Silent Hill Homecoming Review (10-7-08)

Spoony | Oct 7 2008 | more | 
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Just a few quick updates and a review of Silent Hill: Homecoming!

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  • Shadowdancer21b

    Hey Spoony One,

    I love your reviews. I gotta say though, in Silent Hill 3 I killed every single enemy in the game on hard action level with only a little difficulty. Maybe my preference to melee weapons over guns contributed to this? I just could not understand your trouble with that. Anywho, I love your reveiws, I think you are a very witty fellow and I look forward to greatness from the site in the future!

  • Shadowdancer21b

    Hey Spoony One,

    I love your reviews. I gotta say though, in Silent Hill 3 I killed every single enemy in the game on hard action level with only a little difficulty. Maybe my preference to melee weapons over guns contributed to this? I just could not understand your trouble with that. Anywho, I love your reveiws, I think you are a very witty fellow and I look forward to greatness from the site in the future!

  • Shadowdancer21b

    Hey Spoony One,

    I love your reviews. I gotta say though, in Silent Hill 3 I killed every single enemy in the game on hard action level with only a little difficulty. Maybe my preference to melee weapons over guns contributed to this? I just could not understand your trouble with that. Anywho, I love your reveiws, I think you are a very witty fellow and I look forward to greatness from the site in the future!

  • DamuEmran

    never played this game franchise i really want though
    the only ones that interest me was silent hill 1 and 2 and maybe 5

    3.4,homecoming and origins do not interest me at all.

  • DamuEmran

    never played this game franchise i really want though
    the only ones that interest me was silent hill 1 and 2 and maybe 5

    3.4,homecoming and origins do not interest me at all.

  • DamuEmran

    never played this game franchise i really want though
    the only ones that interest me was silent hill 1 and 2 and maybe 5

    3.4,homecoming and origins do not interest me at all.

  • biggboss

    That new colonization game is a remake of an old dos game by the same name. I found the original muuch easier to play overall.

  • biggboss

    That new colonization game is a remake of an old dos game by the same name. I found the original muuch easier to play overall.

  • biggboss

    That new colonization game is a remake of an old dos game by the same name. I found the original muuch easier to play overall.

  • emran

    Origins
    SH1
    SH2
    SH3
    SH4
    and soon SH5

    where does homecoming fit into the storyline?

  • emran

    Origins
    SH1
    SH2
    SH3
    SH4
    and soon SH5

    where does homecoming fit into the storyline?

  • emran

    Origins
    SH1
    SH2
    SH3
    SH4
    and soon SH5

    where does homecoming fit into the storyline?

  • LittlePancake

    Haha, infocom shirt. I want it.

  • LittlePancake

    Haha, infocom shirt. I want it.

  • LittlePancake

    Haha, infocom shirt. I want it.

  • Squall Lee

    Silly, Spoony, the majority of video game fans just want to play the same game again, and again, and again. And developers are happy to oblige.

  • Squall Lee

    Silly, Spoony, the majority of video game fans just want to play the same game again, and again, and again. And developers are happy to oblige.

  • Squall Lee

    Silly, Spoony, the majority of video game fans just want to play the same game again, and again, and again. And developers are happy to oblige.

  • LocustKing

    While I agree fully with most of what you said, I actually really, really loved this game. Granted, I have low standards, so I can forgive the not-so-great endings. I can forgive the awkward mouth movements. Graphically, it’s no Red Faction: Guerrilla, but I loved the storyline. I actually sympathized with the main characters. And, maybe it’s just because I’m a freakin’ coward, but I actually thought this game was damned scary. I’m no good with reactions, so I thought that the battles were the scariest parts, because you’re always running into these things, maybe five at a time, and they’ll just gang rape you to death.

    Loved the symbolism, loved the characters, loved the combat, and loved the game overall.

    Love you, man. Keep doing what you do.

  • LocustKing

    While I agree fully with most of what you said, I actually really, really loved this game. Granted, I have low standards, so I can forgive the not-so-great endings. I can forgive the awkward mouth movements. Graphically, it’s no Red Faction: Guerrilla, but I loved the storyline. I actually sympathized with the main characters. And, maybe it’s just because I’m a freakin’ coward, but I actually thought this game was damned scary. I’m no good with reactions, so I thought that the battles were the scariest parts, because you’re always running into these things, maybe five at a time, and they’ll just gang rape you to death.

    Loved the symbolism, loved the characters, loved the combat, and loved the game overall.

