Silent Hill

[JRMacumber]

I never played the original Silent Hill. I wasn't much into console games when it came out. When Silent Hill 2 hit, I avoided it for awhile, but eventually my curiosity got the better of me, and I bought it. I then tried to play it, but an hour in and it got to be too much for me. I don't mind admitting that I pussied out. I didn't go back to it until a year later, much to the same result. I just couldn't get over the sights and sounds. So, I let it sit on my shelf for several years, taunting me, reminding me every time I looked at it how cowardly I was. So, last year at Halloween, I decided that I wasn't going to let that game get the better of me, and I sat down to finally beat it.

And, I did! I had to turn all the difficulties down to easy (which did nothing to lessen my fear, but went far in lessening my tension), but I beat it. Feeling my oats, I picked up a copy of the original Silent Hill, but the chunky visuals gave me a headache, and I couldn't get more than half an hour into it before I had to stop. Last week I beat Silent Hill Origins on my PSP, and I went and got SH3 and 4, which I'll start up soon.

So, having said all that, what are your feelings about the Silent Hill franchise? Also, do you think they will ever remake the first game using modern hardware?

[dvdmike]

I bought them all also and have only started Origins so far

[PeteJ]

Silent Hill is one of my favourite franchises, and the second game still arguably has the greatest story in gaming. The final couple of hours were just brilliant on every level (apart from the final boss!).

Part one has dated pretty badly but it's worth sticking with for the story and some really terrifying set pieces, especially when going into part three which is essentially the sequel (but it is still great in its own way - if you can't manage part one try and read up on the plot before tackling three). I never really got on with four and don't own a PSP to try Origins...

The gameplay in Silent Hill has always been its weak point so I'm pleased The Collective are trying to sort it out for number five, but I do worry they'll turn it into Not Another Teen Horror Videogame.

It's all about the details in the characters and locations though, no other game does it so well. I love how you know every last detail about a location before entering, such as murders that happened, or deaths in the family, so when you finally walk in and notice blood stains or markings as described in previously found newspaper cuttings, it really means something. You can get lost in the fiction for days, it is wonderfuly deep.

As for remaking the original - yeah I can see that happening, but I guess only if Five sells well and Film 2 does well at the box office.

[Dogg Thang]

I've played and loved them all. Of course I have a list of issues a mile long, especially with the latter games, but for me Silent Hill usually overcomes its shortcomings with its atmosphere.

It's a shame the blocky visuals of the original didn't work for you. I would say it's the most effective in terms of scares and, revisiting after the others, I actually found the murky, basic, disappearing-into-fog visuals pant-cackingly atmospheric. Of course the voice acting, animation and some other things (scary cults - wooo!) are pants but, like I said... shortcomings/atmosphere.

Actually, it may be my favourite game series. Silent Hill 2 was the first (and maybe only) game that had me thinking about it for weeks after I finished it. And it was the first game that I felt approached me as an adult. A real adult - not a glorified teenager. I loved it so much. It was also what restored my faith in horror in general as there had been years and years of cack films and I was convinced nothing could creep me out and get inside my brain any more. I was wrong.

The soundtracks are simply stunning. The SH1 OST blows my mind - such an uncomfortable listen. SH2 OST is one of the best CDs I've ever heard. So sad and brings up so many feelings. I did feel Yamaoka went off the rails after that one, being more interested in making an album than actually scoring a game, but there's still great music in the 3 and 4 OSTs and I got notice yesterday that my SH0 OST has shipped. Yay.

I think 4 was brave in trying some new things. Don't think they all worked but I found loads to enjoy there and think it gets a bum rap. I think 3 is the best visually but the constant enemies totally removed any suspense for me. Origins is decent considering the train wreck it could have been but also could have been much, much better.

I also have the two art DVDs which are great and worth checking out if you're a fan. And a great SH2 nurse and James statue.

And that's SH for me in a nutshell but I could go on and on about the series.

[MattyD]

I bought Silent Hill 2 blind on the day it came out, and instantly fell in love with the series. The only one I haven't played through to all the different endings is Origins, as I'm waiting on the PS2 port for that.

It speaks volumes for the series that each individual game has managed to rise above their myriad shortcomings. The original game is still by far one of the scariest games every made despite its extremely low-res graphics and short draw distance. The way the latter was made into a strength rather than a weakness is inspired - the 'death' sequence in the opening of the game is a great example of how to use suggestion of the unseen to create terror. I actually think the low-res textures give the game a gritty feeling that you don't tend to get with more detailed games.

