tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28613612351014112752024-03-12T19:04:40.500-07:00Shade's Adventures in Survival HorrorI write about my favorite genre of video games: survival horror. I examine video games that are classified as horror, and determine if they make good horror games.
My 2014-2015 posts are my reviews on various games as well as a couple opinion posts.
In 2016, I'm focusing more on the horror genre, and what makes horror games so great or not so great.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15042208038875450551noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2861361235101411275.post-55170025288330515842016-01-14T21:26:00.000-08:002016-01-19T13:06:54.743-08:00Examination of Horror Video Games – Case #1: Resident Evil (1996)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPrWXm1xTB2saDeoVX4VlXRo2GZ8NmJHuwIL8xSK2HmwIbZbraUonB9wU5JhA8vvb5uwsz41WANC8HW-VuhUSWrZm3dHKR0CKTEVTcF2QG6LLQtgjmB7EyVQzHrReRgYBX4GQNKE6nV7P8/s1600/vlcsnap-2016-01-14-18h48m26s051.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPrWXm1xTB2saDeoVX4VlXRo2GZ8NmJHuwIL8xSK2HmwIbZbraUonB9wU5JhA8vvb5uwsz41WANC8HW-VuhUSWrZm3dHKR0CKTEVTcF2QG6LLQtgjmB7EyVQzHrReRgYBX4GQNKE6nV7P8/s320/vlcsnap-2016-01-14-18h48m26s051.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">I
have already written a review of Resident Evil in a previous post.<br />
In
that post, I reviewed the entire game.<br />
This time, I'm </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">analyzing</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">
Resident Evil as a horror game.<br />
The main aspect of Resident
Evil's horror is commonly known as survival horror.</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">It emphasizes surviving with limitations on the supply of ammunition,
health items, saving the game, and inventory management.<br />
Other
aspects of Resident Evil's horror consist of jump scares, blood &
gore, opening scenes, music, save rooms, loading screens, no
indication of Chris' game being more difficult than Jill's game, and
tank controls.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Like
many fans of the series, Resident Evil was my introduction to horror
video games.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
I
was probably around 10 years old when I first saw Resident Evil, and
I was at a friend's house with a few other friends watching him play
his PlayStation.<br />
The rest of us were still playing our Super
Nintendo and Sega Genesis consoles. <br />
One of the games he showed
off was Resident Evil, and I was fascinated and terrified by it.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Later
on, I received a PlayStation as a Christmas gift, and the first game
I borrowed from my friend was Resident Evil.<br />
I couldn't get very
far.<br />
Partly due to the confusing control scheme.<br />
I had
never played a control setup like that before, and it wasn't easy to
get used to quickly.<br />
I also had a hard time braving the horror
of surviving against zombies and other virus infected
monstrosities.<br />
I soon gave up, and returned the game to my
friend. <br />
I didn't get to play it again until a few years later
when I finally owned a copy myself.<br />
I finished the game, and
fell in love with the series.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: red;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Resident
Evil (known as Biohazard in Japan) was originally released on the
PlayStation console in 1996.<br />
It was re-released for the PC, Sega
Saturn, Nintendo DS as well as a Director's Cut and a Dual Shock
version for the PlayStation. <br />
It was not the first horror video
game. </span></span></span></span></span>
</div>
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<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">It
certainly popularized horror video games though, and gave the survival
horror genre its name.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">The
story takes place in July 1998 in a fictional American town called
Raccoon City.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Strange
murders of victims being eaten have been occurring, and S.T.A.R.S. Bravo Team was sent to investigate.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Contact
with them is lost, and S.T.A.R.S. Alpha Team go on a mission to find
their teammates.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Alpha
Team, which includes main playable characters Jill Valentine and
Chris Redfield, soon find out that they will have to fight to
survive.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: red;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Survival
is a huge part of the horror in Resident Evil.<br />
Everything you
need to survive: ammunition, herbs/first aid sprays, ink ribbons, and
inventory space is limited.<br />
You're constantly worried about
whether or not you can make it to the end. </span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Ammunition
for firearms is the player's only defense against zombies and other
virus infected creatures.<br />
The knife can be used as a melee
alternative if the player has no ammo, but it would be better just to
run away because the knife is useless.<br />
It'll just bring a "you
died" screen.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia-0Z3DERyNsIfO300Xfrl88E_68-hF7oAStELZP4BJRCtHatu1OoqxkaztAG5wlQ5Zz3qrsb9ZlSUJvqSd7TwoNMCqKqeG6va7H731WpUqVUMtDuABsQANHArC7NyydXts811n2iLQm8v/s1600/vlcsnap-2016-01-14-19h17m54s058.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia-0Z3DERyNsIfO300Xfrl88E_68-hF7oAStELZP4BJRCtHatu1OoqxkaztAG5wlQ5Zz3qrsb9ZlSUJvqSd7TwoNMCqKqeG6va7H731WpUqVUMtDuABsQANHArC7NyydXts811n2iLQm8v/s200/vlcsnap-2016-01-14-19h17m54s058.png" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4a9jrOIq5dCgaFzObpHCBLRfRrhqevxTvz73VI4UQzCe-9yPH3877c-wXMugqYmmYnPwTUuwYkd5cSIfmeAeYpOLgYBde4-8gNK-nlkxXqMPjYlY8iw5YvST8PRvrb2Sa7rEuwDBxgarv/s1600/vlcsnap-2016-01-14-19h21m46s750.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4a9jrOIq5dCgaFzObpHCBLRfRrhqevxTvz73VI4UQzCe-9yPH3877c-wXMugqYmmYnPwTUuwYkd5cSIfmeAeYpOLgYBde4-8gNK-nlkxXqMPjYlY8iw5YvST8PRvrb2Sa7rEuwDBxgarv/s200/vlcsnap-2016-01-14-19h21m46s750.png" width="200" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Since
