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[MiniDitka]

The arrow key. on right right. Not the backspace but the one below it. Enter basically.

Geez! how many questions do you have to answer? Thanks btw.

Edit:Finally :lol

 

[Cosmozone]

Nice to see impressions confirming the game is not bad at all. Too bad I have to wait till February. And the chase sequences are apparently the way I expected them to be. :-/
I at least hoped you could turn the blue stuff off. The no-combat/chase approach has potential, but obviously it hasn't been fully utilized. I'm thinking about the lines of stealth gameplay and more seamlessness that could've been used to improve things. Sure it's their first try on the concept, but on the other hand, the original SH1 nailed it's own new concept right from the start so they have to take stick over it.
(I hope that last sentence was correct English, I had to look up the last phrase).

 

[brandonh83]

You get a real workout when enemies jump on you. I mean it's almost like you're really throwing them off. Like, really. This game is a good horror game + Wii Fit all rolled into one.

 

[SlasherJPC]

You get a real workout when enemies jump on you. I mean it's almost like you're really throwing them off. Like, really. This game is a good horror game + Wii Fit all rolled into one.

Felt the same way. "Get the fuck off" I screamed!

 

[brandonh83]

So far I've both liked and disliked the chase sequences. Some have been pretty easy, and some are like... incredibly difficult to maneuver. It's hard to find your way through some of them and the map waypoints are pretty useless since you don't really have much room to stop and check the map, and the map itself is very sketchy.

As an update, the game has gotten considerably better since last time I reported. Some creepier stuff has happened, the storyline is getting absolutely bonkers, and there have been some...

and I need to space this word out and bold it --

INCREDIBLE

set pieces. I've said "wow."

 

[SlasherJPC]

So far I've both liked and disliked the chase sequences. Some have been pretty easy, and some are like... incredibly difficult to maneuver. It's hard to find your way through some of them and the map waypoints are pretty useless since you don't really have much room to stop and check the map, and the map itself is very sketchy.

As an update, the game has gotten considerably better since last time I reported. Some creepier stuff has happened, the storyline is getting absolutely bonkers, and there have been some...

and I need to space this word out and bold it --

INCREDIBLE

set pieces. I've said "wow."

How far are you now?

 

[brandonh83]

Spoiler

I'm doing the radio puzzle after the Alchemilla chase sequence. I know what to do, I just stopped playing there for a bit

 

[SlasherJPC]

Spoiler

I'm doing the radio puzzle after the Alchemilla chase sequence. I know what to do, I just stopped playing there for a bit

Ok cool, I'd say you have about another two hours or so. I'm almost done with my third playthrough lol. I'm rushing it though.

 

[brandonh83]

Ok cool, I'd say you have about another two hours or so. I'm almost done with my third playthrough lol. I'm rushing it though.

While it's pretty good so far, if it doesn't blow my mind from here on out I'm going to roll up my sleeves.

 

[SlasherJPC]

While it's pretty good so far, if it doesn't blow my mind from here on out I'm going to roll up my sleeves.

The ending might blow you away. Seems 50/50

 

[Hiltz]

double post :/

 

[Hiltz]

I called my local GameStop earlier today and the employee said that their store had the game in stock. So I go there and the same guys says " Do you want it used or new?" and I replied "The game is a new release, I called earlier today about it" and then he says "Oh, the game doesn't come out until December 9th."


Thanks GameStop.



Are there any bosses in the game by any chance ?

 

[SlasherJPC]

I called my local GameStop earlier today and the employee said that their store had the game in stock. So I go there and the same guys says " Do you want it used or new?" and I replied "The game is a new release, I called earlier today about it." and then he says "Oh, the game doesn't come out until December 9th."


Thanks GameStop.



Are there any bosses in the game by any chance ?

No bosses.

 

[Hiltz]

What about the monsters ? Are there more monsters in the game besides those pink humanoid creatures ?

 

[SlasherJPC]

What about the monsters ? Are there more monsters in the game besides those pink humanoid creatures ?

Not really, just different variations of said pink creature.

 

[Hiltz]

Not really, just different variations of said pink creature.

Thanks.


It sure seems like Shattered Memories is quite a big depature from the traditional Silent Hill games. Being a newcomer to the franchise, I suppose that's both a good and a bad thing.

