Silent Hill (Spoilers, All Series)

Anything from run & guns to modern RPGs, what else do you play?
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xris
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Silent Hill (Spoilers, All Series)

Post by xris »

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I know that there are a few Silent Hill fans on the board, so I wanted to start an all purpose thread for it.
Feel free to post anything related to the series. Which game you are playing right now, related media, sound track discussions, video links, pics, rumors, and speculations of up coming projects!
Even stuff that is loosely related is welcome, movies and books that have that certain feel about it. I'm always looking for other media that could be considered to be tied to it.
Silent Hill has always been a pretty healthy franchise with very vocal fans. I know I want to throw in my two cents about it every time it gets mentioned anywhere on the board, so here is the place.
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Re: Silent Hill

Post by BIL »

Have you been to http://silenthillchronicle.net/ ? Check "Inspirational Works" near the bottom, there's a huge list of books, films, music and more the original Konami teams drew from. You can read scans of the same book (minus a few of the later chapters) here. Goes without saying, both links are rife with spoilers for SH1-4. Sorry if they're old news, but it's always worth mentioning on the off chance someone's not seen them!

As for me, I love the first four games - particularly the second and fourth, maybe a little less the third since its story is a bit thin (but the more overtly terrorising atmosphere makes up for that - some of the ambient noises creep me out no matter how often I've heard them). I've just finished replaying SH1-4, as I tend to every year or so, still noticing new things about each game. They're the perfect alternative to shooters / other more technically demanding games, I find.

I haven't gotten along with the post-movie games, so far. All three have had good/great ideas, but have consistently limited themselves by clinging to the movie and increasingly tired elements of the earlier games (many used in the movie). The series can't take the risks it once did, sadly. Sales started tanking around SH3, if I remember right.

I consider it a dear but currently MIA series, and to be honest, four quality games in a horror series is good enough for me. Will be interesting to see if the upcoming game finally carves out its own niche, ala SH2 and to a large extent SH4.
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xris
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Re: Silent Hill

Post by xris »

Neat, thanks for the link on the inspirational works, I'll have to give all that a consideration. A few things listed I have already considered linked to the series, or knew that they have drawn from them.
You mentioned recently that you were playing the fourth game, that's one of the reasons I started this thread instead of completely derailing the games playing thread.
The fourth is a real hit-or-miss for me. I love the beginning, they did such a fantastic job with trapping you in your apartment in first person, I get all nostalgic when I see a pic of the kitchen and door for some reason.. I like the first couple of areas, spying on Eileen, looking out your peephole. All of that was really good. I didn't mind the crazy ass ghosts that you can nail down. It just flew apart for me in the second half, the escort through the whole game you just played, with a gimpy Eileen sucked. I always let her go crazy just for kicks. I liked the part where you go into your apt. in the third person, and it has all those candles in it, kind of a meta feel to it. There were soo many design choices that were off the wall in this, I know it wasn't originally planned as a SH game though. I guess that is what does a good job at separating it from the others however. So far it did the best job after 2 understanding that the character produces a different effect in the town.
I actually like Homecoming, sure the story is really bad for it. They tried way too hard to tie it into the mythos. I really did like the movie inspired otherworld though. It was all complete fan service, but for what it's worth, they got that part right.
I'm getting pretty excited about the next game actually. They seem to understand what they are working with, and the visuals are sooooo nice so far. Just all the little details they are putting into the environment look fantastic. Some of the otherworld descriptions have sounded really good also, can't wait to see them!
Edit: Have you played Shattered Memories? I have yet too, still a little sceptical on it. I would prolly get it on PSP. I like Origins on psp just that I can sneak in a little play time here and there while in bed.
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Re: Silent Hill

Post by apple arcade »

I enjoyed the movie a lot. I've only played the beginning of the first game. While I liked it, I just didn't have the attention to keep playing it. Back at that time, I was well sunk into the world of PS1 RPGs that Squaresoft was delivering.
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Re: Silent Hill

Post by xris »