My favourite in the series is probably 4 though, because it's easily the most twisted and messed up of the lot. The ghosts did get very, very annoying though. I can see what they were trying to achieve - an emphasis on pursuit and a reason to run away - but as a gamewore on the ghost become more of a chore and an irritation than a source of fear. An emphasis on pursuit rather than combat would be a good future direction for the series though, as the chase sequences on SH2 were some of the most memorable (and in the movie for that matter).

BTW, re the soundtracks - if you like Yamaoka's earlier works then you could try listening to some Portishead (the inspiration for the first game's soundtrack; there's even a band poster hidden in the game) and SHII / III's noise tracks are inspired by / remeniscient of Merzbow, Converter, Imminent Starvation and Asche. The final save point before the end boss in SH2 is actually a Merzbow album cover

[Flinty]

Some say SH4 is the worst, they could be right, even so it's seems to be the most violent and scary SH.

SH 2 could have the best videogame story ever, it's just so touching and emotional.

[Fargo]

Funny I was playing Silent Hill 2 last night, never really got into it before mainly due to the fact it freaked the **** out of me. However, playing it now I can really appreciate just how ahead of its time it was, in fact in terms of atmosphere and story telling it probably has yet to be beaten. Still looks fantastic to when upscaled on the ps3.

[JazzFunk]

SH4 is the most flawed Silent Hill, and definitely the worst. The sudden change to FPS viewpoint was a brilliant idea, and seems genius to begin with, so well-done and atmospheric, but when it comes to the actual 'proper' gameplay, it's your conventional Silent Hill, albeit with those FUKKING STUPID, game-ruining ghosts that need to be pinned down (wtf???!!!)

Silent Hill 3 is *clearly* the best-looking game of the series, but its gameplay is grey. Silent Hill 2 is the most playable, and still looks good nearly seven years later. Silent Hill 1 is the most atmospheric, with the best puzzles and music, but is showing its age a tad, even though I like it the best of all.

[Eight Rooks]

SH2 the most playable? What? It's appallingly easy, presents no challenge whatsoever and consists mostly of running around a lot of identical corridors (or the equivalent) trying to work out where the hell you're supposed to go next. I love it dearly for being one of the only videogames with a proper, genuinely decent story - I'll treasure reading some guy on GameFAQs saying he was gay and it had inspired him and his partner to discuss what they'd do in the event either of them were ever diagnosed HIV positive. Despite the frequently (though not always) ghastly dialogue and acting it still packs an emotional punch few titles since have ever come close to. But it's a terrible, terrible game. I tried to give it another playthrough a while back and it's worse than the original Resident Evil - at least with RE you can tell there's a clear design document running all the way through, however flawed it seems in hindsight.

I've finished 2 and 3, and tried 4 but gave up near the horrid section where you backtrack through practically the entire game. The cult storyline is pathetic, derivative nonsense devoid of any depth whatsoever, so I've not much interest in ever trying 1 (and also why I haven't seen the film, despite my love for Christophe Gans' talent behind the camera). On the other hand, 3 was the best game by miles, 4 close behind - I hate the pasting 4 sometimes receives. Yes, you can tell it's shoehorned into the SH mythos. Yes, it's got some nasty, nasty design decisions in there, but it's still got one of the best premises ever conceived in the medium, some beautiful set pieces and until the backtracking is great fun to play, ghosts or not. It's only people who cling to the "Oooooo! Spooky cults! Wicked!!!!!" crap who shun it solely on the basis of not being a "proper" Silent Hill, which is a tenuous enough thing as it is without Konami farming out the franchise.

[Family Fry]

Kudos has to go out to Team Silent, such a great development team, sad to know they aren?t involved in the series anymore as developers, at least Akira Yamaoka is still involved.
Still have high hopes for Silent Hill 5 although it's not as visually as impressive as Team Silents previous work, still looks like it could go in a good direction from the videos to date.
Always wanted a PS2 Silent Hill remake, maybe something for 10th anniversary, next year? Can only dream.
Silent Hill 2 has got to be my fave, pyramid head was just a sight to behold, when you first see him you were like JESUS!! The story was also one that stuck with me for a while, very very good. SH3 has a really cool connection to the original game and I liked the nod to it for that, also remember playing it at the time and being so impressed by the visuals too.
SH Origins is coming out on PS2 so will be able to experience that soon as it?s the only one I haven?t played to date.

[JazzFunk]

SH2 the most playable? What? It's appallingly easy, presents no challenge whatsoever and consists mostly of running around a lot of identical corridors (or the equivalent) trying to work out where the hell you're supposed to go next. I love it dearly for being one of the only videogames with a proper, genuinely decent story - I'll treasure reading some guy on GameFAQs saying he was gay and it had inspired him and his partner to discuss what they'd do in the event either of them were ever diagnosed HIV positive. Despite the frequently (though not always) ghastly dialogue and acting it still packs an emotional punch few titles since have ever come close to. But it's a terrible, terrible game. I tried to give it another playthrough a while back and it's worse than the original Resident Evil - at least with RE you can tell there's a clear design document running all the way through, however flawed it seems in hindsight.

