Silent Hill: Origins, known as Silent Hill Zero in Japan, is a survival horror game developed by Climax Studios and published by Konami Digital Entertainment. The game is the first Silent Hill title not to be developed by "Team Silent" (from Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo) and the first to be developed by western developers.
Plot[ | ]
Travis Grady drives past Silent Hill as a shortcut. At its outskirts, he swerves the vehicle to avoid hitting a girl in the road; she runs away and Travis follows her, concerned about her condition. Having lost track of her and entered Silent Hill, he spots a burning house and, upon seeing a woman next to it flee, hears a scream from it and enters it to save the occupant; he rescues a charred girl and collapses outside the house, regaining consciousness later elsewhere in the town. His curiosity about what happened to the girl gets him caught up in the events of Silent Hill, as he decides to check the nearby Alchemilla Hospital.
Gameplay[ | ]
The objective of Silent Hill: Origins is to guide main protagonist and player character Travis Grady through the monster-filled alternate dimensions as he searches for clues about the girl and ultimately his own past. Following the gameplay formula of previous Silent Hill games, Origins primarily revolves around combat, exploration, and puzzle-solving. In keeping with the general gameplay of the series, he carries a flashlight and tilts his head in the direction of a nearby usable item. The game utilizes a third-person perspective with alternating camera angles; however, rather than an option to move the camera around, the player can press a button to pan it behind Travis. To check the status of Travis's health, the player must open up the inventory, since the game does not feature heads-up display. However, when Travis's health is critical, the edges of the screen throb red and his heartbeat is heard. Through the use of mirrors found throughout the town, he can enter and exit the "Other World", a dilapidated version of the town obscured by darkness, at will. Often, actions performed in one dimension will affect the other. Completion of the game results in unlocking special items or alternative outfits for Travis to wear, depending on various accomplishments.
| Silent Hill series |
|---|
| Main series |
| Silent Hill - 2 - 3 - 4: The Room - Origins - Homecoming - Shattered Memories - Downpour |
| Spin-offs |
| Play Novel - Arcade - Orphan - Book of Memories |
| Films |
| Silent Hill - Silent Hill 2 |