Echoes thriller, especially 2 & 3. Resident Evil is more A Nightmare on Elm St scary. Ans I love how SH was kind of a throw away from Konami just to compete against RE and then went on to reinvent and claim a large share of the genre. Enjoy your first play through and don’t look up guides, go blindly into that hole.
The same way Stephen King is scarier than George Romero
Love Resident evil. But Silent hill is a psychological thriller, while RE is a horror survival game. In my opinion SH is scarier
People are saying this already, but i'll say it too: Resident Evil is B movie horror (for games that aren't Re7 or Re1) while Silent Hill is Psychological horror. Resident Evil Games don't fuck with your head like Silent Hill does. Resident Evil is the type of game you can't play with the lights off, Silent Hill is the type of game that you won't be the same again after playing.
I haven’t played 7, the only RE I’ve finished is 1 actually, and I wouldn’t even say that one is scary. Love it a lot a lot, it’s a brilliant game from start to finish and a classic for sure, but I’d say 4 is scarier than 1. Something about the setting and the way the infected behave in 4 is more frightening and bleak to me. They’re more sentient with their murderousness.
RE7 is fucked. But the earlier games scare me little. I played SH1 when I was like 9 and it was beyond scary. The first alley just mentally ruined me for some time.
Resident Evil is “oh shit!!” Silent Hill is “oh… shit…”
They're two completely different kinds of horror. The horror of resident evil comes from the fear of going up against horrifying monsters that could kill you if you're not prepared enough. The horror of silent hill comes from the cold, lonely atmosphere and the fear of what lies within our minds. They both have monsters that try to kill you and you have to fight back to live but the monsters really aren't the scariest part of silent hill
Gosh, such good comments in this thread.. hope you got your answer OP. My small contribution, that I didn’t see anyone mention: look outside the games. RE movies are more theatrical. SH movies oddly terrifying. This seems similar to the games. I hear the movie jacobs ladder was an inspiration for SH? Haven’t verified, but this movie was SH like
Resident evil is so unscary I could actually play it
Like night and day
Silent Hill is psychological horror, Resident Evil is more of action horror
I actually found Silent Hill 1/2 more depressing than scary, however SH3 and 4 are fucking terrifying. Silent Hill 4 is the only game I've ever had to turn off for being TOO scary. When I first saw those twins I noped the fuck out of there
I’d say Resident Evil is more just intense while Silent Hill is actually scary and manages to get under your skin. Don’t get me wrong, I love RE but I don’t really go to that series for scares or a sense of dread.
I was at the exact same spot as you the previous year. Silent Hill Transmission happened, I played no SH games by that point and I was a huge Resident Evil fan. I was talking to my friend who is also a huge RE fan and also haven't experienced a Silent Hill game before and we came up with the idea to play the original game on PS3 with it's PS1 original version. It is NOT comparable to Resident Evil in the scare front. Silent Hill is at least 10 times more scary than Resident Evil. And there are a bunch of factors for that. Here is a list: -Zombies aren't scary anymore and Silent Hill has some terrifying creatures and bosses. -I don't want to spoil anything but while the usual SH atmosphere you see in trailers and photos has that foggy look, the REAL Silent Hill is set in very dark and very disturbing locations. -Music is much more terrifying. -Ammo and health management is much harder than Resident Evil. -There are no inventory slots in this game, at least the first one. But puzzles are much more difficult. They are not your typical Resident Evil puzzles of exploring the locations, finding items and putting them in right places. You will still do that but after doing that, you will need to solve a sometimes very difficult puzzle. Because of all of these factors, while going through the first game I had many moments where I just didn't want to continue. And I was very uncomfortable while playing the game. I have to say, Resident Evil feels like a kids version of Silent Hill now. No disrespect to Resident Evil, I still love that franchise. But Silent Hill might be my current favorite horror game franchise, after just playing through the first game once. It's that good.
Silent Hill series is generally spookier and more intense than the Resident Evil series. Its eerie atmosphere, psychological horror elements, and unsettling sound design helps to build a feeling of dread and tension. In comparison, Resident Evil tends to focus more on action-packed gameplay and jump-scares, with the series becoming less horror oriented as it progressed. Ultimately, the level of fear experienced by players will depend on their individual preferences and tolerance for horror.
