I'm pretty sure if the game glitched or froze on you, you'd say you really liked it, since it added to the tension or something. :lol
---------
As for brandon's posts, there's nothing wrong with what he is saying here, it's just when you have far more replies than anyone, you can expect people's reaction to you to be more acute.
It's also pretty much a fact that if you're in a thread where people are praising a game left and right and you think it's a good but not great game that you'll sound like a 'hater' or 'troll', while if the thread is more of a bash fest you'll sound like the game's biggest fan.
Finally, I think the way you choose some of your words is a bit annoying to people. Truelize wrote a long post and no one seems to have picked on him. Same for my posts. And speaking of Truelize's post, I agree with him that the game feels like an SH-lite, like it would be more home as a handheld game or a digital download than a full game. Some nice ideas and overall cool execution, but lacking in certain key areas to make it feel like a full game.
whats the word on this game from people not so familiar with the previous silent hill games? i know about pyramid heads in haunted town and that's about it...is that ok? Haven't bought a wii game in forever and thought this sounded interesting.
I've never played one before and I really like it. From what I've read, you're probably better off having not played a Silent Hill before (no preconceived notions of what a SH should be)
I just think there's a multitude of ways that the scary stuff and plot information could have been handled aside from reducing literally everything to text messages and voicemails. Imagine if it didn't do that and you're exploring the ice world in the dark and you're in dead silence and then all of a sudden you get a cryptic text message. You're creeped out, you keep going, and then you get a voicemail which relates to the text message and it's creepy as shit. You don't think that would be more effective? Really? I fail to understand that. Instead the entire game is the same crap recycled over and over in the exact same manner and it's not very long into the game when you realize that it's essentially the only tactic they're going to use. To me, personally, that negates any sort of suspense or tension the otherwise nice atmosphere could have made for itself, but since the scares were incredibly predictable and redundant, thanks to the phone, I wasn't exactly moved to the edge of my seat.
There's just such a stale wash-rinse-repeat method going on and that's why I'm saying it's creatively bankrupt. There's no diversity in how things are presented thanks largely in part to the heavy reliance on the phone. I can't put it in better words. This is the best you will get out of me. If you're not satisfied with it just say so and I'll throw in the towel. :lol
Alright, I think I know where you're coming from, but I don't think you'll like my opinion of it. You're basically doing the equivalent of pointing out that you shouldn't be able to hear the space explosions in Star Wars. I mean, they should be able to figure out another way to provide epic atmosphere without needing sound in a vacuum, right? Yeah, if you REALLY want to boil it down to that, everything is controlled with the phone and they depend on voice messages and text messages to get the majority of their background and a bit of their creep factor across. You see, the noises that are made every time you take a picture of a "ghost" or come across one of those memory things, the sound is designed to instill a shallow sense of uneasiness, much in the same way a baby's cry almost universally aggravates or the sound of someone vomiting causes people to feel a bit nauseous. It's Pavlovian. Just because you can see through it doesn't mean everyone will. It's subjective, and just because it uses a mechanic that you're able to see through doesn't make it bad. Remember, Mario is basically run right and jump, but people seem to be fine with that. Most people aren't going to pay attention to, or even give a shit about if they notice it, that the phone is the one trick of the pony, as you're implying, just like they don't care that explosion shouldn't be heard in the vacuum of space. Pointing it out doesn't justify your complaints.
But on the same token, you shouldn't feel the need to. It's just a game, relax. I have no problem if you have complaints about the game. I can give a number of ways the game could be expanded and improved upon, but I also appreciate the game for what it is and don't really complain about what it is not. The latter is what I've perceived you to be doing. Yes, I get it, it's not as "good" as earlier Silent Hill games. I couldn't care less. I was trying to encourage you to enjoy the game for what it is, separate from other SH games, and from your praise of the game, it looks like you did to a point, but you seem to have some sort of need to associate it back to prior games. Don't bother, it's not worth the mindpower. Just drink the kool-aid and relax.
I've never played one before and I really like it. From what I've read, you're probably better off having not played a Silent Hill before (no preconceived notions of what a SH should be)
Shattered Memories requires zero knowledge of the Silent Hill franchise. The fact people are having such difficulty connecting it to the other games, and some people are disappointed that it's "not Silent Hill enough", just proves the point.
