SH3 Enhanced is a project that makes the PC version of Silent Hill 3 run properly on modern systems, with widescreen, 60 FPS, controller support, and fixes for long-standing bugs.
What the patch does
Graphics
- ✓Widescreen Fix: Corrects FOV and aspect ratio for modern displays.
- ✓Custom Resolutions: Sets the output size and internal render-target size independently.
- ✓Remove Black Bars: Removes the gameplay side bars.
- ✓Remove Cutscene Borders: Removes borders added during in-engine cutscenes.
- ✓4:3 2D Elements: Keeps supported menus and interface elements in a 4:3 area on widescreen displays.
- ✓Fullscreen Pause Menu: Expands the pause menu to widescreen independently of the 4:3 2D Elements setting.
- ✓FMV Fix: Displays videos at 4:3 or crops them to fill widescreen; also supports 16:9 video sources.
- ✓DoF Resolution: Sets the depth-of-field and otherworld-corrosion target resolution.
- ✓Shadow Resolution: Sets the dynamic shadow-map resolution.
- ✓Status Screen Resolution: Increases the status-screen image resolution.
- ✓Anisotropic Texture Filtering: Uses the highest anisotropy level supported by the device.
- ✓Fog Control: Adjusts fog detail with a configurable coefficient.
- ✓Experimental Pause-Menu Geometry: Adjusts one pause-menu quad's horizontal bounds. It does not increase texture resolution and may show a translucent rectangle in the Status preview.
- ✓MSAA / DoF Compatibility: Stops multisample anti-aliasing requests that can corrupt depth of field. FXAA is not included.
Content / Text
- ✓"Wish House" Fix: Changes English instances of "Hope House" to "Wish House".
- ✓Typo Fixes: Corrects the subway ladder message, the apartment save-point text, the apartment entrance sign, and a hospital memo.
- ✓Missing Sewer Text: Restores Heather's missing English comments at the sewer wine rack.
- ✓Unlock SH2 Easter Eggs: Unlocks four Silent Hill 2 save-data references without a cleared SH2 save.
Performance / Framerate
- ✓60 FPS Timing: Provides stable game timing at 60 FPS.
- ✓Frame-Rate Modes: Lets you choose 30 FPS, 60 FPS, or unlocked timing.
- ✓Mirror Room Fix: In 60 FPS mode, caps the hospital storeroom at 30 FPS and restores 60 FPS when you leave.
System / Stability
- ✓Registry Redirect: Redirects SH3's install-path reads from HKLM to HKCU and points the per-user paths to the folder containing the running game.
- ✓Safe Mode Disable: Stops SH3's safe mode from resetting graphics settings after an abnormal exit.
- ✓Options Menu Freeze Fix: Fixes a hang when opening the Options menu.
- ✓CPU Affinity: Optionally selects logical processors for the game process.
- ✓Windowed / Borderless Mode: Runs the game in a resizable window or borderless fullscreen.
- ✓White Border Fix: Removes the bright extended window edge on Windows 10/11.
- ✓Exception Handler: Writes a timestamped minidump after an unhandled crash.
Audio
- ✓Muted Audio Recovery: Clears a persisted Windows audio-session mute when the game starts.
Tools / Presence
- ✓Discord Rich Presence: Shows the current area and Heather's health when available.
- ✓Configuration Tool: Edits patch settings and can save them beside the selected game executable.
Controls / UI
- ✓XInput Controller Support: The bundled 32-bit Xidi bridge lets the game's DirectInput 8 input path use XInput controllers.
- ✓Controller Button Prompts: Offers Generic, Xbox, PlayStation, or Nintendo prompt styles.
Planned
- →Title and splash artwork: Upscale the main-menu image and related splash art, with a reversible way to install the replacements.
- →Inventory artwork: Identify the inventory backdrop and assess the existing item images for possible improvements.
- →Custom picture replacements: Support replacement images without modifying the original game files.
- →Audio restoration: Investigate missing dialogue, optional beta sounds, and audio synchronization issues.
Visual comparisons
ORIGINAL PC VS SH3 ENHANCED
WIDESCREEN ELEMENTSScreenshot slot
4:3 ELEMENT AREAScreenshot slot
4:3 FIX OFF4:3 FIX ON
Get the patch
Install Silent Hill 3 for Windows
You need the original PC game installed first. SH3 Enhanced is a patch; it does not include the game or its files.
Download
Get the latest release from GitHub Releases, then extract its files beside sh3.exe.
Configure the patch
Use the Configuration Tool to change settings without editing SH3Enhanced.ini. If you prefer, you can edit the INI file yourself.
Troubleshooting
Credits
Created and maintains SH3 Enhanced, including its game patches, configuration tool, and project website.
For the WidescreenFixesPack research used as a behavior reference. SH3 Enhanced’s patch logic is independently implemented.
For the Silent Hill 3 PC Fix research, a useful reference when checking known PC-version issues and fixes.
For SilentHillDatabase and its memory-address research, which helps locate and verify relevant data in the Silent Hill 3 executable.
For sh3proxy research that informed how SH3 Enhanced bypasses the Silent Hill 2 save requirement for its extra content. The project uses its own implementation.
Additional Software By...
Ultimate ASI Loader, used to load the SH3 Enhanced plugin beside the game’s executable.
Xidi, the bundled 32-bit bridge that lets XInput controllers work through Silent Hill 3’s DirectInput interface. The Xidi license is included with the project.
The Discord Game SDK powers optional Rich Presence, which can show your current area and Heather's health when available.
Additional Assets By...
The controller button, stick, and d-pad icons use CC0 artwork from the Input Prompts pack.
Project Reference
Its project structure informed how SH3 Enhanced is organized, and its Configuration Tool was the main inspiration for the SH3 Enhanced Configuration Tool's interface design.