Due to the overwhelming success of Capcom's "Resident Evil"-Saga, the video games market was showered with dozens of clones during the turn of the millennium. Most of these genre-copies never got even near the qualities of Capcom's cult horror-adventure game. Konami gave the topic a shot, too and created "Silent Hill".

This survival-horror game is all about the American, midwestern little town of Silent Hill, a popular vacation- and holiday-town for stressed-out metropolitans and tourists. Harry Mason is on his way there with his daughter, too. What he didn't know before: The little city, that used to be so arcadian, is cursed...

The reception was outstanding. "Silent Hill" was sold more than 1.5 million times all over the world, even though the game has never been ported, meaning it was released exclusively on Sony's Playstation. In October 2008, "Silent Hill: Homecoming" was released for Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and Windows PC, "Silent Hill: Shattered Memories" hit stores in 2009 on the Wii and in 2010 on PS2 and PSP and there is already a new game in development, titled "Silent Hill: Downpour".

One thing first:

There is NO censored version of "Silent Hill"! Neither PAL- nor NTSC-U/C- or NTSC-J-version are labeled censored as the regional changes, according to Konami, were wanted like this (meaning they weren't forced upon the publisher by any censors). The regional versions of "Silent Hill" differ slightly, though, which this report deals with. The PAL-version, by the way, is identical to the Japanese original.

Altered Title Screen

The game's title screen was changed. There is no background image in the PAL-version.

Euro-Version:	US-Version:

"Child Zombies"

In the US-version as well as in early trailers and demos of the PAL- and JP-counterparts, there were childlike monsters (lacking an official name, simply called "child zombies" oder "Demon Babies" by fans) as the most common enemy. They attacked either with a little knife they held in their hands or dropped to the ground before Harry, grabbed him and bit him in the legs. These creatures have been replaced by little monsters with huge claws, so-called "Mumblers" in the PAL- and NTSC-J-versions (their attack remained the same, though: They either hurt Harry with their claws or they jumped and bit him).

Euro-Version:	US-Version:

Missing Newspaper Article

For unknown reasons, the US-version is missing a newspaper article, that reveals a little about Alessa's past. The article is located on stage 3F of "Nowhere" (shortly before the end of the game). It only appears if the player has read all the documents scattered around the game, though, and is a quasi-appendix.

The article's content:

"Investigation stalled. "PTV" dealers still at large. Suspicious deaths continue. First the anti-drug Mayor, now a narcotics officer dies of a sudden heart failure of unknown cause.

Fire broken out in town. 6 homes destroyed. Charred body of Alessa Gillespie (7) found in aftermath. Cause of fire currently under investigation. Investigations show source as basement of Gillespie home. Blaze now believed caused by malfunction of antiqued boiler."