Silent Hill Homecoming **** out loud...

So... I am a huge fan of the series. The first three Silent Hills had so many amazing things about them that their flaws didn't stand out and frankly... their flaws didn't matter much. They all had one common goal in mind: ATMOSPHERE. That was the point! This is what separated Silent Hill from all of the other games and movies in the genre. It wasn't about combat, tactics, action, and plotlines that could be generated by Tom Clancy or the writers of the SAW movies (This kind of media is a dime a dozen). It was about knowing how to get under your skin and stay there long after the power button was turned off. For instance, Silent Hill always gave you this brooding feeling about doors and corners. The imagery, sounds, and environments were so eerie, disturbing, and physcologically threatening that I usually DREADED turning the next corner for fear of what I might see. Not even enemies! Just silent scenery involving bodies, sheets, tubes, graves, and all kinds of strange figures that would chill you to the bone (Who could forget the Office building and the Hospital in Silent Hill 3?). The atmosphere instilled this sense of urgency and dread that was really the only thing keeping you from pressing the "sit in the dark corner and shoot yourself in the face" button. Most of this stuff is just in the background. What other game even begins to touch on that kind of brilliant design? Coupled with the disturbing stories that actually ended up being creepy specifically because they didn't make much sense, the sound design which has ALWAYS been the series strongest point, and a unique ambience and design all their own... The first three games had IT. The were SCARY.

-The 4th game had it somewhat but... Not as solid.

-Silent Hill the movie was a disaster and killed off everything good about the series (especially by cheapening Pyramid Head, the best Silent Hill character to date).

Silent Hill:Homecoming, unfortunately for fans and designers alike, absolutely botched it completely. The 5th installment had some crazy creepy stuff... but NOTHING i mentioned above. Yeah, there were a few "moments." And the creature design was somewhat inventive. But this whole game felt like 4 distinct things...

1. Felt like a watered down sequel to the horrendous movie.

2. Felt like the designers didn't even PLAY the first three games. Felt like they just watched the movie and went from there (bad idea).

3. Felt like SAW and HOSTEL towards the end (another really baaaad idea) which is FAR from what Silent Hill is all about.

4. Felt completely void of every series trademark imaginable. (Except the sound, though... I feel that even his amazing sound work cant revive this game)

Silent Hill has always been about subtle scares that build up into a horrifying climax. Homecoming was the complete opposite. You didn't even visit the "nightmare" world very often. That was the thing I always dreaded in the other games, which door, hole, window, room will "toss" me into the other side??? They had the drop on you. It was so creepy. Not anymore. In Homecoming It happens all of about 4 unimpressive times involving Alex's house, a boss, a pointless mine shaft, and the end. And the fact is... The transformation from the real world to the other world is not scary in the least. Nor is it atmospheric. No bodies and aftermaths and wheelchairs, just pipes and fire. I felt like I was playing an Oddworld game. Such a bad attempt. It was painful to play through. And the story... UGH. People killing their kids? Drills to the leg and face? Men in gas masks and biohazard suits coming after you with pipes? A watered down version of a prison mid-game? And to top it all off... All the supernatural possibilites were put to a disappointing halt when the last 1/4 of the game felt like Silent Hill meets HOSTEL meets SAW. Come on folks! That is SO far from what Silent Hill has always done well. And then there is Pyramid Head. They RUINED Pyramid Head. In Silent Hill 2 he was so derranged, eerie, haphazard, unpredictable force that you crapped your pants every time you knew he was in the same hallway as you. In this game... He shows up for two pointless cameos that ruin his image and his "purpose" (The fact that he didn't seem to have a whole lot of "purpose" or method to his madness in Silent Hill 2 is what really made him unpredictable and creepy). Sigh........... Hand a game over the Americans and watch the series crumble before your eyes. Oh well... There is always Dead Space.

I could go on but I'm sure very few people will actually read this. I'm nobody. However... I am interested in other perspectives (whether in agreeance or not) so... Hit me! Agree or disagree! I want it all.

~ Joseph

Like you, I am a huge fan of the series. Especially Silent Hill 2. But SH4 was a disaster for me couldn't even play it till the end. I was really looking forward to the next-gen outing. I haven't played SH Homecoming yet, since it's release date is November in Europe but I've read every bit of review, preview, opinion, watched every gameplay trailer etc. The one thing that really got me suspicious was; the reviews or the opinions of the gamers who played the game, varied very much. Either they really liked (never "loved" was the used word by the way) it or they hated it. Recently the reviews are getting from good to bad. Still being a fan of the series a part of me says "I have to play this game just to see what they have done" the other part says "considering all the things you have seen and read about this game, just get the soundtrack and you're fine". Still haven't made my mind yet.

I thought it was a good start for the new team. It was there first attempt at the series, which makes matters worse is the fact it was coming to a next-gen console that hyped the game up a bunch. I give them alot of credit, but I did miss the open world / Silent Hill a bit. Graphics weren't to shabby, but they left out the Noise Filter option; which on all the other SH games made the picture way better in my opinion. I usually play the second time through with it off....

Wish they had more extras like all the rest for more replay value, but o well. Overall it wasn't a horrible game and the whole story up into the very end was somewhat touching on the way his brother (keeped running) and his mothers moods.... ok I said enough :D

I thought it was a good start for the new team. It was there first attempt at the series, which makes matters worse is the fact it was coming to a next-gen console that hyped the game up a bunch. I give them alot of credit, but I did miss the open world / Silent Hill a bit. Graphics weren't to shabby, but they left out the Noise Filter option; which on all the other SH games made the picture way better in my opinion. I usually play the second time through with it off....

Nocturnal_Speed

i agree with most of what you said up until "Hand a game over to Americans." that just took your intelligence way down in my book. Do i think the team that made this silent hill mess up a whole lot of things? yes. but you know what, it could have been a team from japan, china, germany, spain, or mars for that matter. there is always a chance that a new team will screw up the game. tgschmidt

Understood. I apologize for my bad sense of humor. That was more the sarcastic joke of my post than the truth and grit. In fact... I probably would have screwed the game up the MOST because I'm not a game designer. ha ha. So... Tactless statement recalled...

[QUOTE="tgschmidt"]i agree with most of what you said up until "Hand a game over to Americans." that just took your intelligence way down in my book. Do i think the team that made this silent hill mess up a whole lot of things? yes. but you know what, it could have been a team from japan, china, germany, spain, or mars for that matter. there is always a chance that a new team will screw up the game. drumyourfaceoff

Understood. I apologize for my bad sense of humor. That was more the sarcastic joke of my post than the truth and grit. In fact... I probably would have screwed the game up the MOST because I'm not a game designer. ha ha. So... Tactless statement recalled...

Don't apologize. It's true. The American team screwed it up because they were, indeed, American. The Japanese and American cultures are vastly different in terms of the horror genre. Japan usually goes for atmosphere and sublty, while Americans are in for cheap, jumpy thrills.

I see what you're saying...the whole atmosphere of the game is different, and honestly, that really is because they handed it over to Americans.