 

[MiniDitka]

Nice rack on her though :lol

 

[brandonh83]

It's getting... better. Though I'm lost now pretty bad.

Spoiler

I'm at the amusement park and have no clue what to do.

 

[SlasherJPC]

It's getting... better. Though I'm lost now pretty bad.

Spoiler

I'm at the amusement park and have no clue what to do.

Your right at the end there. Not sure how your stuck.

 

[brandonh83]

HOLY FUCKING MEGA JESUS CHRIST PLOT TWIST BATMAN

 

[Ridley327]

HOLY FUCKING MEGA JESUS CHRIST PLOT TWIST BATMAN

 

[Jocchan]

 

[Ridley327]

But I'm not a racist!

 

[brandonh83]

Here goes. Final analysis of playthrough one. Parts are going to be shortened because I've already touched on them before.

The story, while well thought out-- aside from the amazing twist-- did nothing for me at all. It's not scary in the slightest, the scares got incredibly repetitious, a lot of the characters are quite pointless, including Lisa, I didn't feel the storyline escalating to any sort of climax because there wasn't really a climax at all, it's basically you doing the same things over and over until you get to the plot twist, and then roll credits.

It was extremely fun to play, had fantastic visuals for a Wii game and while it started with nice atmosphere it quickly ran stale and never changed at all. The chase sequences were incredibly obnoxious, not very fun at all, and have you mindlessly scrambling to find the exit point. When enemies gang up on you it's almost impossible to get them off, and this leads to some serious headaches at times.

Remember how it was fun to explore the hospitals and schools and malls and apartments and such? Forget it. You do a bit of exploring but there's not nearly the amount of environmental detail of the previous games. Most of the environments are incredibly linear paths, and there's no exploration in the icy hell because as soon as that happens, you're running around like a moron trying to find the way out. There's tons of missed opportunity there-- one of the great things about the series was exploring the dark world, but here, you have to run, run, and run some more and hope with blind luck that you choose the right doors and paths. They do nothing creative, anywhere.

All in all, it's a good horror title, but a piss poor Silent Hill game and that's still unforgivable to me. shidoshi is not wrong in his analysis-- everything he said was true and I commend him for explaining his position on the series. As I said, it's a very good horror game, probably the best on the Wii, but it has too many shortcomings and missed opportunities for me to be extremely positive. There's a lot of cool things to love, and there is a seriously mind-blowing twist at the end, but the end comes way too soon and there's no satisfying plot build up.

Finally, I was very disappointed that the game didn't really add its own lore/backstory to Silent Hill. There's a lot of detail about the various places you visit but there's no cool information about the town, the story doesn't allow you to get immersed in the town, its locations or its characters like the previous outings, and the game lacks the abstract nature that the series is known for, though near the end it starts to show some creativity in that department, but it begins too close to the end, and never has any time to develop.

Final pros and cons:

Pros

• great Wii visuals
• awesome, lonely atmosphere
• interesting story bits
• plot twist
• gets decidedly more abstract near the end

Cons

• not scary
• chases are terrible
• no ice world exploration
• very little environmental variety
• nothing added to Silent Hill lore

brandonh83 score: 6.5/10

 

[EatChildren]

Hypothetically, if the 'Silent Hill' franchise didn't exist and this game were stand alone, how would your criticisms change?

I ask as I know a few people who will find this their first 'Silent Hill' branded game. I'd like to hear opinions of the game as stand-alone, regardless of any connection to the franchise or quality and style it is suspected to live up to.

 

[brandonh83]

The problem is that it IS a Silent Hill game, and that can't be ignored. It's not my fault that they named it Silent Hill. That's the title, that's what it is, no way to cut corners around it.

But let's say that this is the first Silent Hill game ever. Just for make believe. I still don't think it would be scary. The chase sequences would still be annoying. However, if I didn't have anything to measure it up against, I would say it's a pretty good horror game. It's incredibly repetitive and never bothers to try to do anything remotely terrifying, and that's a shame, but if you get a kick out of exploring dark rooms in which nothing ever happens except the same ghost child shadow popping out of nowhere with incredibly annoying sound effects, okay.

So no, even if it were something totally new, I'd still have a vast array of problems with it, but I will stand by the fact that it was a fun horror title with interesting concepts, cool puzzles, and one of the best twists in gaming history.