    Love you, man. Keep doing what you do.

  • LocustKing

    While I agree fully with most of what you said, I actually really, really loved this game. Granted, I have low standards, so I can forgive the not-so-great endings. I can forgive the awkward mouth movements. Graphically, it’s no Red Faction: Guerrilla, but I loved the storyline. I actually sympathized with the main characters. And, maybe it’s just because I’m a freakin’ coward, but I actually thought this game was damned scary. I’m no good with reactions, so I thought that the battles were the scariest parts, because you’re always running into these things, maybe five at a time, and they’ll just gang rape you to death.

    Loved the symbolism, loved the characters, loved the combat, and loved the game overall.

    Love you, man. Keep doing what you do.

  • Peppergirl

    Why are the doors rusted shut, you ask?

    The in-universe answer is that the town hasn’t generated those areas in your local pocket hell-dimension, so the doors are rusted shut to prevent you from seeing the big gaping holes in creation.

    Either that or the game developers didn’t feel like creating content for those areas. Ho ho ho.

    Wait, those two explanations are the same thing. D:

  • Peppergirl

    Why are the doors rusted shut, you ask?

    The in-universe answer is that the town hasn’t generated those areas in your local pocket hell-dimension, so the doors are rusted shut to prevent you from seeing the big gaping holes in creation.

    Either that or the game developers didn’t feel like creating content for those areas. Ho ho ho.

    Wait, those two explanations are the same thing. D:

  • Peppergirl

    Why are the doors rusted shut, you ask?

    The in-universe answer is that the town hasn’t generated those areas in your local pocket hell-dimension, so the doors are rusted shut to prevent you from seeing the big gaping holes in creation.

    Either that or the game developers didn’t feel like creating content for those areas. Ho ho ho.

    Wait, those two explanations are the same thing. D:

  • nyarlathotepsama

    I know this review is now ancient history but I can't resist in case anyone else sees this video… Silent Hill Homecoming might just be the worst video game I have played in the last couple YEARS. Oh…and I play loads of games, every system PC anything, everything and I tend to enjoy almost every game on some level no matter how stupid, minor or pointless, subjective or not. BUT Silent Hill: Homecoming might be the worst Sequel (or prequel or whatever it doesn't matter in context here) ever made, period. I collect Horror games, I have almost every game in the genre even very, very rare titles like Kuon… but Silent Hill: Homecomings was combat heavy, but somehow slowly, the story is rambling but still nothing gets said, what puzzles there are seem to totally set up and solved before you even start them…. But the horror is still there oddly and I guess it is fairly okay if you liked the old Silent Hill games but if you are a real fan I bet you'll feel the same.

    Silent Hill 2 = Paragon of the series
    Silent Hill Shattered Memory = worst game…
    Silent Hill: Homecomings = god awful but well it was a first attempt on current generation systems.

    Also Agree, Jacob's Ladder totally…

  • nyarlathotepsama

    I know this review is now ancient history but I can't resist in case anyone else sees this video… Silent Hill Homecoming might just be the worst video game I have played in the last couple YEARS. Oh…and I play loads of games, every system PC anything, everything and I tend to enjoy almost every game on some level no matter how stupid, minor or pointless, subjective or not. BUT Silent Hill: Homecoming might be the worst Sequel (or prequel or whatever it doesn't matter in context here) ever made, period. I collect Horror games, I have almost every game in the genre even very, very rare titles like Kuon… but Silent Hill: Homecomings was combat heavy, but somehow slowly, the story is rambling but still nothing gets said, what puzzles there are seem to totally set up and solved before you even start them…. But the horror is still there oddly and I guess it is fairly okay if you liked the old Silent Hill games but if you are a real fan I bet you'll feel the same.

    Silent Hill 2 = Paragon of the series
    Silent Hill Shattered Memory = worst game…
    Silent Hill: Homecomings = god awful but well it was a first attempt on current generation systems.

    Also Agree, Jacob's Ladder totally…

  • doesteovsky

    “but if you are a real fan I bet you'll feel the same”

    Why classify people like that? If you're a -real fan- you'll have the same opinion that I do, basically. That's idiotic, especially when people have been saying the exact same thing ever since The Room came out; every new Silent Hill is ridiculously polarizing, each side screaming that if you don't agree with them, you're clearly not a -real fan-. Why?

