Silent Hill Games after the third game, any of them hold up?

[Samtemdo8]

Because I feel after the original trilogy of games, the Silent Hill franchise went a bit of a decline in quality.

There's Silent Hill 4: The Room (the last game made by Team Silent, but I don't see too much enthusiasm with that game)
Silent Hill Origins (PSP game that's a prequel to game 1 and relatively faithful to the old gameplay)
Silent Hill Shattered Memories
Silent Hill Homecoming
And Silent Hill Downpour

So what's the opinion of any of these games right now with hindsight and such because I know Homecoming was the most negatively received but that was then and this is now.

 

[hanselthecaretaker]

I’ve played all besides Shattered Memories, and I’d rank from best to worst -

- SH4: The Room
It started development as a new IP before being retrofitted into another SH, and it kinda shows. But overall the setting and some more encumbered design choices were the only considerable drawbacks. The story and atmosphere are still top notch and in some cases exceptional even next to the earlier games, and it’s actually the most “hardcore” SH from a gameplay perspective.

It took me three separate attempts before I was able to get through it, but that might’ve also boiled down to intimidation personally. Just save often and make multiples saves for each area cleared in the second half to alleviate unnecessary backtracking. I ultimately got the best ending and appreciated how the game rewarded being mindful of things and punished carelessness.

- SH: Origins
Probably the closest a different team got to recapturing the feel of the original, and it was done on a portable system no less. What it lacked in detail and depth it made up for with good execution, decent atmosphere, story and (mostly) balanced combat.

- SH5: Homecoming and Downpour (tie)
This is difficult because both games have nearly opposing strengths and weaknesses. From an audiovisual, puzzle and general playability standpoint, Homecoming excels the most of the latter entries. Downpour goes the distance to making Silent Hill feel like a real town, with interesting lore hidden throughout, but it has significant technical shortcomings, exceptionally awkward combat design even by survival horror standards, and weak enemy design. It’s one I’d want to go through with god mode on because it’s still a great experience for what it gets right.

I’ve read Shattered Memories does quite a few things well, but at the time I didn’t want to play another portable entry.

 

[gsilver]

I’ve read Shattered Memories does quite a few things well, but at the time I didn’t want to play another portable entry.

It was originally a Wii game, so it's not exactly a portable-first game, even if it did eventually come to the PSP.
I never played it on the PSP, but the graphics and framerate were significantly cut down on the PS2 version.

Though I *was* able to play the PS2 version without having to struggle against motion controls (I am woefully uncoordinated, so I missed out on a lot of Wii titles) so that's the version that I beat.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

As much as I like Heather I've always thought 3 is a bit overrated. It makes the mistake of continuing the nonsense plot of 1 while feeling like a quicky spin-off of 2 what with the identical graphics/engine and even sharing some of the locations and monsters. By that same token I was never a fan of RE3 Nemesis.

4 is the last good purebred Silent Hill. I remember reading about how the game started as something else before it got assimilated into Silent Hill territory but I've never been able to find a source to substantiate that claim, just people repeating the same rumor. Which is easy to believe since the game is so wildly different from the others. First person HUB world, limited inventory system, a HUD on screen, gauges for stamina and power, unkillable enemies, no signature radio static or flashlight...

Origins is where the series was handed over to Western devs. There's a pattern in the industry where an IP switches hands and the devs not knowing where to take the story just bang out a prequel aimed to please a fanbase while setting up somebody else's homework (see Arkham Origins). Everything in Origins is similar to something that already exists somewhere in the franchise to the point it feels like a knock-off. Kept the breakable melee weapon system from 4 but ditched the limited inventory, thank god.

Homecoming was trying to cash in on the 2006 movie by aping the refurbished aesthetic and design choices as well as the overall plotline. It also started introducing dumb American horror conventions in the style of black wisecracking sidekicks and highschool sweethearts. QTEs, dodge moves, you get to kill human enemies. The 'murican way.

Shattered Memories was on Wii, and I played the PS2 port. Which was good enough. I don't remember the game suffering for it, though I imagine the motion control gimmick was lost in translation. I appreaciate it for veering off formular and experimenting a little with the gameplay. The chase sequences can be genuinely unnerving.

Haven't played Downpour.

 

[Specter Von Baren]

I’ve played all besides Shattered Memories, and I’d rank from best to worst -

- SH4: The Room
It started development as a new IP before being retrofitted into another SH, and it kinda shows. But overall the setting and some more encumbered design choices were the only considerable drawbacks. The story and atmosphere are still top notch and in some cases exceptional even next to the earlier games, and it’s actually the most “hardcore” SH from a gameplay perspective.

No it wasn't. The creator has debunked this myth already.

I would say 4 is at least very interesting but I also suspect most people won't find it very fun to play without reading a guide. I would love to see what a remake of this game could do to polish up a lot of the rough edges on the game.

 

[Kyrian007]

I quite enjoyed Shattered Memories, probably more than any I experienced since the 3rd one. I never bothered with the ports, played the WII version. Other than having to master the "shake off" gesture that gets rid of enemies that cling on to you (which is terrible because a: it isn't very intuitive, AND b: once you master it all the tension is gone because you can never get killed again) the motion controls are used very well. The wiimote as a functioning cell phone is a very interesting gimmick. Actually holding it up to your ear and having its speaker play audio is a nice and often creepy touch. The pointer was always the best function of the wiimote, and using it as a flashlight or as a pen to write notes on the map is good as well. Takes me back to the days where you actually had to draw your own if you wanted a map.