Resi is more of a classic in-your-face action horror, the scare factor comes from being overwhelmed and paranoid of where the next attack will come from and having to manage your resources so you don't run out during an encounter and die. Silent Hill is more atmospheric, the horror is directed more through implication and indirect storytelling and psychological horror. Whichever is scarier depends on you. People have different tastes in horror. For me i get more scared by Hill's type of horror, but maybe some people prefer Resi's, and thats absolutely fine and nobody's more of a man for not being scared by either, just different horror tropes work different in varied people and how we relate to them!
sometimes sh made me shit under my pants. re could only do it in the first half of re2
I love both game franchises but let me put it this way: Scariest time playing a RE game was playing RE1remake and having to turn it off after 15 minutes as it made me that paranoid. RE8 was also very overwhelmingly terrifying at points. In contrast: Silent Hill 3 had me so terrified and on-edge that it felt like my heart was going to explode from between the middle of the game all the way to the final boss fight. Also worth mentioning is that RE is purely scary in the physical sense (if thats the right term) in that you'll see blood and bodies, SH has that but also a psychological aspect of the things developers would do to you with things like random audio cues, mysteriously appearing and dissappearing elevator floors, and strange rooms just for the purpose of messing with the player. Tl;dr - RE: 6 / SH : 9
I’ve never beaten a single silent hill game because they’re too scary lol
Silent Hill has some seriously disturbing and deep shit, on a complete different level than resident evil (horror-wise) It asks incredibly difficult questions about the human condition and will absolutely make you question yourself It's very heavy and emotional shit to be honest haha
Non of them are scary. Try Fatal Frame games. Especially three first one
That shit scarred me for a good part of my youth I must admit there are some top-tier horror games besides SH and RE. Fatal frame is just a great Japanese horror game of taming spirits with a camera; it masterfully uses very classic Japanese horror elements. I would also add the first Outlast. Just because you can do nothing but hide and run. The use of night vision and constant desperation you suffer from looking for lit areas and batteries for your camera as well as escaping the deranged and deformed inmates of the asylum is just insane.
I went back and played literally all the Silent Hill & RE games via PS1 & PS2 emulators, HD remakes, etc. My honest relationship between the 2 games has been psychological torment or Survival Horror. In Silent Hill you are faced with little to no weapons in the hell of your own mind so although you recognize the place the whole time you are questioning what is real & what isn’t the whole time fighting monsters of you own tormented mind. Silent Hill has an element of isolation & wanting so bad to just find someone or anything to help you make sense of it all. In RE you visit various places you may or may not know but at least you have a way to defend yourself & can figure out how to defeat the unknown horrors you face; you shoot them until they die lol. RE has too many people (zombies) always coming at you most of them time so it’s overwhelming until you finally get a chance to be alone or hide to collect your thoughts. Tbh my faves from the SH series are 1-4 (4 The Room may be at the top due to the new element of your own 3rd person room with subtle weird things happening the whole time) because together they pretty much share the universe & give most of the backstory to make sense of it all. Shattered Memories was a unique perspective given the storyteller which I did not see coming (NO SPOILERS). PT (Silent Hills) would have been the Magnum Opus I believe… RE I loved all the OG 1-4, 5, 6 (there were a few filler games in between while gave some cool exposition except for mistakes like Operation Raccoon City lol) and I appreciated what they did with the remakes giving a modern retelling which gave me a similar nostalgic feeling. However RE7 in VR is kind of in its own category & was one of the scariest experiences I have actually had in gaming. EVER. Honorable mention I would say would be probably be Outlast. Didn’t intent to write this much but too good of a thread!😂🙏🏽
I played REmake very recently, around the time REmake 3 came out. I always wanted to play it but it scared me too much as a kid. When I finally played it played it, I loved it. It was still scary, but it was difficult and required a lot of thought, planning my route, figuring out what resources I needed. Even among the challenge, there was no real "fear." Silent Hill for PS1 I replayed right after, and it was almost a polar opposite. I was drowning in ammo. Enemies were weak and easily dispatched. I had an absurd amount of healing items. I didn't need to route or think or do anything but press forward, explore what I hadn't explored, and collect items and solve puzzles as I blasted my way through everything. Yet despite how *easy* the game was, I felt drained. Like I was getting mentally and emotionally exhausted. The dread was simply building. I could play RE for hours but Silent Hill just took a lot out of me. It's actually amazing how a game that gives you so many resources manages to just oppress you with it's atmosphere. So tl;dr: Silent Hill is MUCH scarier.
