Climax is not Team Silent. This immediately caused concern for Silent Hill fans when it was announced that a remake was being made of the original Silent Hill, and that they were making it. Worse yet, it was coming to the Wii of all things! People were so concerned that they took the announcement as a prank (alongside the fact the announcement was made on April 1st). As news of the game became more plentiful, fans had even more reasons to be angry: this was going to be a complete overhaul. New story, no combat, new Otherworld, new Psych-Profile: this is not the Silent Hill with which people are familiar. This game took a lot of risks by changing up the classic formula: do they pay off, or should you leave this game out in the cold?
Hey, it's a bit cold out. Are you sure you don't need a sweater or someth-- oh.
The initial story setup is similar to that of the original Silent Hill: Harry Mason and his daughter Cheryl are driving along the road and get into a car crash. Mr. Mason needs to find his daughter Cheryl in the atmospheric town of Silent Hill. During his travels he will meet some other people with different issues and escape the Otherworld, where mysterious creatures attack him. Beyond that however, this game's story is entirely new. You'll see characters from the original game in new roles, the general flow of the narrative is different and many other things set this game apart from the original. This will definitely anger longtime purists of the Silent Hill series.
That's a shame, because the story of this game truly is excellent. The characters are well rounded and interesting, the plot is compelling and there is heavy use of symbolism. This story definitely ranks up with some of the best in gaming. I can not speak to the story in comparison with the other entries of the series (other than 2, the only game of the series I've played), so I am at a loss as to what to tell the fans. The plot will not beat the 'best' game in the series, but it definitely holds up to scrutiny. To those into games with plot, this will hold your interest.
This game is on the Wii. You can't expect HD-quality visuals for this game. Even with this setback, this game is flat-out gorgeous. I am certainly no graphics-stickler, but this game truly is the best-looking third-party effort on the console. Hell, it even outdoes some of Nintendo's own work. The textures are detailed, the characters animate well all over, and the lighting engine is simply superb. If you look closely, each snowflake falling from the sky casts its own shadow. That is how well detailed the game is. On top of all that, the framerate of the game is nearly always at a solid 60 frames per second. There will be the occasional slowdown when going through doors, but this game is so visually impressive that many can let such a minor issue slide.
Adding to the lovely asthetics is the sound design, which has always been one of the best things regarding the Silent Hill franchise. This game is no different. You will feel completely immersed in the experience due to the sound and graphics this game supplies. Akira Yamaoka lends his talents to the franchise for a final time, since he has left Konami. Akira goes out on a high note, providing a great score that melds to the scene perfectly. Fans of Akira's music will not be disappointed by this soundtrack.
[img_inline height=300 caption="Your police officer could look like this and be a nice lady willing to help..."]http://cache.g4tv.com/ImageDb3/144632_S/Silent-Hill-Shattered-Memories-Impressions.jpg[/img_inline]
The gameplay for this title is completely different from any Silent Hill title before it. The game is divided into three parts: Therapy, Exploration, and the Otherworld segments. Therapy is where you interact with a psychologist named Dr. K. He asks you some questions, gives you some tests and tells you how the profiling is going. Tests are open-ended puzzles that give the game a bit of information about you as a person. You solve these puzzles by 'grabbing' something with the A and B buttons. Based upon how you answer, some things will change in the enviornment. Anything can change: locations, character appearances and personality, enemy appearances and the ending to the game. Not all the results of these sessions are immediately evident, making it worth playing through again to tinker with your answers. If you are honest with yourself and the game, it can get a pretty good read on you as a person. However in my experience I noted a single problem: it called me a tidy person. Anyone who has seen my bedroom (and as the game loves to point out, nobody has) can tell you otherwise. I think I know what I did to merit this result however, and I'm going through the game to see if it changes in the end.