The only thing you wouldn't get is the joke ending. Every Silent Hill has at least one 'joke ending', and this references past games.
True, though but I swear that Climax just used the character names and car crash exposition just to mess with the heads of us series vets just that little bit more. :lol
I've been over at the Silent Hill Heaven spoiler forums a bit since completing the game and it's actually kind of sad to see the amount of effort those guys are going to to link the games together. It seems pretty common over there to believe that all four regular endings are actually
how Harry was in real life
whether the game actually shows them or not, which really doesn't jive with how
the story of my Harry
played out for me. Kinda ironic that a game series as ambiguous and as open to interpretation as Silent Hill has fans that are so desperate to form clear-cut canon...
I started another playthough last night and it's amazing how interesting the journey through the game is when you're doing it again after knowing what happens at the end. The game is full of memorable moments, and apparently there's a ton of stuff I didn't notice or didn't think was so relevant first time around.
Anyone notice that when the Raw Shocks catch you in the nightmares, they knock you on the ground... then seem to gently and lovingly stroke you!? Does that just happen the way my game is playing out?! Seems kind of relevant somehow, but I haven't seen anyone really mention it.
Anyone notice that when the Raw Shocks catch you in the nightmares, they knock you on the ground... then seem to gently and lovingly stroke you!? Does that just happen the way my game is playing out?! Seems kind of relevant somehow, but I haven't seen anyone really mention it.
Cheryl loves her father so much that her nightmares dont want to kill him, they want to keep him forever with them.
And I agree that the game takes on a new interest on a second playthrough. As I said earlier, it's amazing how
something as simple as the opening video recording changes perspective once you're finished. The whole game we're totally convinced this is a story about Harry and his quest for his daughter, so we relate everything to him, when in reality it's the other way around.
And yeah, it's sad how hard people are trying to tie it together. It's a reimagining. A series reboot. It doesn't have to tie to the rest of the series and nor should it. The more they try the more they seem like Zelda fans trying to tie that series together.
Besides, the game works tons better stand-alone anyway. No ideas or concepts to live up to beyond what it establishes itself.
Alright, I think I know where you're coming from, but I don't think you'll like my opinion of it. You're basically doing the equivalent of pointing out that you shouldn't be able to hear the space explosions in Star Wars. I mean, they should be able to figure out another way to provide epic atmosphere without needing sound in a vacuum, right? Yeah, if you REALLY want to boil it down to that, everything is controlled with the phone and they depend on voice messages and text messages to get the majority of their background and a bit of their creep factor across. You see, the noises that are made every time you take a picture of a "ghost" or come across one of those memory things, the sound is designed to instill a shallow sense of uneasiness, much in the same way a baby's cry almost universally aggravates or the sound of someone vomiting causes people to feel a bit nauseous. It's Pavlovian. Just because you can see through it doesn't mean everyone will. It's subjective, and just because it uses a mechanic that you're able to see through doesn't make it bad. Remember, Mario is basically run right and jump, but people seem to be fine with that. Most people aren't going to pay attention to, or even give a shit about if they notice it, that the phone is the one trick of the pony, as you're implying, just like they don't care that explosion shouldn't be heard in the vacuum of space. Pointing it out doesn't justify your complaints.
For me? Yes, it absolutely does. Just because you don't agree doesn't make my opinion any less valid.
Fact: the game relies on the cell phone, a lot, to present information and to be scary/creepy
Opinion: I don't like it
This is what I think you're really having a hard time understanding. I'm pointing out the fact that the phone is used for virtually everything in the game. The opinion is that I don't think it's good. You can disagree with that, I don't care, I'm not trying to convince anyone that I'm "right" or something and that no one should think it's cool. I'm not doing that. Do you see me doing that? If the cell phone is amazing to you and scares the pants off you, more power. I'm just saying that I think it's overdone and not effective in the slightest. Nobody has to agree. It's a discussion. I'm not convincing anyone of anything. Plenty of people in here love the game. That's awesome. I don't, but I like a whole lot about it. And I don't think the game should have relied on the phone so much. But that's just me. It's something I simply pointed out. It requires no justification whatsoever because the game justifies it quite plainly.
