Anyone ever play Silent Hill?

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qoncept
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This game has always bothered me. I loved the first few Resident Evil games and everyone else loved Silent Hill. But I thought it was one of the worst games I've ever played.

It was a survival horror game, built on the premise of being scary. It had all the creepy environments and monsters you'd expect, but then a radio that warns you before anything is about to scare you? WTF?

I could never quite put my finger on it. But I played all the way through the first one and about half of the second (and watched a buddy play the rest) and both games were basically the same thing.. boring Resident Evil knockoffs, ruined by a single stupid decision.

To people that like this game: how?

10-03-12 15:58 #

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DoomUK
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qoncept said:
a radio that warns you before anything is about to scare you? WTF?

For me, that only enhanced the atmosphere of the games and made every monster encounter more ominous.

I love Silent Hill.

10-03-12 16:16 #

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Mr. Freeze
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I like the story, the atmospherics, the characters, and the music. Dear lord, the music in the first game is absolutely terrifying.

I don't like that after SH4, all the games became a copy of SH2 (complete with a BIG TWEEEST), and the franchise got two movies.

10-03-12 16:38 #

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Technician
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Silent Hill 1 through 3 are great games. I haven't bothered with any of the newer Americanized games. I feel the franchise has run it's course.

The movie was a complete botch-job and I'm not really looking forward to the second.

Last edited by Technician on 10-03-12 at 17:16

10-03-12 16:42 #

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neg!ke
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Guess one could say Silent Hill is more abstract and psychologial horror, while Resident Evil follows mainstream horror themes.

I only played the beginning of SH1 on the PS, but the whole of SH2 on the PC twice (which is considered the highlight of the series afaik). What I like most is the strong vibe of weirdness or alienation throughout the game. You never know if you're in reality or the nightmare, always uncertain what's going to happen next. The enemies reinforce this as they aren't just slimey monsters like elsewhere, but often strange and deformed creatures whose origin is totally inexplicable, which makes for their creepiness.

The radio noise amplifies the tension. You know something's coming or going to happen, but not what or from where, so you're on the edge everytime the noise starts.

10-03-12 16:47 #

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Six
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On Silent Hill 3 you start off in a shopping mall which gradually turns into this dark decaying death ridden place. This was my first introduction into the series and that was like love at first sight for me.

The underground station following the mall scared the shit out of me a little bit back then. I'd love to experience the feelings i did on first play through once more, but sadly i've played it way to many times since.

10-03-12 17:04 #

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DoomUK
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Technician said:
The movie was a complete botch-job and I'm not really looking forward to the second.

I thought it was the best attempt to date at capturing the essence of a game in a film. Though considering the history of films based on games, that's not much of an accolade I'll admit.

10-03-12 17:52 #

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vinnie245
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The first 2 Silent Hills to me will always be the best Horror games of all time along with the RE Remake.
The monster design, environments, deliberate pacing, MUSIC and plotlines really give it it's own atmosphere and feeling.
The radio was perfect in building up tension and going to the otherworld was always a nailbiting treat.
The Silent Hill movie was OK but i always vote Mortal Kombat as the best game to movie adaptation.

10-03-12 18:35 #

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Chex Warrior
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I played Silent Hill 1-4 and loved them all, haven't played the new ones.

As far as the movies go... I enjoyed the first movie except for the weird and dumb ending, I'm going to see the new one just because its Silent Hill.

10-04-12 02:08 #

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hellothere231
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Never did, and never plan to. I don't like scary things. They get me all the time.

10-04-12 03:42 #

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Mr. Chris
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Loved 1 through 3, 4 was OK, Homecoming was eh and haven't played Downpour due to lack of a next-gen console. If it's anything that gets me it's the combination of the tense, moody music and the psychological horror built around you (where am I, what is this, etc) in the games that makes it a little slower paced and enjoyable than Resident Evil series.

I still have the original CD for SH1 and really should get back to playing it again.

10-04-12 04:45 #

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Bucket
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Didn't play the first one, and I feel going back to it now would be pointless. Maybe some day I'll watch a LP or play the inevitable remake.
Played a bit of 2, 3 and 4 a long time ago. I don't exactly have a good setup right now.
I really liked Shattered Memories.

10-04-12 06:01 #

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Ralphis
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Bucket said:
Didn't play the first one, and I feel going back to it now would be pointless. Maybe some day I'll watch a LP or play the inevitable remake.

The feeling of dread from the first Silent Hill cannot be felt by watching a video of it. I really feel like the hardware limitations of the Playstation contributed to the horror in the first game. The heavy fog and lower resolution really helped up the freakiness, especially considering you had to rely on your ears so much.

I had nightmares for years from the first Silent Hill as a kid and still get uncomfortable when I hear fire sirens late at night.

10-04-12 08:17 #

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qoncept
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Ralphis said:

The feeling of dread from the first Silent Hill cannot be felt by watching a video of it.

The only "feeling" I got while playing Silent Hill was that everyone involved with the decision to have that stupid radio in the game should not have a job anymore.

What really blows my mind is how awful I thought the game was contrasted with how universally praised it is. Surely someone else must think it wasn't good.

10-04-12 15:24 #

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DoomUK
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I'll be honest, it's a pretty lame reason to disparage the whole game(s). I'm sure there's someone out there who hates Doom because of a similarly petty quibble, but they're obviously wrong :p

10-04-12 15:53 #

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Six
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qoncept said:

The only "feeling" I got while playing Silent Hill was that everyone involved with the decision to have that stupid radio in the game should not have a job anymore.