The next section of gameplay is the Exploration portion. In this portion, you walk about the town of Silent Hill and look for Cheryl. The controls for this section are smooth as butter: you use the Wii Remote as a pointing device, moving it to the edges of the screen to turn. The analog stick on the nunchuck is used for movement. This control scheme is comfortable and accessible. However, people with a pention for altering dead-zones will be annoyed: there is no control customization in the game. This section is about, as the name implies, exploring the town of Silent Hill and solving puzzles, which implements one of the many new additions to the Silent Hill formula: a cell phone. This iPhone wanna-be has several functions within the game. The one you'll probably be using most is, unsurprisingly, the phone function. There are plenty of phone numbers strewn about Silent Hill, each and every one of them can be dialed, and a message will play. Yes, you can call 911, but the reception in Silent Hill isn't always the best (Plot convinience, or subtle jab at AT&T? You decide!). There is also a camera, which can be used to take pictures. Some of these will reveal spectral phenomenon, which can give your phone text or audio messages. Likewise, the phone also serves as the classic radio from the other Silent Hill game. It will emit a noise (all sounds from the phone come from the Wii Remote: a commonly used tactic, but still a nice touch) when you are near a special object. When you apporach the object, you will recieve a new message. These messages can add to the plot, help you solve puzzles, or merely unnerve you. There are also collectible Momentos to be found in the enviornment, which can also affect your Psyche-profile. That's right: Dr. K is watching even when you're not in his office. Depending on how you behave or what you look at, the system will change the game based on your actions. So be warned: checking out the female characters' anatomy will affect the game. You will also use the phone as a map and to save the game. That map will come in handy for the final gameplay section...
The final part of the game, the Otherworld chase sequences, are the most terrifying moments you'll experience on the Wii. In Dr K.'s office you're completely free from harm. The moody atmosphere makes the Exploration segments eerie, but not frightening. This is where the game puts the pedal to the metal and brings out the monstrocities. When the world freezes over, you know you are in trouble. You are required to get from where you are to a waypoint marked on your iPhone map. There will be monsters hunting you: their screams will fill the air when they see you. You can't stop them: there is no combat in the game whatsoever. I repeat that to all the people who are scratching their heads right now: there is no combat in this game. Instead, you need to focus on running. You can slow down enemies in two ways: you can knock over certain objects with a quick shake of the nunchuk or use a flare to stop enemies in their tracks. These methods don't last very long, so you can't easily stop to check your map. You can't check your map while your running, unfortunately. If you take out your phone, Harry moves at a very slow rate. I guess he doesn't want to damage his 600 dollar investment. You can also hide in certain places, but you aren't allowed to take your phone out, which makes the implementation of hiding places seem a bit sketchy. If you are clever enough, you can lose the monsters by hiding, giving you ample time to check your map once you exit the hiding place.
You cannot attack monsters, but they certainly can hurt you. One of the most common complaints regarding the chase sequences is the motion controls to shake the enemies off of you. Using smaller, more concise motions will lead to a near 100% rate of success. As you play, shaking off enemies will become second nature. A helpful feature is that all doorways have a light blue color to them, making them easier to see in the dark Otherworld. Even with this feature, many gamers will find themselves lost in the chase sequences. This can frustrate players, so if you are the kind to be easily frustrated, you might want to get another game. Thankfully the consequenes for failure are light, having you only start from the beginning of the chase. There are also some moments in the Otherworld where you must complete certain side-objectives. These are a fun change of pace and one of these moments is absolutely jaw-dropping.
[img_inline height=200 caption="Hey! Hell froze over! Expect Duke Nukem Forever to be released
next week, this game to sell with virtually no advertisement, and for
me to find a nice girl to date!"]http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/9/2009/09/500x_silent_hill_psp.jpg[/img_inline]
In Conclusion...
Silent Hill purists will absolutely hate this title. This game plays nothing like its predecessor; no combat, enemies relegated to individual zones and a new take on the story will leave people hoping for a simple retread agitated. More open-minded fans and people with little connection to the franchise will be pleasantly surprised at what this game has to offer. With around a 6-8 hour story, along with replays to change up the Profile and find secrets, you'll be visiting the town of Silent Hill again really soon.
You should Buy this game if...
- You are an open-minded Silent Hill fan.
- You like horror games, but haven't delved into Silent Hill yet.
- You like adventure games.
You should Rent this game if...
- You are a Silent Hill fan on the fence regarding the changes.
- You are merely curious about the Psyche-Profile.
- You want some use out of your Wii.
You should Skip this game if...
- You are a Silent Hill purist.
- You are easily frustrated.
- You think motion controls are from the devil (in which case, rent the PS2 or PSP versions due to come out this year. The lack of motion controls will more likely than not take much away from the game, which is why I only recommend a rent).