But on the same token, you shouldn't feel the need to. It's just a game, relax. I have no problem if you have complaints about the game. I can give a number of ways the game could be expanded and improved upon, but I also appreciate the game for what it is and don't really complain about what it is not. The latter is what I've perceived you to be doing. Yes, I get it, it's not as "good" as earlier Silent Hill games. I couldn't care less. I was trying to encourage you to enjoy the game for what it is, separate from other SH games, and from your praise of the game, it looks like you did to a point, but you seem to have some sort of need to associate it back to prior games. Don't bother, it's not worth the mindpower. Just drink the kool-aid and relax.
I do enjoy the game for what it is. Also, I think you made a lot of comparisons that don't really add up. You say that Mario is just running left and right and jumping. Well, it's a mindless platformer. Silent Hill has been long known for its creative horror instincts and not relying on cliche too often, and is anything but mindless. I'm not even comparing Shattered Memories' cell phone usage to the other games-- I'm not that dumb, there is no comparison. This critique has nothing to do with the other Silent Hill games, apart from the fact that they are far more original when it comes to scare tactics and art direction. I'm simply saying that the cell phone was overdone. Almost everything that happens in the game relates to the phone. I don't like this. I like for things to change up, for new ideas to keep springing out of the wetworks. Shattered Memories didn't really do that for me.
You don't have to convince me that this is a good game, because I already think it is. I just don't like how all the scary stuff was done through the phone. It has nothing to do with the fact that I think the earlier games are far more brilliant in the execution. I'm judging this game as a separate entity altogether because I don't think it's anything like Silent Hill apart from some clever storytelling. Therefore, I find it useless and pointless to keep comparing it to them, so I am not. I am complaining about this within the very context of Shattered Memories. I think it's a really repetitive, cheap, and ineffective way to present the horror aspects because it happens every time and I don't think it's particularly well done. That has nothing, whatsoever, to do with my opinions of the other games because I learned to stop comparing them long ago. I am criticizing the game on its own merits, and I don't like the cell phone overuse. It really is that simple so please stop associating what I say about this game to my appreciation of the older games.
Miburou said:
Finally, I think the way you choose some of your words is a bit annoying to people.
Are you talking to me? Because I had no such intent. In fact, I strongly believe that I'm one of the less "jarring" posters on GAF. Most people here will say that someone is straight up wrong/foolish about an opinion. I'm here explaining my opinions, in-depth, and not telling anyone they're wrong about theirs. In fact I'm thrilled that people love the game so much because hopefully that means that more will be made. Whatever keeps the franchise alive, for better or for worse.
True, though but I swear that Climax just used the character names and car crash exposition just to mess with the heads of us series vets just that little bit more. :lol
I've been over at the Silent Hill Heaven spoiler forums a bit since completing the game and it's actually kind of sad to see the amount of effort those guys are going to to link the games together. It seems pretty common over there to believe that all four regular endings are actually
how Harry was in real life
whether the game actually shows them or not, which really doesn't jive with how
the story of my Harry
played out for me. Kinda ironic that a game series as ambiguous and as open to interpretation as Silent Hill has fans that are so desperate to form clear-cut canon...
I started another playthough last night and it's amazing how interesting the journey through the game is when you're doing it again after knowing what happens at the end. The game is full of memorable moments, and apparently there's a ton of stuff I didn't notice or didn't think was so relevant first time around.
Anyone notice that when the Raw Shocks catch you in the nightmares, they knock you on the ground... then seem to gently and lovingly stroke you!? Does that just happen the way my game is playing out?! Seems kind of relevant somehow, but I haven't seen anyone really mention it.
Raw Shocks? Is that the name of those creatures in the nightmares? My knowledge of Silent HIll is pretty low, but I thought they were the similar creatures from the Silent HIll movie called Grey Children, but they weren't grey obviously. They are like children running and trying to catch you, play tag.
Almost done. Nearing the end of the mall. I'll finally have some opinions to post after putting this off for a few weeks. 6 inches of snow on the ground gives you some time to work with.
Almost done. Nearing the end of the mall. I'll finally have some opinions to post after putting this off for a few weeks. 6 inches of snow on the ground gives you some time to work with.
