Silent Hill is the first installment in the Silent Hill series of psychological survival horror video games. Unlike earlier survival horror games that focused on protagonists with combat training, the main character Harry Mason is an average man. The gameplay consists of combat, exploration, and puzzle-solving. The controller vibration is used to indicate Harry's heartbeat and will vibrate on low health. The player must regularly enter an inventory screen to check Harry's health, use items, and equip different weapons.
After Harry Mason wakes up from being unconscious due to a car crash, his daughter Cheryl is missing. Harry sets out on a journey into the eerie town of Silent Hill to find her. Stumbling upon a cult conducting a ritual to revive a deity it worships, Harry discovers his daughter's true origin.