Hey, it's a bit cold out. Are you sure you don't need a sweater or someth-- oh.
The initial story setup is similar to that of the original Silent Hill: Harry Mason and his daughter Cheryl are driving along the road and get into a car crash. Mr. Mason needs to find his daughter Cheryl in the atmospheric town of Silent Hill. During his travels he will meet some other people with different issues and escape the Otherworld, where mysterious creatures attack him. Beyond that however, this game's story is entirely new. You'll see characters from the original game in new roles, the general flow of the narrative is different and many other things set this game apart from the original. This will definitely anger longtime purists of the Silent Hill series.
That's a shame, because the story of this game truly is excellent. The characters are well rounded and interesting, the plot is compelling and there is heavy use of symbolism. This story definitely ranks up with some of the best in gaming. I can not speak to the story in comparison with the other entries of the series (other than 2, the only game of the series I've played), so I am at a loss as to what to tell the fans. The plot will not beat the 'best' game in the series, but it definitely holds up to scrutiny. To those into games with plot, this will hold your interest.
This game is on the Wii. You can't expect HD-quality visuals for this game. Even with this setback, this game is flat-out gorgeous. I am certainly no graphics-stickler, but this game truly is the best-looking third-party effort on the console. Hell, it even outdoes some of Nintendo's own work. The textures are detailed, the characters animate well all over, and the lighting engine is simply superb. If you look closely, each snowflake falling from the sky casts its own shadow. That is how well detailed the game is. On top of all that, the framerate of the game is nearly always at a solid 60 frames per second. There will be the occasional slowdown when going through doors, but this game is so visually impressive that many can let such a minor issue slide.
Adding to the lovely asthetics is the sound design, which has always been one of the best things regarding the Silent Hill franchise. This game is no different. You will feel completely immersed in the experience due to the sound and graphics this game supplies. Akira Yamaoka lends his talents to the franchise for a final time, since he has left Konami. Akira goes out on a high note, providing a great score that melds to the scene perfectly. Fans of Akira's music will not be disappointed by this soundtrack.
[img_inline height=300 caption="Your police officer could look like this and be a nice lady willing to help..."]http://cache.g4tv.com/ImageDb3/144632_S/Silent-Hill-Shattered-Memories-Impressions.jpg[/img_inline]
The gameplay for this title is completely different from any Silent Hill title before it. The game is divided into three parts: Therapy, Exploration, and the Otherworld segments. Therapy is where you interact with a psychologist named Dr. K. He asks you some questions, gives you some tests and tells you how the profiling is going. Tests are open-ended puzzles that give the game a bit of information about you as a person. You solve these puzzles by 'grabbing' something with the A and B buttons. Based upon how you answer, some things will change in the enviornment. Anything can change: locations, character appearances and personality, enemy appearances and the ending to the game. Not all the results of these sessions are immediately evident, making it worth playing through again to tinker with your answers. If you are honest with yourself and the game, it can get a pretty good read on you as a person. However in my experience I noted a single problem: it called me a tidy person. Anyone who has seen my bedroom (and as the game loves to point out, nobody has) can tell you otherwise. I think I know what I did to merit this result however, and I'm going through the game to see if it changes in the end.
The next section of gameplay is the Exploration portion. In this portion, you walk about the town of Silent Hill and look for Cheryl. The controls for this section are smooth as butter: you use the Wii Remote as a pointing device, moving it to the edges of the screen to turn. The analog stick on the nunchuck is used for movement. This control scheme is comfortable and accessible. However, people with a pention for altering dead-zones will be annoyed: there is no control customization in the game. This section is about, as the name implies, exploring the town of Silent Hill and solving puzzles, which implements one of the many new additions to the Silent Hill formula: a cell phone. This iPhone wanna-be has several functions within the game. The one you'll probably be using most is, unsurprisingly, the phone function. There are plenty of phone numbers strewn about Silent Hill, each and every one of them can be dialed, and a message will play. Yes, you can call 911, but the reception in Silent Hill isn't always the best (Plot convinience, or subtle jab at AT&T? You decide!). There is also a camera, which can be used to take pictures. Some of these will reveal spectral phenomenon, which can give your phone text or audio messages. Likewise, the phone also serves as the classic radio from the other Silent Hill game. It will emit a noise (all sounds from the phone come from the Wii Remote: a commonly used tactic, but still a nice touch) when you are near a special object. When you apporach the object, you will recieve a new message. These messages can add to the plot, help you solve puzzles, or merely unnerve you. There are also collectible Momentos to be found in the enviornment, which can also affect your Psyche-profile. That's right: Dr. K is watching even when you're not in his office. Depending on how you behave or what you look at, the system will change the game based on your actions. So be warned: checking out the female characters' anatomy will affect the game. You will also use the phone as a map and to save the game. That map will come in handy for the final gameplay section...
