Overview

Silent Hill 3 continues the series' trademark brand of psychologically-driven survival horror gameplay. As a teenage girl named Heather, players explore and unravel the mysterious connection between the godforsaken town and her own inner fears.

Story

Main Characters

Heather Mason

Heather is the 17-year-old heroine of Silent Hill 3. Heather is essentially drawn into the nightmare that Claudia created for her. Despite not being Harry's biological daughter, Heather lived a happy life for 17 years. That love caused the god inside of Heather to be dormant for 17 years.

Douglas Cartland

A 50-year-old detective, Douglas meets Heather in a mall. He tries to get Heather to go with him to have a conversation about her birth, but Heather refuses. Douglas definitely knows something about Heather, and is also very persistent. Claudia Wolf hired Douglas to find Heather. Over the course of the game, Douglas and Heather become friends and allies in this nightmare.

Douglas also had a son, who was killed trying to rob a bank because Douglas was poor and penniless.

Claudia Wolf

An old woman with long hair, and clothing similar to what Dahlia wore.

She definitely knows a lot about Silent Hill, Alessa and the cult itself. Claudia is a force to be reckoned with, stopping at nothing to summon the God of Silent Hill. As a young girl, she was friends with Alessa. Her father, Leonard, abused her when she was young, although she eventually had him committed to Brookhaven Hospital. The abuse she endured as a child reinforced her belief in the cult, believing that her suffering would be reversed upon the arrival of Samael.

Vincent

Vincent is another cult-member with his own agenda. He seems to favor the whole cult, but seems to be a bit more realistic than Claudia is. He's glad to believe in the religion, but he opposes the summoning of the god as it would mean the end of his world as he knows it, a world he enjoys - thanks to money and mundane pleasures.

Leonard Wolf

Leonard is Claudia's father and is mentally insane. He was a cult member before being committed to Brookhaven Hospital. He abused the young Claudia and as a result, was despised by his own daughter and people who knew him.

Stanley Coleman

Stanley was a patient in the Brookhaven Hospital. He may or may not be dead as Heather enters the hospital and his diaries are scattered everywhere in the vicinity. Although Heather has never met Stanley in person, he is madly in love with her and expresses his feelings for her in his diaries. There is always a doll that accompanies the notes. In the Alternate Hospital's basement, Stanley calls Heather by the telephone to wish her happy birthday even though it wasn't her birthday.

Plot

As a direct sequel to the first game Silent Hill 3 begins 17 years after the events of Silent Hill. This time around Heather Mason, daughter of Harry Mason, finds her world infested with bizarre monsters. The game starts with Heather in a nightmarish version of Silent Hill's Amusement Park; and is where the main character Heather Mason understands something has gone horribly wrong: she sees that the Amusement Park has gone to hell; with blood all over the place, and monsters a-lurkin'. After a shocking moment, Heather wakes up just to find herself in a burger shop- but was it really a nightmare?

She later stumbles upon a person called Douglas Cartland in a mall; the 50 year-old-detective tries to get Heather to go with him to have a conversation about her birth, but Heather refuses. Due to Douglas's persistence, Heather decides to save herself by going into the lady's room. From there she sees the first weird sign right over a mirror: that sign was the same one she saw in her nightmares.

Later, Heather stumbles upon a monster, and from there she experiences a ride into hell. She then meets a woman called Claudia, a lady who asks Heather : "Remember me and your true self as well". To the question "What are those monsters," she responds: "They have come to witness the beginning of the world spoiled by mankind."

After surviving from the deadly mall by killing a split worm, Heather finds herself in the normal world again. She encounters Douglas again, but this time he is scared and has seen the monsters himself. Heather decides to take the subway home, but as might be expected, she again encounters the weird monsters. After getting out of the subway and reaching her apartment, Heather witnesses the most bitter scene of her entire life: her father, Harry Mason (protagonists of the first game), lies on a couch- bloody and lifeless. After crying over his dead body, Heather follows the trail of blood to the rooftop just to find her father's killer standing beside Claudia. She asks the reason behind this evil deed and Claudia in return says: "Someday you'll understand the reason in Silent Hill." Heather manages to kill his father's murderer and vowed to avenge her father's death, but must travel to Silent Hill. Douglas gives her a ride to Silent Hill, where she finds out she was adopted by Harry mason as a child.