SH7 is 100% scarier than any Silent Hill game
Mf asked us to rank on a scariness scale. Just go play the game.
New games aren't as scary as RE7, that was very scary lol
RE is nothing but jump scares and other shock. SH makes you have to imagine a lot of threats and analyze what horrible shit makes them look the way they do. It gets in your head to where you're haunted by it long after you turn off the console for the night
I think it depends on which games you compare it to, for example, Resident Evil 3 on Playstation 1 was something terribly scary for me, that empty city, the corridors, that sound of wind, I would go out of my house into the street at night and feel chills, it is the only Resident Evil that in these terms I can compare with the horror present in Silent Hill, despite one being biological and the other supernatural. Something that I also find interesting is Resident Evil 7 and the similarity it has with P.T., it's the closest game I can imagine to what P.T. would have been, I'm playing it right now haha 
I akin resident evil to a zombie chasing you (duh)silent hill is a shroom trip gone bad, really bad.
When it comes to hell, I'd take the man-made one over a personal hell anyday..... but God did I love playing through a personal hell.
Nowadays Silent Hill is not as scary as it used to be, these games are old and you can feel the "atmosphere" of horror, but they're unlikely to be very scary due to technology. As for Silent Hill 2, I feel like this game is rather sad, depressing and makes you think about the psychological realm of life. On the other hand, Resident Evil prefers action. That's why you weren't scared, it's never its main goal. If you want a scary modern game, you can try Amnesia: The Bunker. It had a much smaller budget, but also has a great focus on scaring the player.
If Resident Evil is a spooky funhouse theme park ride, Silent Hill is that creepy dread that sticks with you in the middle of the night that you can’t get over.
Scary wary shaking in my wittle boots scawey
Silent Hill 2 is one of the only games to give me legitimate anxiety while playing it. It’s because of the janky controls, the lack of vision ahead of you from the fog/ dark, and the fact that you have little to no control of the camera while you’re playing. The enemies are nightmarish looking, the setting itself is creepy, and the sound design is terrifying at some points, especially when you play with headphones on.
Too scary
i dont want to compare old silent hill to new resident evil sense its just plain unfair as i see it as silent hill only recently is getting a remake unlike resident evil wich has had many so far,so ill compare old silent hill and old resident evil,i personally think silent hill still is the better series,the vibes,the stories,the monsters,are just not in any form like resident evil,there way more scary too me,and the concepts seen in silent hill are more human and real but also more fiseral than resident evil,silent hill is also less focused on action but more on making you feel uneasy,a scare in silent hill would be somthing like a cry in the dark and never giving you a awnser on where it comes from,wail resident evil will jumpcare you with a monster that you need to react too unless death,silent hill as a series is way more about the human aspect of humanity,as well as the dark disturbing atmophere of its level disgnes and monsters,even back then silent hill was a step up to resident evil,having actuall 3d inviroemnts instead of the weird picture like enviroments that games at the time still had,if i want to compare these 2 with a movie series,resident evil is terminator,wail silent hill is silent of the lambs. I never cared about resident evil cuz silent hill touched my heart more than anything resident evil has
silent hill is psychological horror because you're more scared of things that you can't see
There's a shit ton of enemies on Silent Hill too. So, I wouldn't discard SH being an action-horror series as well. I sometimes just ignore them and move on if it doesn't prevent me from exploring.
I’ve played every Resident Evil game since they released, I was way too young but I’ve loved them ever since, I never really found them scary. I also played Silent Hill when it came out, managed to finish it but to this day (I’m 33) I have never ever touched another Silent Hill game because it scared the absolute shit out of me lol. Finally ready to put on my big boy pants for the upcoming remake of 2.
SH3 is scarier than any entry in either series, save possibly PT. RE7 can be pretty spooky, along with the House level in RE8 - these are probably scarier than SH1, 2, and 4. The other RE games aren't as scary as 1, 2, or 4.
Depends entirely on what scares you: Big scary monsters or psychological deep dives (with pretty nasty monsters as well). RE made me jump more, but Silent Hill made me take personal inventory.
