March 2012 was supposed to be the biggest month ever for SILENT HILL.

If gone as planned, last month alone would’ve seen the release of three new games for the series. While SILENT HILL: BOOK OF MEMORIES for the PlayStation Vita was ultimately pushed back to an unspecified date this spring, fans can still rejoice knowing we received two great SILENT HILL games.

Vatra Games' SILENT HILL: DOWNPOUR introduced us to a new protagonist named Murphy Pendleton on March 13. Murphy begins his adventure in Silent Hill as a prisoner on the run when the bus transporting the man to a new facility crashes and allows him to escape into the haunted town. As you progress through the game, you learn more about Murphy's past and how he ended up in prison in the first place. Murphy's personality is presented in such a way that he almost becomes an antihero as you are able to see both his good and his bad qualities. The deep character development only further advances a great story as you explore an uncharted bit of Silent Hill.

Typically, you'd expect a SILENT HILL to be fun, but not contain a very elaborate fighting system. While SILENT HILL: DOWNPOUR doesn't exactly buck this trend, it does offer up combat that is at least strategic and enjoyable. You'll be primarily armed with a melee weapon that you find lying around town. Swinging away at enemies with your melee weapons feels and looks awkward, but is effective nonetheless. You can only carry one at a time, and they do deteriorate, so item management and conservation is a must. You’ll be able to find firearms and ammunition that is scarcely spread around, but since these items are even more precious, they need to only be used in dire emergencies. It’s this strategy involved that makes combat in SILENT HILL DOWNPOUR one of the best in SILENT HILL history.

SILENT HILL: DOWNPOUR also has a creative feature that causes enemies to come at Murphy in full force during storms. You'll have to make a quick decision of fight or flight when you're caught out in the rain, and typically, you're going to want to make a run for it. If the idea of being caught out in the rain with a horde on monstrous creatures that want to savagely murder you isn't scary enough, wait until you travel to the Otherworld; a twisted realm inhabited by a force of energy that can easily kill and absorb Murphy with a single touch. You'll have to quickly find your way out of the Otherworld and escape to safety with the apparition hot on your trail. Thankfully, these moments are as intense and frightening as they sound—just the type of fun you're looking for when you pick up a SILENT HILL title.Incredibly immersive, well thought out and full of high quality scares for which the series is known, SILENT HILL: DOWNPOUR is a standout game in the franchise.

Speaking of the best SILENT HILL games, the SILENT HILL HD COLLECTION contains two of those classics with newly remastered 720p graphics designed specifically for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 consoles. If the enhanced graphics aren't enough to draw you in, you should know that the game also features a brand new voiceover starring a few legends in the business, so it's guaranteed that you won't find better versions of these essential games. Whether you want to relive the classic moments of the series' past or are experiencing them for the first time, this collection that released on March 20, 2012 is the way to go.

SILENT HILL 2 stars James Sunderland as a down and out widower who makes his way to Silent Hill after finding a mysterious note from his deceased wife that speaks of the town. Hoping for one more chance to see his wife and with nothing to lose, the protagonist enters the town only to find a world more horrible than he ever could've imagined. And the story is still as sad and moving as it was so many years ago.

Many of the game’s classic features make their return to the HD version, including the infamous radio that lets you know when enemies are closing in. Most of the game's environments are so dark you can actually turn your flashlight off and easily make your way past enemies. Of course, this means your enemies can't see you, but it is almost terrifying making your way through the blackness knowing some creepy monster dwells somewhere in the dark with you.

SILENT HILL 3 guides players through the creepy town once more. This time, you star as Heather, the adopted daughter of the first game's protagonist. Heather wakes up inside of Silent Hill after a strange series of incidents involving her adopted father Harry, and her mysterious past. She soon learns about a doomsday cult that inhabits the town that want to use Heather in some type of twisted ritual to resurrect an evil deity. With the help of a man named Douglas and the training and guidance of Harry, Heather may just make it out of this twisted town before it's too late.

SILENT HILL 3 continues the story told in the original SILENT HILL, and does a wonderful job of tying up loose ends while giving the player a rewarding ending. The game plays similar to the other two games in the series by placing greater emphasis on running from enemies rather than fighting. You'll still find a decent amount of melee weapons and some firearms to boot, the complex yet entertaining puzzles to solve and plenty of bizarre monsters on the loose. Basically, this is an extremely fun game that is well worth the re-release it's receiving.

The only real knock against the SILENT HILL HD COLLECTION is the games' original controls, now easily perceived as a bit annoying by modern gamers who are accustomed to simpler control schemes of today's titles. These are roughly the same exact controls the originals contained, so they don't hinder the games as much as to produce a nostalgic effect as you relive the classic stories.

Both SILENT HILL: DOWPOUR and SILENT HILL HD COLLECTION should be on your must play list if you don't already own them. One offers up a completely new experience that feels refreshing while staying true to its roots; the other takes a reminiscent trip down a haunted memory lane. You can't really go wrong with either, and once SILENT HILL: BOOK OF MEMORIES is finally released, you can have the final awesome game to complete your very own SILENT HILL collection.

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