ammunition is limited and scattered throughout the game, it's best
for players to pick their shots.<br />
One must strategically know
when it's best shoot zombies/creatures.<br />
The best strategy is
usually to shoot the monsters in areas that will be visited many
times, and avoid monsters/save ammo in areas that will be explored
once and never again.<br />
In the beginner mode of the Director's Cut
and Dual Shock versions, it's easier to kill many monsters since ammo
is doubled.<br />
In the standard game and advanced mode (Director's
Cut and Dual Shock versions) players are more likely to be
hemorrhaging for ammo.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: red;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">In
fighting monsters, there's a good chance that Chris or Jill (main
playable characters in the game) will get hurt, and they must heal
themselves with herbs or first aid sprays. <br />
Not only does it
always seem like a player can never have enough healing items, but
it's also good to know which healing items to use at the best
time.<br />
The game doesn't outright tell players if and when to use
a certain health item or which herbs to combine for the right
recovery needed.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir5nN-ytghZMC928bOf9EzqjAYqE-GniVybeIP9HEAkhO1sOMA79A6j8Gi4OlDBQIdTUBPaQq4W-JKBnQ3nf-ShV6QnJtiEjld7T2k-CuQeIepKz0dRD-HMFrKKq9zPfmIJ5Syv-0VxSLy/s1600/vlcsnap-2016-01-14-19h46m14s310.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir5nN-ytghZMC928bOf9EzqjAYqE-GniVybeIP9HEAkhO1sOMA79A6j8Gi4OlDBQIdTUBPaQq4W-JKBnQ3nf-ShV6QnJtiEjld7T2k-CuQeIepKz0dRD-HMFrKKq9zPfmIJ5Syv-0VxSLy/s200/vlcsnap-2016-01-14-19h46m14s310.png" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhozEGxkh-AJBUzvacpP_U5jjaT2WItpoF0mOR3QPe2CbJEl5jPlkqsKNs2__VkXWu1g9qJGvWMaeAiMvvzLGvjeYefsU2zNtqddzOHwgtRuKtN99RVgC1a2LdGDbILqEXT2UxssP01qZ-p/s1600/vlcsnap-2016-01-14-21h46m36s388.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhozEGxkh-AJBUzvacpP_U5jjaT2WItpoF0mOR3QPe2CbJEl5jPlkqsKNs2__VkXWu1g9qJGvWMaeAiMvvzLGvjeYefsU2zNtqddzOHwgtRuKtN99RVgC1a2LdGDbILqEXT2UxssP01qZ-p/s200/vlcsnap-2016-01-14-21h46m36s388.png" width="200" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">There
is only an article towards the beginning of the game giving players a
hint on combining green, red, and blue herbs.<br />
Both Chris and
Jill have a first aid spray at the game's start, and it's obvious
what it's for.<br />
The game manual only explains that when the
character's health is below fine status the player must find a
healing item.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
One must use tactics to prevent health damage, and use a
healing item when the character does take damage.<br />
Players,
however, find out the hard way which herbs to combine for particular
healing effects as well as when to conserve healing items.<br />
For
example, I save first aid sprays for boss fights late in the game
since 3 green herbs or a green and red herb can fully recover Chris
and Jill from danger (the lowest) health status.<br />
Part of the
horror of surviving is forcing players how to figure out for
themselves how to make it to the end, and only provide hints to lead
them in the right direction.<br />
If a player runs out of healing
items or doesn't heal in time before Chris or Jill dies, that's where
saving the game comes in handy.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Saving
the game is critical to make it to the end because there's a good
chance Chris or Jill will die at least once. <br />
But, once again,
there are restrictions to saving progress.<br />
There's no autosaving,
and no freedom to save anywhere at anytime. <br />
Players can only
save at typewriters, which are located in specific areas in the
game.<br />
Rooms with typewriters are usually safe rooms from the
monsters.<br />
I'll talk more about the safe rooms later in the post.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: red;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">In
order to use a typewriter, the player must have an ink ribbon, and
ink ribbons are limited in quantity and scattered throughout the game
just like ammo and healing items.<br />
Players must find out when is
the best time to save.<br />
I usually save before boss fights, and
other monsters like hunters that are difficult to fight.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">One
can't save too often for it will lead to low ink ribbons later in the
game when saving is needed most. <br />
On the other hand, if a player
doesn't save his/her progress enough then he/she is taking a chance
of dying, and having to repeat hours of gameplay.<br />
Anytime Chris
or Jill dies, the game goes back to the main menu, and the last save
game must be loaded to try again.<br />
Whether the last save was 2
minutes or 2 hours before dying, that is where the player must start
again.<br />
If there is no saved game then the game must be restarted
from the beginning.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: red;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Restricting
when and where the game can be saved creates more anxiety in players
about death within the game.<br />
Players are already worried about
having enough ammo and healing items in fighting enemies.<br />
Not
being able to save one's progress wherever or whenever makes
surviving more difficult and more nerve wrecking.<br />
To top off the
limitations of survival, Chris and Jill need to be able to carry ink
ribbons and other items with them, but they have little inventory
space to have these items with them at all times.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Jill
has eight inventory slots while Chris has six inventory slots. <br />
They
can only carry the number of items that their inventories allow, and
it's usually best to leave 3-4 spaces open for picking up more items
during explorations.<br />
The good news is that there are item boxes
(usually in the same room as typewriters/save points) to store extra
items.<br />
