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Silent Hill Downpour |OT| Rain, Rain, Go Away

Hmm... is it really rank-time? I guess. What the hell.

1. Silent Hill 2
2. Silent Hill
3. Silent Hill 3
4. Silent Hill 4
5. Silent Hill Origins
6. Silent Hill: Shattered Homecoming
 

Combichristoffersen

Combovers don't work when there is no hair
This is why we should have a community thread :p

SH2 > SH1 > SH3 > 0rigins > SH Orphan 1 and 2 > SH 4 > Shattered Memories > Play Novel > Homecoming
 
I caved like a bitch. Ordered. Should be here either Tuesday or Wedensday.

I caved too, last night - no qualms about it anymore. I fucking need a Silent Hill game in my life right now.

Also, has anyone had experience playing the PC version of SH4? I'm thinking about trying to find it. I thought I remember reading it was no good though.
 
A 7 sounds good. Erection starting to tighten......I haven't played a good SH in ages. I'm fiending.

Gameinformer's review isn't a positive read with quotes like this.

Silent Hill: Downpour is a more balanced effort, but an unfocused story, miserable combat, and general lack of creepiness restrict the game to a limbo of mediocrity.

I don't regret my time with Silent Hill: Downpour, but mediocrity hung over most of my playthrough like a fog.
 

kunonabi

Member
What bugs were in Silent Hill 4? How was Silent Hill 4 broken? I mean I played the game ages ago on the Ps2, but I never encountered any game breaking bugs, nor did I ever consider the game broken. You are using words that don't even apply to the game.

I can understand anyone having "issues" with escort missions, escorting Eileen wasn't something I had intentionally been looking forward to, but she never wandered, she never got stuck in geometry on the map and she was always right behind you to go through the doors/loading screens.

Its like we played entirely different games.


SH4:

There is the invincibility glitch with the axe's charged attack.
Terrible item detection in the room and occasionally in the rest of the game. I placed a candle right in front of a haunting to get rid of it and nothing happened. I assumed I had misread the info so I never bothered trying it again. This led to the room becoming super haunted. This wouldn't have been much of a problem since I would just run in, save, and leave. Of course this was assuming the game would actually let me save since it loved to just ignore my clicking on the save point. I'd have to sit there and mash on the button and hope it would activate before I got myself killed. A similar thing happened late in the game with the refrigerator.
There is the wild, swinging camera that loves to get hung up behind walls for no good reason. That is bad enough but you add the non-tank controls and get a lot of cheap deaths and running in circles. Something that was also quite common when dealing with smaller rooms.
I ran into far more bugs and freezes in SH4 than I ever did with any other game in the series. Hell, I ran into more problems with SH4 than I did AiTD by a large margin.

Eileen would see a monster and instead of following me she would just run back 15 feet and sit there. It was just impossible to get her to do anything with any sort of obstacle in the way. It made trying to get anywhere quickly a complete pain in the ass.
There is also the multitude of terrible design decisions in regards to the controls,the inventory, framerate issues, terrible default audio levels, poor memory card optimization, etc.

This is only a small fraction of the things I found abysmal about SH4. The whole thing was a mess from start to finish. Origins was awful but at least I didn't have to fight the game every step of the way.

Lists?

SH1 > SH3 > SH2 > >>>>>SM > Homecoming = Origins >>>>>>SH4
 

Dusk Golem

A 21st Century Rockefeller
On Game Informer, I've said it before but for comparison:

They gave Silent Hill Downpour a 7/10.
They gave Silent Hill 1 a 7/10.
They gave Silent Hill 2 a 7/10.
They gave Silent Hill Origins a 7/10.
They gave Silent Hill 4 a 8/10.
They gave Silent Hill 3 a 8.25/10.
They gave Silent Hill Shattered Memories a 6.25/10.
They gave Silent Hill Homecoming a 6/10.

Different reviewers, but something to keep in mind.
 

Combichristoffersen

Combovers don't work when there is no hair
Also, has anyone had experience playing the PC version of SH4? I'm thinking about trying to find it. I thought I remember reading it was no good though.

I completed it (although I ended up using a trainer jut to be done with the game). There were no major problems with the PC version from what I can remember, besides videos being locked at 30 fps and the controls being sorta clunky with m+kb, since the game was designed with a controller in mind. I'm reinstalling SH4 right now to see what it'll look like on my current desktop PC.