I'm a fan of the movie also. It did a good job at getting the overall feel, and story across. There's really no entry level game in the series. The first couple come off as antiquated now, and could put off new players very easily. Homecoming is probably a good place to start for people new to the series. It has the look of the movie, and modern combat. The second game is really well put together, story and design wise. It can be a super big pain in the ass if you aren't used to navigating the death mazes of survival horror games. Probably not a good game to play if you are prone to depression. And, many people get bored with the long walk into town in the beginning where nothing really happens.
I'm waiting for the second movie to move forward out of development hell. It was really close to getting out of pre production a couple years ago, but the script writer ended up going to prison for a year. Honestly, now that he would be out, I was hoping they would still let him write it, maybe the experience could of brought something to it.
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Re: Silent Hill

Post by Jon »

I really liked SH2 and 3. I have only seen a quick clip of the movie in which Pyramid Head does in some poor woman in brutal fashion but what little I saw was pretty cool. I can only speak for the first three games but they all have pretty good music. Too bad you hardly ever hear it.
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Re: Silent Hill

Post by njiska »

Daniel Licht who composes for Dexter has just signed on to score Silent Hill: Downpour. It'll probably be a shit game, but at least it will sound nice.
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Re: Silent Hill

Post by ryu »

njiska wrote:Daniel Licht who composes for Dexter has just signed on to score Silent Hill: Downpour. It'll probably be a shit game, but at least it will sound nice.
the music in the trailer sounded like something out of a mystery movie...
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Re: Silent Hill

Post by cj iwakura »

Whoever did the music for the film nailed the ambience. In fact, the only thing WRONG with the movie was the script. Visuals and audio design were top-notch.
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Re: Silent Hill

Post by njiska »

cj iwakura wrote:Whoever did the music for the film nailed the ambience. In fact, the only thing WRONG with the movie was the script. Visuals and audio design were top-notch.
All of the music for the film was written by Akira Yamaoka and pulled directly from the games. I think Jeff Danna, the guy who scored The Boondock Saints, was the guy who arranged them for the movie.
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Re: Silent Hill

Post by BIL »

xris wrote:Edit: Have you played Shattered Memories? I have yet too, still a little sceptical on it. I would prolly get it on PSP. I like Origins on psp just that I can sneak in a little play time here and there while in bed.
Yep, PS2. I really liked it. SH2-esque in ditching the tired cult mythos for a simple, relatable human story (the producer did well in figuring out that's what made SH2 distinct... not "sexy nurses" or dissociative amnesia - hey there, Homecoming).

The recurring chases will probably annoy some, but it's nowhere near as grueling as SH4. The only complaint I have is it should've been given its own identity within the series - the SH1 "reimagining" gimmick was just that.
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Re: Silent Hill

Post by xris »

^I've played a couple of chase games by now. They can be kinda of fun actually. It's really been the re imagining/rewrite that has kept me from playing it. I'm seriously disappointed they just didn't do a straight up HD remake of the game, with a better focused map, and pretty graphics.
Each of the soundtracks are really good. The music has always been one of the high lights of the series. This new guy has some huge shoes to fill.
I have about half of the soundtracks on cd. I've listened to them all at work at some point, and EVERYBODY has commented on them being really good. They always seem really surprised when I tell them it's a video game soundtrack.
Then there is this.
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Drool... I'm sure most people here are aware that Konami is putting out these type of soundtracks all of a sudden. Man, I really want this, I might just soak up the loss and get it. It's one of those things I know I'll pay whatever for down the line if I don't get it now..
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Re: Silent Hill

Post by CMoon »

SH2 is the only one of the series I've really enjoyed so far, but I'll be up front in saying I've only played 2-4. 4 became a turn off for me once the fetch quests started turning up. 2 on the other hand is a masterpiece. I haven't played 1 yet, but I noticed you could download it for cheap.

Haven't bothered with anything past SH4.

I actually have high hopes for the game being developed by Guillermo del Toro. For a movie director to want to get behind a video game and who believes in video games being on equal ground with movies as a medium for telling stories has got me psyched!