I sort of wish I would have waited to play the game until last night because we got a pretty bad snowstorm... driving back from seeing Avatar really, really sucked. :lol
Hey brah, Eternal Darkness already used that type of gimmick and they were pretty cheese.
I guess it's about letting the game immerse you though, and part of my immersion comes from seeing films that I feel this game resembles. Considering my positive association with the films, I think it's pretty cool to be thrust into a well-constructed experience that mirrors those films. Yay fun.
Ok, so I need time to digest everything and get a greater sense of how much the game will stick with me. That having been said, I can't lie - I loved it despite some early trepidation and issues with the overall atmosphere.
I restarted the game after getting to the high school specifically because my mind was so set on completing Assassin's Creed 2 that I just wasn't into playing Shattered Memories at all (which is strange considering Silent Hill has always taken precedence over any other game I'm playing). I completed AC2 last week though and I promised myself I would finally sit down and play through the game. That started last night at about 11pm and finished up this evening.
The game isn't perfect by any means. It has very specific trial and error issues that crop up during the chase sequences. It's too bad because those sections are by the far the most tense. They also evoke the best of that "old school" Silent Hill atmosphere. I'll be honest, they didn't at first but by the time you reach the hospital and start getting a sense of how the game is progressing they work REALLY really well. Two examples come immediately to mind.
The sequence after the bridge collapses was one of the best in the whole game. Also, the entire labyrinth sequence showcasing Harry's own descent (VERY reminiscent of Silent Hill 2!)
is fucking superb. Easily one of the best sequences in the series proper if you ask me.
Outside of the chase sequences, I really enjoyed the focus on exploration and puzzle solving. Though I do feel those sequences take far too much time to build up to "creepy" moments like the
solution to the art studio and the phone call that follows
. Those are a bit too few and far between for my tastes and while the town is wonderfully crafted from a visual standpoint - it absolutely lacks the character and sheer otherworld nature featured in the first three games of the series. Though I must that I liked how Climax turned each area featured in the first game on its head. Turning the
Balkan Church
into a nightclub was a minor stroke of genuis if you ask me .
I personally felt the cell phone integration was key to the overall experience but I do somewhat agree that there is an over reliance on the device to present the creep factor. It becomes a bit too telegraphed and if Climax has the opportunity to create another entry in this series they need to put more focus on the art direction and presenting twisted imagery/symbolism to help make players uncomfortable outside of taking creepy photos and "echo" moments. Still, there's some great back story elements presented via the cell phone and even some smaller side story stuff that helps to deepen the overall history of the town.
Which brings me to the story which is by the far the games strong suit. I have a hard time believing Sam Barlow wrote this game. He also wrote Origins which I thought was terribly derivative and uninspired. He's made up for it here as this is an incredibly emotional and heartfelt tale. I haven't kept up with this thread because I didn't want to be spoiled but did read someone make the comment that the story isn't interesting until the finale. Boy do I disagree. Each character in this game actually has meaning much in the same way that Eddie and Angela gave certain insights into James' search for his wife. This is an extremely layered tale that I don't want to place amongst the other titles in the series just yet but will likely end up as one of my favorites (though I can say it falls short of the masterpiece that is Silent Hill 2).
The visuals are extremely strong for the platform featuring excellent lighting effects, solid character modeling (it's sad that this game puts Homecoming to shame in that regard) and overall quality presentation. The music, while not Yamaoka's most listenable outside of the game itself - works beautifully in the game proper. The Wii motion controls are thankfully not an obstacle to achieving your goals in-game. They are responsive and even when gimmicky they add to the overall gameplay nicely.
To make a long post short (too late!), this is a quality game and quality Silent Hill experience (yeah, I said it). I would love for Climax to have another opportunity to build on what they presented here. It's not perfect but it's pretty damned great if you ask me. How it ranks in the series for me will take some time and likely another playthrough or two.
I guess it's about letting the game immerse you though, and part of my immersion comes from seeing films that I feel this game resembles. Considering my positive association with the films, I think it's pretty cool to be thrust into a well-constructed experience that mirrors those films. Yay fun.
