Silent Hill

[netab]

Silent Hill: Homecoming, is better known as Silent Hill 5. Those of us who are fans of the Silent Hill saga, have a huge amount of Silent Hill material:

-Silent Hill 1 (PS one)
-Silent Hill 2 (PS2)
-Silent Hill 3 (PS2)
-Silent Hill 4 (PS2)
-Silent Hill Origins (PSP / PS2)
-Silent Hill: Homecoming (PS3 / XBOX360)

This is maybe the best videogame ever made. Has any of you played them?

Those who want to know things about SH5. The game went oput last week in the US, selling 111.000 copies in its first week there. In europe it was suposed to go out this october, but it's been delayed until February of 2009.

[LittleLinda]

I can't play it, because I only have a PS2 and simply can't afford a new console (or a better graphics card for my computer) as of now.

But I was at the Games Convention in Leipzig in August and played the demo there - a noisy convention is certainly not the right place to play a Silent Hill game, but it looked and felt very promising nonetheless.

Really looking forward to play it in its entirety!

@ netab: That list of yours is not quite right:
Silent Hill 1 (PSOne)
Silent Hill 2 (PS2)
Silent Hill 2 Director's Cut (PS2, XBox, PC)
Silent Hill 3 (PS2, PC)
Silent Hill 4 (PS2, XBox, PC)
Silent Hill Origins (PSP, PS2)
Silent Hill: Homecoming (PS3, XBox360, PC)

Aside from Homecoming I have played each and every one of them multiple times (I even played the two mobile phone games - well, I'm not through yet with the second one).

That series is so much more than a video game - I have yet to find another game with so much underlying meaning, psychological depth and emotional appeal. Some people don't get it at all, because they don't look for the deeper meaning in it. They think it's just a horror game, but if you take a closer look at all the metaphors etc., you'll find that it's art!

[netab]

I can't play it, because I only have a PS2 and simply can't afford a new console (or a better graphics card for my computer) as of now.

But I was at the Games Convention in Leipzig in August and played the demo there - a noisy convention is certainly not the right place to play a Silent Hill game, but it looked and felt very promising nonetheless.

Really looking forward to play it in its entirety!

@ netab: That list of yours is not quite right:
Silent Hill 1 (PSOne)
Silent Hill 2 (PS2)
Silent Hill 2 Director's Cut (PS2, XBox, PC)
Silent Hill 3 (PS2, PC)
Silent Hill 4 (PS2, XBox, PC)
Silent Hill Origins (PSP, PS2)
Silent Hill: Homecoming (PS3, XBox360, PC)

Aside from Homecoming I have played each and every one of them multiple times (I even played the two mobile phone games - well, I'm not through yet with the second one).

That series is so much more than a video game - I have yet to find another game with so much underlying meaning, psychological depth and emotional appeal. Some people don't get it at all, because they don't look for the deeper meaning in it. They think it's just a horror game, but if you take a closer look at all the metaphors etc., you'll find that it's art!

Yep!! i agree with you, its much more than a videogame...
BTW i hated the way they destroyed silent hill in the horrid movie

[BlueDragon]

dont know the games, i only know the movie

[netab]

dont know the games, i only know the movie

So u dont know the very best about this series

[LittleLinda]

Yeah. The film was decent. Actually, the first half was pretty good, but then it went downhill and had hardly anything in common with the games. They messed up the whole backstory ("Burn the witch"? Oh please... if you aren't gonna stick to the game, at least be creative instead of recycling the old "religious fanatics and their desire to burn everything that's different" routine).
The film totally watered down the concept of the game series and transformed it into a simplistic, clichéd, run-of-the-mill horror story.

Bad way to introduce yourself to the Silent Hill universe.

For newbies I'd recommend Silent Hill 2. I found that the most fascinating and meaningful game from the series.

[netab]

Yeah. The film was decent. Actually, the first half was pretty good, but then it went downhill and had hardly anything in common with the games. They messed up the whole backstory ("Burn the witch"? Oh please... if you aren't gonna stick to the game, at least be creative instead of recycling the old "religious fanatics and their desire to burn everything that's different" routine).
The film totally watered down the concept of the game series and transformed it into a simplistic, clichéd, run-of-the-mill horror story.

Bad way to introduce yourself to the Silent Hill universe.

For newbies I'd recommend Silent Hill 2. I found that the most fascinating and meaningful game from the series.

Yep...i didnt like the movie so much, as you said, the first half of it was quite cool, but then...overlong...and the ending...pf... silent hill is silent hill, and it can sound strange...but dont add modifications to it!! the best produtcs if the saga have been those closer to the original, thats why Silent hill 4 didnt work at all

[LittleLinda]

I have to disagree on SH 4, I love it. Storywise it's my second favourite after part 2. I know a lot of SH fans hate it, but I'm not one of them.

Maybe the thread should be renamed in "Silent Hill"...