I've enjoyed the obvious action horror video games (RE4, Dead Space), but am still looking for that horror experience that matches SH2. Purely for immersion, newer would be better, but I'll go ps1 if I have to.

Damn, the current gen seem like a natural for the purely horror (not action horror) video games, but I'm coming up blank here.
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Re: Silent Hill

Post by xris »

Agreed that there isn't much this gen that comes close. Dead Space is pretty freakin' good however, so far it's the current lead in horror IMO. It's an action game, but it did stand on it's own feet as a horror game. And, I though they did well with the story. The USG Ishimura is good enough to be recognized as a significant location in horror gaming to me. Excited to play the sequel, they might do really well with this. Sure it's going to be mostly action, but they seem to have a knack for haunted house style scares. The dementia aspects they keep going on about could do well. I saw a clip where Issac was walking, and his dead wife was sitting before him. Looks good to me. And, no I don't want to get multiplayer in my horror gaming, thanks.
I have yet to play Alan Wake, been holding out for a cheap copy, so no comment on that one yet.

Last gen, probably some of the best were the Fatal Frame games. Really great stuff there! The initial difficulty curve can be a bitch though. And, if you play them now, the first person type controls for aiming the camera is switched, aim with left and move with right sticks. The games have a distinct Japanese feel to them, but in a very very good way. Definitely the best presentation of Japanese ghosts stories I have yet to see. The stories of the games are pretty dark, all though they are thematically the same through out. And, the games are extremely scary. The third game is the weakest of the three on PS2. But, the first two are an absolute consideration if you are into survival horror gaming.
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Re: Silent Hill

Post by BIL »

It always takes me a while to remember, I'm not much of a survival horror fan outside of SH (where I'm fanatical at times :lol:). It's the combination of surrealism, human drama and a contemporary low-fi atmosphere (I always love seeing VCRs and cassette decks) which hooked me with SH1, where I just enjoyed but moved on with RE1-CV. I have wanted to try the Fatal Frame games, though, and Siren due to the Keiichiro Toyama (SH1 project lead) connection.

The most recent horror game of any description I've played otherwise is Doom 3, which I actually found very gripping until the game abruptly (spoilers for 2004) blew both of its own feet off by revealing a human arch-villain halfway through - WTF?! I was really enjoying thinking it was THE FUCKEN DEVIL stalking me up until that point. Became Quake II - Can't See Shit Edition from that point, though I still liked it as a slower-paced FPS.
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Re: Silent Hill

Post by cj iwakura »

njiska wrote:
cj iwakura wrote:Whoever did the music for the film nailed the ambience. In fact, the only thing WRONG with the movie was the script. Visuals and audio design were top-notch.
All of the music for the film was written by Akira Yamaoka and pulled directly from the games. I think Jeff Danna, the guy who scored The Boondock Saints, was the guy who arranged them for the movie.
Interesting. I thought it was original music, aside from You're Not Here and such.


The script gets a pass on one thing: the ending. Perfect.
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Re: Silent Hill

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I've played a bit of 1 & 2, and while I loved them both, I never played them to completion for some reason. I finally got off my ass early last year and started the first one with the intention of beating it within the week, but I failed to do so. Now it sadly sits in my video game limbo "stuff I need to beat" list. REGARDLESS. Fantastic games (from what I've played and watched)
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Re: Silent Hill

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2 had that moment where you became cogniscient that you were alone in the dark, bludgeoning strangely animated (yet inorganic) things to bits. It might have gone on too long, because nothing past the hospital really evolved beyond what was accomplished in the first half of the game. The main character had become the lurker in the darkness, the whole journey becoming his becoming. I wonder if SH2 only hit on it accidentally, but I only hope someone else manages.

I still haven't checked out the fatal frame games. Can I start with 1 or 2?