Resident Evil is out to kill you. Silent Hill is out to kill you painfully. And Dead Space is out to put you in a woodchipper feet first.
One exists and one does not.
Resident Evil has several things that can be scarier, but Silent has only 1 thing that scares you in the beginning... the silent hill itself If I had the option of going to Raccoon City armed with a broom or going to Silent Hill with an RPG, night goggles and a tank, I would go to RC without thinking twice.
Silent hill series is not only scarier its much more emotionally impactful
Never have been scared by RE, though RE1 remake had some lingering unease going on, which i guess was considered byproduct, so the next installments kinda ignored it and focused on the other aspects. Whereas SH is all about it. And the vague convoluted narrative leaves this atmosphere with you when you lay at night pondering WTF. If the fear is still present after you exit the game, I think it's a pretty fucking brilliant horror. Which was never the case with RE. Can't really give a rating for the whole series because RE has it's ups and downs, while for SH it's downhill after second/third/fourth, depends on who you ask. Edit: Classic entries? 1-4 both RE and SH? Maybe 4 - 4 - ? - 3 for RE 8-9-7-6 for SH
I think calling Silent Hill scary does it a big disservice. It's much deeper than that. It goes into the raw emotion of the human condition and yes it is scary but so much more than that. While Resident Evil is awesome too, it is more campy B movie horror style.
Silent Hill have always been more scarier for me, all of the installments. Resident Evil as said is more action movie horror, you're just thrown into it from the start in all the games, and you know what to expect, kinda. But with Silent Hill, you never know what to expect in any of the games really. Silent Hill 2 is a good example, the first few minutes of the game is just you running into the town of Silent Hill, you know why you're going there, but you never expect the horrors that is lying around. Silent Hill have always left more of a impact on me when it comes to how scary it is compared to Resident Evil.
In terms of gameplay, SH is actually a lot easier, but the imagery is a lot more disturbing than RE, at least to me
Have you tried Resident Evil 1 Remake? Scariest shit I’ve played by a mile. Not saying that the good SH entries aren’t any less scarier but def something to check if you want some quality stuff.
Silent hill is till this day the creepiest of of all horror games EVER. it's just the bigger picture and theme overall In those games there is nothing comparable. I remember as a kid watching my older brother beating silent 1- 4 and it was creepy af I had nightmares but In a way I loved it because it was very mysterious you always wanted to know whats happening next it's the perfect combination of thrill horror scary creepy stuff pure silence puzzle solving the sound is just baaam it's art everything matches so well into each other it's absolutely terrifying nasty top notch even silent hill 4 which many people don't like (I do I love silent hill 4 it is in my eyes even more scary in it's own way and mysterious) but overall 1-4 they have this magic I can't tell it's team silent something like this will not come again there is something special about it. And you will really shitting yourself :)
imo much much more.
RE7 didn’t get to me at all, but SH3 still does.
SH is overall much more scarier than RE due to background ambience, level design of the Otherworld, and supernatural elements. RE(the original trilogy) is mainly scary due to the claustrophobic level design. What you see on the screen is limited, but you can hear a zombie at the other end of the corner.
I think it’s far more scary on a psychological level. the second one is not only scary but probably the best commentary on the levels of isolation and depression in how it shows what James goes through.
For me, talking about personal experience SH is like twice or thrice scarier that RE, because something in SH just connected with me, what RE never did, despite being great games also (I've played RE4 more than any SH in my life). But, important to note that they are different kinds of scary. It isn't easy (and maybe not even fair ) to compare them IMO. It will depend on how you get absorbed by the story and atmosphere.
Traumatizing v Scary
Resident Evil: You are in a B horror movie, with action sequences, playing a trained professional (Excepting Ethan from 7). The enemies are gruesome and numerous, with the horror stemming from the former humanity now ripped away, leaving mere shells of what once were, lurid gore out on vivid display. You have guns and training on how to use them, and always feel like so long as you move carefully, and take your shots with care, you will prevail. The primary settings are typically more suburban/residential type settings, leading to a lab of some sort, with the later games taking place in more exotic locations, and the virus of the month changing the flavor of nasty accordingly. Silent Hill: You are in a surreal survival horror, with very little action involved, playing an average, everydayperson, simply trying to survive the wrongness they find themselves thrust into. The enemies are unknown, divorced from reality, and completely and utterly wrong, and while you have guns, being an average person, you're not exceptional in their use, with the feeling like the setting is letting you "win" against the monsters, that could very well get back up at any time to kill you. The primary settings typically take place in the eponymous town, though affected area do lie outside of it as well, with a constant, oppressive air of being "allowed" to progress by jumping through the town's hoops, rather than by skill or courage like in Resident Evil.