The whole concept of the radio (as already stated) was to create suspense to the player that something threatening is close. What it is, who knows? It generates a new level of atmosphere that obviously doesn't pull all audiences in as it seems, it's something you have to be really involved with to experience the tension maybe.

qoncept said:

What really blows my mind is how awful I thought the game was contrasted with how universally praised it is. Surely someone else must think it wasn't good.

There's probably thousands out there, but really if you're quite insistent on your opinion of the series being bad, why care at all about who likes it? It's all about personal taste.

10-04-12 16:35 #

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qoncept
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Six said:
There's probably thousands out there, but really if you're quite insistent on your opinion of the series being bad, why care at all about who likes it? It's all about personal taste.

Well, part of it is because I'd say "the first one was awful, is the new one good?" and get a "yeah." But then it was the same thing. ;)

Every one in a while when I don't like something I find out there was some aspect I missed or something I misinterpreted or whatever. So I like to probe. Sometimes I'll find something, other times (it looks like this time), no.

Other mysteries:

- Why do people even remember Event Horizon, let alone think it's the scariest movie ever?

- Uh.. I had something in mind here but can't remember. Maybe I'll edit this post later.

10-04-12 17:56 #

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Six
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Just a little tip though; the radios, you can turn them off.

10-04-12 21:54 #

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Clonehunter
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Nope, never played it. Want to though. Played Dino Crisis though, which I think is similar in play style.

10-04-12 22:04 #

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Mattfrie1
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Just finished playing Silent Hill 2 about a month ago for the first time and I loved it. It was probably one of the few games that I've played from start to finish in recent history. The music is great BTW:

10-05-12 03:46 #

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Belial
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qoncept said:
The only "feeling" I got while playing Silent Hill was that everyone involved with the decision to have that stupid radio in the game should not have a job anymore.

I loved having radio static cues in Fear so I doubt I'd mind it in SH. Never played it though.

10-05-12 06:21 #

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Coopersville
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One of my first posts on this forum was about Silent Hill.

Anyway, way to play a game in a way you don't like and then call it bad, heh. Flashlight off, radio off is the true way to play.

10-06-12 17:35 #

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Ralphis
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Coopersville said:
Flashlight off, radio off is the true way to play.

Bro you must be nuts

10-07-12 00:03 #

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TimeOfDeath
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Flashlight off helps to avoid monsters. But you need the flashlight on to pick stuff up and open doors (at least in 2/3).

I've played SH1/2/3 and they're some of my fav games. The gameplay can't compete in any way with Doom, and it's actually kinda lame when you think about it (trying to open every door you see, slow running, unfun fighting). But the atmosphere with the visuals, story, sounds and music more than make up for it for me. I listen to the soundtracks very often while I'm working.

I liked the first movie and am looking forward to seeing the second movie on Oct. 26!

10-07-12 03:22 #

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DoomUK
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TimeOfDeath said:
The gameplay can't compete in any way with Doom, and it's actually kinda lame when you think about it (trying to open every door you see, slow running, unfun fighting).

Different ≠ bad

10-07-12 09:01 #

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Jodwin
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qoncept said:
It was a survival horror game, built on the premise of being scary. It had all the creepy environments and monsters you'd expect, but then a radio that warns you before anything is about to scare you? WTF?

I haven't played Silent Hill, but that description reminds me of Ringu. That movie tells pretty much right away that nothing at all is going to happen for the next seven in-movie days. That completely removed any and all tension for me, although apparently lots of other people found it to be really scary. :/

10-07-12 11:39 #

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TimeOfDeath
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DoomUK said:
Different ≠ bad

Agreed, but I just don't find SH gameplay to be very fun. I probably don't play those games as often as I would because of the fighting (unfun imo) and some of the puzzles. I admit that I like pressing every door and making my map complete with X's and arrows, though. They're still some of my fav games though.

10-07-12 16:35 #

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RTC_Marine
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I bought SH1 for the psx many years ago, the price of it was as scary as the game :P (140nzd brand new)

I was horrified by this game, I used to play it in the room next to me on a 14" tv with the rain thunder and lightning outside, the curtains did nothing since they were partially opaque

The absolute worse part of this game for me was the school, running between classrooms, the toilets and especially killing the damn lizard in the alternate boiler room, the next worse bits were the sewers and then the hospital I think (brrrrh).

The radio was what made it far more terrifying for me, this bell or harsh staticy noise coming through, the bears appearing in front of you from the dark foggy rainy parts of the game.. k im off

10-08-12 08:25 #

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qoncept
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TimeOfDeath said:
slow running

Ugh.. I heard Fatal Frame was a good game so I tried that. I swear the entire game played at half speed. Ridiculously slow moving characters for 10 minutes and then eject the disc.

10-08-12 15:33 #

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vinnie245
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TimeOfDeath said:
Agreed, but I just don't find SH gameplay to be very fun. I probably don't play those games as often as I would because of the fighting (unfun imo) and some of the puzzles. I admit that I like pressing every door and making my map complete with X's and arrows, though. They're still some of my fav games though.

The sluggish combat is kind of the whole point, if the gameplay was like RE 4 then it wouldn't really be scary would it?
In horror games less is more, something modern developers can do with re-learning these days....

10-08-12 17:17 #

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