Too true buddy. I for one am a huge fan of horror films, both good and bad. Personally, I mean if I made a top 10 best films ever made, Halloween would be on there somewhere. The level of craft is absolutely insane. When Michael comes out of the storage room parallel to the refrigerator where Bob is, that is the most well-executed "jump scare" of all time. I don't think it could ever be topped.
But yes, the Silent Hill games borrow a lot from some of the better horror films like Jacob's Ladder but mostly from literature such as Dante's Inferno. Silent Hill 2 masterfully pays homage to Dante's Inferno and it is a thing to behold. Truly spectacular. I think Shattered Memories is more or less along the works of David Lynch than something like Jacob's Ladder; Shattered Memories didn't give me an "evil" vibe but rather a more Twin Peaks or even Twilight Zone association. Sure, it's evident that I enjoy cult plots because, I don't know cults just weird me out and I think in the fictional setting of Silent Hill, what the cults practice and what they attempt to accomplish within the confines of a town with such a rich, diverse, but troubled and even horrific history creeps me out because in the context of Silent Hill you feel that these cults can actually make things happen, drawing on the violent and even devilish, if you will, aspects of the lore of Silent Hill. That fascinates me, as a horror fan, run-on sentences aside.
The reason Silent Hill works for me is because it doesn't so much focus on the ritualistic meanderings, but rather giving me that atmosphere that goes along with it. What's scarier than exploring a creepy building? Exploring a creepy building inside a town that bleeds pure evil. It's sort of, for me, what you know about Silent Hill-- not so much the actual storylines in the game, but rather the foundation itself and putting players in the shoes of a character who must brave this place, both physically and psychologically. Playing as a regular Joe is fantastic because you can have enemies that Marcus Fenix would laugh at, but Harry Mason or James Sunderland would find terrifying. And thus, you as the player find it terrifying as well. I just think that this is what makes Silent Hill great, and what makes the series work on a level of horror for so many people and that's because they provide so much context and information, painting very ugly and horrific pictures of this place that you are thrust into and you just get this feeling that you cannot leave Silent Hill until Silent Hill tells you that you can. You feel that no matter what you accomplish, discover, what mysteries you solve, what bizarre creatures you put a bullet through; even if you go in, find what you're looking for, you're not mentally free from the confines of the town. It's a place of evil, but it's also a symbol of personal torment, a place that dictates who you are as a person and ultimately judges you. It doesn't matter what you do there, but instead what choices you make, how much soul-searching you do, what sins you have committed in the past and whether or not you can prove yourself enough to convince whatever power is keeping you there to let you go.
But, to get back into Shattered Memories...
Silent Hill is not a surface-level series. doomed1 is completely, 100% accurate in his analysis that it's all subjective, but because he's right about that, it also means that people will perceive the games in their own way; it works for some because perhaps they can relate to it, but it may not work as well for others, like myself, who has their own ideas of what kind of horror works and what doesn't. It is subjective, which is exactly why I have dealt out more issues and complaints with the title than others have. I don't think anyone is wrong to disagree. I think you're wrong in telling me that the game doesn't rely on the cell phone for virtually everything, because it does; that's the means in which Climax chose to present their game. On that level they did a great job. However, that doesn't mean I have to like it simply because it was their intention. It's not a flawed idea; conceptually speaking I think it could have been handled a lot better. I think they had the right idea with the art studio puzzle.
Once you complete the puzzle, you get call and someone tells you the door is open.
That to me is the single most creepy moment in the entire game. There's a bold sense of mystery to it, for starters: who said that? Is someone watching you, following you? It's a great moment and perfectly utilizes the cell phone involvement in a very Silent Hill-like way. Unfortunately this is basically the only circumstance that I think it's actually creepy, outside of the initial "You have to run, daddy, you can't fight them!" moment because you're in a panic and confused about the world changing around you, so that was effective. What I'm trying to say here is that things are most effective to me when it works underneath a specific context; I just found that too often in the game, it was too predictable and that takes the fear out of the equation in my experience.
