Silent Hill 3

[PeteJ]

The Silent Hill series is great because of the story, and because of this I can't stress enough how important it is not to post spoilers in this thread. When talking about the story, however slight it may be, please use the 'Spoiler' tag that can be found in the top right of the posting window.

If you do not wish to read this thread in fear of spoilers, then I'll just leave you with this:
Fans of Silent Hill will not be disappointed.

Ok, with that out of the way...

So far I'm about an hour into the game, and so far I've been freaked out...about 80% of the time. The graphics are by far the best I've ever seen on the PS2, even rivalling that on the Xbox or Gamecube. The character models and lighting effects are generations ahead of previous SH games.
Puzzles have so far been quite straight forward, while the story has been quite odd. Combat feels slightly easier than before, with the added (I think, can't quite remember) use of Side Step, with the shoulder buttons.

So far, so good. And the music is up with SH2, easily.

Silent Hill 3 is officially out tommorow on PAL, but was available today from various stores. It's getting a world-wide release in July, with added soundtrack.

[Concept]

Picking it up tomorrow. Since I'm reviewing it for the site I don't think I should post impressions until after I've done so, which is a shame, because I love these types of threads.

Anyway, I'll join the discussion as soon as I can. Hopefully Silent Hill 3 can deliver the same drenched, consuming vibe that the original imparted to me when I first played it.

[Vaipon]

Fans of Silent Hill will not be disappointed.

Ok then, so what about fans of Silnt Hill 1 who didn't like Silent Hill 2? What do you think they will think of this game? Is the third game more like a or 2, or is it completely different to both? SH1 was terrifying and brilliant, SH2 wasn't imo. I really hope Konami have aimed it more towards the dark and twisted mechanised hell that was seen in SH1 personally, and at least some of the screenshots seem to hint at this.

[PeteJ]

I didn't get far with SH1, but I'd say so far the game is a mixture of the two.

Concept, sure you can join in!

[Tom Salter]

I'm pretty sure the sidestep was in SH1 and SH2, but it was pretty useless in both.

Pete, please tell me it has the sirens in again, as they shat me up in SH1, and were only used minimally. Has it got two separate worlds still?

[Vaipon]

Pete, please tell me it has the sirens in again, as they shat me up in SH1, and were only used minimally. Has it got two separate worlds still?

I need to know. Sirens and a proper evil mechanized hell Dark World (not some green polythene covered rubbish like SH2). SH1 rulez!!

[replicant]

pal forum?

[Smitty]

Good to hear Am. Can't wait to see what ****ed-up horrors they have in store for us this time.

Hey, actually, here's a good question: is it really ****ed up?

[Brats]

pal forum?

No. Other importers seem quite happy to discuss the game. Why don't you join in?

[PeteJ]

Pete, please tell me it has the sirens in again, as they shat me up in SH1, and were only used minimally. Has it got two separate worlds still?

Some spoilers:

No warning, no sirens. You can wonder around a nice light, bright and oh so nice town of Silent Hill, and them BAM, things have ****ed up. I guess it is more like SH2 in this regard, in fact, it appears to be a lot more like SH2 in most ways having played it further.

I'm not sure if this was in the previous versions, but it is possible to change the controls to a 2D style; ie, up and up and left is left. It works ok when moving about, but during combat it would be nice to be able to back away.

No story spoiler, but don't read if you want to have everything 'fresh' when you start playing:

Nothing has made sense so far. In SH2, you had a 'pull' at the start, because the lead getting a letter from his dead wife is quite a brilliant way to give you a hook, to get playing. Not here. No explanation for anything, just an awful lot of confusion.

Atmosphere is again, quite excellent. The level of detail in key rooms is just staggering, to the point where everything looks real. The screenshots released are indeed in game, and the lighting throughout is just mind-blowing. This is Xbox Splinter Cell with an added level of detail, incredible character models - almost rivalling Halflife 2 - and very, very dirty textures. A visual masterpiece, no doubt. The sound too, equals the previous games in the series. I?m digging the music for the opening also.

Edit - I've now died so many times I've unlocked an extra-easy mode. I feel quote low.

You can now fall off ledges and down wholes, often to instant death (unless 'Action' is set to easy).

You can pick up Meat to distract enemies, although it seems easier to avoid this time around (thank god).

Please understand that it is very difficult to write about the game without actually talking about it

[*PrYzM*]

camps here

try turning the noise off and putting the graphics to sharp (goto options and press L1 or R1) - things look a lot better imo

Game is pleasing but it is very linear upto now - character models are top notch and the close ups in the cut-scenes are some of the best examples of cgi i have yet witnessed (including movies)

the surrealism of the monsters in this one is a serious mind**** - the designer must have been smoking some hardcore **** when he was drawing these up

been 'scared' a few times and i am not far into it - game isn't looking as though it will be getting played late at night

camps

[Smitty]

the surrealism of the monsters in this one is a serious mind**** - the designer must have been smoking some hardcore **** when he was drawing these up

For sure. Can't wait to play this!

[Smeghead]

how come u lot got it?

went into town today, every game shop basically gave me the finger an told me to go back tomorrow.

How rude :/

lovin silent hill 1, silent hill 2 seemed good from the brief period of time I spent with it, 30 mins and 4 pairs of underwear all signs lookin good for the third then? I'll try pick it up tomorrow, if I got money left.

[John Beaulieu]

smeghead - you should get to know the peeps running games shops rather than just going into your local EB

camps

[Concept]

God, you lot are teasing me rotten.

I admit I've skipped over the spoiler quotes, but the rest of what's been said is making me want this game even more.

I played the original Silent Hill in the mostly daytime, and even then it gave me one hell of a mind-****. If you're right Camps, looks like I may not have to wait around until Friday night to get stuck in.

I just hope Silent Hill 3 is as disturbing as what's been hinted at in the trailers and screenshots.