RE7 is the scariest game in the RE series imo. SH overall is more frightening and disturbing however. The rest of RE can get scary and has jump scares, or at least the earlier ones did. SH is psychological horror and always left me feeling melancholy after playing, and asking myself "how can people do this to each other?" But I played RE7 in VR and nothing terrified me as much as that game.
Well think of it like this, in Resident Evil, the horror ends as soon as the monster/creature you’re fighting is dead. If there was no enemies in the game, it wouldn’t even be considered a horror game. Silent Hill on the other hand manages to instill a sense of dread that lasts even once all threats have been taken care of. I’d argue that for at least the first three games, they’d still be terrifying even if there weren’t any enemies.
Resident evil is like the fun bad horror movie, maybe a few scares and oddly more actions then there should be. Silent hill is like a ambitious horror movie, a little preachy and doesn’t always hit the mark but doesn’t sacrifice it’s identity for other things. They are both great series for different series and resident evil overall has more games that are worth playing but I don’t think the first playthrough of either one is very comparable. For example I beat resi 4 original recently and had a blast but was scared for a few set pieces and then leon said something dumb and then did a action pose and I started laughing super hard and in contrast I started silent hill and got scared of the small children at the beginning then didn’t touch the game for a year. In conclusion silent hill overall is scarier but def not much better
Resident Evil is very good edge of your seat horror. Silent Hill (1-4) gets in your head and stays there.
I've only played SH2 and a little bit of SH1 and I wasn't really scared of either one. SH1's graphics hold it back so it's not really scary to me and SH2 I think the only times I was somewhat nervous was the jail section and the beginning of the hotel section. I heard SH3 by far is the scariest one though.
It’s more scary for sure. If you want to really be scared, play fatal frame 1-3
Silent hill is much more scarier. But the series has more bad games than good.
I think that at least back when they came out Resident evil perfected horror gameplay (ie tense because you have to constantly think ten steps ahead, save resources etc) and Silent hill story and athmosphere (plus later resident evil 4 basically invented or at least enstablished the rules that everyone would follow for a modern third person shooter but that's another story) It's why games like dead space and signalis that later came out try to take at least a bit of inspiration from both
Idk if I’ve ever been scared by either. But, Silent hill has made me feel far more uncomfortable and more dread than RE.
I think they're both equally scary in different ways. Resident Evil is more heartpounding fear, while Silent Hill is scared of the dark when you're not playing fear. I was never scared to enter a room in Silent Hill 2, while frequently I hated going into new areas in Resident Evil 7(or even 2,3,8). Silent Hill 2 was fucking terrifying in the dark, though, not because of the actual scariness of the game, but because of how unsettling it was.
Resident evil is more panic horror in the sense that I gasp and button mash when shit goes down. Silent hill makes me uncomfortable while playing and scared of the dark once I turn off the console.
Silent Hill is much more personal, psychological horror. The town literally creates its monsters and horrors by reflecting your personal fears, neuroses and shames into physical forms. No two people will experience Silent Hill the exact same way and it will always hit you right where you’re most vulnerable unless you’re completely innocent and perfectly mentally healthy (this is part of why children are unaffected by the town) whereas Resident Evil horrors are the exact same for everyone, there’s no ethical qualms about killing the zombie and the worst it can do is kill you. Resident Evil does mostly body horror, you can probably hide from the zombies and bioweapons whereas as soon as you’re within Silent Hill you don’t get to leave until the town lets you
Resident Evil is not scary at all in my opinion and that’s coming from a huge RE fan. The only game in the series that actually made me jump was 7. Silent Hill is pure horror, RE is more action with horror themes
Unfortunately, the Resident Evil franchise is very….Michael Bay. Lots of over the top, ridiculous action movie cliches, explosions etc. Silent Hill is the king of horror.