[netab]

I have to disagree on SH 4, I love it. Storywise it's my second favourite after part 2. I know a lot of SH fans hate it, but I'm not one of them.

Maybe the thread should be renamed in "Silent Hill"...

Well, i think they ran out of ideas while doing the game, as i find a stupid idea to replay the game 2 times!! Also that stupid hole (curious in the begginning, annoying in the end), and the fact that you had to come back from time to time cos you couldnt carry more things...pfff

For me the best game is SH2 (ohhhh Pyramid Head ), and Origins has surprised me really positively!

BTW, how do i change the name of the topic??

[LittleLinda]

I never understood that argument about having to revisit the locations, because the first visits were very short (and mostly uneventful) anyway... to me, it makes no difference if I spend one hour at a location and move on from there, or if I only spend 30 minutes (or less) there and revisit it later for another 30 minutes.
Granted, the locations in SH 4 weren't as large, but I didn't mind coming back.

The limited inventory indeed was very annoying - but once you know the game and know which items you gonna need, it's okay. What really bothered me was that ammunition takes not just one but several slots... I hardly ever used the guns for that reason only.
Yeah, SH 4 has it's flaws, but as I said: Storywise I loved it even more than 1 and 3.

I'm a bit undecided on Origins... it definitely has that SH feel to it, but I expected way more from the story and I was extremely disappointed by the shortness of the game... I usually complete Origins in under two hours without even trying to speed through it. I don't know, I just felt kinda unsatisfied with it.
Btw, do you own the PSP or the PS2 version of it?

I don't know if you can edit the topic yourself... do you see an "edit" button at the top right of your first post?

[netab]

I never understood that argument about having to revisit the locations, because the first visits were very short (and mostly uneventful) anyway... to me, it makes no difference if I spend one hour at a location and move on from there, or if I only spend 30 minutes (or less) there and revisit it later for another 30 minutes.
Granted, the locations in SH 4 weren't as large, but I didn't mind coming back.

The limited inventory indeed was very annoying - but once you know the game and know which items you gonna need, it's okay. What really bothered me was that ammunition takes not just one but several slots... I hardly ever used the guns for that reason only.
Yeah, SH 4 has it's flaws, but as I said: Storywise I loved it even more than 1 and 3.

I'm a bit undecided on Origins... it definitely has that SH feel to it, but I expected way more from the story and I was extremely disappointed by the shortness of the game... I usually complete Origins in under two hours without even trying to speed through it. I don't know, I just felt kinda unsatisfied with it.
Btw, do you own the PSP or the PS2 version of it?

I don't know if you can edit the topic yourself... do you see an "edit" button at the top right of your first post?

OMG!! in less than 2 hours??? maybe im stupid, but i spent about 10 hours to complete it!!

Btw, i own the PS2 edition

[LittleLinda]

10 hours? What took you so long?

Well, maybe it's because in Origins I don't actually fight a lot of monsters because they respawn anyway.

Normally, I'm extremly thorough with any game... I collect ALL items, I fight ALL enemies, I trigger ALL cutscenes, I complete ALL sidequests... but I don't really see a point in killing respawning enemies.
Yet, with Origins, even on my first time through (where I killed all the monsters) I only needed about 5 hours, if I remember correctly. Am I missing something?

I own the PSP version (since it was supposed to be exclusive - actually it was the reason why I even got a PSP ). I wanted to get the PS2 version aswell, but it seems to have a lot of bugs - did you experience any?

[netab]

10 hours? What took you so long?

Well, maybe it's because in Origins I don't actually fight a lot of monsters because they respawn anyway.

Normally, I'm extremly thorough with any game... I collect ALL items, I fight ALL enemies, I trigger ALL cutscenes, I complete ALL sidequests... but I don't really see a point in killing respawning enemies.
Yet, with Origins, even on my first time through (where I killed all the monsters) I only needed about 5 hours, if I remember correctly. Am I missing something?

I own the PSP version (since it was supposed to be exclusive - actually it was the reason why I even got a PSP ). I wanted to get the PS2 version aswell, but it seems to have a lot of bugs - did you experience any?

As i said you before, i own the PS2 version, which i bought in second hand (for only 20 €!). The game went with any kind of problem...well the only strange thing i can remember is that, in the theatre, you needed 2 squared stones, blue and black, i think. well when i collected both of them, i opened the door...but then i realised that i didnt use the stones!!! so i kept them until the end of the game! I dont know why it took me so long to end the game, i didnt kill either all the monsters...but i opened and explored every door and every part of the map...so i got an "explorer" award at the end of the game!!

[LittleLinda]

Yeah, someone else told me how he only inserted one of the stones and didn't need the other one (but I think that was on the PSP version aswell).
I could never manage to open the door without using both stones... no idea what triggers this bug.