    I enjoyed Homecoming. I'm a rather big fan of Silent Hill, but I'm not at all a fan of horror; there's something about the presentation of Silent Hill games that just gets to me, though, and I've been fascinated since the third game. I've enjoyed them all so far (the only one I haven't seen or played, actually, is the original). It's one of my least favorite out of the series, but I don't outright dislike any of the games, so I wouldn't call it terrible. The controls are wonky, but overall we had fun with it.

    I find it hilarious that you screech that Homecoming is the 'worst video game I have played in the last couple of YEARS' but then go on to list Shattered Memories as 'worst game'. You at least explained, to some extent, why you didn't like Homecoming, but to go bashing on Shattered Memories with no reason? Where'd that come from?

    To Spoony, about not being able to fight properly in 3: Rather funny, as our experience with the games was the run around like morons throughout all of 2 and The Room, but in 3, once we picked up the katana, everything fell before the awesome wrath of Heather… which destroyed a lot of the foreboding and horror, when you knew that the next time a dog jumped at your face you could just hack it to death.

  • nyarlathotepsama

    Well I suppose I said it that way because I am an ass, what can I say? I suppose you can be a real fan and life Homecoming, I guess. It doesn't really effect your level of fandom. Although to be fair Homecoming came out on next generation systems (their words not mine) and had both last generation graphics and controls. There was some degree of horror in the game but it wasn't on par with older (I would say better games but you know…) games in the series. I even felt that Origins was a better game in theory. I use that term because Origins had too many control, view, and general bugs that hold it back.

    Also, yeah no need to explain why Shattered Memories is a the worst, play it for 2 hours (about the time it takes to complete it, dead serious) and you'll notice the same. You'll come away feeling bored, unclean, and bitter at Silent Hill in general. But then again feeling bitter is pretty much all the Wii is good for, well New Super Mario Bros on the Wii is awesome but otherwise, lack luster system. Oh damn I rambled on, defending a position I could have cared less about…I must be bored today.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Thomas-Kelley/100000588189282 Thomas Kelley

    All the Wii is good for is feeling bitter? Um… I'm just gonna rattle off some names, see if those games made you feel “bitter”: Smash bros. brawl, metroid prime 3, mario kart, super mario galaxy, no more heroes, madworld, tatsunoko vs. capcom…BTW, Shattered memories was not very good, but I think that can be more attributed to the “fuck you” ending (and, I looked it up, I got the “good” ending) than the gameplay itself. In any case, there is no reason to trash an entire system, as I played Shattered Memories on the PS1. Just sayin', bro.

  • nyarlathotepsama

    Well I'm totally put in my place, wow… okay then so here is the following; 80% of the those games you named off I've played, I have a wii and I suppose you could list them as pretty good BUT the only reason they aren't better is because, in general, motion capture isn't so much a type of game play so much as a vapid drooling run down “this is a decades old concept we just dusted off and pretended it is new” avenue. You see the major issue with the Wii, which went through a number of codenames include “the Revolution” be settling on a pretty good name I have to say had a tough run. I hate to toot the brag horn, 'cause I never do it, but I happen to be playtester for Nintendo America here in Washington state and I might have been one of the first dozen Americans to touch the thing. It was called the “Revolution” then and after only twenty minutes on “Sports” I turned to the woman keeping watch on us, I'm guessing to make sure we didn't run off with one of the systems, and said “Revolution huh? Are you aware you can by any and all of these games as children's toys (ages 4 and up) in many toy stores for roughly half the price?” She didn't respond but I wasn't the only person that thought the name “Revolution” was a pant load thus the much cooler name, and I'm totally serious, Wii. I don't hate the system, I just think it is A) nothing but one giant gimmick wrapped around 10 or so smaller gimmicks and B) last generation technology, pure and simple. Now that doesn't mean the Xbox 360 (known as the Box I've replaced 5 times because of over heating) and the PS3 (known as the very expensive semi-Wii) don't have their faults. And No More Heroes is okay, if you take all the fighting out and do the odd jobs which are more fun instead and an anything vs anything else game is never any better than the fightning series it is based on, more character don't equal more fun.

    Oh and please refrain from using the term Bro if you could, I find it really offensive since it is a negative 'round my circle of friends. Makes me sound like a weight lifting white college student with a tribal tattoo on my arm and a large Chuck Norris carved onto my giant shoulders. No offense if you are one of course, you'd be perfectly able to beat my brains in if you were so I apologize. (Note that circle of friends is a group I've been playing D&D with for more than 10 years so go ahead and laugh if you like, doesn't bother us)

    • http://www.facebook.com/people/Ian-Bewley/100000260046644 Ian Bewley

      I’m honestly a little surprised I could understand your posts. There are many sentences that you don’t finish. I would like to know why you seem to be so aggressively stating that you do not care about your stance or review of the game. Yet replying in overly aggressive way that you do seems to indicate that all you have is the stance you have arrived at.