I think Shattered Memories is a very cool game. What the story does is truly brilliant and worthy of the name. The atmosphere can be incredibly spooky at times, most notably the forest section. The controls are great and fluid. The cell phone, naggling aside, is handled well on a technical level. It's a very touching game as well, I really felt connected to the characters and that's always a plus. All of these things combined explains why I think it's a very good game. But after this, and Origins, I think Climax really needs to take what they know, and take what they've experimented with, and really get down and dirty and make a truly phenomenal, unforgettable Silent Hill experience. Take what they've learned, chisel out the flaws (flaws to me!), work in what they've did correctly and make even better. They have a great, dedicated team. I felt that while playing the game and for me to say, well, that's an honor to them. They have the tools and the talent, I just don't think they have made a game that fully utilizes their know-how and their capabilities yet.
And yeah, it's sad how hard people are trying to tie it together. It's a reimagining. A series reboot. It doesn't have to tie to the rest of the series and nor should it. The more they try the more they seem like Zelda fans trying to tie that series together.
Well, you should really blame Climax for that, then. Not only does the game use many characters and locations from SH1, but hell it even briefly mentions that Cheryl was in Portland for a short while, something also mentioned in SH3 about Heather.
Well, you should really blame Climax for that, then. Not only does the game use many characters and locations from SH1, but hell it even briefly mentions that Cheryl was in Portland for a short while, something also mentioned in SH3 about Heather.
Are you talking to me? Because I had no such intent. In fact, I strongly believe that I'm one of the less "jarring" posters on GAF. Most people here will say that someone is straight up wrong/foolish about an opinion. I'm here explaining my opinions, in-depth, and not telling anyone they're wrong about theirs. In fact I'm thrilled that people love the game so much because hopefully that means that more will be made. Whatever keeps the franchise alive, for better or for worse.
I also wanted to mention that I really loved the ice motif and how it fit into the overall story. I'm sure my interpretation of it will differ from others but I felt it was
Cheryl's memories of her father and her distorted view of him as her inevitable savior "frozen in time" if you will. Frozen in her own mind of course but the nightmare sequences always feature a moment from Cheryl's past. Whether it be her parents arguing in the cabin in the woods. Her father taking her to the hospital and playing her song on the radio. Or even her indiscretions with her teacher in school.
I know some felt early on that the switch to ice was almost arbitrary. After having completed the game, I don't think that's the case at all.[/spoiler]
Again, I'm surprised by how layered and effective the story is here.
Miburou said:
And Futurevoid, nice impressions, but I think you should spoiler tag some of that, to be honest.
And why did they need to "re-imagine" SH1 in the first place? There are 6 games in the series (and only 3 are really related), so it's not like making a new one is a no-no and they can only "re-imagine" it. Maybe it's easier to base the characters and locations on existing ones, or maybe having it called a "re-imagining" would garner more interest than being a new entry, but I'd rather if this game wasn't superficially based on SH1.
I played 20-30 minutes of this on a break from another little game and I got to the part where I had to do the full body waggle and I died three times. I did move beyond that. I was in the cop car trying to roll down the frigging window and it kept getting stuck. There's something disorienting about the way this game moves...it's like the camera is on a bobblehead.
I played 20-30 minutes of this on a break from another little game and I got to the part where I had to do the full body waggle and I died three times. I did move beyond that. I was in the cop car trying to roll down the frigging window and it kept getting stuck. There's something disorienting about the way this game moves...it's like the camera is on a bobblehead.
Well, you should really blame Climax for that, then. Not only does the game use many characters and locations from SH1, but hell it even briefly mentions that Cheryl was in Portland for a short while, something also mentioned in SH3 about Heather.
No, the fans are to blame, because they're the ones that keep doing it despite it being coined as a 'reimagining' from the day it was announced.
No matter how you swing it it's a reimagining. It's fine to debate whether or not the characters/setting should have been the same despite so many changes, or if they should have just started from scratch, but the reality is they didn't and have made no attempt to hide it.
Typically it's the over-enthusiastic fans that try and tie stuff together in the most obscure and retarded ways. They're usually the same people who'll get hugely disappointed when stuff doesnt work out.
Maybe people just need to stop and listen to the people who made the game. It's a videogame. It doesnt need to abide by continuity laws.
Typically it's the over-enthusiastic fans that try and tie stuff together in the most obscure and retarded ways. They're usually the same people who'll get hugely disappointed when stuff doesnt work out.
