Frequently Asked Questions
General
Q: When was this game released?
A: North America: 08/05/2003, Europe: 05/23/2003, Japan: 07/03/2003.
Q: Why did Europe get it so much earlier than the rest?
A: Who knows. Perhaps because they got SH2 quite late.
Q: In Europe does it come with the Making of SH3 DVD with the game like SH2?
A: No, not this time.
Q: I heard that you get the Official Soundtrack with SH3 in North America, is this true?
A: Yes, something exclusively for North America.
Q: How many versions are there of Silent Hill 3?
A: As of 2019 there are three. First came the original PS2 release in all regions, then the PC port and then much later the HD remaster in the HD Collection for PS3 and Xbox 360.
Q: How is the Silent Hill HD Collection version of Silent Hill 3?
A: It is an absolute disaster, worse than SH2 HD, and I highly advise against playing it as your first experience as it may do permanent damage to your perception of an otherwise very well-built game. Firstly the voices have all been replaced by new actors and while some are somewhat okay, their tones and performances do not fit within the scope of the game and endless nuances are completely gone. To make it worse, liberties have been taken with the dialogue including some entirely changed lines. Further, the sound design is a complete mess with different sounds used at so many wrong places, some sounds missing entirely, wrong music playing at different times, ending abruptly or incorrectly looping, while the sound in general just comes off as very buggy and rushed. In a game where sound is so crucial to its atmosphere, this is absolutely unacceptable. Beyond that, frame rate is stuttery and certain gameplay attributes are quite buggy, such as Heather's movement. If you do play the HD Collection version, I implore you to understand that you are playing the absolute worst version of the game imaginable and thus any perceptions you may have about it may not apply at all to the original game. Otherwise, refer to below for a method leaps and bounds better to play this game in HD or higher resolutions with all original assets and design intact.
Q: What is the definitive way to play this game today?
A: That would absolutely be the PC version played with a widescreen HD mod. For whatever reason, the original SH3 is one of the most highly-detailed PS2 games ever created, in a different league from SH2 and even SH4. Its character models and environmental detail stand out even today. Therefore when the PC version is played in 1080p or 4K it holds up insanely well. It truly is a beautiful game when played this way and I could not recommend it enough. If you're thinking you want to avoid the hassle of getting the PC version or wondering if your PC can even run it in HD, it does not require high performance at all as it's an old game, and can easily be connected to a TV via HDMI and played with a modern controller via USB. Trust me when I say that it is 100% worth it for any major fan. It completely blew me away and I'm grateful it exists. Otherwise I'd always recommend the original PS2 version over the HD Collection for the reasons mentioned in the previous Q & A. But again, do whatever you can to play the PC version in HD... It is a technical marvel even today.
Q: About how long does it take to complete this game?
A: Probably about 6 hours your first time, ranging from 5-8 hours for most people. It took me just shy of 6 hours my first time.
Guide/Walkthrough
Q: What do you mean by "examine"?
A: Go up to whatever is mentioned and press X for Heather to provide a comment or to get a closer look. In the context of your inventory, find the item mentioned and select the "Examine" option.
Q: I can't find a certain item, can you help me?
A: You'll find all item locations and where to use them in the Item List section, although all the information is just as well in the walkthrough.
Q: I can't solve a certain puzzle, can you help me?
A: Find that puzzle in the walkthrough for a heavily-detailed analysis of each solution. Refer to the table of contents for the puzzle section codes, while the smaller mini-puzzle events are contained in the walkthrough as well.
Q: Can you help me find the nearest save point?
A: Check the Save Point Locations section.
Q: I'm running a lot slower than I was before. Why is this?
A: You must have the Bulletproof Vest equipped. While it provides additional protection, it comes at the cost of speed.
Q: What is this "Silent Hill 2 Reference" thing in the walkthrough?
A: If you have a completed SH2 save file on your memory card, you can experience four minor references to it at the locations specified.
Q: How do you unlock the Unlimited Submachine Gun?
A: Beat the final boss with a melee weapon. You can use guns but the last hit has to be with a melee weapon. I recommend the Katana. The final boss section in the walkthrough explains a helpful strategy.
Q: I haven't played any other SH game. Will I understand what's going on?
A: The first half of the game is fairly stand-alone, but the rest ties a lot into SH1 with certain characters and its general story so you'll be a bit lost and a certain event halfway will lose all its emotional impact. I would recommend playing SH1 first if you can but either way SH3 is a fantastic horror experience on its own.
Q: Is it necessary to have played SH2 before SH3?
A: Its story is completely unrelated so not quite, but in SH3 you do revisit a familiar section of the town and one of its major locations, so you will miss out on that feeling of familiarity. Additionally you can experience four references to SH2 if you have a completed save file on your memory card, although only minor and just for fun.
Q: How many endings are in this game?
A: Only three. And the first time through you can only receive the Normal ending.
Q: How do you unlock the Heather Beam?
A: Kill a total of 333 or more enemies in your save file. It doesn't matter how many times through the game it takes you as long as you keep continuing your file with Extra New Game.
Q: In your walkthrough you mentioned there are one or two Health Drinks somewhere, but instead I found two First-Aid Kits. Why?
A: What you find depends on both your action level but also how well you're doing with ammo and health since this game uses adaptive difficulty. You may even find an Ampoule and First-Aid Kit in instead of two Health Drinks in some areas.
Q: How come there are bugs blocking the hallway in the mall? They weren't there last time.
A: The bugs are only there on Normal and Hard Riddle Level, while you can run right through on Easy.
Q: How do I get past the bugs blocking the mall hallway?
A: First you need the Bleach and Detergent (find them with the walkthrough or Item List). Then turn off the fan outside the hall and combine and use the two items while standing over the bucket near the door in the bug hall. Then turn the fan back on to clear the fumes away.
Q: There's a big monster blocking the exit hallway in the Nightmare Hilltop Center. How do I kill it?
A: You can't. You must find the end of the fairy tale to find out what to do. The fairy tale conclusion is found in the Elberton Life Insurance section of 1F, but you need the key to that section from OneStop Imports on 4F.
Q: Why can't I combine and use the Jack and Rope on the Hilltop Center elevator?
A: They must be used separately. First open the doors with the Jack, then drop the Rope down.
Q: I was in the Nightmare Hospital 3F storeroom and the room got all screwy and the door was locked so I died. What was I supposed to do?
A: The door is only locked for a certain amount of time while the room is transforming. It allows you to sit back and enjoy the show, although your health starts draining once the transformation is done and you will die once it hits zero. Always find the door and leave as soon as the transformation is complete. It may be a little hard to see but it's there.
Q: I don't have any ammo left and I think I'm close to the last boss. Am I screwed or what?
A: You're okay. You can beat the last boss with a melee weapon with a fairly reliable strategy just as long as you're quick on your feet and go for attacks when the window is open. It may take a while on Normal or Hard Action Level, but it's still very doable. You'll also unlock an extra weapon for killing it with a melee weapon.
Q: I still have Shakespeare books from back in the mall. Do they have any use or can I get rid of them?
A: If you didn't put them back on the shelf cause you already knew the code, then you can't get rid of them for the rest of the game and they have no use but to clog your inventory. This happened to me as well my first time.
| by Andrew Haffenden aka Conquerer (Silent Hill 3 FAQ/Walkthrough) |