Edit: Used copies of SH4 PC go for ~$23 on Amazon and eBay
 

Dusk Golem

A 21st Century Rockefeller
I completed it (although I ended up using a trainer jut to be done with the game). There were no major problems with the PC version, besides videos being locked at 30 fps and the controls being sorta clunky with m+kb, since the game was designed with a controller in mind.

Trust me, it's still pretty clunky with a controller.
 
I completed it (although I ended up using a trainer jut to be done with the game). There were no major problems with the PC version from what I can remember, besides videos being locked at 30 fps and the controls being sorta clunky with m+kb, since the game was designed with a controller in mind. I'm reinstalling SH4 right now to see what it'll look like on my current desktop PC.

Let me know. I remember hearing there were issues where the game was just a black screen or something weird. I'd pick it up if it works on Windows 7, don't mind the KB/M thing...Its the only SH I havent played yet.
 
SH4:

There is the invincibility glitch with the axe's charged attack.
Terrible item detection in the room and occasionally in the rest of the game. I placed a candle right in front of a haunting to get rid of it and nothing happened. I assumed I had misread the info so I never bothered trying it again. This led to the room becoming super haunted. This wouldn't have been much of a problem since I would just run in, save, and leave. Of course this was assuming the game would actually let me save since it loved to just ignore my clicking on the save point. I'd have to sit there and mash on the button and hope it would activate before I got myself killed. A similar thing happened late in the game with the refrigerator.
There is the wild, swinging camera that loves to get hung up behind walls for no good reason. That is bad enough but you add the non-tank controls and get a lot of cheap deaths and running in circles. Something that was also quite common when dealing with smaller rooms.
I ran into far more bugs and freezes in SH4 than I ever did with any other game in the series. Hell, I ran into more problems with SH4 than I did AiTD by a large margin.

Eileen would see a monster and instead of following me she would just run back 15 feet and sit there. It was just impossible to get her to do anything with any sort of obstacle in the way. It made trying to get anywhere quickly a complete pain in the ass.
There is also the multitude of terrible design decisions in regards to the controls,the inventory, framerate issues, terrible default audio levels, poor memory card optimization, etc.

This is only a small fraction of the things I found abysmal about SH4. The whole thing was a mess from start to finish. Origins was awful but at least I didn't have to fight the game every step of the way.

Lists?

SH1 > SH3 > SH2 > >>>>>SM > Homecoming = Origins >>>>>>SH4

LOL! All melee weapons made Henry invincible on his charge up move, and it was brilliant because it allowed you to smash enemies through their attack animation without receiving damage. Thank God as well, because the mechanic in place needed to allow Henry to complete his animation it made some hairy encounters much more manageable.

How is that a glitch with the candles in the room? The Room has specific points that the Candles could be placed at, for e.g in the main area if there was a ghost on the wall you could not put the candle on the desk with the pictures. For. e.g you'd have to put it on the floor by the peep-hole to Eileens room. You just had to find the sweet spots.

If you were taking damage and couldn't find the right spot for the candle put on a medallion and you won't be hurt.

As far as I remember there was no shoddy item detection in the worlds, you always knew where they where and how to interact, due to the fact Henry turned his head and looked directly at them.

Lol. Your gameplay experience sounds completely different to mine. Eileen only attacked enemies when I attacked them, or if the Ghosts were nearby and I had a medallion on which forbade them from attacking me.

I can see how the camera might be an issue, but the camera was an issue in all of the SH games. However SH4 chose to have the cam "move" slightly. It wasn't totally static, and jumped by frame unless there was load to that "sector" It was an entirely different engine and so was the camera.

Different yes. Broken no.
 

Combichristoffersen

Combovers don't work when there is no hair
Let me know. I remember hearing there were issues where the game was just a black screen or something weird. I'd pick it up if it works on Windows 7, don't mind the KB/M thing...Its the only SH I havent played yet.

Just started it, seemed to run fine on Win7 x64, but there's no higher resolution than 640x480 available (I tried setting it to the only other option, which was 400x300 or something like that, but then the game crashed and got hung up on a black screen), so the game obviously doesn't look too hot. I'll see if there are any patches that allow for running the game in higher resolutions.