Silent Hill games are probably the biggest target of such activity I've seen in the gaming community. Sure, there are people who try to tie zelda's timeline together, or the ones who take non-direct information as complete fact in SotC/Ico, but the stuff that goes on in the Silent Hill community at times is a bit crazy. Although it is fun to speculate on what could possibly be there(SH games are pretty vague about many things), it always seems to go a bit farther than with other gaming series'. I guess that it is part of the charm..er...draw rather(charm is such a terrible word for this series lol), but damn.
just listened to geekbox from two weeks ago where they talk about the 1up review on this game. never heard two review editors so misinformed about what they're talking about...
That argument has long past though. That's something I accepted a long time ago. And what's wrong with arguing about whether or not it's scary? It's Silent Hill. Scary is sort of the name of the game here.
And all the arguments have had valid points all over the place, on both sides. It's not a bunch of posts reduced down to "its not scary." I went into pretty extreme detail about why I think it isn't and some people went into extreme detail about why they think it is. I can't see anything wrong with it.
Okay the planetarium puzzle/thing is just cool. The whole use of the wii remote/idea is just brilliant. Also, we've (my GF loves watching) and I've really begun to appreciate the random phone numbers left around the world. At this point, we're super convinced what direction the story is going to take although THE TWIST reactions from this thread make me think there's something else lurking. I honestly called an
incestual
occurrence right after you see go into the Wonderland.
Man that 2nd chase sequence really frustrated me, I kept running in circles. I wish they hadn't had multiple paths in the chases, half the time when I went towards the blue stuff, I'd go down an alternate path backwards and wind up back where I started. And whenever I take out my map I get jumped by those skinless crackbabies, grrrr D:
Man that 2nd chase sequence really frustrated me, I kept running in circles. I wish they hadn't had multiple paths in the chases, half the time when I went towards the blue stuff, I'd go down an alternate path backwards and wind up back where I started. And whenever I take out my map I get jumped by those skinless crackbabies, grrrr D:
Use the sound of the static and the distortion on the wii mote and screen and lookbackwards to gauge if you are being followed closely. Also turn off yer flashlight really helps, makes it harder for the monsters to see you. IF you can find a road flare, light er up, and pull out the map in that time to get your bearings.
Finally finished it about 10 minutes ago, started playingyesterday afteroon. I'm blown away. After several hours I didn't like it very much, the chasing sequences started to turn me off but I've stayed and I am confident that it was the right decision. Although I've liked SH4 (very much) I've never finished the fifth one, the combat was so unenjoyable that i didn't have the patience to stick with the story despite everything. But this time it really paid off. I always loved the SH series but I've never fully loved it's occult aspect. Climax did what I've always wished for, eliminating that side was the wisest choice they have made. I can't fully accept the absence of figthing, but it was a welcome, altough very rough change. And the soundtrack is nowhere as good as before, that's a shame. But everything else is suberb, the "minigames", the super easy but extremely creative puzzles (the art studio blew my mind away) and the story are really on par with the series best effort, SH2. And for me it's the 2nd or 3rd best SH (SH2-Sh1-and this). Well done, please let these guys do the next iteration.
I just started the game and haven't really done anything, but man, what a great first impression. The controls are so natural, this is exactly the kind of shit I wanted on the Wii. They seem tailor made for me, I've just been walking slowly through the environment swinging the camera around and reading/examining everything. I wish every Silent Hill was like this. The atmosphere is incredible, I hope the gameplay doesn't get in the way later.
Michelle wears a dull brown dress. Her club had a red colour tone. Dahlia was a total bitch in the car and we never discussed Cheryl. I also didnt notice you could perv on Lisa when she goes to change, watching her in her underwear. In her return she did not call me a nice guy this time :lol.
I just started the game and haven't really done anything, but man, what a great first impression. The controls are so natural, this is exactly the kind of shit I wanted on the Wii. They seem tailor made for me, I've just been walking slowly through the environment swinging the camera around and reading/examining everything. I wish every Silent Hill was like this. The atmosphere is incredible, I hope the gameplay doesn't get in the way later.
The fact that almost every sign in the game has legible letters is one of the best things ever
EatChildren said:
Fourth playthrough . Some stuff that has changed;
Michelle wears a dull brown dress. Her club had a red colour tone. Dahlia was a total bitch in the car and we never discussed Cheryl. I also didnt notice you could perv on Michelle when she goes to change, watching her in her underwear. In her return she did not call me a nice guy this time :lol.
