Silent Hill: True Story & Real Town’s History Explained

Before Silent Hill became a horror film, it was a survival horror video game — but what’s even more horrifying still is that Silent Hill, West Virginia is based on a real place. The game utilizes a foggy atmosphere to inhibit the player’s vision while they control Harry Mason on the search for his missing adopted daughter. Its unforgettable landscape and horrific features spawned an entire franchise of films and video game sequels. While the horror video game is well-known, its true story and the actual location are rarely recognized. There’s a real town — the town of Centralia, known online as “The Real Silent Hill”, Pennsylvania — which inspired Silent Hill‘s aesthetic.