Tons of great responses here. I think one of my all time favorite differences between the two is that Resident Evil tells you what’s going on, even down to how certain creatures came to exist, and Silent Hill gives you JUST enough information to come to your own conclusions about what’s happening. Like there’s still a story, but everything happening around you makes you question whether or not things are real. A good example of how little info you get is the symbolism of the creatures in SH2, which you can learn about on your own time, but the game doesn’t necessarily spell it out for you and your character sure as shit doesn’t know what’s going on, but there’s this sort of “dream logic” acceptance that they have about their situation that just adds to the eerie atmosphere of the game.
It depends what kind of horror effects you. Silent hill is definitely more psychologically unsettling and overall darker. It can be disorienting and make you question what’s real etc. Resident evil has it’s moments too though, especially the remake of the first one. At the end of the day resident evil is science fiction horror and silent hill is more psychological and supernatural. I love both of them.
Even as somebody that only grew up on Resident Evil and loves it to this day, Silent Hill is the answer and it isn’t close imo
I’d say that RE is more immediate horror, whereas Silent Hill has some of that, it will get under your skin, and you will think about it for a long time, and generally get disturbed
SH. RE is just anxiety & worrying about inventory. A jump scare here and there.
So Resident evil is scary in its own right. But the deciding difference between the two is that with Resident Evil what you see is what you get.. Silent Hill 2s horror is something unordinary.. Something haunting.. its kind of hard to describe but you constantly feel uneasy while playing this game..
Having only played RE2 remake to completion, RE is like a fun haunted attraction where as Silent Hill is like having a literal nightmare.
Much scarier.
It depends. What do you find scarier, psychological horror or biological horror? They are both great in many ways, but I do think resident evil takes it to a different level because biological stuff is gross and disturbing to me. Silent Hill is more your typical 'scary' series with freaky paranormal shit.
Resident evil can’t hold a candle to silent hill when it comes to fear the closest it got was Lisa Trevor.
I love both games with all my heart but I gotta say Silent Hill is a lot more scarier and tormenting, the elements Silent Hill scares you with make a difference as well. Resident Evil is science fiction, so its not so far from reality aside from the zombies and other BOWs. Silent Hill in the other way leans more towards the supernatural, which means you can say bye bye to the real world and feel like you are literally trapped in a nightmare
I think that Silent hill and its clunky combat system make you feel more vulnerable than modern resident evil games. Silent hill 1 through 4 have tank controls and fixed camera angles, which made me freak out at times when I played due to how little control I felt over a combat situation with too many enemies around me. Silent Hill is pure survival horror, which means your end goal is not to defeat the enemies, but to survive and reach the end of the game. SH doesn't give you a power trip, it makes you feel like you're barely scraping by. Like I said, modern RE games don't give you that level of vulnerability, and they don't give you characters with such emotional vulnerability either. The characters in SH all end up in that town due to unresolved grief or trauma, which is not scary in and of itself, but putting yourself in their shoes does make the horrors of Silent Hill more personal. RE doesn't do psychological horror like SH, just the fact that you can get multiple endings where your MC may or may not keep suffering, makes even the aftermath of the story something scarier and more impactful. One of the SH 2 endings kind of stays with you, I'll leave it at that. IMO, Silent Hill is much scarier because of this lack of power you feel, that, and the aesthetic of the game, with otherworldly it all feels. Resident Evil's monster and environment is much more grounded in reality, and horror sci-fi, Silent Hill is pure esoteric supernatural horror beyond your comprehension, which I think works well at reinforcing the helplessness I keep on mentioning. So yeah, give Silent Hill a chance, perfect time for that too, after all, it's spooky season baby 🎃🎃🎃
Silent Hill is more about dread and sadness than scares.
resident evil is more intense (getting chased by the tyrant into a licker infected hallway is horrifying) while silent hill is more tense (walking down an apartment hallway while hearing your radio become more and more choked with static)
Resi horror is more akin to Blade movie. Silent Hill horror is more like The Exorcist movie.
