The player assumes the role of Alex Shepherd, a Special Forces soldier who returns home from an overseas tour of duty to find that his father and younger brother are missing
Alex begins to search for his brother, leading him to Silent Hill after searching his hometown of Shepherd's Glen
The player, as Alex, explores the various environments and locales, searching for clues to advance the plot, such as photographs
To assist the player, Alex will turn his head towards items and clues to inform the player that the object may be picked up
Puzzle elements also play a part in the game, and Alex's journal may be used to refer to photographs and other items that can help the player decipher such puzzles as keypad entries