Edit: By moving or deleting a .dll file you can actually get the game to run in 1024x768, but it's possible to tweak it for even higher resolutions; http://silenthillforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=14825
 
Just started it, seemed to run fine on Win7 x64, but there's no higher resolution than 640x480 available (I tried setting it to the only other option, which was 400x300 or something like that, but then the game crashed and got hung up on a black screen), so the game obviously doesn't look too hot. I'll see if there are any patches that allow for running the game in higher resolutions.

Edit: By moving or deleting a .dll file you can actually get the game to run in 1024x768, but it's possible to tweak it for even higher resolutions; http://silenthillforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=14825

Thank you! Guess I should pick it up while theres a copy available.
 

Combichristoffersen

Combovers don't work when there is no hair
Thank you! Guess I should pick it up while theres a copy available.

I tried that tweak, and I don't know if I might have messed up somewhere in there, but I couldn't open the door to get out of Henry's bedroom, but I got noclip mode instead, so I could walk through walls :lol I'll try it again tomorrow.
 

Combichristoffersen

Combovers don't work when there is no hair
Thats the issue I was hearing about.

It worked fine when running in 1024x768 though, so if you're fine with that resolution, the game should work, I guess.

Edit: Double checked, and 1024x768 works like a charm. Also, if you've got some software for your mouse that allows you to set mouse sensitivity for games (like Logitech SetPoint), be sure to crank up mouse sensitivity for the game, or else your movement will be painfully slow. And a word of advice: just play it on easy. Some of the enemies are a horrible pain in the ass due to the clunky controls.

Amyome know how long the game is, and are there difficulty modes? I really want tot cruise through the game in a few play throughs and would prefer it to be on easy mode.

It took Dusk Golem 14 hours to complete the game, without doing all the optional side quests. And there are separate difficulty settings for combat and puzzles.
 

Adam Prime

hates soccer, is Mexican
Amyome know how long the game is, and are there difficulty modes? I really want tot cruise through the game in a few play throughs and would prefer it to be on easy mode.

.... Okay just read some posts. Yall are crazy for not putting Shattered Memories higher, crazy.
 
On Game Informer, I've said it before but for comparison:

They gave Silent Hill Downpour a 7/10.
They gave Silent Hill 1 a 7/10.
They gave Silent Hill 2 a 7/10.
They gave Silent Hill Origins a 7/10.
They gave Silent Hill 4 a 8/10.
They gave Silent Hill 3 a 8.25/10.
They gave Silent Hill Shattered Memories a 6.25/10.
They gave Silent Hill Homecoming a 6/10.

Different reviewers, but something to keep in mind.

it's always worth keeping in mind that Silent Hill games tend to average between 7.5 and 8.5. only Homecoming falls outside of that at 7.0 ish, to date. so i never really read ANYTHING into reviews in the franchise. we love, and hate, the best and worst games in the series way more than reviews would suggest.
 

Drewfonse

Member
Really wish we'd get some more impressions of Downpour from those who have played it. It might help keep the thread on track.
 

kunonabi

Member
LOL! All melee weapons made Henry invincible on his charge up move, and it was brilliant because it allowed you to smash enemies through their attack animation without receiving damage. Thank God as well, because the mechanic in place needed to allow Henry to complete his animation it made some hairy encounters much more manageable.

How is that a glitch with the candles in the room? The Room has specific points that the Candles could be placed at, for e.g in the main area if there was a ghost on the wall you could not put the candle on the desk with the pictures. For. e.g you'd have to put it on the floor by the peep-hole to Eileens room. You just had to find the sweet spots.

If you were taking damage and couldn't find the right spot for the candle put on a medallion and you won't be hurt.

As far as I remember there was no shoddy item detection in the worlds, you always knew where they where and how to interact, due to the fact Henry turned his head and looked directly at them.

Lol. Your gameplay experience sounds completely different to mine. Eileen only attacked enemies when I attacked them, or if the Ghosts were nearby and I had a medallion on which forbade them from attacking me.

I can see how the camera might be an issue, but the camera was an issue in all of the SH games. However SH4 chose to have the cam "move" slightly. It wasn't totally static, and jumped by frame unless there was load to that "sector" It was an entirely different engine and so was the camera.

Different yes. Broken no.

I never once had the camera get stuck behind a wall in SH1-3 completely blocking my view. I never had to fiddle with it all. SH4 was a constant struggle and never worked as well. SH4 is honestly the only game I've ever actually thought that the camera was a problem. I'm actually super forgiving when it comes to 3D cameras.