      I find it interesting that you fluff your defense with things that should give you ‘nerd’ ‘cred’, yet only serve to make it sound more fictitious and juvenile.

      • Anonymous

        ’cause that was what I was going for. Seriously. What is the internet if not a place to test out “characters”. See I’m honestly a long timer gamer. That isn’t my focal point by any stretch but alas the title has stuck to me. Could be my large collection of games, could be my intense hatred and disappointment with bad games, could just be that I’ve owned at least one video game system for as long as I can remember but that isn’t important really and I’ve wandered off a bit.

        I was testing out a idea that popped into my head, this being “You know I really don’t have a personality on the internet” This idea and the comments that came from it were truly terrible and awful. So I’ll reply to your message like thus;

        Well I was going for how people speak you see. It is hard to detect unless you are the person writing it and I apologize for the poor diction and general lack of continuity. I look back on how it ended and I’m forced to sigh, you see my major source of income has become working in the editorial branch of a major publishing firm. If I was to rate my own post it would be something like a 1 out of 10, something that couldn’t be published under any letterhead. I have defenses of course but they are all poor and mostly contain the words; Stoned and Tired. Both aren’t good excuses and I won’t fall back on them. I done fucked up.

        Now the second part. I fluff my defenses with Nerd-cred? Well I suppose that is the case, although I really and honestly don’t care what people think of me on the internet. If I did you think I’d at least not be a dick all the time? But I’ve dropped most of that character anyhow and instead decided to just go with my own thought without feeding them through a dick-o-meter before I post them. So again you are right and I done fucked up.

        In closing I’ll just say this. I wouldn’t have responded if I didn’t agree with you. So here is the real explanation of why I’m not much of a fan of the Wii. It is a child’s toy like all systems are. But games can be something so much more, they are and always will be “Art”. This being the case I like to ask more from my Toys, no wait, demand more from my toys. I haven’t played a Wii game yet that I’ve really enjoyed mostly because the hardware hasn’t be either used effectively or just plain doesn’t work like intended. The Wii has a good place though right now, it is the best possible system for causal gamers and I think that is pretty cool. It just isn’t for me you see.

        People often claim there are “hardcore” titles for the Wii. To list a few; Madworld (named after my favorite song ever by the way), the Conduit, No More Heroes and it sequel and both Red Steels. These games are oft heralded as Hardcore titles and I disagree. There isn’t any such thing as Hardcore titles. Not for the Wii or any other system. Hardcore titles is kind of a strange buzz word that gets thrown around all too often and doesn’t mean much of anything. It does refer to a title having been directed at long time gamers or at those who are looking for a challenge but lets face facts. The game studios aren’t directing their games at our gamer identity but at our gamer wallets. There hasn’t been a throw down the controller in rage difficult game made in years and there isn’t likely to be one made in a long while. Hard games just don’t sell anymore.

        So yes my experiment in creating a dickhead gamer character failed on a lot of levels, oh yes I was a dick but it came across as phony. Poor grammar was abound in that post and likely this one as well, but seriously who wants to do their job during off hours. I slog through hundreds of pages of manuscripts a week and I have to find and correct loads of mistakes other peoples mistakes, cut me a little slack on that angle could you? Pretty please?

        (final note: I really am glad they changed the name of the Wii to Wii rather than the Revolution because that name doesn’t sound like a video game system at all.)

  • bastafari

    Silent hill sucks.

  • jerk_face

    You're supposed to feel like you're being strung along a single path. Silent Hill is sentient. It's stringing you along yet the over world is big enough, at least from the perspective of 2, to fool you into thinking you're in control.

    • Anonymous

      It’s kind of like the ARG YouShouldntHaveDoneThat, then…. Although many players of YSHDT are starting to wonder if it’s JUST game. ;) Hey spoony! Go look it up!

      The ‘just a game’ question is due to the vast scale it’s reaching. The ‘villain’ named BEN is trying to spread across the internet and has successfully breached youtube, the home website, forums, and even chats. The big reason for questioning the matrix-like reality, is that we’ve all been getting emails and phone calls FROM Ben. I think I want to see what spoony thinks of all of that. ;)

      Sorry for getting off-topic, it’s just that you immediately made me think of that for some reason. O_o
      I DO love the Silent Hill games, despite the fact I’m easily terrified by the subtle parts of the game.