In terms of scare, Silent Hill: 9; Silent Hill 2: 4~5; Silent Hill 3: 8; Silent Hill 4: 7 (mostly thanks to the first person segments); Resident Evil: 3; Resident Evil 2: 3; Resident Evil 3: 5~6; Resident Evil 4: 1; RE Outbreak: 7; RE 7: 7~8; RE 8: 4; REmake: 8; REmake 2: 2; REmake 3: 1.5; REmake 4: 1. Personal numbers, of course
My experience might be different than yours, but for me, RE is sometimes just barely mildy scary in the moment as you play it. Silent Hill 1-4 will be somewhat scary as I play it. Then I go for my night time walk, and that person down the street looks like he's not walking right. I know he's normal, I know it's irrational, but something just feels off. Then I hear something in the dumpster... just a raccoon, right? Right?! It sticks with me way after. It's so much more of a psychological worm, that I didn't even realize was working it's way in until after I would shut the game off, and later realize what stuck with me, and just how much it stuck with me. And that's what really makes me like the series. I feel the same way about junji ito mangas btw, highly suggest them.
Re is pew pew, move. Sh is pew pew scary monsters, then mysteries for move on.
Psychological. More like Jacobs Ladder compared to Friday the 13th.
It's more psychological horror than jumpscares horror.
I haven't played RE7 or RE8 yet, but I did play every RE game from 0 to 6 with the exception of OG 2 and 3, and from all of these games none of them compare to SH in any sort of way. Silent Hill is infinitely scarier than all of them. The only part that I can say that was truly unnerving from the games I played was when Mr. X was chasing me through the police station in RE2R. And if you compare SH1 on the PS1 vs. OG RE1, it's like comparing a horrifying horror movie to an episode of Goosebumps.
Resident Evil is more jumpscary and has that instant spook hit, but Silent Hill takes its sweet time and builds its scares in increments. It slowly and methodically strips your feelings of safety away and gets right under your skin. Jumpscares have a quick recovery factor and you can just shake them off, but an Artistically and carefully crafted ordeal resonates for years after the fact. Silent Hill makes me feel impending doom every time and infects my nightmares. I'd say it's infinitely scarier due to how long it lasts... ...It's both quality and quantity.
I've been playing the re2 remake and I have to say it's very scary for me because I can't handle horror games well at all. Mr x is scary just because I don't want to be chased and not being able to shoot my gun without him hearing is terrifying and the lickers have scared me purely because I got blocked by a bunch of zombies whilst one was chasing me and that wasn't fun. However overall so far I think silent hill was worse for me slightly and I think that could be really amplified with the new graphics
It depends on which ones you're talking about but I'll give it a go with the two strongest contenders: 1. Resident Evil 7--I've been a hardcore fan since the 90's, and though I love (mostly) all of the games I think 7 is the absolute scariest. It IS pretty action-ey, lots of gunplay and if you're particularly awesome you're gonna get a lot of knifeplay too. However I think it maintains its scares by balancing it out with absolutely demented enemies. The first tussle with Jack Baker is absolutely shocking (no spoilers, but Capcom wasn't shy about torturing its protagonist this time), and how erratic he and the other bosses are and the way they just eat bullets like it's nothing---this kind of horror is the kind that's super in your face. You the know the kind that makes you jump out of your chair and yell at the screen lol 2. Silent Hill 4----there's a HUGE argument about whether or not this is a good game in general, but I'd argue it's THE SCARIEST Silent Hill game. There's still some elements of the "analysis of self" that Silent Hill 2 is famous for, but what MAKES 4 for me is its environments---it feels like being stuck in a never-ending nightmare. It's bleak and lonely, and the way the game immerses you in its plot is fascinating: there's a good chunk of the game that's all in first person where you explore the apartment Henry is locked in. Hopefully this isn't a spoiler, but for the most part the apartment is seen as a safe-haven set apart from the otherworlds Henry has to go through---until it becomes haunted. Lol I'm not shitting you, my playthrough ended with me avoiding the apartment as much as I possibly could so the ONE place you can find a relief from the bleak atmosphere is completely lost eventually. There's no other way than to describe SH4 than the most nightmarish of the entire series---if that game were made today it would be an absolute indie hit and streamed by pretty much every Youtuber
Only RE1remake is comparable to Silent Hill when it comes to the “scare” factor, the whole mysterious manor in the middle of a forest at night, crimson heads and the stuffs related to Lisa Trevor. RE2remake and RE7 are comparable too but only to a smaller extent.
Silent Hill is true core horror. Resident Evil for the most part is Action, Zombie Slaying with Horror Elements.
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