The bad news is there is a lot of backtracking to item
boxes especially with Chris.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Item
management is a great way to make players think about what they need
for survival.<br />
It also makes them worry about whether or not they
chose the right items to take with them, and if they have enough to
get them through.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">The
main theme of survival horror is restrictions, however, there are
other aspects to the horror of Resident Evil such as jump scares,
blood and gore, and other small elements that contribute.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="left" style="line-height: 100%;">
<span style="color: red;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Resident
Evil is also known for its jump scares.<br />
The game is very good at
giving players near heart attacks typically by monsters coming out of
nowhere.<br />
The only issue is that sometimes too many jump scares
can become predictable and ineffective.<br />
I know some people can
be scared many times by jump scares.<br />
Personally I can jump once
or twice from scares.<br />
After that it's not very effective on me
especially if I figure out the method the game is using to make me
jump.<br />
Then I can predict them.<br />
Resident Evil does have some
good scares, but later in the game they seem overused.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: red;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Another
horror element of Resident Evil is blood and gore.<br />
This is a
game about zombies and mutated creatures killing and eating
people.<br />
It's not a surprise that there are graphic scenes of
Chris or Jill and other characters getting killed in horrible ways,
or characters found dead in a gruesome manner.<br />
Of course, blood
is shown when killing enemies as well.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">The
opening full motion video scenes are actually more graphic in the
Japanese release, but they were censored in North America and PAL
versions.<br />
Even though the graphic scenes of cannibalized bodies
in the introduction scenes were deleted in my country, I still found
Chris' narration of victims of cannibalization along with the creepy
music to be terrifying.<br />
It was especially terrifying when I
first saw the game as a kid.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: red;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Music
is a very important component in promoting a certain kind of fear in
players.<br />
From unsettling music in hallways and rooms to more
intense music notes on boss fights to the soothing score in save
rooms. <br />
The music sets the mood of the game, and the mood can
change in various parts. <br />
The unsettling music can make players
fear something may attack them around the corner.<br />
Boss fights
can make one feel like he/she has to survive against great odds with
heavier music. <br />
The relaxing tone of save rooms feel more like
safe rooms.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrI8nK8Ods4CmUIymBOX2Z4CidTPpBYvUkQVMsMy71Qe6P-eomOzqZ0zjHEyN72T_cATuQ1A__V5GKouX6pVkQ7u9Jq61XUJcrq2aqtFUL21WOSGKOiTj5FQUfceuGKIMhNGwgwSSPktoq/s1600/vlcsnap-2016-01-14-21h48m04s203.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrI8nK8Ods4CmUIymBOX2Z4CidTPpBYvUkQVMsMy71Qe6P-eomOzqZ0zjHEyN72T_cATuQ1A__V5GKouX6pVkQ7u9Jq61XUJcrq2aqtFUL21WOSGKOiTj5FQUfceuGKIMhNGwgwSSPktoq/s200/vlcsnap-2016-01-14-21h48m04s203.png" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyneufQd264RBs6XnOK6_0nkQm4Hz62jLW7dZ8LtK3ipV9A-MdpAUstKGdeEIIYDvCpQ4Qn3m-KdlG70-X14GEOdAVR4nbabNY6IaT6FylanamSz5QzvmSOOG8DfxPHM7S3yxUSRqFjAKw/s1600/vlcsnap-2016-01-14-21h48m24s355.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyneufQd264RBs6XnOK6_0nkQm4Hz62jLW7dZ8LtK3ipV9A-MdpAUstKGdeEIIYDvCpQ4Qn3m-KdlG70-X14GEOdAVR4nbabNY6IaT6FylanamSz5QzvmSOOG8DfxPHM7S3yxUSRqFjAKw/s200/vlcsnap-2016-01-14-21h48m24s355.png" width="200" /></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: red;">Believe
it or not, save rooms are a part of Resident Evil's horror.<br />
Save
rooms are not only locations to save progress and store away extra
items in item boxes, but also give players a safe haven from the
monsters.<br />
It gives players a temporary feeling of security as
long as they're in the save room.<br />
Feeling secure in a save room
can make players debate if they want to go back out the door to
continue the horror of surviving.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: red;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Opening
doors and ascending/descending stairs or ladders serve as loading
screens.<br />
Instead of being a typical dull loading screen, it
shows a door surrounded in darkness slowly opening.<br />
The same
goes with going up or down a staircase or ladder.<br />
It may not
seem like much in this description, but while experiencing it in the
game it always made me fear what could be on the other side.<br />
What
will I see when I go through the door, or on the other side of the
stairs?<br />
It's the fear of the unknown.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Something
else that is unknown to players the first time they play Resident
Evil is that Chris' game is more difficult than Jill's game.<br />
Chris
has less inventory space than Jill (aka more backtracking to item
boxes), Jill gets the bazooka while Chris doesn't, and on and
on.<br />
Except for the Nintendo DS, one can only find out by playing
the game, or from people who've already played the game that one
character's game is easier than the other.<br />
It makes the player
find out the hard way that Jill is the better character to play first
when learning how to survive Resident Evil.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">When
choosing between Jill or Chris, players are choosing between normal
or hard respectively without realizing it until it's too late.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">It's
not until players progress in Chris' game that they find out that in
many ways they are more screwed in his game especially if they have
already played Jill.