[img_inline height=200 caption="... or she could look like this and be a total *****.
There are other variations, including not meeting this cop at the diner.
It all depends on you."]http://www.zonapixel.es/wp-content/uploads/silent-hill-shattered-memories.jpg[/img_inline]
There are other variations, including not meeting this cop at the diner.
It all depends on you."]http://www.zonapixel.es/wp-content/uploads/silent-hill-shattered-memories.jpg[/img_inline]
The final part of the game, the Otherworld chase sequences, are the most terrifying moments you'll experience on the Wii. In Dr K.'s office you're completely free from harm. The moody atmosphere makes the Exploration segments eerie, but not frightening. This is where the game puts the pedal to the metal and brings out the monstrocities. When the world freezes over, you know you are in trouble. You are required to get from where you are to a waypoint marked on your iPhone map. There will be monsters hunting you: their screams will fill the air when they see you. You can't stop them: there is no combat in the game whatsoever. I repeat that to all the people who are scratching their heads right now: there is no combat in this game. Instead, you need to focus on running. You can slow down enemies in two ways: you can knock over certain objects with a quick shake of the nunchuk or use a flare to stop enemies in their tracks. These methods don't last very long, so you can't easily stop to check your map. You can't check your map while your running, unfortunately. If you take out your phone, Harry moves at a very slow rate. I guess he doesn't want to damage his 600 dollar investment. You can also hide in certain places, but you aren't allowed to take your phone out, which makes the implementation of hiding places seem a bit sketchy. If you are clever enough, you can lose the monsters by hiding, giving you ample time to check your map once you exit the hiding place.
You cannot attack monsters, but they certainly can hurt you. One of the most common complaints regarding the chase sequences is the motion controls to shake the enemies off of you. Using smaller, more concise motions will lead to a near 100% rate of success. As you play, shaking off enemies will become second nature. A helpful feature is that all doorways have a light blue color to them, making them easier to see in the dark Otherworld. Even with this feature, many gamers will find themselves lost in the chase sequences. This can frustrate players, so if you are the kind to be easily frustrated, you might want to get another game. Thankfully the consequenes for failure are light, having you only start from the beginning of the chase. There are also some moments in the Otherworld where you must complete certain side-objectives. These are a fun change of pace and one of these moments is absolutely jaw-dropping.
[img_inline height=200 caption="Hey! Hell froze over! Expect Duke Nukem Forever to be released
next week, this game to sell with virtually no advertisement, and for
me to find a nice girl to date!"]http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/9/2009/09/500x_silent_hill_psp.jpg[/img_inline]
In Conclusion...
Silent Hill purists will absolutely hate this title. This game plays nothing like its predecessor; no combat, enemies relegated to individual zones and a new take on the story will leave people hoping for a simple retread agitated. More open-minded fans and people with little connection to the franchise will be pleasantly surprised at what this game has to offer. With around a 6-8 hour story, along with replays to change up the Profile and find secrets, you'll be visiting the town of Silent Hill again really soon.
You should Buy this game if...
- You are an open-minded Silent Hill fan.
- You like horror games, but haven't delved into Silent Hill yet.
- You like adventure games.
You should Rent this game if...
- You are a Silent Hill fan on the fence regarding the changes.
- You are merely curious about the Psyche-Profile.
- You want some use out of your Wii.
You should Skip this game if...
- You are a Silent Hill purist.
- You are easily frustrated.
- You think motion controls are from the devil (in which case, rent the PS2 or PSP versions due to come out this year. The lack of motion controls will more likely than not take much away from the game, which is why I only recommend a rent).
Thanks for reading the review. As always, I appreciate any and all feedback and advice.