After arriving in Silent Hill, she starts looking for clues on how to find Claudia. She visits various places like Alchemila Hospital and Lakeside Amusement Park. She also meets two new characters, one called Leonard Wolf- the father of Claudia- and the other is a sneaky monk called Vincent. Later Heather understands that she needs to find Claudia in the town's Church. The reason behind all these monsters, nightmares and pain would be explained by Claudia as the means to make Heather angry and full of hatred, resulting in "God's birth".

Heather then learns that she carries God (Satan) in her womb. At the end of the church Heather meets Claudia and Vincent talking about the God's Birth which ends up with Vincent being stabbed and killed by Claudia. Heather then swallows a ruby (Aglaophotis) that Harry once gave her, and throws up the God. The desperate Claudia attempts to give birth to God herself soon after, which leads to Heather killing them and avenging her father's death. At the final scene we understand that Heather Mason was indeed Cheryl/ Alessa, the girl whom Harry was looking for throughout the events of first Silent Hill game. Silent Hill 3 ends with the God finally destroyed and the cult officially gone from Silent Hill.

Enemies

Common enemies

• Numb Body
• Double Head
• Pendulum
• Insane Cancer
• Closer
• Slurper
• Nurse
• Scraper
• Valtiel

Bosses

• Split Head
• Glutton
• Missionary
• Leonard Wolf
• Memory of Alessa
• The God

Endings

As with past games, there are multiple endings available in Silent Hill 3. Which ending the player receives depends on criteria such as choices, damage taken, number of enemies killed, and whether or not certain items were used.

Note that upon a first completion, only the Normal ending is possible.

Normal

Heather goes back to the amusement park and the town has returned to its normal state. She approaches Douglas wielding a knife and acting strangely. It seems like she plans to kill him, but stops and laughs that it was just a joke. Douglas thinks she has a twisted sense of humor. Heather then insists he call her Cheryl, the name given by her father Harry. When Douglas asks if this means she plans to go back to her original hair color of black, she replies that blonds have more fun. The game ends with a shot of Heather visiting Harry's grave.

HOW TO OBTAIN: Awarded on a first completion. If playing on Extra New Game, players must not exceed 4,000 points over the course of the game. To do this simply avoid killing enemies unless necessary, take little health damage, and say nothing to the confessor in the church.

Possessed

In the amusement park, blood is dripping onto the ground and the camera shows Heather standing motionless wielding a knife, while the town remains in its alternate state. Slowly the scene pans to reveal Douglas dead and bloodied, apparently having been murdered by Heather. The game ends with Heather standing over his lifeless body.

HOW TO OBTAIN: Players must earn 4,000 points over the course of the game. Ten points are received for each enemy the player kills, and a single point is obtained each time the player takes damage. Forgiving the confessor in the church awards players with an additional 1,000 points.

Revenge

This is the goofy ending in line with the UFO endings from past games. After arriving at Daisy Villa Apartments, storyboard-style scenes take place. Heather returns home to find that her father Harry isn't dead at all, but sitting at a table having tea with an alien. He addresses her as Cheryl and his voice is oddly distorted. James Sunderland, the protagonist from Silent Hill 2, is in the background hiding behind a curtain. She explains to Harry about her experiences, then he suddenly goes into a rage and jump-kicks a wooden plank held by James into two pieces. Harry declares that he's going to go to Silent Hill and bust some heads; Heather and the alien cheer him on. Cut to a shot of the town being obliterated by a UFO attack. The game ends with a comical 'Silent Hill song' in Japanese, making comments about characters from the game.

HOW TO OBTAIN: Players first need to unlock the Heather Beam/Sexy Beam by killing at least 333 enemies in total. Note that the kills are cumulative across multiple games. After it is unlocked, players will automatically use it when no weapons are equipped since it can't actually be selected. Should at least thirty enemies have been killed with the Sexy Beam before reaching Daisy Villa Apartments, the ending will trigger at the end.