</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
The
Director's Cut and Dual Shock versions on PlayStation have three
difficulty level choices added before choosing to play Chris or
Jill.<br />
Even then Chris' game is still more difficult.<br />
Those
two PlayStation releases actually have six difficulty levels.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<br />
<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">One
final comment before concluding.<br />
Many people don't care for the
tank controls and switching camera angles.<br />
Tank controls is a
common term for the control scheme where the up button on the d-pad
or analog stick always makes the character walk forward, down button
has the character walk backwards, etc. no matter the camera angle.<br />
It
does take time to get used to when it's one's first time playing.<br />
I
like the cinematic feel of the different camera angles, and tank
controls work best with the switching camera angles.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="left" style="line-height: 100%;">
<span style="color: red;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="left" style="line-height: 100%;">
<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">What
does switching angles and tank controls have to do with survival
horror?<br />
If a person isn't used to tank controls, it makes the
game much more frightening because the chances of dying are much
higher when one doesn't know what to do.<br />
Plus, it can be
difficult to see enemies at certain camera angles, which means
players need to be cautious as they walk around the corner or towards
an enemy they can hear but not see.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: red;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="left" style="line-height: 100%;">
<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">I
recommend Resident Evil to anyone.<br />
Any survival horror fan will
say that Resident Evil is among the best PlayStation games and best
horror games they've ever played.<br />
It does have cheesy voice
acting, and a difficult control scheme to get accustomed to.<br />
The
bad voice acting can be enjoyable, and the tank controls just take
time to get used to.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: red;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">As
for finding a copy of the game, the Director's Cut and Dual Shock
versions for PlayStation are probably the easiest to find as far as
physical releases.<br />
They can range from $10-15 (US dollars).<br />
The
Dual Shock version was released digitally on the PlayStation Store on
PlayStation 3 for $5.99.<br />
The Nintendo DS release known as
Resident Evil: Deadly Silence shouldn't be difficult to come by
either, it can be as low as $10 for a used copy.<br />
The original
1996 PlayStation and Saturn versions are probably harder to find, and
can be around $25-30 and higher.<br />
The PC release is close to the
same value as its Saturn and original PlayStation counterparts, but
it's not an easy one to come by.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: red;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Picking
the right edition of Resident Evil will depend not only on what
system you want to play it on and how much it costs.<br />
It will
also depend on which features you want.<br />
To my knowledge the
original 1996 PlayStation release has the least amount of
content.<br />
The Director's Cut added training (easy) mode as well
as an advanced (hard) mode.<br />
Besides stronger, faster, and higher
number of enemies, advanced mode contains new camera angles, and
rearranged item and enemy placements.<br />
The Dual Shock version is
mostly the same as the Director's Cut along with support for the
PlayStation dual shock controller and new music. <br />
The Saturn
release has a battle minigame, a new monster, and new outfits for
Jill and Chris.<br />
Supposedly the uncensored introduction scenes
are in the PC version.<br />
The PC version also included new outfits
and Jill and Chris each get an exclusive weapon.<br />
Resident Evil:
Deadly Silence adds a rebirth mode and LAN multilayer modes.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: red;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">It's
evident why Resident Evil was so successful that it led to many
sequels, and many video games attempted to follow in its footsteps.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">It
is still loved by many fans today.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">I
have played it so many times, and I still find so much fun to play.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">It
may not scare me like it used to, but I still have concerns with
having enough supplies to make it to the end.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: red;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Final decision</b>: Resident Evil is a great horror game that keeps you on
edge, and may give you nightmares.</span></span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-family: "liberation" serif , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiDfcRQBnw5xz6-pMoGcjc9y4-Qrd4eA0hzDU4zAUUqnDp3nopsYZeMzQhZOTtiwBS7D1ahSGZOaMBajT6e4sdtsievowz31djODgT_rZplqzxUY0DIK0dSdqsA-xte_1tdjYSE4XHc2H2/s1600/vlcsnap-2016-01-14-22h02m27s068.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiDfcRQBnw5xz6-pMoGcjc9y4-Qrd4eA0hzDU4zAUUqnDp3nopsYZeMzQhZOTtiwBS7D1ahSGZOaMBajT6e4sdtsievowz31djODgT_rZplqzxUY0DIK0dSdqsA-xte_1tdjYSE4XHc2H2/s320/vlcsnap-2016-01-14-22h02m27s068.png" width="320" /></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15042208038875450551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2861361235101411275.post-42651462002538828702015-03-15T16:52:00.001-07:002015-10-18T16:34:00.618-07:00Shade's Review of Resident Evil 2<div align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
When a
video game is a success, there is usually a need for a sequel that
improves on the original and adds to the storyline.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
That's exactly what
Resident Evil 2 accomplishes.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Biohazard 2/Resident
Evil 2 began development soon after the release of the first game
with Shinji Mikami as producer, Hideki Kamiya as director, and the
story written by Noboru Sugimura.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The game that the
team started making was quite different from the final product
released with Elza Walker as a playable character instead of Claire
Redfield, Leon and Elza never crossed paths, the police station was
created to look more like real life police stations, and many more
differences.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
This version,
commonly known as Biohazard 1.5/Resident Evil 1.5, was discarded more
than half-way through development in favor of creating the released
game fans know and love.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Resident Evil 2 was
released on the PlayStation in North America on January 21, 1998, and
on May 8, 1998 in the PAL regions.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The Japanese version
titled Biohazard 2 was available on January 29, 1998.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The Dual Shock
version for the PlayStation came out in North America and Japan later
that year, and re-released on the PlayStation Network years later.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It was also ported
to the Game.com in 1998.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In 1999-2000, the
game was ported to Windows 95/98, Nintendo 64, and Dreamcast.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
A GameCube version
was released in 2003, and Japan got a release for Windows XP in 2006.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Like its
predecessor, every version has its differences.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
A minigame called
Extreme Battle Mode appears on the PlayStation Dual Shock, Dreamcast,
GameCube, and PC.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
A rookie mode was
added on top of easy and normal difficulty levels to the PlayStation
Dual Shock, Dreamcast, GameCube, and PC giving players the rocket
launcher, gatling gun, and machine gun in the item box at the
beginning of the game.<br />
Moreover, the PC edition has a hard mode.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
All releases are on
two discs (disc one for Leon's game and disc two for Claire's game)
with the exception of the game on N64 and GameCube.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The N64 version is
on one cartridge along with the GameCube release being on one disc,
and you choose to play Leon or Claire in the main menu.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
The Dreamcast
version uses the console's VMU (Visual Memory Unit) to show health
status and ammo count.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The game has the
most extras on the N64, and the most differences on Game.com.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
For the N64 version,
players can choose to randomize items, blood color, and violent
control.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There are also more
memos in the N64 release that can be found throughout the game known
as ex-files.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Only Leon's A
scenario is available for the Game.com edition, and the graphics are
in black and white and in 2.5D.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Unlike Resident Evil
1, I don't remember seeing Resident Evil 2 around the time it was
released.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I didn't see RE2
until I played it myself a few years after it came out.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I don't know why
because I experienced Resident Evil 3 as a demo before I got to play
the entire game a couple years later.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I guess I just never
saw any of my childhood friends play it.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Resident Evil 2 is