 

[comedy bomb]

it's a very good horror game, probably the best on the Wii

You can't call it the best horror game on the Wii and then give it a 6.5

 

[EmCeeGramr]

The problem is that it IS a Silent Hill game, and that can't be ignored. It's not my fault that they named it Silent Hill. That's the title, that's what it is, no way to cut corners around it.

Yeah, it fits that title by being a horror game produced by Konami, set in a town called Silent Hill. It's not Team Silent's Silent Hill, because Climax isn't Team Silent and they're not trying to make Team Silent's Silent Hill.

It's like comic books: certain properties like Batman have been handled by dozens of different writers and authors, each with their own original style and interpretations of the basic premise. You could look at two books and see nearly every element and interaction in the universe being given totally different treatments. But both books would still be "Batman."

 

[brandonh83]

Thanks for the heads up, EmCee.

Anyway, pray tell, what are some great Wii horror games that I would give something higher than a 6.5 to? I would like to play them.

Some questions:

Spoiler

-why did the world shift to an icy dimension? was this ever explained?
-what was the point of Lisa dying?
-what was the point of the Michelle and John characters? they were just there because they used to know Cheryl or something I suppose?

 

[comedy bomb]

Thanks for the heads up, EmCee.

Anyway, pray tell, what are some great Wii horror games that I would give something higher than a 6.5 to? I would like to play them.

You'd rate Dead Space Extraction or the Resident Evil games lower?

 

[EatChildren]

The problem is that it IS a Silent Hill game, and that can't be ignored. It's not my fault that they named it Silent Hill. That's the title, that's what it is, no way to cut corners around it.

Thanks for the response.

And yes, it can be ignored. You cant, I cant, and others certainly cant but for some this will be the first Silent Hill game they play, with no access to or desire to go and play the others.

It's easy to say that it doesn't live up to the Silent Hill name, and it's a valid and just criticism, but if people are not going to experience anything else they need analysis of the game as stand alone.

This is just one of many problems with reviews. They're totally subjective. The response you and shidoshi have given are totally valid, and probably true, but they're pretty much useless to 'new' Silent Hill fans. And lets face it, as a Wii game there's going to be plenty.

That's why I asked how it rates as a stand-alone game. As said, I know a couple of people who have never played a Silent Hill game before. I've raved about the franchise, but they dont really care for going back and playing the older games. They're not that intense as gamers and really just want something new and fun.

They like the sound of Shattered Memories, like the ideas, and are hoping to have fun. Hence why someone who loves Silent Hill might sit back at the end and say "Well that was bullshit", and someone (like these people I'm talking about) might absolutely love it.

Luckily, for me, the game seems to be exactly as I expected; Silent Hill in names and some themes, but overall pretty new in execution and concept, and despite its flaws (both relative and isolated from the SH franchise) its still a fun game. Thankfully I can get past the whole franchise thing more than most, so I'm still looking forward to it.

 

[brandonh83]

You'd rate Dead Space Extraction or the Resident Evil games lower?

Those are on-rails shooters, not exactly what I would call horror games, as in they don't really try to be scary outside of... monsters popping out and you aiming a cursor at them.

And, we're really getting into semantics here. I tried to explain what I thought of the game, I've actually beaten it now, and I'm still sort of taking some shit because of my stance.

As a Silent Hill game, it's disappointing.
As a horror game in general, it's still disappointing.

Is that better? How else can I put it? What you guys are asking for is an opinion from someone who either has never played Silent Hill, or has and doesn't give two shits about the franchise. I don't fall into either category. All I can offer is up what I thought of the game, regardless of my background with the series and viewpoints. I can't bend my perceptions any more than I already have, and I tried to be as objective, fresh, and open as humanly possible.

 

[ThatObviousUser]

OK I'm out. Brandonh's reaction to the ending is enough to get me to unsubscribe from this thread until I get it. :lol

See y'all after Christmas.

 

[RyanDG]

I'm about two hours into the game and though I'm a lot happier with it then I expected I would be, I do have one major complaint right now...

Whoever made the decision that the game's combat needed to be removed made a bad, bad choice. I don't need AK-47s and bazookas, but if I had crazy pink things chasing after me, why in the world can't I pick up some of the random trash that is lying around the street and bash them in the head with it when they get to close. I know that the first reaction in me would encourage me to run away as fast as I can (I think everyone's would), but in a game as based on a 'psychological' profile as this one seems to be, why in the world do they leave out one of the most basic psychological stress tests (ie, fight or flight) when ultimately it could have possibly led to an even greater development of how the game uses the profile against you? (A different approach to the game if you are more encouraged to run away or stand your ground).