    • Anonymous

      It’s kind of like the ARG YouShouldntHaveDoneThat, then…. Although many players of YSHDT are starting to wonder if it’s JUST game. ;) Hey spoony! Go look it up!

      The ‘just a game’ question is due to the vast scale it’s reaching. The ‘villain’ named BEN is trying to spread across the internet and has successfully breached youtube, the home website, forums, and even chats. The big reason for questioning the matrix-like reality, is that we’ve all been getting emails and phone calls FROM Ben. I think I want to see what spoony thinks of all of that. ;)

      Sorry for getting off-topic, it’s just that you immediately made me think of that for some reason. O_o
      I DO love the Silent Hill games, despite the fact I’m easily terrified by the subtle parts of the game.

    • Anonymous

      It’s kind of like the ARG YouShouldntHaveDoneThat, then…. Although many players of YSHDT are starting to wonder if it’s JUST game. ;) Hey spoony! Go look it up!

      The ‘just a game’ question is due to the vast scale it’s reaching. The ‘villain’ named BEN is trying to spread across the internet and has successfully breached youtube, the home website, forums, and even chats. The big reason for questioning the matrix-like reality, is that we’ve all been getting emails and phone calls FROM Ben. I think I want to see what spoony thinks of all of that. ;)

      Sorry for getting off-topic, it’s just that you immediately made me think of that for some reason. O_o
      I DO love the Silent Hill games, despite the fact I’m easily terrified by the subtle parts of the game.

    • Anonymous

      It’s kind of like the ARG YouShouldntHaveDoneThat, then…. Although many players of YSHDT are starting to wonder if it’s JUST game. ;) Hey spoony! Go look it up!

      The ‘just a game’ question is due to the vast scale it’s reaching. The ‘villain’ named BEN is trying to spread across the internet and has successfully breached youtube, the home website, forums, and even chats. The big reason for questioning the matrix-like reality, is that we’ve all been getting emails and phone calls FROM Ben. I think I want to see what spoony thinks of all of that. ;)

      Sorry for getting off-topic, it’s just that you immediately made me think of that for some reason. O_o
      I DO love the Silent Hill games, despite the fact I’m easily terrified by the subtle parts of the game.

  • midevalexponents2sqr

    What's myster

  • midevalexponents2sqr

    What is Mystery Disk? Where can I find it? Does anyone know?

  • http://www.facebook.com/SlickyMike88 Michael Kragseth

    I have to say that Homecoming is the worst silent hill game ive ever played , there was no horror elements to the game at all.
    My biggest complain is that there is no scary sounds or any frigthninng moment's in the game , and i'm kind of fed up with the series to be honest:P Ever since western developers has taken over, ive just lost my intrest for the franchise.
    I think il stick with the fatal frame games for now:D

  • http://celluloidandsilicon.blogspot.com/ Avenging_Mike

    I remember Spoony saying in a different vlog that it was gutted by YouTube taking down random videos from it. Don't bother looking for it.

  • Testsubject909

    I think most of the original fans are against it because of the misuse of the nurses and the pyramid head…

    Seeing said misuse requires some analysis of the game's content and world and the connection of the main character's psychology to the world around him. In other words: it's intellectually inferior when you look at it in depth.

    Considering how the original team of Silent Hill are no more, and the original authors work are only Silent Hill 1 to 3… Yeah. Silent Hill has no need to continue.

    Another series that should probably stop while they're ahead is Final Fantasy. The original author is long gone, Fabula Nova Crystalis was a great chance to tear away from the Final Fantasy franchise, but no, they had to eventually dub it FF13. I swear, if it had stuck with FNC, it would've received a lot less hate.

    • http://www.facebook.com/people/LaChrista-Whatley/142300695 LaChrista Whatley

      Actually, I am an original Silent Hill fan and I believe that there are ways to portray the series. Really, you can take Silent Hill anywhere, a great example would be SH3 and SH4. Plus, it proves no matter where you go, once you visit Silent Hill, it follows you everywhere….unless you’re Henry Townshend, where you happen to be at the wrong place at the wrong time.

  • Anonymous

    I think most of the original fans are against it because of the misuse of the nurses and the pyramid head…

    Seeing said misuse requires some analysis of the game’s content and world and the connection of the main character’s psychology to the world around him. In other words: it’s intellectually inferior when you look at it in depth.

