Games like Silent Hill (1-4), but not necessarily with a focus on survival horror

[Lweo4]

I love the Silent Hill franchise, but I don't care that much about the 'horror' part (even though I like it), the part that I like the most is the atmosphere and the exploration/puzzles, being able (and needing) to explore every corner of the map, walking through infinite broken doors until you find a locked one and having to find a key or item, the core gameplay is what attracts me.

When I search for games like Silent Hill, people always suggest survival horror games like Resident Evil. However, I don't think those games are that similar to Silent Hill. I think SH would be more akin to adventure games, like point-and-click ones.

I would love some suggestions, it can be for any platform.

 

[NeonKnights]

Not sure if it's exactly up to your specifications but check out "Rental" on Steam. It's free to play as well.
My only issue with it is it's currently unsupported on Steam Deck.

 

[Yousef]

I love the Silent Hill franchise, but I don't care that much about the 'horror' part (even though I like it), the part that I like the most is the atmosphere and the exploration/puzzles, being able (and needing) to explore every corner of the map, walking through infinite broken doors until you find a locked one and having to find a key or item, the core gameplay is what attracts me.

When I search for games like Silent Hill, people always suggest survival horror games like Resident Evil. However, I don't think those games are that similar to Silent Hill. I think SH would be more akin to adventure games, like point-and-click ones.

I would love some suggestions, it can be for any platform.

Oh you’d love Shadow of Memories. Same vibe, and puzzle elements. Cool time travel mechanics too which is rare in games.

 

[RustySK]

Hm, I have a hard time separating the horror aspects from the atmosphere when it comes to the Silent Hill experience, to be honest.

Might be a bit of a reach, but if the immersiveness and the exploration is what intrigues you, you might get a kick out of Immersive Sims in general and Thief 1 and 2 in particular. (Or, even better, the fan-made "The Black Parade" custom campaign)
Super atmospheric, lots of puzzles, intricately designed and at times also surreal environments stuffed to the gills with smaller, incidental stories.

Should you be interested, do ignore that reboot from 2014 though. That one more than deserves its negative reputation.

 

[sysuah]

I love the Silent Hill franchise, but I don't care that much about the 'horror' part (even though I like it), the part that I like the most is the atmosphere and the exploration/puzzles, being able (and needing) to explore every corner of the map, walking through infinite broken doors until you find a locked one and having to find a key or item, the core gameplay is what attracts me.

yeah, metroidvanias

 

[Tbest25]

I love the Silent Hill franchise, but I don't care that much about the 'horror' part (even though I like it), the part that I like the most is the atmosphere and the exploration/puzzles, being able (and needing) to explore every corner of the map, walking through infinite broken doors until you find a locked one and having to find a key or item, the core gameplay is what attracts me.

When I search for games like Silent Hill, people always suggest survival horror games like Resident Evil. However, I don't think those games are that similar to Silent Hill. I think SH would be more akin to adventure games, like point-and-click ones.

I would love some suggestions, it can be for any platform.

Have you played Silent Hill Shattered Memories? This entry of the series focus more on the exploration and the puzzles than the rest.

 

[RustySK]

Another one that kind of comes to mind would be the fairly recent "Lorelei and the Laser Eyes". That one is a full-on puzzle game.
Kinda arthouse-y, so understandably not for everyone, but I found it quite atmospheric. Good soundtrack, too! Might be worth a look.

Post automatically merged: Mar 11, 2025

Oh! Last one!

Who's Lila? - that one is definitely on the spooky side of things (think David Lynch's more unsettling films), but absolutely nails the surreal atmosphere.
Genre-wise it's closest to a Point & Click adventure game, I think.

That game completely sidelined me back when it released, highly recommend it.

 

[Jotaro]

I would love some suggestions, it can be for any platform.

- check the fatal frame games
- tormented souls
- crow country
- haunting ground (ps2)
- nightcry
- simulacrum
- the dpremonition games
- lost in vivo
- kuon (ps2)
- mundaun
- the alan wake games


just some examples of games, in the whole bizarre atmosphere and horror themes, you will notice many elements on them, if you play them, as for quality, it def varies, depending on the game, but check them out, who knows, you might end up play some of them

 

[Gamma]

I love the Silent Hill franchise, but I don't care that much about the 'horror' part (even though I like it), the part that I like the most is the atmosphere and the exploration/puzzles, being able (and needing) to explore every corner of the map, walking through infinite broken doors until you find a locked one and having to find a key or item, the core gameplay is what attracts me.

When I search for games like Silent Hill, people always suggest survival horror games like Resident Evil. However, I don't think those games are that similar to Silent Hill. I think SH would be more akin to adventure games, like point-and-click ones.

I would love some suggestions, it can be for any platform.

I know you said you don't care about the 'horror' element, I still would recommend: Signalis and Crow country.

 

[Lweo4]

Thanks, guys, lots of recommendations here, gonna be sure to check all of them, some of them I've never heard before, and others I've even played a little (like Signalis), but it reminded me to check them again.

Post automatically merged: Mar 11, 2025

Have you played Silent Hill Shattered Memories? This entry of the series focus more on the exploration and the puzzles than the rest.

Good reminder, I downloaded it after finishing Silent Hill 1 recently but didn't go very far, was just for testing, I'm gonna try and give it a go too later after checking some of the games people posted here.

 

[lilizu]

A few suggestions that might scratch that itch.

Echo Night -- A puzzle series developed by Fromsoft that has an eerie atmosphere and focuses on exploration while dealing with various lingering spirits. The first game is set on a haunted ship, the second in a gothic mansion, and the third ... in a spaceship. All three are available to play in English.
Siren -- The director of this series was also responsible for the first Silent Hill, and you can really feel that in a lot of the puzzles. You are able to look through the eyes of enemies on the map, and with this information you have to decide how to tackle each stage. The game wants you to figure out the 'right' way to make it to your end goal, but there's still room for creativity.
Shadow of Memories-- A bit of an oddball at times, this is a game where you play as a man trying to prevent his own murder in a sleepy German town through the use of time travel. Less item focused and more dependent on interaction with various NPCs, it still has some interesting puzzles. There are 8 endings to get, too.

 

[WarpKaiser]

Two games that came to mind. 1: Rule of Rose for PS2. It has a horror atmosphere, but the story is more like a sad drama involving the traumas of the main character. Gameplay wise is a survival horror like SH but the gameplay is not the main selling point, that would be the story and characters.

2: When you said point 'n click. I immediately recalled Still-Life, a PC (and I think og Xbox too) graphic-adventure game. Also horror atmosphere. The setting take place in two different time frames, one in the present (2004) in Chicago and the other in the past, the 1920s Prague. The story is about a FBI agent investigating a serial killer, her grandad was a PI and a psychic, she found his journal about a case where the serial killer had the same MO as the serial killer she is investigating. Wile she reads the journal to find clues about the killer you play as the grandad in the past. So you switch back and forth between the two to solve the mystery.

 

[stealthRUSH]

I'd suggest Galerians: ASH which is more sci-fi themed that checks your requests.

 

[NatalieZaki]

Echo, part of the Echo Project. If you want that kind of horror, then play Echo.

 

[Cuestionador]

Clock Tower: The First Fear and the first two Syberia games are a good fit, also Thief I is a masterpiece.

 

[DorfleFlorp]

Vampire Hunter d for ps1