Play Novel: Silent Hill is an adaptation of the original Silent Hill for the Game Boy Advance in the form of a visual novel released exclusively in Japan.
The game has been translated and adapted into different ports by fans.
Gameplay[]
Play Novel: Silent Hill is an interactive story. Animation is limited to snippets from reused CG clips and looped enemy movement. CG imagery from the original game is heavily reused but new renders unique to the game are also used. The use of music and sound effects is limited. At certain moments, the game asks the player to choose between two or more possible options which can affect the rest of the story. The game´s few battles function in the same way and don´t have fail states. The game has no game over states and seeing all bad endings is required to complete all routes in both campaigns. Besides the narration, the game features some unique puzzles and multiple endings. A flow chart is accessible to jump in time to try new routes and fills in automatically. After reaching the end, a player is awarded Digital Trading Cards - 32 in total for all scenarios. Only 28 can be obtained without accessing the game´s DLC.
The game offers two main scenarios: one for Harry Mason divided into 18 chapters and and a shorter one for Cybil Bennett divided into 9 chapters, available after unlocking at least one of Harry's endings. There were also 4 additional chapters available for download in Japan, which followed a boy named Andy, Harry and Cheryl's neighbor. A character unique to this game and only seen once in one of Cybil´s routs. All his chapters are named after a different season. However, Konami has since ended the download service making the DLC lost media. The official guide gives an overview of his first chapter Spring.
Trivia[]
- The game was released 6 months before Silent Hill 2, making it the very first follow-up to the original game, and the first to not be developed by Team Silent.
- Lost Memories: Silent Hill Chronicle references the game exactly once on page 2 as part of the series overview.
- Over the years, fans have mistakenly referred to this game as the Silent Hill: Play Novel. However, the Japanese subtitle on the logo reads Play Novel: Silent Hill.
External links[]
- Silent Hill Memories - contains English translations for Harry's and Cybil's scenarios, with all story branches and pictures of all 32 trading cards.
- Fan translation of the Game Boy Advance version.
- PC port
Gallery[]
Silent Hill games v · e · d | |
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Main series | Silent Hill · 2 · 3 · 4: The Room · Origins · Homecoming · Shattered Memories · Downpour · 2 (2024) · ƒ |
Ports / Adaptations | Play Novel · Mobile · HD Collection · Slot machine · Escape · Return |
Spin-offs | The Arcade · Orphan · Mobile 2 · Mobile 3 · The Escape · Book of Memories · Ascension · The Short Message · Townfall |
Crossovers | Dead by Daylight: Chapter XVI - Silent Hill · Dark Deception: Monsters & Mortals - Silent Hill |
Cancelled | Silent Hills (P.T.) · Cancelled projects |
Production | Konami · Team Silent · Climax Studios · Double Helix · Vatra Games · WayForward Technologies · TAKASAGO · Bloober Team · Annapurna Interactive · HexaDrive |
Extras | Inspirations · Features · Fonts · Horror Adventure |