Any thoughts on the upcoming SH?
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Re: Silent Hill

Post by drauch »

It doesn't really matter where you start on the Fatal Frames. I've played a bit of 1 and was playing 3 awhile back. It seems like 2 is kinda the fan favorite, having a Director's cut version and all. IV looks absolutely amazing as well, but it's price is kinda holding me back for the time being.
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Re: Silent Hill

Post by cj iwakura »

Fatal Frame 1 is the best, but 2 is dang good.


1 has isolation going for it, so it's much scarier.
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Re: Silent Hill

Post by gum_drops »

I really liked the SH film, its in my top 15 horror movies list. I will likely re-watch it when it gets bluray release, if it didnt get one already.
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Re: Silent Hill

Post by neorichieb1971 »

I don't know if its public knowledge but I believe Konami are on board to "ps3" the original games.
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Re: Silent Hill

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drauch wrote:It doesn't really matter where you start on the Fatal Frames. I've played a bit of 1 and was playing 3 awhile back. It seems like 2 is kinda the fan favorite, having a Director's cut version and all. IV looks absolutely amazing as well, but it's price is kinda holding me back for the time being.
IV is absolutely amazing. I spent a week in the spring blasting through it and I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. The change to an over-the-shoulder camera really made the play experience more involving. Well worth the cash.
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Re: Silent Hill

Post by Daigohji »

I was a fan of Silent Hill from the moment I saw the first screenshots in 1998. 2 is still the best all round, though people shouldn't dismiss the original just because of its PS1 visuals. 3 was a solid title, though it failed to break new ground. 4 was an interesting idea that started well, but fell down due to unforgivable inclusion of the worst escort mission is history that required trawling through the entire game twice. 4 also had the most cardboard protagonist of the games I've played.

Homecoming suffered from a dearth of new ideas. This was SH treading water in the old Konami tradition of near identical Castlevania iterations. A Silent Hill without the unexpected is a Silent Hill not worth playing.

Shattered Memories was a pleasant surprise. It's not a particularly scary game, but it is different, and that's exactly what the series needed. I played the Wii version, and it really feels that it was designed for the system rather than having tacked on waggle. The chase sequences aren't as effective as they could have been, but they're not too bad. What I love about this game is that it pulled an end-game twist that I've been wanting to see for a long time. It also builds a psych profile of the player based on actions during the game, and picks an appropriate ending. I certainly felt that the ending I got was the most efffective to me personally. It then gives a psych profile of the player over the end credits, which was a bit creepy.

gum_drops wrote:I really liked the SH film, its in my top 15 horror movies list. I will likely re-watch it when it gets bluray release, if it didnt get one already.
It has been on blu-ray for a couple of years.
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Re: Silent Hill

Post by BPzeBanshee »

xris wrote:Image
Well now I know where YTMND's 'Welcome to San Diego' came from. :lol:

On a serious note I always respected the series, though Homecoming's final boss really put me off from playing it. The UFO endings didnt help either. :lol:
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Re: Silent Hill

Post by BryanM »

I'ma still waiting on that Silent Hill / Ecco the Dolphin crossover game. The most terrifying survival horror game meets the most complicated fog simulator ever.

I guess the main problem, is, that compared to the shit Ecco usually puts up with, Silent Hill would be like a vacation for him.
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Re: Silent Hill

Post by CMoon »

I remember playing the DC Ecco, and getting eaten by an orca over and over. It was pretty goddamn scary.
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Re: Silent Hill

Post by Thjodbjorn »

I as really happy with Shattered Memories. Probably my second favorite, after 2. The Wii was a better choice than I would have guessed.
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Re: Silent Hill

Post by JBC »

neorichieb1971 wrote:I don't know if its public knowledge but I believe Konami are on board to "ps3" the original games.
Yeah, I don't think it's official yet but most fans are clamoring for an HD collection of 1-4. If they do it I would pay full price.
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Re: Silent Hill

Post by CMoon »

circuitface wrote:
neorichieb1971 wrote:I don't know if its public knowledge but I believe Konami are on board to "ps3" the original games.
Yeah, I don't think it's official yet but most fans are clamoring for an HD collection of 1-4. If they do it I would pay full price.
Oh hell yeah.
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