I would click exactly on an item and it would not register it on multiple occasions. The save point in the room and the refrigerator in the apartments were just the worst offenders.

I've heard that not giving Eileen a weapon minimizes her stupidity but the damage was done by the time I heard about it.

Other people have had these problems so it isn't just some mythical run of bad luck for me. I've tried going back and seeing if I'm too harsh but each time I end up hating the game more. That's all I'm saying about SH4.
 

Persona7

Banned
LIST


Silent Hill 3 PS2

Silent Hill 3 PC

Silent Hill

Silent Hill 2

Silent Hill 4

Silent Hill Homecoming

I like all the games above
The games below are my least favorite in the series, but I still liked them to some point.

Silent Hill origins

Silent Hill Shattered Memories
 

Ahasverus

Member
Homecoming was not bad, it was just superficial.

Kept playing the game, 5 hours and every moment I'm more impressed, these guys are really creative, they know how to keep things rolling, the storyline is getting incredibly intriguing and there are some references that are making my Silent-fan nerve tickling. Puzzles are really varied, they keep this game alive. Locations are CRAZY.

As a day one Silent HIll fan, I'm officialy in love.
 
Sigh.... lots of misinformation even in Brandons OP. Not every weapon in SH4 was breakable. From the top of my head alone, there was the Pipe, Axe , Baseball bat and I know I'm missing more; and none of those weapons were breakable, and depending on which weapon animation was more suited to your style of combating the beasties ( the Pipe was an arcing-swing, the Axe was a step and smash ) is the weapon you normally stuck with. If I remember well only the Golf-clubs and bottled weapons could be broke, someone else can help me incase I missed anything else breakable.
 
Sigh.... lots of misinformation even in Brandons OP. Not every weapon in SH4 was breakable. From the top of my head alone, there was the Pipe, Axe , Baseball bat and I know I'm missing more; and none of those weapons were breakable, and depending on which weapon animation was more suited to your style of combating the beasties ( the Pipe was a arcing-swing, the Axe was a step and smash ) is the weapon you normally stuck with. If I remember well only the Golf-clubs and bottled weapons could be broke, someone else can help me incase I missed anything else breakable.

what should I fix?
 
what should I fix?

Mmmm. Nothing I suppose, just the way its worded left me crabby. SH4 definitely isn't like Origins were basically 98% of any meele weapon can be busted, that left Henry scrambling around rooms throwing jelly jars, sardine tins, and pantry wares to use as bludgeoning tools. Some weapons were breakable in SH4 but it wasn't an ingrained mechanic into the system like Origins.
 
SH1>SH4>SH2>SH3

The second was a good experience but a slog to actually play. I have a lot of love for The Room. I have spent the past couple of years regarding the third as not very good. I however just recalled the car "revelation" scene and some of the plot was good. Still disappointed in the story overall though.
 
Destructoid said:
Downpour's intricate interiors are stunning in their spookiness. Murphy's journey will take him through a
subterranean tourist attraction, a twisted orphanage, and a demented apartment complex
full of intense set pieces and truly terrifying seqeuences. One moment
Pendleton will be stuck in a prison cart, dragged through a mocking representation of his old jail. Another moment, he'll be on a rail car, with creatures howling at him from rocks as an automated narrator explains the history of Silent Hill's old mine shafts
. Downpour brings back that "ghost train" feeling of classic horror games, where grand set pieces and unnervingly atmospheric arenas are punctuated with the occasional self-indulgent jump scare. It's an intricately crafted roller coaster created by a studio that clearly respects the series and remembers what used to make horror games great.

dear god

hold me

I've missed this feel bro
 

Vrakanox

Member
Since others are doing their ratings I'll do mine.

2>4>1>3>Origins(no big gaps here I loved these games)>Homecoming(would play again if bored)>SM(probably wouldn't play again but I didn't hate it either).

I'll be honest in saying that for me there really hasn't been a "bad" silent hill game.
 

Vrakanox

Member
"Downpour is as close to old-school survival horror as a mainstream retail game has gotten in a long time, and could possibly be allowed to get away with. "

from the destructoid review. i am sold.
 

~Kinggi~

Banned
If it turns out this is the good shit hopefully the series doesnt jump ship to yet another developer. Vatra seems like maybe things would work with them.
 
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