Another enjoyable installment of the Silent Hill Series. If you're a fan, this is a purchase you must make.
User Rating: 8.9 | Silent Hill 4: The Room PS2
There are many redeeming and enjoyable aspects of this game. What sets it apart from the vast array of survival horror games on the market is ability to out right frighten you with conventional scare tactics, but also with the incredibly disturbed storyline and the anticipation of what lies, or in this sense, possibly floats, around the corner. The true innovation with this installment of Silent Hill is Konami's ability to create a game that revolves around one room without being constrained by it. The ominous chains on the door, the cries for help that remain unheard, the unnerving haunts and the cryptic messages passed under Henry's door all create an atmosphere conducive to a genuine feeling of 'horror'. Of the numerous survival horror games that I have played, this is the only one which instilled in me a true, chilling sense of fear - which is what I have been seeking as I have trudged through many 'survival horror' games. Those who are familiar with the previous three installments of Silent Hill will be encountering a very new and horrifying type of enemy - the ghost. These invincible foes pose a tremendous threat and fear along with a new aspect of gameplay. It is refreshing to see that there is something significantly new and distinguished with this Silent Hill. The way the player interacts with the 'ultimate foe' of the game is also original to this fourth installment. For those of you who must have a game that is not a pain to look at, this is one that you must pick up. For the somewhat limited ability of Playstation 2 graphics, Konami utilizes its every pixel. There are a few complaints that have to be made, though the good, in my opinion, outweighs the bad. In the beginning I found myself fumbling with the new control system. It's not like any system I have encountered before, so it took me some time to adapt. Don't be turned off by this, but if you are picky about control systems, just be aware. The only aspect of this game that seriously disapointed me was the repeat visiting of areas after a certain point in the game. I do see that it is important to go back to essential places such as the apartments, but I found myself frustrated and quite bored in some areas towards the second to last quarter of the game. It seemed quite honestly that they only put a huge effort into the first half of the game, and then just into the very end. It appears that Konami went into this game strong, but lost stamina quickly. In the second half of the game you'll find yourself having to deal with lugging around another character. Instead of being able to skirt around enemies unscathed, you'll find yourself running back because the character didn't come through the door with you - which in turn causes you damage and almost always a waste of items. By the end of the game I honestly wanted to pull my hair out. The soundtrack was just fine, but it wasn't extraordinary. Once again it seems as though Konami exhausted all its energies quickly and some other aspects of the game suffered. There are a couple of good tracks that I noticed while playing, but I was quite disapointed at this sub-par product. Overall, Silent Hill 4 has many exceptional qualities. Though it lacks in some areas, there's a lot more to gain by playing it then passing it up. By far it is one of my favorite survival horror games to date. It truly encompasses the meaning of 'survival horror'. 
