The Best Game Ever (And I Don't Say That Lightly...)
This is the only game aside from the original "Silent Hill" which I was able to take completely seriously from beginning to end, which thoroughly immersed me in its impeccable storyline, and which can be called a true work of art. It is also one of only two games (and no films) which have ever made me cry. First of all, I take my hat off to the producers for resisting the urge to make any of the game hammy or tongue-in-cheek (like all of the Resident Evil series), and for keeping any semblance of "comic relief" well away from their product. Nothing ruins a project- be it a film, a book, or a video game- faster than comic relief. It has been said that the controls are unresponsive, and much has been written about the old-fashioned "Resident Evil"-style control scheme itself that is less than glowing. It is only a personal preference, but in a game like this, where the emphasis is on moving slowly and carefully, this system (where "up" is forward, "down" is backward, etc) is superior to the Metal Gear-style scheme which shifts with the camera. I had no issues with the response time but, like the main character's lack of firearms proficiency, I think it only adds to the impression of a frightened, amateur avatar. I cannot say whether this was Konami's intention, but the effect is a good one, nonetheless.
Secondly, there is no shortage of moving and mind-bending material here to satisfy any number of plot theorists. I have my own thoughts, as will anyone else who plays. But here, unlike so many other products which claim to be "artistically open-ended", there is enough of a skeleton provided to string a believable theory across.