Widely considered one of the founders of the survival-horror genre, Silent Hill is infamous for its intricate stories that are packed with symbolism and frustratingly difficult puzzles. It's also got a bit of a reputation for making several misguided attempts at being creepy that end up being hilarious instead. It makes up for that last part with an immersive atmosphere and an unapologetic willingness to delve into psychological horror, playing on the fears of its audience and characters alike.
A lot of the time, however, it seems like some things that the characters go through could have been avoided if they had just made better choices. This list will cover a handful of things that probably should have (and usually could have) been done differently.
10 Seeking Answers In Silent Hill
This is a mistake that has been made by pretty much every main character throughout the entire franchise. A small percentage of them simply found themselves caught up in the town's mystery unknowingly, but for the most part, they all intentionally headed to Silent Hill in search of something.
Whether they sought after a deceased relative, vengeance, or a lost child, they all found the same thing: horrible monsters and a seemingly inescapable nightmare. Going to Silent Hill at all isn't the best idea, no matter how you think about it.
9 James Couldn't Keep His Mouth Shut
Asking a crazy person if they're crazy isn't a very good idea. In fact, it might actually prove itself to be dangerous, as it did in the case of James Sunderland.
When he found Eddie ranting next to a dead body with a gun in his hand, James thought it would be a good idea to ask him if he had "gone nuts" - which triggered Eddie to believe that James was just like his lifelong bullies. Accusing him of laughing behind his back, Eddie fired at him, leaving James with an injured shoulder and no choice but to defend himself. If James had been able to keep his mouth shut and maybe show a bit more empathy, it's possible that Eddie could have survived. Or at least that he wouldn't have been shot.
8 Maria Trusted James
In Born From A Wish, we see that Maria knew the truth about James and what he'd done. A mysterious man warned her that he was actually seeking his wife and she was hit with a flood of memories about him, good and bad, but ultimately chose to believe in his kindness.
Before she sought him out, she threw her weapon, which was a questionable choice since the town is crawling with monsters, but trusting in James is definitely her worst mistake. After all, even in her good ending, it's implied that she may suffer the same fate as Mary.
7 Alex Couldn't Control His Jealousy
Sibling rivalries can already be pretty nasty, and adding in a lot of preferential treatment towards one child can make them even worse. So, it's understandable that Alex was furious to learn that his father had given his younger brother a precious family heirloom instead of him. When he tried to take it, he knocked Joshua into the lake, unconscious, and was unable to save him. Mentally, this broke Alex, causing his parents to send him to a mental health asylum - and it also left his family unable to fulfill their duties to the Order, as they couldn't bring themselves to sacrifice their only remaining son.
Long story short, if Alex had been able to keep his jealousy in check, at least his family and everyone else who lost their lives to the creeping horrors of Silent Hill would have survived, even if he wouldn't have.
6 Murphy Got Off The Bus
Unlike the vast majority of Silent Hill protagonists, Murphy Pendleton was basically just minding his own business. He was being transported on a prison bus and when an accident granted him an opportunity to make an escape, he took it. Unfortunately, it brought him straight into the treacherous town of Silent Hill. There were a few different things that he could have done to avoid his fate, such as not getting arrested in the first place, but one of the most obvious would have been to just stay on the bus.
Prison isn't great, especially when the people in power have malicious intent, but Silent Hill is significantly worse.
5 Heather Didn't Play Nice With Douglas
After he confided in her that he had also encountered weird monsters throughout the mall, Heather accused Douglas of being a part of all the weirdness around them and stormed off to take the subway by herself. She may have been familiar with the subway under normal circumstances, and it could have even been a quick, easy trip - but with things going all "Silent Hill," it took longer.
By the time Douglas and Heather arrive at the Daisy Villa apartment complex, it's too late for Harry. Maybe if they had worked together, they could have prevented that. It's understandable why Heather wouldn't trust a shady stalker, but she probably should have at least worked alongside the only other human she'd met.
4 James Sunderland Killed His Wife
It's been hotly debated for nearly two decades whether James took Mary's life as an act of mercy or selfishness. After all, there are hints strewn throughout the game that are indicative of both, so it's hard to really say with certainty. As a general statement, Silent Hill 2 seems to flirt with the idea that things can exist in shades of gray rather than being black or white.
Either way, it's pretty likely that if he had never taken her life to start with, he wouldn't have been summoned by the town of Silent Hill, and he probably could have lived a normal life.
3 James Answered A Letter From His Dead Wife
This one is pretty self-explanatory. Even on the first play-through, it's obvious from the second that he reveals that his wife is dead that he has no business answering a letter from her that beckons him back to their special place. It's even more obvious after completing the game at least once since it becomes apparent that he's absolutely sure that she's dead - since he did it himself, and all.
It seems like a bad decision to answer a letter written to you by your dead wife in general, but maybe doubly so if you're the one who killed her.
2 Harry Kept The Newborn Baby
After defeating the final boss in the good endings, Harry Mason is given a newborn baby and allowed to escape with her. He names her Heather Mason and raises her as his own daughter, similar to how he and his wife had taken in Cheryl years before. It's understandable that he would keep the baby, considering that he had only just lost his own daughter and he obviously has a soft spot for taking in orphaned children - plus he's actually a really, really good father, but it's still a questionable choice.
What would have happened to him if he had just set the baby down and fled on his own? Assuming that the Incubator actually allowed him to leave without her (unlikely, but play along) he could have prevented ending up being murdered by a cult in his own apartment nearly two decades later.
1 Harry Got Out Of The Car
To be fair, this isn't to say that getting out of the car to find his missing daughter isn't the right decision to make in terms of morals and sentimentality. It's just not the smartest one that he could have made, all things considered. If he had simply chosen to leave without his daughter, none of the events that unfolded in the town of Silent Hill would have concerned him in the slightest. It's not exactly going to win him any father of the year awards, but it's hard not to wonder if he would have done things differently if he'd known how things would turn out, or that it would ultimately cost him his life.