Heck, even if you didn't want to have us being able to 'kill' the enemies, borrow something from Penumbra and at least give us more interaction with them in a non-icy nightmare world and give us the illusion of defensive weapons. There is a lack of tenseness to the game that seems to be due primarily to the non-roaming monsters in the normal town and the lack of combat or any real defensive choices in the icy world.



Edit - I should probably mention this - I understand that Silent Hill has never been about the combat 100%. The combat was broken in a lot of ways, and difficult to use effectively. But that unwieldiness also gave it a bit more of a visceral feel that this game lacks. James smashing the head of a monster after beating it with a led pipe was disturbing. Harry kicking a child monster in the school was disturbing. The nurses following your light when you had it on and being attracted to it, forcing you to swing a pipe in the hopes of creating a break in their paths in the hospital was disturbing.

Most of the time a lot of the encounters resulted in you running anyway, but the choice was there and it provided you a means of escape if overwhelmed (ie stun them with a blow and run to the nearest room).

I really think the game is missing something from the lack of it, even if the series was never about the combat.

 

[Dynamite Ringo Matsuri]

Review

While I appreciate the time that you took to write this review to inform the rest of us, you probably should have taken some time to allow your thoughts on the game to fully gestate, because the many incongruous points you make remind me of Dan Hsu's Gears of War review.

 

[brandonh83]

While I appreciate the time that you took to write this review to inform the rest of us, you probably should have taken some time to allow your thoughts on the game to fully gestate, because the many incongruous points you make remind me of Dan Hsu's Gears of War review.

I see that people love my opinions when they're positive, but when I get negative, they're completely null :lol

I tried, guys. I barely liked the game overall, but what I hated about it, I really, really hated and I don't see that changing. I hated that the game wasn't scary, and it's not, and that's not something that can be fixed over time because I have experienced what's there, and what's there isn't scary at all. I hated the fact that there's not a good third act, and the game magically won't develop one on subsequent playthroughs. I hated the fact that the icy dimension isn't explorable and that the monster encounters are incredibly obnoxious. That's not something that will change, either.

 

[Ridley327]

I don't think anyone has suggested that, really; just that it's hard for anyone to know how they really feel until they let it sit for a while. Going with gut reactions tends to miss some of the finer details, be they good or bad. For example, if I went with what I felt immediately after playing it, I would have had a dislike for SH2.

 

[brandonh83]

I don't think anyone has suggested that, really; just that it's hard for anyone to know how they really feel until they let it sit for a while. Going with gut reactions tends to miss some of the finer details, be they good or bad. For example, if I went with what I felt immediately after playing it, I would have had a dislike for SH2.

Nah I understand, it's cool. But I did approach the game from the viewpoint that so many suggested and I just felt that it still came up very short of the mark.

 

[Dynamite Ringo Matsuri]

I see that people love my opinions when they're positive, but when I get negative, they're completely null :lol

I tried, guys. I barely liked the game overall, but what I hated about it, I really, really hated and I don't see that changing. I hated that the game wasn't scary, and it's not, and that's not something that can be fixed over time because I have experienced what's there, and what's there isn't scary at all.

Like I said, I've enjoyed reading Slasher's and your impressions as I (as well as many other GAFfers don't have access to a copy of the game) but so many of your opinions are at opposing ends, and it just comes across as strange to read. On the one hand, it's an extremely fun game, and yet it's also obnoxious, and tedious; it's got fantastic visuals, and yet it lacks environmental detail; the story is very well thought out with a shocking conclusion and yet it did nothing for you; it's a very good horror game, and yet it's disappointing overall. You can see where I'm going with this. It just seems like you're really conflicted and don't know how you really feel about the end product which is why I think you should have waited a bit longer, or reflected more on it to have a more concrete stance on your experience.

 

[EmCeeGramr]

As I said, it's a very good horror game, probably the best on the Wii, but it has too many shortcomings and missed opportunities for me to be extremely positive.

However, if I didn't have anything to measure it up against, I would say it's a pretty good horror game.