set in September 1998 in Raccoon City, two months after the first
Resident Evil.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Leon S. Kennedy is
heading to the Raccoon Police Department for his first day of his job
as a cop, and Claire Redfield rides into town looking for her brother
Chris who was one of the playable characters in Resident Evil 1.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
They unknowingly
enter the town during a viral outbreak, and encounter the townspeople
as zombies.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Leon and Claire
cross paths during this time, and head for the RPD thinking it'll be
safer.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
On the way, they get
separated, and must take their own paths to survive.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
One improvement
players will quickly notice in Resident Evil 2 is the voice acting.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The voice acting in
Resident Evil 1 is pretty cheesy, which can either be seen as fun or
bad depending on the person.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
RE2 has a couple
cheesy lines, but the character performances are definitely better
than RE1.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
Every Resident
Evil sequel has at least one cheesy line, but they have pretty good
voice acting.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Like Resident Evil
1, Leon and Claire each have their own attributes that make their
games a little different.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Both get a handgun
at the start of the game, but other weapons are specific to them.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Leon gets a shotgun
and magnum.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Claire gets a bolt
gun and grenade launcher.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Both have special
items at the start of the game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Leon has a lighter,
and Claire has a lockpick.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Leon has to get
small keys to unlock doors and drawers Claire can unlock with the
lockpick. <br />
Claire must find a lighter in a room in the police
station.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Leon's secondary
character is Ada Wong, a woman looking for her boyfriend John.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
Claire's secondary
character is a twelve year old girl named Sherry Birkin.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
What Resident Evil 2
does differently than the first game is have A and B scenarios for
both characters.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The A and B
scenarios parallel each other, and there are two paths to choose:
Leon A - Claire B or Claire A - Leon B.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
How it works is that
you play one character first which will be his or her A game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Once that A game is
completed, the B game for the opposite character must be saved when
prompted, and the B game save file can be loaded when you're ready to
play it.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
You have to play
the A game with one character in order to play the B game with the
other character.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Since the A and B
scenarios happen at the same time, there are some differences between
the scenarios and the paths you take.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
First off, the enemy
Mr. X only appears in the B scenario with both Leon or Claire making
the game a little more nerve-wrecking and more difficult.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Several months ago,
I played Claire B after not playing the B scenario in years.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There is a part in
the police station where you must do a puzzle to get a cogwheel.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In the A scenario,
you do the puzzle, get the cogwheel, and be on your way.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In the B scenario,
you do the puzzle, and Mr. X bursts through the wall.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
It had been so
long since I had played the B scenario that I had forgotten about it,
and it almost gave me a heart attack.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Second, Leon and
Claire have specific aspects that always occur in their game no
matter which scenario you play them in.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Leon and Claire
always get their specific weapons.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Ada is always Leon's
secondary character, and Sherry is always Claire's secondary
character.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Leon always meets
Ben the reporter, and Claire always meets the chief of police Brian
Irons.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Third, the two paths
also offer something a little different.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In the Claire A -
Leon B path, Sherry will need to be saved.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Claire needs to make
a vaccine to cure her while Leon has to make his way to Sherry's
location, and take her to the escape route.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
This does not happen
in the Leon A - Claire B path.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The addition of the
A and B scenarios is a good example of Resident Evil 2 adding onto
what RE1 did.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Resident Evil 1 has
two characters, Chris and Jill to choose to play.<br />
Chris' game and
Jill's game have nothing to do with each other.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
You play the same
game with both characters, but each character has his or her own
attributes that changes the gameplay in some ways.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Resident Evil 2 once
again has two characters to choose, Leon and Claire, but their games
have everything to do with each other.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
When you play one
character's game, the other character's game is happening at the same
time.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
This time players
are also choosing two paths: Leon A - Claire B and Claire A - Leon B.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
As to which
character is easier to play is for the player to decide.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In RE1, it's almost
universally agreed upon by fans that Jill's game is easier than
Chris' game due to Jill having two more inventory slots, she gets the
lockpick and the bazooka, etc.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It's not so
straightforward in RE2.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I've heard some fans
say that Leon is easier to play, and others say that Claire is easier
to play.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I prefer to play
Leon because I like his weapons better.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Plus, you have to
make sure that Sherry keeps up with when she is with her.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
If Claire runs too
far ahead, Sherry will stay where she is and crouch down.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Then you have to go
back for her.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I understand that
Sherry is a young girl, and it may be difficult for her to keep up
with Claire, a grown adult.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
It's still
annoying, however, that you have to make sure she keeps up or you'll
have to go back for her.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Some fans think that
Leon can take more damage than Claire.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I never really
noticed.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It's easy to notice,
however, that both characters have the same amount of inventory
space, each get their own special item, and have their own weapons.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It just depends on
what you prefer between the two.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
What is obvious is
that the A scenario is easier than the B scenario no matter which
character you play.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I would recommend
playing the A scenario with each character then play the B scenario
with each character.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
If you do decide to
play in that order, be sure to save Leon's game and Claire's game on
different slots.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The gameplay and
controls are pretty much the same as RE1.<br />
Both games involve
solving puzzles, collecting items, and surviving against zombies and
virus mutated creatures.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
One aspect about
survival that RE2 adds is Leon/Claire acting a certain way depending
on their health status.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Like RE1, there are
five health states: green fine, yellow caution, orange caution, red
danger, and purple poison.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
When Leon or Claire
is fine, they act normal.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In caution or if
they're poisoned, they hold their stomachs.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
If they're health is
in danger then they limp.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It's a good way to
visually show the player that the character is hurt without
constantly checking the inventory screen.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I'm very happy with
how Resident Evil 2 turned out, and many fans agree.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
At the same time, it
would be great to be able to play Resident Evil 1.5.
