Resident Evil and Silent Hill are both thriving with new spins on survival horror

Resident Evil and Silent Hill, gaming's two largest horror franchises, are both experiencing a creative renaissance. Each has found success through different strategies: one through methodical reinvention, the other through a dramatic return from dormancy.

Resident Evil's resurgence began with Resident Evil 7 nearly a decade ago, which shifted the series to a first-person perspective and made its scares feel more visceral. Since then, Capcom has alternated between remaking classics like Resident Evil 4 and creating new spins on the formula, such as the vampire-tinged Village. This year's Resident Evil Requiem attempted to merge two types of games together, mixing straight-up action with first-person terror.

The franchise has extended beyond games into film. A live-action Resident Evil reboot premiered last week, directed by Zach Cregger. Rather than following iconic characters like Leon or Claire, it centered on a hapless delivery driver serving as a stand-in for a player terrible at survival horror games. The film combined hilarious and horrifying elements, including gore dripping from ceilings and a particularly terrifying long-limbed baby. It achieved the best box office opening in franchise history.

Silent Hill followed a similar trajectory on a smaller scale. After lying dormant following the 2015 cancellation of Silent Hills, Konami signaled a return in 2022. The Silent Hill 2 remake introduced the series' most beloved title to a new audience, while Silent Hill F offered a freshly horrifying experience through its setting and RPG-focused gameplay.

Silent Hill: Townfall, launching this week on PS5 and PC, expands what a Silent Hill game can be. Developed by indie studio Screen Burn, known for Observation, Townfall features a man named Simon arriving at a small Scottish town shrouded in fog. Screeching creatures ripped from Hellraiser stalk the streets as players uncover what happened.

Townfall's gameplay draws from walking simulators like Firewatch and Everybody's Gone to the Rapture, with exploration and organic story discovery through files and audio messages. It layers on traditional horror elements with light combat and stealth mechanics similar to Alien: Isolation, using a handheld device to track enemies and hiding in closets and sheds to avoid detection.

Both franchises' return comes at an exciting time for horror, with breakout successes at the box office and a promising wave of streaming series. Despite decades of existence, both series are hitting a fresh stride.