Do you need to play SH1 first?

[Acapella-X]

^^ Topic. I have a copy of SH1 but my PS1 card died and I need my SH fix. =P

[Dark Shadow]

You don't need to but you'll have a better understanding if you do.

[Mephisto]

I played SH3 before SH1 and, yeah. . . I understand the things.

[Brodie]

Me to

[angelofROOM302]

To understand the game, yes.

I played SH3 before SH1 and I didn't know what the hell was going on. I guess you could still play SH1 afterward, but I'd recommend playing SH1 before so you don't have like a million questions.

[Kenji]

It's nice, but unnecessary. All necessary information to understand and relate to the story is present in the game. Since SH3 is basically a very creative remake of SH1, it wouldn't do for it to literally require playing the first game to understand this one.

That said, some scenes reference the original and have a greater payoff if you've played the original. Not only that, but the impact increases if there's been some four or five years since you played SH1 (long enough for nostalgia to start to set in). Shattered Memories operates on a similar principle, being standalone but preferring a decade of built-up nostalgia for maximum effect. Some scenes of MGS4 also operate like this, with regards to MGS1.

It's not enough to have played the earlier title, but for that title to become a part of your past gaming tapestry, if that makes any sense.

But, anyway, short answer is "no." Long answer is "no, but some of the scenes might not hit as hard as a result."

[SPRINGS02]

Like Kenji said it's not neccessary but im sure it helps and can add to the experience. SH3 was the first SH game i played and i really enjoyed it. I still haven't beaten sh1.

[mimee]

I played SH1 first then 2.. etc etc

And yea I would have to say play SH1 first dont jump to 3 and then back to 1..

[Ravager]

You don't NEED to play SH1 first, but I strongly recommend it. Makes SH3's experience much more interesting.

[MariaRising]

I played the original long before the third one, and I agree that it helps to play it first, but you won't be too lost if you don't.

[Lynch]

Any order is fine, silent hill has a weird order in their series....apparently SH2 goes with SH4 in a way(no spoilers)
But i played em all in order...

[Brahms]

For the greatest experience, play SH1 first, really. It makes you shiver when you see everything makes sense in SH3 regarding the first game. If you don't do it, you won't understand a lot of references and little details which make the experience richer. You get to know Alessa in SH1 and you get to understand her and the world she lives better in SH3.

[lyneea]

I would definitely recommend playing 1 first. Simply because, having played that one first, when I played 3 and certain things happened, it created a real 'Ooooo! Sneaky cool!' moments, and you won't get that feeling if you haven't played 1 first.

[Arthemesic]

It's nice, but unnecessary. All necessary information to understand and relate to the story is present in the game. Since SH3 is basically a very creative remake of SH1, it wouldn't do for it to literally require playing the first game to understand this one.

I have to disagree. A remake would take you through the same events w/ the same character in a recreated and improved environment. Silent Hill 3 is a sequel to Silent Hill, not a remake. Shattered Memories instead, is a creative remake of SH.

Also, playing Silent Hill 3 before the first one would definitely
leave too many questions unanswered.
Lots of information about Harry (his notes, background story, etc.) is left blank if you start off with SH3.

[mimee]

Yea, would be a bad idea to play SH3 first -

Play SH1 first dude.

[Uyrikeustek]

You most definitely want to play it first, or I suggest if you don't feel like playing it, watch a let's play. I recommend L0rdVega on Youtube. Just a suggestion.

[leftshoe18]

Silent Hill 3 was the first one I played. With that being said, I already knew the story of the first one from watching my dad play it. Therefore I got what was going on in regards to referencing the first game.

I'd recommend playing or watching the first Silent Hill before playing the third.

[Doctor Eggnog]

You don't need to but in my opinion it would be better. I think SH1 is the better game. The story is vague but well told and SH3 explains a lot of it. But it's really good to develop your own theories first. In fact I'd say you should play SH1 multiple times before SH3.

[Harrys_Girl]

I think to really grasp all of the game, I.E. how important Lisa is or why the OtherWorld appears as it does, you really should play the first game before playing SH3. While you may be able to follow the plotline of the game and "get it", I think it would be a bit like looking at just the painting and not the frame. SH1 sets the outlining frame of the picture of SH3.

I'm pretty sure if I had played 3 and then 1, it wouldn't have had much of an effect on me. Had it been the first SH game I ever played, IDK if I would have had such an interest in the series at all. No offence to the game, but it didn't capture my imagination like SH1 did. Having played 1 then 3, it made an actual impact on me. I think I may have even cried. I don't think any other game did that to me, but it wasn't the game itself that made me cry; it was the background story of Harry, Lisa, Cheryl and Alessa.

[Apatheria]

Personally I feel it's absolutely crucial to play 1 before 3. The big thing 1 has on its side is the mystery; its plotline is so vague and cryptic, that it makes the player feel more frightened and isolated in a way while playing. Because you never truly understand what is happening, it makes it much easier to relate to Harry's confusion as you go through the game. I frankly don't think my first playthrough of 1 would be as scary if I understood all the mysteries beforehand.

3 wasn't just a loose sequel to 1: it was intended to build upon 1. To play 3 before 1 really defeats the purpose, in my opinion.