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I know there is at
least one playable version being made by some fans, but I don't know
if it's available to download yet.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I searched for it,
but I haven't found it.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It would be great to
get an official release of Resident Evil 1.5, although I doubt Capcom
would be willing to put in the time and effort for it.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
As good as Resident
Evil 2 is, it would still be neat to have the chance to play the
original version.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Resident Evil 2 has
great replayability.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The choice of
playing Leon or Claire as well as the A and B scenarios will have
players complete the game at least four times.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
All versions have
the two minigames: The 4th Survivor and The Tofu Survivor.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The 4th Survivor is
available after getting an A ranking for both A and B scenarios on
normal difficulty.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The Tofu Survivor is
unlocked after achieving A rankings six times in a row playing both A
and B scenarios for both characters on normal difficulty.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Extreme Battle mode
on the PlayStation Dual Shock edition and Dreamcast is opened the
same way the 4th Survivor is unlocked.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
The PC version has
Extreme Battle mode as well, but it's available from the start.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There are also
unlockable costumes in all releases.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
You must play the A
scenario with either character, do not pick up any items on the way
to the police station, and when you reach the entrance of the RPD
then a zombified Brad Vickers (helicopter pilot for S.T.A.R.S. Alpha
Team) will appear.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
You find out how he
gets infected in Resident Evil 3.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
When he is killed,
you get a special key from him to use on a locker for extra costumes.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Another way of
making the N64 release replayable is the item randomizer, which
rearranges healing items and ammo.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Resident Evil 2 is a
great game, and an excellent sequel to an awesome game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It continues the
story of the first Resident Evil, and builds and improves on
everything the original game did.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
That's exactly what
a sequel should do.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
As with RE1, I
recommend Resident Evil 2 to anyone.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The original and
dual shock editions on PlayStation can be found for $10-15.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It will probably be
closer to $20 for only the N64 cartridge.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The Dreamcast,
GameCube, and PC versions will be a little higher around $20-35.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
If you have a
PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, or PlayStation Vita, you can buy
it on the PlayStation Store for $5.99.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
As for the Game.com
version, you can get it on eBay for $10 or less, however I would only
recommend it to people who collect for the Game.com or Resident Evil
fans who really want to play every Resident Evil game ever released.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Now onto Resident
Evil 3.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15042208038875450551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2861361235101411275.post-62266931032380650822015-03-09T17:56:00.000-07:002015-10-18T16:38:15.853-07:00Shade's Review of Resident Evil (1998 Dual Shock edition)<div align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
How can
I have a blog primarily about survival horror, and not talk about
Resident Evil?</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The series that
popularized horror games, and gave the genre its name.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It was originally
released on the PlayStation on March 22, 1996 in Japan as Biohazard,
and as Resident Evil for North America (March 30, 1996) and the PAL
regions (August 1, 1996).</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Sega Saturn and PC
versions were released in 1997.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
PlayStation owners
got the Director's Cut that same year, and a Dual Shock edition in
1998.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It was later ported
to the Nintendo DS in 2006 with the title Resident Evil: Deadly
Silence (Biohazard: Deadly Silence in Japan).</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
A remake with the
same title was also developed for the GameCube that came out in 2002,
and it recently got a HD re-release for current consoles and PC.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Each version is
distinct from the others.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Firstly, the graphic
scenes and Chris lighting a cigarette in the beginning of the game
are censored in North America and PAL regions, but they're uncensored
in Japan.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The Director's Cut
was suppose to restore the uncensored scenes.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Instead the scenes
were still censored, though it had new features such as a beginner
difficulty mode and an advanced mode.<br />
The beginner mode has double
the ammunition and ink ribbons.<br />
Advanced mode is a harder
difficulty with different camera angles than the original game in
addition to items and enemies being rearranged in different
locations.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Resident Evil on PC
did have the uncensored scenes along with Chris and Jill each getting
a new unlockable weapon and more unlockable costumes than the console
versions.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
The PlayStation
Dual Shock version is like the Director's Cut except it has new music
as well as support for analog controls and controller vibration.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The Saturn release
replaces an enemy in other versions called the hunter with a new
monster known as the tick, you have to fight a second tyrant in the
laboratory, and there is also a battle minigame.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Deadly Silence on
Nintendo DS features touch screen support, and two modes to play:
classic and rebirth.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The classic mode is
the original game, and the rebirth mode has more enemies and new
puzzles.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
The 2002 remake is
the game completely recreated from scratch with enhanced graphics,
improved voice acting, story additions, changes in puzzles, and much
more.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I currently only own
the Dual Shock version and the remake.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Along with this post
about Resident Evil 1, I'll be writing about Resident Evil 2, 3, Code
Veronica, Zero, REmake, 4, 5, 6, and Revelations.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
That's a lot of
Resident Evil.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There are also many
spin-offs such as light guns shooters like Resident Evil: Survivor
and Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles, the online games called
Resident Evil: Outbreak, and several others.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Right now, I'm
focusing on the core series.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
As I write this,
Resident Evil: Revelations 2 is being released in four episodes with
one episode per week on PlayStation 3 & 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One,
and PC.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I'll get the retail
release sometime in the near future.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Capcom was the
publisher of Biohazard/Resident Evil, and a team within Capcom
developed the game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The development team
included Shinji Mikami as director, Kenichi Iwao and Yasuyuki Saga as
the story writers, and Masayuki Akahori and <span style="font-weight: normal;">Tokuro
Fujiwara as producers.</span></div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Keiji Inafune (known for his role in the Mega Man series) was a
producer for the Dual Shock version.</div>
<div style="font-weight: normal; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
During the game's development, the team was influenced by earlier
horror games like Sweet Home on the NES (another Capcom title) and
Alone in the Dark (1992).</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I first saw Resident
Evil at a friend's house when I was around eight or nine years old.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
He had a new
PlayStation, and a couple other friends and I went to his house to
watch him play it because we were still playing our Super Nintendo
and Sega Genesis consoles.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
He decided to play