So no, even if it were something totally new, I'd still have a vast array of problems with it, but I will stand by the fact that it was a fun horror title with interesting concepts, cool puzzles, and one of the best twists in gaming history.

As a horror game in general, it's still disappointing.

It was extremely fun to play

I barely liked the game overall

Look, I'm not trying to jump on you here, and if you honestly dislike the game then that's fine, but I think part of the reason people are jumping on you is that you did a 180° from "Extremely fun to play, very good horror game, has problems," to, "Barely liked it, disappointing horror game."

 

[brandonh83]

I understand that it read as sort of jumbled. I'll explain better.

It's fun in that it plays very well and the controls are fun and unique. Overall it's a positive gameplay experience. But the chase sequences are very annoying, so when you're not in one of those situations, it's good.

The game isn't scary but I still feel that as a horror title it's interesting and has an overall cool story, therefore I think aside from its problems, it's still a good horror game.

The visuals are technically great, but it lacks any sort of distinct art direction, resulting in bland environments. They look good, technically, they're just not interesting.

The story did nothing for me overall because I don't really think a lot of things that happened throughout the game had much impact on the narrative. But at the same time, the conclusion was well executed with a very unpredictable twist, I just wish more of the story was fleshed out.

Hope that explains it a bit better. I am conflicted that, in a sense, it's both a solid horror game and a disappointing one. I think the best way to explain myself is that... it's a good horror game, but it's not scary, and while that huge aspect is disappointing, it still had just enough going for it that I would say that, compared to most other non Silent Hill horror titles, that it's pretty good. I think something can be both good and disappointing simultaneously. Disappointing doesn't mean that it's overall bad, just that I felt that it could have been so much more, but that doesn't make it a bad game.

 

[scitek]

I would love to go back and play Silent Hill 2 and 3, but they're $40-60 a piece used at my local Gamestops. I don't like paying that much for used games, so I don't think I'll ever get around to them. Maybe I can find a deal on them on eBay or something sometime. Which one was released on Xbox, too, 3? Was that version any good?

EDIT: Ah it was SH2 that was also on Xbox.

 

[Ridley327]

I would love to go back and play Silent Hill 2 and 3, but they're $40-60 a piece used at my local Gamestops. I don't like paying that much for used games, so I don't think I'll ever get around to them. Maybe I can find a deal on them on eBay or something sometime. Which one was released on Xbox, too, 3? Was that version any good?

First, SH3 wasn't released on the Xbox, though SH2 was. Second, if your PC is up to the task, it's easier to get the port of SH3; it's a lot cheaper than tracking down the PS2 version these days. For SH2, the non-greatest hits version on PS2 is pretty common, but you would want to be looking for the greatest hits version as that has all of the extras of the Xbox game with better performance. Avoid the PC port of SH2 if you can; it's a bitch to get working on a computer and it's a crappy port on top of that.

 

[EmCeeGramr]

I understand that it read as sort of jumbled. I'll explain better.

It's fun in that it plays very well and the controls are fun and unique. Overall it's a positive gameplay experience. But the chase sequences are very annoying, so when you're not in one of those situations, it's good.

The game isn't scary but I still feel that as a horror title it's interesting and has an overall cool story, therefore I think aside from its problems, it's still a good horror game.

The visuals are technically great, but it lacks any sort of distinct art direction, resulting in bland environments. They look good, technically, they're just not interesting.

The story did nothing for me overall because I don't really think a lot of things that happened throughout the game had much impact on the narrative. But at the same time, the conclusion was well executed with a very unpredictable twist, I just wish more of the story was fleshed out.

Hope that explains it a bit better. I am conflicted that, in a sense, it's both a solid horror game and a disappointing one. I think the best way to explain myself is that... it's a good horror game, but it's not scary, and while that huge aspect is disappointing, it still had just enough going for it that I would say that, compared to most other non Silent Hill horror titles, that it's pretty good. I think something can be both good and disappointing simultaneously. Disappointing doesn't mean that it's overall bad, just that I felt that it could have been so much more, but that doesn't make it a bad game.

Well that explains it better, and if that's how you feel then it's how you feel. But you have to admit, your history talking about this game and your love of "classic" Silent Hill does shade your opinions and how other people perceive them, even if you yourself tried to be objective.