    Considering how the original team of Silent Hill are no more, and the original authors work are only Silent Hill 1 to 3… Yeah. Silent Hill has no need to continue.

    Another series that should probably stop while they’re ahead is Final Fantasy. The original author is long gone, Fabula Nova Crystalis was a great chance to tear away from the Final Fantasy franchise, but no, they had to eventually dub it FF13. I swear, if it had stuck with FNC, it would’ve received a lot less hate.

  • http://www.facebook.com/FeatherlessWings David Pelletier

    I dont know if somebody noticed the fact that pyramid head ISN’T named pyramid head inhome coming ?

  • http://www.facebook.com/FeatherlessWings David Pelletier

    I dont know if somebody noticed the fact that pyramid head ISN’T named pyramid head inhome coming ?

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/LaChrista-Whatley/142300695 LaChrista Whatley

    I am a Silent Hill fan and actually I saw this somewhat of a reboot more than anything else. I try to keep an open mind when it comes to the series because just like SH2 and SH4, there are multiple areas where the series can take place. I was really liking the fact that there was an actual combat system. In fact, it was a step up from 4, and it still has the creepiness factor. I remember when I saw the lurker in the water just jump at me at random times and it creeped me out, and the Pyramid Head scares the f*ck out of me no matter what setting he is in because he is a butcher. The game that pissed me off the most was Silent Hill Origins because they could’ve done more with that game…but that was PSP so I’m not surprised. There haven’t been that many games on PSP that are good (KH: Birth by Sleep Rocks!). We know that Silent Hill usually has factors that don’t make sense. But the one thing that I remembered was thinking about what the Judge said, and it’s true. You can run from Silent Hill but it will always catch up with you, just like the curse in Ju-on: The Grudge or Heather Mason from SH3….unless you’re Henry Townsend from SH4, where you happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

  • Anonymous

    Have to disagree on the complaint about the doors. Normally it would feel like little-to-no intereaction with the environment, but this fits very much into the mindset of the psychology of the game. As a source taken by Zero Punctuation, Silent Hill’s atmosphere was successfully done by making the environment a character itself, meaning these trivial concepts usually put in games with wide worlds to explore or a town, city, village, etc. are quite forgivable even if it was actually based on the competancy of the game’s technology at that time. As for Alone in the Dark, you did have more interreaction with weapons, which I think Silent Hill, if it had the resources at that time to, could fully expand on even further suchas intereactions that would include the gamer into it’s horror events suchas games like Amnesia, but to be fair, this complaint isn’t exactly expanding on a flaw since the flaw is covered up well in Silent Hill where it’s environment as another being altogether that layed about these set traps for the protagonist to be led into or controlling the very pathways to the destination. Though since it is shown that the protagonist can intereact with weapons given from the town, pick them up, pull the trigger, reload, check for pills, do laundry with, etc, I think objects of pertaining to that kind of nature could’ve been more expanded upon in Silent Hill like they were in Alone in the Dark if they wanted that feel of desperation correlating to the invention of products people normally wouldn’t think of unless under influence of the chaos surrounding them.

  • Anonymous

    Have to disagree on the complaint about the doors. Normally it would feel like little-to-no intereaction with the environment, but this fits very much into the mindset of the psychology of the game. As a source taken by Zero Punctuation, Silent Hill’s atmosphere was successfully done by making the environment a character itself, meaning these trivial concepts usually put in games with wide worlds to explore or a town, city, village, etc. are quite forgivable even if it was actually based on the competancy of the game’s technology at that time. As for Alone in the Dark, you did have more interreaction with weapons, which I think Silent Hill, if it had the resources at that time to, could fully expand on even further suchas intereactions that would include the gamer into it’s horror events suchas games like Amnesia, but to be fair, this complaint isn’t exactly expanding on a flaw since the flaw is covered up well in Silent Hill where it’s environment as another being altogether that layed about these set traps for the protagonist to be led into or controlling the very pathways to the destination. Though since it is shown that the protagonist can intereact with weapons given from the town, pick them up, pull the trigger, reload, check for pills, do laundry with, etc, I think objects of pertaining to that kind of nature could’ve been more expanded upon in Silent Hill like they were in Alone in the Dark if they wanted that feel of desperation correlating to the invention of products people normally wouldn’t think of unless under influence of the chaos surrounding them.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Famicom-Wars/100001046150018 Famicom Wars

    did the silent hill series start to slide down after konami stopped developing the games themselves?

    • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=515476575 Glen Graves

      There’s no definate answer and some people believe the series isn’t really going downhill but the most often answer I’m given is yours that it started to go bad when it left Japan. The person below also mentioned Yahtzee who gave quite the explanation for this, Americans idea of horror is more about jump scares and gore where the Asian type of horror is more dread filled atmosphere which I think compliments the series much better.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_X6RQT2WQIVI2LDTIKC54KOXISE justin b

    Yeah, after having played Silent Hill 3, I bought Shattered memories, but was greatly disappointed. 4 was pretty good, though not as good as 3. Still looking for 1 and 2. It’s nice to hear you give some decent feedback on this game, I was hoping it’d be good, (As I’ve taken huge interest in the Silent Hill series and become a fan since December 2010) now I can continue looking into it with some confidence. :D
    Again, SH3, you can change the control type from 3D to 2D, making it handle just like the other SH games, and helping a great deal with evading and fighting monsters. You say you weren’t supposed to take out any monsters? Weird, I took out almost every monster out without too much trouble. Sorry, for some reason it just bugs me that you didn’t like SH3, especially when assuming you played with the game’s default control settings, and therefore for the wrong reasons. I recommend you try changing the control type and revisit SH3. You know, give the game play one more go. (;
    Anyway, one thing I’ve heard is that the reason the Silent Hill games have been degrading in atmosphere in recent years is that the original team making the games, known as “Team Silent”, was disbanded after SH4. Let’s hope the upcoming “Silent Hill 8″ I’ve heard about is good.

  • http://www.facebook.com/SuperMAIDS Paul Cook

    no one considers anything other than silent hill 2 the masterpiece! or maybe 1…never seen someone who doesn’t put 3 or 4 at the bottom of the pile.

    • Christopher Smith

      I loved 3 but I still like 2 the best because it was about the character, not the cult. I gotta admit that I wasn’t running away from the monsters in 3 a whole lot except when I just couldn’t be bothered to start shooting them repeatedly.

  • http://profiles.google.com/valsiak valentin ruiz

    i have only played silent hill 1 so i cant say mucha bout homecoming i have seen walkthroughs and i didnt like it its like that feeling of dread was gone not to mention that the previous silent hill games had monsters the reflected the fears or dark aspects of the minds of the characters so you could feel how personal these monsters where like i said i know bit about silent hill but i have only played the first one….in homecoming the monsters are there because…they can i guess like pyramid head i remember reading that pyramid head was a reflection of the repressed sexual impulses that the main character had in silent hill 2….so does the main character in homecoming have the same sexual feeling? i think not sorry this was so long is just my opinion i guess

  • http://profiles.google.com/valsiak valentin ruiz

    i have only played silent hill 1 so i cant say mucha bout homecoming i have seen walkthroughs and i didnt like it its like that feeling of dread was gone not to mention that the previous silent hill games had monsters the reflected the fears or dark aspects of the minds of the characters so you could feel how personal these monsters where like i said i know bit about silent hill but i have only played the first one….in homecoming the monsters are there because…they can i guess like pyramid head i remember reading that pyramid head was a reflection of the repressed sexual impulses that the main character had in silent hill 2….so does the main character in homecoming have the same sexual feeling? i think not sorry this was so long is just my opinion i guess

  • Brian Cole

    Nice discussion.  I had a very hard time with the difficulty in Homecoming.  That game kicked my ass repeatedly.  And it’s funny how you described your experience with Silent Hill 3, because I started off playing that game on hard and made it my business to not leave a single room until every monster was dead.  That’s how I played SH2 as well.  SH1 mostly, but then again SH1 was different than the later Silent Hill games.  I didn’t have that hard of a time with the combat in the earlier games, I found it be fairly direct, even when facing multiple enemies.  Homecoming, on the other hand, for me threw in so many new combat elements that seemed so hard for me to master.  I dreaded every monster encounter in that game because I knew I didn’t have many bullets and I knew if I went melee on them I’d get my head handed to me.  So yeah, that’s just how it went for me, and I do agree with you that maybe there isn’t much left to do with Silent Hill.  Now they’re making another one so I guess we’ll see how that goes.