Resident Evil, and I was so amazed by it.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It was the first
time I saw 3D environments in a game.<br />
It was also the first horror
game I ever saw especially with a story presentation through dialogue
using voice actors and memos.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The item collecting
and limited inventory intrigued me as well.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In fact, I think it
was the first time I had ever heard of flesh eating monsters known as
zombies.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Keep in mind that I
was a kid, and I had never seen any films or other media with zombies
at that age.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I later got a
PlayStation as a Christmas gift, and my friend let me borrow his
copy.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I had a hard time
figuring out what to do in the game because I had never played
anything like it before, and my family didn't have internet yet.<br />
I
couldn't look up an online guide like nowadays.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
One problem is that
my friend gave me the game disc in a case without the manual, and it
was hard for me to figure out the controls without it.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Unfortunately, my
parents saw me playing it, and they thought it was too violent for
me.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Thankfully, they
didn't force me to stop playing.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
They just wouldn't
buy it for me until I was a few years older.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
By then I had a
PlayStation 2 on which I would play Resident Evil 1, 2, 3, and Code
Veronica for the first time. <br />
I've been a fan of the series ever
since.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The story takes
place in July 1998 in a fictional American town called Raccoon City.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The Raccoon Police
Department have been finding murder victims who looked to be
cannibalized by a group of people.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There are also
reports of people who have disappeared, and monsters that look like
dogs.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The RPD charges
their special unit Special Tactics and Rescue Service (S.T.A.R.S.) to
investigate these reports in Raccoon Forest.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
S.T.A.R.S. is split
into two teams: Alpha and Bravo.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Bravo Team is sent
to investigate first, but contact with them is lost.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
Alpha Team goes to
the forest to search for their teammates, and it doesn't take long
for them to find out why Bravo Team went missing.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The story,
characters, and music of Resident Evil are often considered to be
similar to B-movie horror.<br />
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I think the
original soundtrack is very enjoyable.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Some people find the
music to be a little creepy, and the save room music is relaxing. <br />
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The new music in the
Dual Shock edition is not quite as good.
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Resident Evil is about a viral outbreak
from a corporation's screwed up experiments a long with characters like
Jill, Chris, Barry, Rebecca, and Wesker.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
What's not to love?</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Resident Evil
characters are very memorable and loved by fans.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
When starting a new
game, you'll choose between two characters: Jill Valentine and Chris
Redfield who are members of Alpha Team.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
You basically play
the same game with each character, but each one has their own
attributes that changes certain aspects of gameplay.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
For one, Jill has
eight inventory slots, and Chris has six slots making item management
a little more challenging with him.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Jill can lockpick
doors with simple locks whereas Chris must collect extra keys to
unlock those same doors.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Both characters get
a handgun, shotgun, and magnum revolver at various parts of the game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Jill gets a bazooka
when you find it.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Chris, on the other
hand, never gets the bazooka nor does he ever get any other weapon
besides the three firearms.<br />
They both get a knife that can be used
for combat too, but it's pretty much useless against enemies.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Sometimes Chris'
game has a few more enemies than Jill's game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Later in the game,
Chris has to use a flamethrower to unlock a couple doors while Jill
never needs a flamethrower or anything else to unlock them.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Chris does seem to
be able to take on a little more damage from enemies than Jill.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Despite his health
advantage, I would suggest playing Jill first since her game is a
little easier than Chris' game with having the lockpick, bazooka,
extra inventory space, etc.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Jill and Chris
appear in each other's games as well.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Whichever character
you choose, the character you didn't pick disappears at the beginning
somehow and reappears later.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
One character that
appears in both games is Albert Wesker, the captain of S.T.A.R.S. and
leader of Alpha Team.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Chris and Jill each
have their own secondary character, which also creates more
differences between their games.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Jill has Barry
Burton, another member of Alpha Team.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Chris has Rebecca
Chambers, a new member of the Bravo Team.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Barry never appears
in Chris' game, and Rebecca never appears in Jill's game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The secondary
character helps the main character in some way.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
One example with
Chris' game is that there is a puzzle that involves a piano.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Unlike Jill, Chris
doesn't know how to play the piano, and Rebecca must help him to
complete the puzzle.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
An instance where
Barry must help Jill is where the player gets a shotgun from a gun
rack that serves as a mechanism to spring a trap in the next area
when the shotgun is taken.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
If Jill gets the
shotgun early in the game then Barry will save her from the trap, and
you'll already have the shotgun without the hassle of getting the
broken shotgun to trade with the functional one.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
You'll have no
choice but to find the broken shotgun with Chris.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Barry saving Jill
also shows a scene where Barry says the funniest and probably most
famous line of the entire series, "You were almost a Jill
sandwich."</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The voice acting in
Resident Evil 1 is legendary for how bad it is.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Some people hate it,
and complain about it.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Others like me
really enjoy it.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Not only can the bad
acting give you good laughs, but it also has its own charm.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
You have to remember
that this was the mid-90's, which was before the video game business
was the big industry that it is today.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Today, there are
celebrity voice actors like Nolan North and Troy Baker that perform
their voice work and sometimes motion capture for many video games.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
When Resident Evil 1
was made, most video game publishers didn't have the money to hire
talented voice actors.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Something else that
some people are not too fond of is the tank controls, and switching
camera angles or fixed camera angles as many people call it.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
They're called tank
controls because no matter the camera angle, pressing up moves the
character forward, down makes the character walk backwards, and so
on.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It can be difficult
to get used to particularly if you don't play games with tank
controls very often.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I had no problems
getting accustomed to them by the time I played all the RE games as a
teenager because I had already played the first couple Silent Hill
games (which also have tank controls).</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
I've always liked
fixed camera angles because they make the game look more cinematic.