 

[brandonh83]

I deeply apologize that I screwed up my analysis as I did, and it's my fault for not being clear enough. The criticisms over my posts are completely warranted. However, I just think I used words and phrased things in ways that only made sense to me, and not any sense to others. Sorry about that, my bad. But I hope I explained it more precisely.

Well that explains it better, and if that's how you feel then it's how you feel. But you have to admit, your history talking about this game and your love of "classic" Silent Hill does shade your opinions and how other people perceive them, even if you yourself tried to be objective.

But should that be used against what I think? Really? I was completely open-minded, even very favorable of the game when I was first playing it. But that sort of faded away and I was left with what I consider to be an overall mediocre game with some truly bright spots here and there. I don't think my background with the series really matters here; I'm arguing that there are some very stale and bland elements of the game, as well as very bad elements, nothing of which I believe relates to what I feel about the series at all. No, I don't think the game is scary, but I don't think I would think it's scary even if I hadn't played the others. I just think that every criticism I have toward the game is completely genuine despite my past with the franchise.

 

[EmCeeGramr]

I deeply apologize that I screwed up my analysis as I did, and it's my fault for not being clear enough. The criticisms over my posts are completely warranted. However, I just think I used words and phrased things in ways that only made sense to me, and not any sense to others. Sorry about that, my bad. But I hope I explained it more precisely.

It's not really a big deal. :lol

 

[EatChildren]

I see that people love my opinions when they're positive, but when I get negative, they're completely null :lol

I tried, guys. I barely liked the game overall, but what I hated about it, I really, really hated and I don't see that changing. I hated that the game wasn't scary, and it's not, and that's not something that can be fixed over time because I have experienced what's there, and what's there isn't scary at all. I hated the fact that there's not a good third act, and the game magically won't develop one on subsequent playthroughs. I hated the fact that the icy dimension isn't explorable and that the monster encounters are incredibly obnoxious. That's not something that will change, either.

I'm very happy to hear your opinions, along with shidoshi, I'm just saying they're subjective. I can see exactly why some people really didn't like shidoshi's review; it focuses on what it could/should be relative to Silent Hill. It's a valid topic, but not a universal one; to some it's relation to the franchise is meaningless, they just want the game to be good either way.

Horror is another thing. I think it was someone here who found the chase sequences to be quite intense and scary. That doesn't mean you shouldn't complain about them, it just means it's subjective. Will I? Who knows, but what I can say is that 99% of the 'horror' in Silent Hill games I find far more interesting and stylish than actually scare me. The Silent Hill games generally dont 'scare' me at all, but I still love them as I love the horror themes and horror art.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that while opinions are valid, I see this being a very similar affair to games like Resident Evil 5 and Fallout 3. For some they're great games, for others they're weak because of the changes they make to franchise staples, and for then some the changes ultimately dont matter as they want something different.

As said, I'm still looking forward to it. I appreciate the feedback.

 

[scitek]

Is SH4 worth playing? I see that one cheap everywhere.

 

[brandonh83]

I'm very happy to hear your opinions, along with shidoshi, I'm just saying they're subjective. I can see exactly why some people really didn't like shidoshi's review; it focuses on what it could/should be relative to Silent Hill. It's a valid topic, but not a universal one; to some it's relation to the franchise is meaningless, they just want the game to be good either way.

Horror is another thing. I think it was someone here who found the chase sequences to be quite intense and scary. That doesn't mean you shouldn't complain about them, it just means it's subjective. Will I? Who knows, but what I can say is that 99% of the 'horror' in Silent Hill games I find far more interesting and stylish than actually scare me. The Silent Hill games generally dont 'scare' me at all, but I still love them as I love the horror themes and horror art.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that while opinions are valid, I see this being a very similar affair to games like Resident Evil 5 and Fallout 3. For some they're great games, for others they're weak because of the changes they make to franchise staples, and for then some the changes ultimately dont matter as they want something different.

Completely agreed. I think for me I end up scared because of how stylish and interesting it is; the context gets my brain going and the atmosphere combined with the rich diversity of sound effects completely unnerves me. Shattered Memories doesn't really ever do anything like that.

scitek: SH4 is awesome. I think it's problematic in some aspects but it's pretty twisted.

 

[Ridley327]

Is SH4 worth playing? I see that one cheap everywhere.

SH4 has a neat story that unfortunately requires you to play it. The only gameplay bits that really work are when you're in the apartment. Cool soundtrack, though; Tender Sugar is the shit.