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Is Silent Hill 2's story a continuation of Silent Hill 1?
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Should you play Silent Hill 1 before Silent Hill 2?
Silent Hill 1 is considered a hallmark of the psychological horror genre due to its swirling atmosphere, memorable characters, and terrifying monsters. With the release of Silent Hill 2 Remakeplayers wonder if it is essential to play the original Silent Hill before playing Silent Hill 2. This article will go through both of these installments in this psychological survival horror and determine if gamers need to experience the original before diving into the sequel remake.
Spoilers for Silent Hill 1 below, proceed with caution.

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Review of Silent Hill 2 Remake
The Silent Hill 2 remake is an incredible horror gaming experience that successfully expands on the beloved original.
Is Silent Hill 2's story a continuation of Silent Hill 1?
The story opens with a father, Harry Mason, and his daughter, Cheryl Mason, traveling to the town of Silent Hill. After driving up the bends of the road leading up to the city, Harry quickly swerves the car to avoid hitting a small schoolgirl in the middle of the road, causing an accident and his fainting. After regaining consciousness, Harry realizes that his daughter is missing from the car and heads into the city to find his missing daughter.
This starts a chain of events where Harry encounters various monstrosities, experiences the horrors of the city and uncovers the dark secret behind the city's cult. As the story reaches its climax and the story begins to unravel, players learn that Cheryl was part Alessa, a girl who would become a vessel for the cult's demon god.
Now that Cheryl and Alessa are united, the Incubus is born, and it's up to Harry to take it down. After players successfully defeat this final boss, Alyssa hands over her newborn reincarnation to Harry. Later, Harry escapes from the collapsing bowels of Silent Hill and decides to raise the child as his own under the name Heather Mason.
So the question is, does this story continue in Silent Hill 2 remake? The answer is no. Silent Hill 2's the story is completely different and isolated from the plot of the original. The sequel features a new protagonist named James Sunderland, who receives a letter from his deceased wife telling him to come find her in Silent Hill. Without giving away any spoilers, the whole focus on Silent Hill 2 centers around James coming face to face with his inner demons while braving the hellish city in search of his wife. This action is isolated from the story of Silent Hill 1.
Should you play Silent Hill 1 before Silent Hill 2?
Players do not necessarily have to play Silent Hill 1 to understand the history of Silent Hill 2. However, Silent Hill 1 is the most important game in the series as it goes into a bit more detail about the city's history. Alessa is one of the most pivotal characters in the franchise as her story shapes the landscape of this city into hell.
So if you want a deeper understanding of Silent Hill lore, playing is highly recommended Silent Hill 1. Otherwise, players can choose to enter directly Silent Hill 2 and expect to have a great time without missing out on any story elements.
But if you have enjoyed Silent Hill 1 and are looking to play a true sequel to the game in terms of story, you should play Silent Hill 3 because that game is a direct sequel to the original.