There are few game series as chilling as Silent Hill. The series isn’t just renowned for horror but its psychological exploration of its protagonists and their narratives. Every monster and location throughout the Silent Hill games has meaning, either for the main character or an antagonist. It’s this layer of extra thought that elevates the Silent Hill series above many of its horror rivals, bringing real depth to fear.
Of course, whilst the locations are terrifying, they’d be nothing without a roster of monsters. Let’s delve into the darkness of Silent Hill and take a look at the scariest Silent Hill monsters of all time.
Grey Children – Silent Hill
There’s a chance that the original Silent Hill’s scariest monster may have passed you by if you played the version of this game released outside of North America, as they were replaced by Mumblers in the European and Japanese markets. Grey Children (also known as Demon Children, obviously) are tiny knife-wielding monsters that stalk Harry Mason during his first visit to the Otherworld. There are few things as scary as children when it comes to horror, and giving them knives amps that up considerably.
Valtiel – Silent Hill 3
Valtiel is the everyman of the Silent Hill universe. Seemingly the janitor of the Otherworld, he cleans up after deaths, turns valves, and generally makes sure that many of the evil things to befall Heather Mason go according to plan. An angel in The Order and an attendant of God, Valtiel is blessed with an extremely wiggly head which is frankly terrifying every time you glimpse it. The picture above may give a hint of the fear he inspires, but it’s seeing Valtiel in action that makes it clear why he’s one of the scariest monsters in Silent Hill.
Twin Victim – Silent Hill 4: The Room
We’ve already touched upon children being a well-worn horror trope, and for good reason. So here’s the Twin Victim, a monster from the underrated classic Silent Hill 4: The Room. It takes the form of two conjoined sleeping babies in a dirty smock, complete with stretchy arms which end in children’s hands. If that weren’t bad enough, they also whisper at you while they attack. No, thank you.
Momma – Silent Hill: Origins
One of the themes throughout many Silent Hill games is how trauma can reverberate throughout someone’s life, and Silent Hill: Origins monsters don’t come scarier than boss monster Momma, who really exemplifies this. Momma is a representation of Travis Grady’s mother, being a conglomeration of all the buried memories and horror he experienced at her death. Her eternally screaming visage tops her caged form, making her as heartbreaking as she is sad to behold. Silent Hill: Origins may not rank amongst everyone’s favourite Silent Hill games, but it does feature some truly scary monster designs.
Pyramid Head – Silent Hill 2
No list of Silent Hill monsters is complete without the trapezoid boy himself. A manifestation of protagonist James’ guilt, he stalks the Otherworld of Silent Hill 2 committing horrendous acts of violence. Not content with trying to take out his vengeance on James, he also can be seen tearing apart the game’s Mannequins, ripping their legs apart. Pyramid Head has become an iconic figure for the series, and his inclusion in other games doesn’t always make sense, but he’s never better than when in Silent Hill 2 – a stark reminder of the game’s psychological roots.
Lisa – Silent Hills Playable Teaser
Finally, we come to Lisa. Lisa is a ghost haunting an unnamed house in the Playable Teaser for the (sadly cancelled) Silent Hills. We don’t know much about the plans for her – she may even be classed as an unused Silent Hill monster due to the game’s cancellation – but she is truly the most terrifying creation ever placed in a Silent Hill game. Watching you from a balcony, stalking behind you as you repeat the P.T.’s corridors, slamming doors as she tries to reach you. She’s omnipresent and oppressive and isn’t just the scariest monster in the Silent Hill series, she may well be the scariest monster in any game.
