Where Does Silent Hill Go Next?

What makes a Silent Hill game? There are a lot of factors, from isolated settings to psychologically traumatized characters to melancholic yet deeply moving soundtracks. Oh, and there are horrific monsters, of course. Also, one would think that the eponymous town of Silent Hill would also be a requirement, but if current trends are anything to go by, that last rule no longer applies. In fact, it seems to have been thrown right out the window, and to be honest, that may be a good thing.

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The four newest entries in the Silent Hill franchise (i.e., not Silent Hill 2 Remake) have all been set in locations away from the titular town. Silent Hill: The Short Message was set in Germany, Silent Hill: Ascension was set in Pennsylvania and Norway, Silent Hill f was set in Japan, and the upcoming Silent Hill: Townfall was recently confirmed to be making the move to St. Amelia, Scotland. By this point, it seems fair to say that Konami is committed to taking its flagship horror series to a variety of locations. With that in mind, these next locations seem like the perfect settings for another devastating (and horrifying) entry in the long-running Silent Hill franchise.

Who’s That Character?

Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.

Who’s That Character?

Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.

Easy (7.5s)Medium (5.0s)Hard (2.5s)Permadeath (2.5s)

Vietnam

Dense Jungle And Small, Isolated Towns

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Silent Hill is not just jumping between settings in its latest run; it’s jumping between time periods as well. Silent Hill f is set in the 1960s, and Silent Hill: Townfall is confirmed to take place in the 1990s. Therefore, a Silent Hill game could easily take place in the 70s during the Vietnam War, or even better, a few years after.

It might be hard to focus on anything other than the violence if the game were set mid-war, but grappling with the trauma left behind after the war is over is right up Silent Hill’s alley. Plus, fog is quite common in the northern regions, while in Hanoi, it’s more likely to be smog, which would make an interesting juxtaposition for a game to play with.

Cuba

A Paradise Stricken With Generational Poverty

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There’s a frustrating disconnect between the tourism side of Cuba, which is presented as a Caribbean paradise, and the reality of life for locals. The country suffers from extremely high inflation, which has pushed many into poverty. This is after almost 400 years of Spanish colonization, followed by a decade of U.S. occupation that only ended a century ago.

There’s a ton of historical and cultural struggle that a Silent Hill game could explore, but Cuba also has a lot of visual potential. There’s an affecting contrast to explore between an Otherworld version of a tourist hotel and a more rundown district in a major city like Havana. Hurricanes are also a danger in Cuba, which could be used as a stand-in for the series’ trademark dense fog.

Brazil

Favelas So Dense They Become A Maze

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There are some similarities between Brazil and Cuba. Major cities like Rio de Janeiro have a stark divide between wealthier districts and poorer areas, often called favelas. The difference here is that favelas are massive, densely packed neighborhoods, many of which were self-constructed by the people living there. As such, anyone who isn’t familiar with the area could easily get lost. Throw some fog into the mix, and you’ve got a recipe for a Silent Hill setting.

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In some areas, gang violence is also a danger, which grants a solid entry point for an exploration of cultural trauma. It could also lend an interesting twist to gameplay. Maybe the monsters that emerge from the dense fog aren’t the only threat you need to worry about as you stumble your way through the winding streets.

Sub-Saharan Africa

Ancient Landscapes Coupled With A History Of Instability

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Triple-A horror has spent surprisingly little time exploring Africa. There’s obviously Resident Evil 5, but that game’s depiction of the continent was a bit tone-deaf. With Silent Hill seemingly committed to exploring new settings at every opportunity, now is a great time to do justice to the cultures and history of Africa.

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Sub-Saharan Africa, in particular, would be an interesting place to explore. There’s plenty of history that a psychological horror story could pull from, and a variety of landscapes, mythologies, and cultures that would make for excellent visual design inspiration. Countries like Ethiopia, Côte d’Ivoire, the DRC, or Zambia could make first-time appearances in a major video game, and one that’s actually interested in exploring their histories.

Tibet

Surveillance, Control, And Subjugation

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Attribution:
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Tibet has been under Chinese occupation for over 75 years, to the point that the country’s demographic has shifted to a majority Chinese population. Many native Tibetans live a life of surveillance, checkpoints, and digital tracking. This is the kind of environment that lends itself perfectly to the psychological trauma that Silent Hill loves to explore.

However, Tibet also has a distinct and culturally rich history and a unique landscape dominated by mountain ranges that would be fascinating to see blended with the high-tech surveillance methods of the 21st century. The country’s deeply Buddhist culture would make for a unique mythology to explore as well, lending a unique visual element to Silent Hill’s trademark horrors in the same way that Japanese culture did in Silent Hill f.

Nunavut

A Majority Indigenous Population Living On The Arctic Fringe

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Attribution:
Alan Sim
Foggy day in Cambridge Bay

First of all, there really aren’t enough games set in Canada. However, when it comes to Silent Hill, the landscape and culture of Nunavut would be a perfect match. It’s Canada’s northernmost territory, located right on the edge of the Arctic Circle. Its population is almost 85% Inuit, but the Canadian military also performs frequent exercises in the frigid polar waters.

Nunavut really has everything that a new Silent Hill setting is looking for. A unique culture, mythology, and history, a profound isolation from the wider world, and a landscape that lends itself to both natural beauty and gripping tension. Snow and frost would make perfect stand-ins for Silent Hill’s signature fog, and the cold could lend its own survival mechanics to the gameplay. Furthermore, Arctic horror has been a winner in the past, from John Carpenter’s The Thing to Frictional Games’ Penumbra: Overture.

Afghanistan

Decades Of War And Religious Extremism

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Attribution:
Wendy Tanner (wentan)
Fortress ruins, Khulm

It’s easy to see where the potential trauma could come from in a Silent Hill game set in Afghanistan. The longest war of the modern era took place over 20 years of U.S. invasion following the September 11 attacks. There’s plenty to work with there from a cultural and historical perspective, especially if, much like a game set in Vietnam, it took place after the end of the war.

What’s not often talked about is how beautiful a country Afghanistan is. The landscape is littered with historical ruins and religious sites, with vast expanses of desert and mountains in between. Dense fog is also quite common to see in the winter, lending the region an ethereal nature that is just begging to feature in a survival horror game.

Finland

Always Prepared For Invasion

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Attribution:
JIP
Välimerenkatu in heavy fog

At almost the same moment that World War 2 broke out, the Soviet Union invaded Finland and installed a puppet government. The war lasted just over three months before the USSR was forced to retreat. However, since that time, Finland has been distrustful of Russia and has worked to prepare for the time when another invasion may come its way. This is a very different kind of cultural trauma from the others talked about on this list, but it still lends itself well to psychological horror.

Besides the frigid temperatures, which appeal for the same reasons they would in a Silent Hill game set in Nunavut, a country that has forged ahead for almost 80 years with a threat lurking right on their doorstep has developed a unique cultural fortitude. It’s the kind of thing that would work to deliver powerful horror moments if that fortitude were tested, or even inverted, on a protagonist who is already struggling with their own demons. Tons of fascinating Finnish folklore would provide excellent inspiration for monster designs, which Silent Hill fans know is a must for any game in the series. Best of all, there are a bunch of well-established game devs working in Finland who could lend their local knowledge to the game’s authenticity.

Systems

Released

2026

Developer(s)

Screen Burn

Number of Players

Single-player