What a lot of people have mentioned in regards to the PS2 version were sound glitches throughout the game - but especially during the songs in the end credits.
There were lots of other things, but I can't recall them right now.
Overall, the PSP version had some bugs, but the PS2 seemed to have even more.

[CrazyCrazy]

This game is GREAT! I must admit though none that I've played have matched the eeriness of Silent Hill 1 (PS1), I've played 1,3&4 and I think I had 2 as a blockbuster rental and can't remember it, so I might get it! The movie was ok, bit of a dissapointment but I did like some of it, just wasn't creepy enough!

[netab]

This game is GREAT! I must admit though none that I've played have matched the eeriness of Silent Hill 1 (PS1), I've played 1,3&4 and I think I had 2 as a blockbuster rental and can't remember it, so I might get it! The movie was ok, bit of a dissapointment but I did like some of it, just wasn't creepy enough!

You havent played SH2??? DO IT!!! Its a videogame masterpiece!

[LittleLinda]

Oh, you've definitely got to play SH 2!

Granted, overall it's not as creepy as the other ones, but it has such a captivating atmosphere and the best story by far. It's a masterpiece to me!

Luckily it was my first one, so I found it VERY creepy - until I played the other ones.
I think part 3 freaked me out the most... I was sooo scared at times

[netab]

Oh, you've definitely got to play SH 2!

Granted, overall it's not as creepy as the other ones, but it has such a captivating atmosphere and the best story by far. It's a masterpiece to me!

Luckily it was my first one, so I found it VERY creepy - until I played the other ones.
I think part 3 freaked me out the most... I was sooo scared at times

Well i played them in their correct order SH1-SH2-SH3-SH4-SH0, and the level of horror in me was decreasing as i grew older and got accostumed to the SH horror concept[/code]

[Thombus]

Love this game.

I remember playing SH1 on the PS and being terrified at the little black sqeaking ghostie in the school LOL!

Not played SH 4 or Origins yet, I never did complete 3 either as my ps2 broke mid way and I never replaced it.

Im def getting SH5 for the 360 though.

I hated the film. I was soooo excited to see it when I heard it was being released - went to the cinema on the day of release and was just annoyed at how crap it was. The only thing that made it relative to the game was the music...other than that, it seemed cheap and very poorly acted.

[LittleLinda]

It wasn't the acting that threw me off - only the simplified and terribly "bullshitty" storyline.

I also hate it with a passion when a movie squeezes in tons of exposition via one long monologue (Alessa) - it is the worst way of story telling and actually quite amateurish.

But I have to say I loved the Janitor! He certainly looked like a creature the game makers would've created. Very "silent hilly".

[netab]

It wasn't the acting that threw me off - only the simplified and terribly "bullshitty" storyline.

I also hate it with a passion when a movie squeezes in tons of exposition via one long monologue (Alessa) - it is the worst way of story telling and actually quite amateurish.

But I have to say I loved the Janitor! He certainly looked like a creature the game makers would've created. Very "silent hilly".

Yes, but the acting was really average...overall the movie was bad, that's what made that an ambitious project (Over 50 million $ of budget!!), didnt do well at the Box office

[LittleLinda]

This person posted the same pic in the Tomb Raider thread... what the hell?!

Back on topic:
I still don't own a PS3, but I had the chance to play Silent Hill Homecoming last weekend.
Well, it may not be a bad game overall, but as a Silent Hill game it sucks majorly... please bring back Team Silent for the next one.
Or at least someone else than Double Helix.

They ruined the whole atmosphere and depth... one could see they were trying hard, but they have no understanding of what makes "Silent Hill". They also had no respect for the geography of the town. And the last section was some sort of "Silent Hill meets Hostel", which is a definite no-go!!!

[netab]

This person posted the same pic in the Tomb Raider thread... what the hell?!

Back on topic:
I still don't own a PS3, but I had the chance to play Silent Hill Homecoming last weekend.
Well, it may not be a bad game overall, but as a Silent Hill game it sucks majorly... please bring back Team Silent for the next one.
Or at least someone else than Double Helix.

They ruined the whole atmosphere and depth... one could see they were trying hard, but they have no understanding of what makes "Silent Hill". They also had no respect for the geography of the town. And the last section was some sort of "Silent Hill meets Hostel", which is a definite no-go!!!

Yes...with all the respect to the americans...i knew it would be a disaster when i knew that an american crew was doing silent hill homecoming...they dont have the sense of horror that the japanese have

[Merci]

silent hill 1 was my favorite game!! I'm getting a ps3 this month so should I buy the latest SH game or should I check the older ones , silent hill 2 , 3 . etc..?!!

[LittleLinda]

My recommendation would be: Check out the older ones! Homecoming is crap compared to them.
BUT: The PS3 doesn't, I repeat doesn't play PS2 titles! Only the very first PS3 version supported those.

PSOne titles however can be played on any PS3.