Unlockable Weapons

Heather Beam/Sexy Beam

This will automatically be active when players have no other weapon equipped since it can't be selected. Heather fires varied laser beams from her eyes; not very powerful and mostly for show. The Sexy Beam is a slightly enhanced version that only applies if Heather is wearing the 'Transform' costume.

• REQUIREMENT: Kill at least 333 enemies in total. This number is cumulative across multiple games.

Unlimited Submachine Gun

This is an SMG with infinite ammo that never has to be reloaded.

• REQUIREMENT: Finish the game at least once and deliver the last blow to the final boss with a melee weapon. Note that players can damage the boss any way they choose, but the killing hit must be with a melee weapon.
• LOCATION: On top of some boxes in an alleyway near the very beginning of the game.

Flamethrower

A flamethrower with unlimited fuel that works similar to the SMG; it is very weak however.

• REQUIREMENT: Finish the game at least once and kill the majority of enemies by using firearms.
• LOCATION: On the counter in Helen's Bakery, on the second floor of the Central Square Shopping Center.

Beam Saber

Melee weapon very similar to a lightsaber seen in Star Wars.

• REQUIREMENT: Finish the game at least once and kill the majority of enemies by using melee weapons.
• LOCATION: As a doorknob at the end of the north corridor, on the second floor of the Central Square Shopping Center.

Gold and Silver Pipes

Aside from color, these are actually no different than the standard steel pipe.

• REQUIREMENT: Finish the game at least once.
• LOCATION: After defeating the creature in the sewers with the hairdryer/water combination, the player must then examine the water there and throw their steel pipe in. The figure of a fairy will appear and question the player about it. Answering honestly will reward players with both the gold and silver pipes.

Silent Hill 2 References

If a memory card containing a save file from Silent Hill 2 is being used, players will be able to find several references to the previous game.

• Dirty toilet scene in one of the restrooms of the alternate Central Square Shopping Center.
• A poster of Maria in Heaven's Night.
• No 'letter from a dead wife' in the Daisy Villa Apartments.
• A certain sturdy fence on the Brookhaven Hospital rooftop

Soundtrack

The music for Silent Hill 3 was composed by Akira Yamaoka with the participation of guest musicians Mary Elizabeth McGlynn and Joe Romersa.

Tracklist:

01. Lost Carol (0:37)

02. You’re Not Here (3:46)

03. Float Up From Dream (1:22)

04. End Of Small Sanctuary (1:43)

05. Breeze - In Monochrome Night (4:15)

06. Sickness Unto Foolish Death (3:06)

07. Clockwork Little Happiness (3:25)

08. Please Love Me…Once More (1:54)

09. A Stray Child (5:29)

10. Innocent Moon (1:38)

11. Maternal Heart (3:02)

12. Letter - From The Lost Days (3:55)

13. Dance With Night Wind (5:22)

14. Never Forgive Me, Never Forget Me (2:19)

15. Prayer (1:41)

16. Walk On Vanity Ruins (2:45)

17. I Want Love (2:46)

18. Heads No. 2 (1:13)

19. Memory Of The Waters (1:47)

20. Rain Of Blass Petals (3:39)

21. Flower Crown Of Poppy (2:14)

22. Sun (1:48)

23. Uneternal Sleep (1:01)

24. Hometown (6:05)

25. I Want Love (Studio Mix) (4:40)

26. Rain of Brass Petals - Three Voice Edit (Bonus Track) (5:01)

Konami Code

After finishing the game at least once, highlight Extra New Game on the title screen and enter the following code. A sigh will play to note that the code has been input correctly. This makes Douglas appear in his underwear during cutscenes.

• PS2: Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, Circle, X
• PC: W, W, S, S, Q, E, Q, E, ESC, ENTER

PC Requirements

• Windows 98/ME/2000/XP
• 1 GHz Pentium III (minimum) or 1.4 GHz Pentium 4 (recommended)
• 256 MB RAM (minimum) or 512 MB RAM (recommended)
• 4X CD-ROM drive or 2X DVD-ROM drive (minimum)
• 32 MB DirectX 8.1b compatible 3D graphics card (minimum)
• DirectX 8.1 compatible sound card
• 4.7 GB hard drive space (minimum)