  • Anonymous

    I was disappointed that Homecoming is basically about a splinter group of Samael worshipers… and the endings were very lame, indeed. But I think there is still one story that still could be told, a Silent Hill Zero, if you will. The story of the origins of the cult; it’s actual beginnings, who were the first people to start worshiping Samael, and why; it would be neat to have a medieval European city as the setting. Maybe the hero could even be a priest who sees his parish falling on hard times and turning to ancient folklore and whatnot, making deals with devils and such – typical fare of the time, except that one devil turns out to be real; maybe he manages to drive the Samael cult out of his town and they flee to the new world… I really like that concept. I’ve been curious about the origins of the cult since the first game, hoping with each sequel (and the psp prequel) to get more history on it… It drives me mad, I just gotsa know

    • Christopher Smith

      Silent Hill: Origins did explain the origins quite well but I disagree on the whole medieval exposition thing. It would ruin the mystery and the horror and just make it into an adventure game. Besides, Silent Hill isn’t all about the one cult-related story arc featured in SH1 and 3. SH2 is often regarded as being the best SH ever (and I agree) and it has nothing to do with the cult. Silent Hill should be different in every game and tailored to the protagonist’s persona and past. Kinda like what they could’ve done with the Halloween movie series.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_Q3JVLMX5FGSRFBB3C4HHCQFVHA Shadow

    The problem with Silent Hill is that if you were allowed to sandbox through the game you’d never really figure out where the eff to go. The locked doors etc was the game’s way of telling you you are in the wrong area, go somewhere else

    • Qoler Killen Jahn

      The problem with american made Silent Hill games*

  • http://www.facebook.com/StephanieMularz Stephanie Mularz

    Silent Hill Homecoming wasn’t terrible, now I must say that it was cliche to the film. Because of all the transforming into the “Nightmare World” (I’ll call it)
    It’s gameplay to me at first was horrible, I got to the Hotel and I seriously only had 1 health drink by the time that Sepulcher came in. I was screwed and doomed to have to replay the entire thing over again. There is NO way that you can continue on with the game in that shape.

    But as I kept playing it, it becomes a natural fighting form to you and then you begin to really get the hang of it, hell I had over 20 health drinks, 6 medipacks, and 2 serums by the final boss. (I find that impressive, but maybe it’s just me! XD)

    But I thought that everything in it was greatly designed, I mean check out the Silent Hill Wiki sometime and honestly the bosses were excellently plotted out, just down to the nitty gritty detail. Like how Scarlett’s design went where she was a doll with shaky joints because her father dismembered her. And how the very first cutscene of the game shows you how each child was murdered if you check in the shadows of the hospital. One of them getting strangled, dismembered and then thrown in a hole. It’s genius.
    Too bad that the rest of the game didn’t follow suit.

    But, my dear Jesus. Were those endings horrible…
    I even got the best ending even with the extra Josh scene in the end and I still felt cheated, even though that’s the best ending that they had to offer.
    I watched the rest of them on Youtube and I was happy that I didn’t do a playover. They were shit.

    And if I got the UFO ending on my first try, I would have thrown a chair at someone. But you know what, that’s even the BEST ending in the game. And if you’re joke ending is seriously better and more serious then your actual endings. You’ve got a problem cappin’.

    All of Homecoming’s endings, would make me feel like I did when I got the Eileen’s death ending from Silent Hill 4, all of that work for a kick right in the teeth. Nothing interesting, it’s just shit.

    But it’s not a bad game, just don’t play it for the ending. You’ll be immediately disappointed if you do.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Bruce-Kilkowski/583400802 Bruce Kilkowski

    Spoony, have played Silent Hill Downpour yet? It came out last month and actually has some sandbox-ish elements to it.

    • Semyon Vasylyev

      He’s going to fucking hate it :D

      • http://www.facebook.com/people/Bruce-Kilkowski/583400802 Bruce Kilkowski

         He’d probably run into some glitches and then complain about them for 45 minutes. :)

  • DraculaAlucard1

    The graphics in homecoming are better than deadly preminition, which should be on the DREAMCAST!

  • DraculaAlucard1

    Are you not supposed to get the UFO ending on your 1st try? I always hear complainsts that you can get the UFO ending on your 1st playthrough.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Mursa-ArtDragon/100001067306478 Mursa ArtDragon

    I actually had a story I’m writing, perhaps should make it a series of short stories. In a way its a fan fiction for silent hill, but the idea of it really solves that problem of you saying how many times can we go to the same town. The story for this is that the town is growing in power and its other world is spreading. People with tormented or messed up lives just have been disappearing. I was planning on writing it up but seeing how the games, movie and comics have been I am not sure if I should even bother. Would people even care to look at it after all the crap that has been poured out of the franchise?

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