Overall I'd say Shattered Memories was a good entry in the franchise... but looking back at it I'd also say it would lose a good deal of its charm ported to any other platform. As far as the others go, Downpour is alright but nothing special, Homecoming is terrible, Origins... so bland I can't even remember a second of it. 4 was only a disappointment as a product of its time. I imagine if one plays it after marathoning Origins, Homecoming, and Downpour it would probably seem pretty damn good by comparison. As it was it followed 1,3, and most especially 2... very difficult acts to follow.

 

[Anti-American Eagle]

I have a soft spot for Shattered Memories, Homecoming, and Downpour. Shattered Memories was probably the best out of those three though.

Origins and The Room are well thought out but I don't feel as much enthusiasm looking back on them.

I'm a Silent Hill fan, I acknowledge my fondness for certain entries may be unpopular.

 

[PsychedelicDiamond]

I consider Shattered Memories a bit of an overlooked gem. I've actually finished another playthrough last weekend and I've been meaning to open a thread on it.

 

[Dreiko]

The room is still very much classic Silent Hill. It's nothing like the outsourced ones following it that were more about jump scares than the atmosphere.

I don't wanna go too much into specifics but the game legit made me terrified of opening a fridge at one point and I was playing it with a friend at the time too. You don't wanna skip it. It gets unfairly looked down upon because it's not SH2 but it's still good.

 

[CaitSeith]

I consider Shattered Memories a bit of an overlooked gem. I've actually finished another playthrough last weekend and I've been meaning to open a thread on it.

It certainly had too many expectations on its shoulders as a reboot of the series. It's interesting in its own right, but compared to the first one, it's underwhelming. I found the alternate World from the original scarier than the frozen one in Shattered Memories.

 

[SilentPony]

As someone who found Silent Hill 2 a complete letdown of goofy people doing goofy things, take my opinion as whatever. But I thought Silent Hill Homecoming was great. Sure it was just as goofy, but at least the goofiness makes sense. You're looking for your missing brother in a town where people are going missing.
Good. Great. A clear goal.

 

[BrawlMan]

I never touched any Silent Hill games after 3. The Room was too different, and I was getting tired of SH since Homecoming. I can recommend Shattered Memories, but when you get down to it, the game predates the no-combat, walking simulator horror that would explode on Steam in the mid 2010s. Shattered Memories is better than a majority of those walk-a-thons though. There have been horror games before with little to no combat such as Alone in The Dark & Clock Tower games, but you usually had brief defense/stun options and actively solving puzzles. Clock Tower was more of a point and click game.

 

[Specter Von Baren]

Honestly, if Homecoming did do anything right then it was with its bosses. They have very good designs based on the way the children they represent died. In particular, Scarlett is terrifying and freaky and I'd say everything surrounding that boss fight is the high point of the game.

 

[ObsidianJones]

Obligatory Silent Hill 2 fan. I'm stating this so you know where my sensibilities lie. I'm not there for pure shock value. I like the unsettling feeling of "This is all Wrong".

The first time I came up on Pyramid Head just staring at me, I couldn't comprehend it. It wasn't attacking me. But it was noticing me. It was studying me. Why? The sickness of just shooting an invisible being that did nothing wrong and people enjoying it. The theories and concepts that you can still argue to this day. Laura is my biggest one. It is inconceivable to me that a woman who had even a tiniest bit of hope while dying would keep it from her husband.

It does not make sense to love Laura so much that she wished to adopt her, but never mention her once. It makes me consider Laura as an unreal entity, created to torment James. Part family he'll never have, part displaying the selfishness he exuded during Mary's illness. And that made me question everything more.

Again, I say this to give my opinion on how I feel about those after 3.

Item management and power hits aside, I think the Room suffered from a nothing Protagonist. It had quality ideas, but more than a few misses. The Villain's obsession with Townshend's apartment is... something. It essentially had the frame work right, but the details didn't hit home for me.

Origins wasn't necessary. That's the only thing I felt while dealing with it.

Shattered Memories plays you while you play it. I loved that idea. Unfortunately, I do not like games that say "No, you're helpless". Part of the thrill for me are choices. Figuring out if I have to deal with this next encounter and if it will cost me if I am wrong. And while Puzzle Solving is an integral part of Survival Horror, it's like that for a reason different than just tradition. If your available slots are filled with key items, that means less chances for you to have a healing item or extra bullets that you could rely on if you're a terrible shot.

Just saying "Oooh, the sacred forces of unknowable power just like to mess with you... oooooooooh!" and putting it in a game seems dumb. And yes, I know. After you find out the reveal of Shattered Memories, you know that sacred forces of unknowable power aren't there to mess with you. But that's just a blanket statement for how I feel. But even though I don't like helpless game play, Shattered Memories is the game that gets it the most.

Homecoming... I liked nothing about it.

And Downpour.

I just have to say it's unfocused. It's trying to do so much. GTA-Haunted House edition probably could work, but this wasn't the way. For me, being unnerved is more wondering how am I going to survive what's going to happen next. It is not looking for something to do next. Exploration is the actual antithesis of what it takes to bring out fear because you need to be brave to explore. Reading about messed up things that happened in this area in a video game doesn't frighten me.

And if you're a goody-two shoes like me, you're left wondering why did Silent Hill even call Murphy. Is the town just calling for people who are mildly depressed now? Does the town now just look for people who made a few mistakes in their lives and go "Eh, you'll do"?

And the enemy design... Wow. Just wow.

Can not recommend this one.

 

[Specter Von Baren]

Homecoming... I liked nothing about it.

Not even 'One More Soul to the Call'? That's another thing, both it and 'Room of Angel' from 4 are fantastic songs! I dunno, while I don't dislike the music from the first three games, none of it really speaks to me like those two songs do.