Does it matter which order you play the Silent Hill games in?

[Necron]

I was thinking of buying the Silent Hill series, as people have being telling me it is good, and watching the movie trailer made me really want to play the game. (I know it's not new, but I've never bothered in playing it :P)
But, I was wondering, does it matter which order you play the games in?

[Dreddz]

Hmmm, not really. You should play SH before SH3 as there are alot of references to the first in SH3. You can start SH2 knowing nothing. You can also do that with SH4 IMO, but probably best you start with one of the first three.

[Slothy]

You can also do that with SH4 IMO, but probably best you start with one of the first three.

You could do that, but SH4 also references the earlier games in some ways, so you'd get the most out of it by playing it last. I'd say playing them in the order of their release would be best. If not that then going SH, SH3, SH2, and SH4 wouldn't be bad either. Have fun playing these games. They're definitely the scariest games I've ever played.

[Necron]

Ok, thanks

[Pure Strife]

Just jump in at 2.

[Necron]

So, shall I play 2, 1, 3 then 4? It's just, I'm scared that the bad graphics on 1 will put me off playing the other games, so it might be best to start at 2.

[Dreddz]

I started with 2, then 1, then 3, then 4
I think starting with 2 is best, I had no problems...

[Erdrick Holmes]

It only matters if you play SH 1 and 3 since 3 is more of a direct sequel to 1 than 2. But I recommend you play 4, seriously.

[Dreddz]

4 is probably the weakest out of them all, I liked how your dream like adventures affect the outside world
(SPOILER)Like when the women dies in one of your little outings to the subway, and later find out she did die in the subway, cooooool
But the whole first person thing put me off a little.

[kikimm]

I also started with 2, then I played 1, then 3, then 4. I think that's an awesome way of doing it. :D SH2 is a great place to start; I think it's better than SH, in terms of storyline, characters, music, locations...everything. But SH3 is absolutely amazing, and you cannot play it before SH. it won't mean anything. SH4 has got to be last; like someone else said, it does make quite a bit of references to the earlier games.

So yeah, if you're worried about the graphics putting you off, then start at SH2, which is right in the middle of all of them in terms of that. SH3 is the prettiest. :D But SH isn't so bad. It makes up for it in scariness anyways.

[Necron]

Thanks for the useful advice guys.

[Erdrick Holmes]

I don't understand why SH4 is concidered the weakest in the series. The story elements are extreamly strong and it's more action oriented than the rest. My personal favourite in the series.

[Dreddz]

SH4 May of been the most action oriented, but I just pegged it from Monsters like in SH3. Those ghosts annoyed the hell out of me though, DIE DAMMIT DIE !

[Erdrick Holmes]

The ghosts are actually more plot oriented if you think about it.

[Dreddz]

Yea, but when I first met one of those, I spent all my revolver ammo trying to take it down..........fool I was..