Use the sound of the static and the distortion on the wii mote and screen and lookbackwards to gauge if you are being followed closely. Also turn off yer flashlight really helps, makes it harder for the monsters to see you. IF you can find a road flare, light er up, and pull out the map in that time to get your bearings.
I can't seem to pull out my map when I have the flare lit. I've been going to the map when I get a flare, but before lighting it. Then if I hear enemies approaching as I put the phone away, I'll use it.
I can't seem to pull out my map when I have the flare lit. I've been going to the map when I get a flare, but before lighting it. Then if I hear enemies approaching as I put the phone away, I'll use it.
I forgot about that. Erm well... the only trick is to run for your life, experiment and try to get some semblence of what looks familiar and try not to repeat yourself when running through doors... master the ability to shake those enemies off if they do grab you. The trick I just figured out last night is to move your wiimote/nunuck in the direction of where they grapple on to you from. If they jump on you from the front, you push the wiiote/nunchuk in that direction as an example.
I also beat the game myself for real too. The character interacitons are a little different depending on what choices you make an answer in those questions with the psychiatrist. I am playing through a 2nd time answering differently in session and going to alternate rooms I didn't try before etc
I've only gotten in about an hour and a half but this game is great. I'm fully exploring all the environments, chewing on the side-stories and trying to find out as much about the story and place as possible. So far, Climax has done an amazing job breathing life into this fictional place. Also, I noticed how the game starts in a very red/rusty scrap metal dump, kind of actualizing the transfer from the rusty Nightmare realm of previous games into the icy Nightmare of Shattered Memories. I'm definitely reading far too much into this. :lol
I got scared on the first Nightmare scene, and I'm just about to start the second one. I do wish there was more potential for sneaking, it would've been a great way to build tension.
Okay, I just beat it. Played it in a day, not because it was short, but because I was addicted.
So, what the hell? I agree with Destructoid on this one. The best SH game I've played was SH2, and that was for the story. SH:SM has definitely raised the bar, with great presentation, deep allegory, and a believable
(tee-hee)
script. The controls were never cumbersome, the chases were always nerve-wracking without being frustrating, and though the game wasn't outright scary, it was chilling and creepy. Also, I played this game with headphones on, which ups the scare factor considerably.
Since everyone is talking about the story:
I was convinced the game was heading in one direction, with Harry having a sexual, incestuous relationship with old Cheryl to have their new child, also named Cheryl. There were plenty of clues too that seemed to suggest that, which was why the red herring at the end really did throw me off. The psychological warning at the beginning of the game had me rolling my eyes until the credits when the Doc typed out an amazingly accurate description of my personality and inner turmoils.
So, in conclusion, Wii Game of the Year and a great game that could obviously disappoint SH diehards, but, as an adventure fan and a gamer with a strong interest in the narrative powers of videogames, SHSM was nearly flawless. I don't see how the length can be too much of a complaint, the game is obviously set up for multiple playthroughs.
Got this a few days ago and I haven't had a chance to really dig into it. I got passed the second therapy session and was enjoying it, but I fear it might turn into one of the games that I wait too long to jump back into and never finish.
I'm way behind on reading this thread, but from the bits and pieces that I've read, I'm really shocked at how many people are loving this game. I mean, I just don't get it. Even putting aside the argument about if this game is "Silent Hill" or not, is it really that great of a game? Obnoxious chase sequences, and when outside of those dumbed-down exploration and not really a lot going on beyond that. I'm also very, very surprised by how many people are loving the story.
Shattered Memories was, to me, like the Home of Tomorrow at Disneyland. Interesting to walk through and see all of the different things put in place for you to look at, but not really much of an amusement ride beyond that. Comparisons now to Silent Hill 2, or even say it's better? The world really has gone nuts.
Truelize wrote a long post and no one seems to have picked on him. Same for my posts. And speaking of Truelize's post, I agree with him that the game feels like an SH-lite, like it would be more home as a handheld game or a digital download than a full game. Some nice ideas and overall cool execution, but lacking in certain key areas to make it feel like a full game.