I've finished 2 and 3, and tried 4 but gave up near the horrid section where you backtrack through practically the entire game. The cult storyline is pathetic, derivative nonsense devoid of any depth whatsoever, so I've not much interest in ever trying 1 (and also why I haven't seen the film, despite my love for Christophe Gans' talent behind the camera). On the other hand, 3 was the best game by miles, 4 close behind - I hate the pasting 4 sometimes receives. Yes, you can tell it's shoehorned into the SH mythos. Yes, it's got some nasty, nasty design decisions in there, but it's still got one of the best premises ever conceived in the medium, some beautiful set pieces and until the backtracking is great fun to play, ghosts or not. It's only people who cling to the "Oooooo! Spooky cults! Wicked!!!!!" crap who shun it solely on the basis of not being a "proper" Silent Hill, which is a tenuous enough thing as it is without Konami farming out the franchise.

Yep, you are right (to some strange degree) and I agree my 'capsule review' might have been somewhat simplistic, but... maybe I meant in the way in ALL Silent Hill games that you have to kill enemies by clumsily attacking with a lump of heavy metal, collision detection permitting, or by means of a very badly aimed bullet shot. SH2 manages this with less stress than the others (for they are primarily plagued by this 'problem') and is thus the most 'playable' in my eyes. I'm not even massively concrete about my observation, either, it just IS a thing I feel, and I am fully prepared for it to be mashed up n that. Put your handbag away, son.

Anyway, you're deluding yourself about 4, btw, and you enjoy using negative words too much. Go sit on a shemale.

[Eight Rooks]

Makes more sense from where I'm sitting. No, not the ghosts! Oh, please, not the ghosts! I don't know how I'm going to continue playing! And why did they have to take out all the spooky children/prophecies of doom/twisted family genealogy/spawn of evil stuff? It was so fresh, and original, and just utterly captivating! Sob!

I wonder why the film was largely rubbished by the critics? Oh, no, wait, that'd be those naughty people like Mr. Ebert who just don't get videogame storylines, right? Nothing to do with 1 & 3 being derivative hackjobs. No.

...yeah, okay, I do enjoy lashing out at stuff too much, you've got me there. <_< Still, why am I deluding myself, exactly? 4 has the kind of premise you rarely if ever see in narrative-driven videogames, one you can quite easily tie into literary influences, surrealism, classic horror archetypes (without descending to cheesy ohGodnoSssssatan material - I've read the summary of 1, that is what it amounts to)... It's got graphic design that doesn't simply rely on yet more "Aaaah! Flesh!" or "Horned demons!", and it's a challenge, far harder than 2 or 3. I'm not blind; it's got its fair share of embarrassing cliches, both narrative and visual, it still uses the same old clunky gameplay and it made some horrible mistakes - the ghosts and the backtracking are bloody annoying, there's no denying that. But this "it's not Silent Hill ergo it's rubbish" line of argument is just embarrassing.

And SH2's gameplay is less stressful than the others because there's nothing there. Not opinion, that's a reasoned observation. You spend most of the game running around in the fog, with enemies who make only a token effort to catch you and take next to no skill to defeat. That's the only reason I can see anyone seriously finding it that much less of a hassle.

tl;dr - don't resort to cheap flames merely because I got a bit snappy, eh? I may be an asshole at times, but it doesn't mean I'm not putting forward a perfectly valid argument.

[Dogg Thang]

I may be an asshole

Yes, quite.

[BeyondJumpFish]

SH5...it's gunna suck as much as the movie.
SH1, 2, 3 where great, SH4 not as good but had some great parts...then they made a film and this is where the story ends. The tomb raider after the movie sucked and has had to be dragged back on track by another team, mortal Kombat died a death after the films. The reason is that they always try and copy the **** film rather then continue making the game that spawned the film. Street Fighter and mario is a perfect example of what game makers should be doing. But now that its a new team making SH5...it's gunna be a **** game.
In the SH5 trailer i HATE the way the fog horn goes off and the walls peel away...just like the **** film does! Why?? It never happened like that in the other SH games, its just something the film made up.

[Atticus]

I'm really drawn to the Silent Hill games but I don't enjoy playing them (tried 2 so many times I've lost count). I like the themes and the characters and the story, but that trademark dreadful atmosphere is too much. I want to know what's going on in Silent Hill, I just don't want to be there.

I'm such a wuss