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The issue that
camera angles sometimes pose in Resident Evil is if you're fighting
enemies.<br />
Sometimes you have to walk closer to an enemy to change
the camera angle in order to see it, and you end up getting attacked.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
If you walk
backwards to make more space between you and the enemy, the camera
angle will change and you can't see it.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
The good thing is
that most versions of RE1 have auto-aiming, which helps when you
can't see exactly where the enemies are at certain camera angles.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Since this game has
been released on so many different systems, I will not list the
button layout.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I will just say that
you have a button that performs all actions such as opening doors and
picking up items.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Other buttons are
used for running, bringing up the inventory screen, and drawing the
equipped weapon (usually a shoulder button).</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The action button
fires the equipped firearm while the button to draw the weapon is
held.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Objects are pushed
by facing the object and the direction you want it to go.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Then walk towards
the object, and Jill/Chris will automatically push it as long as you
hold the up button.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Of course, there are
many enemies to fight in the game, but there are other gameplay
elements as well.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
You collect many
items including keys, ammunition, healing items, and other various
objects.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
You'll be able to
access every room in the game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Several doors have
to be unlocked usually with a key.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Sometimes they have
to be unlocked in another way.<br />
There is a lot of puzzle solving to
yield important items.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
The puzzles are
not mind bending, but it will take some effort to solve them if you
don't know the solutions.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
One key to beating
this game is being able to survive all the way through.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It is survival
horror after all.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
A tip for new
players is to not worry about killing every single enemy.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Sometimes it's best
to avoid them the best you can notably if it's a room or a hallway
that you'll be in only once.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
You'll definitely
want to take out enemies in hallways you'll be running through often.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
As for weapons, it's
best to use the handgun against zombies and cerberi (virus infected
dogs), which will be the first half of the game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It's a good idea to
save the shotgun for boss fights, and use it in the latter half of
the game when you'll have more encounters with stronger enemies like
hunters (or ticks in the Saturn version).</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
With Jill, you can
use the bazooka in boss battles.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Definitely, save the
magnum revolver until the last one or two bosses.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Healing Jill and
Chris will also be a concern when they take damage.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The inventory screen
has their health status.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
They have five
health states: green fine, yellow caution, orange caution, red
danger, and purple poison.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
You can heal them
with one green herb, which heals a little health.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Mixing two or three
green herbs will recovers more health.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The mixture of a
green and red herb or using a first aid spray is best when their
health status is in danger because they fully recovers health.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
The blue herb
neutralizes poison.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The save system and
item managing are also factors for survival.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
You can only save at
typewriters, which are located at specific ares in the game usually
in the same rooms with item boxes.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
You have to have an
ink ribbon to save at the typewriter.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
You can collect ink
ribbons throughout the game, and one ink ribbon is used each time you
save.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Item boxes are used
for storing items that you don't need since you have limited
inventory slots.<br />
You have to figure out which few items you really
need as well as leave open a couple slots for more items you need to
pick up.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It seems like most
survival horror games in recent years have been doing away with
limited manual saving (with no checkpoints) and item management.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I think it's a shame
because without limited saving and item management it can make
players less worried about their survival in survival horror games.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
At least it does for
me.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Now onto
replayability.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The game has good
replayability, and you can unlock at least a couple extras on each
version.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In all versions,
players can unlock new costumes for Chris and Jill by achieving the
best ending for each one, which is saving both characters in the game
(Barry and Chris for Jill's game, Rebecca and Jill for Chris' game).</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Upon getting the
best ending for one character, you'll get a special key that unlocks
a room of new costumes for that character on your next playthrough as
along as you save for the next game when prompted.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In Resident Evil:
Deadly Silence, you must get the best ending in rebirth mode to
unlock costumes.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
When playing
advanced mode in the PlayStation Director's Cut, new costumes are
already unlocked, and you can access the closet with other costumes
using the armor key.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
All versions also
have the infinite rocket launcher to unlock.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In the PlayStation,
Saturn, and Nintendo DS versions, you must complete the game in under
three hours to unlock it for the next playthrough.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The rocket launcher
in the PC release is available after completing the game without
saving.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Like the costumes,
you'll have to beat the game in under three hours with Jill to get
the rocket launcher for her, and that same goes for getting it with
Chris.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
When it comes to
unlocking costumes and weapons for Jill and Chris, you must complete
the specific goals with that character to make it available for him
or her.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Each version also
has their own extras.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The PlayStation
Director's Cut has three difficulty options: training, standard, and
advanced.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The Dual Shock
edition lists them as beginner, original, and arrange.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
They're the same
difficulty modes, but the Dual Shock version renames them.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There are no
difficulty options in any other releases.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
Instead, you
choose how difficult the game will be by choosing which character to
play with Jill having the easier game, and Chris having the harder
game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
After completing
advanced mode in the Director's Cut (or arrange mode in Dual Shock),
the unlimited colt python (magnum revolver) will be available in the
next game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The battle mode
minigame in the Saturn release is unlocked after beating the game
once.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Since the rocket
launcher is obtained after beating the game without saving in the PC
version, beating the game in under three hours unlocks a new
exclusive weapon.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Achieving this with
Chris makes the Minimi available for his game, and Jill gets the
INGRAM Pistol if you accomplish it with her.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Both have infinite
ammo.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Beating the game
once in the rebirth mode of Deadly Silence opens the minigame Master
of Knifing.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Deadly Silence has a
multiplayer feature as well, and each character including Barry,
Rebecca, Wesker, etc. can be unlocked by accomplishing a different
goal for each.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Resident Evil is a
wonderful game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I still love playing
it, and it brings a smile to my face every time I do.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It's so much fun
playing the old Resident Evil games.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I definitely
recommend it to anyone.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
If you're a survival
horror fan and/or a retro gamer and you've never played the original
Resident Evil, you are really missing out.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
As for price
value, that depends on what system you want it for.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
If you have a
PlayStation 3, you can get it from the PlayStation Store for $9.99.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Beware that it's the
Dual Shock edition despite having the regular Director's Cut cover
picture, and some people don't care for it since it has new music.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Some fans prefer the
original music.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The PlayStation
Director's Cut and the Dual Shock physical release can be found
around $10-15.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The original
PlayStation version in the jewel case may be closer to $20.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The long box
Resident Evil on PlayStation is more expensive.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Maybe $30 on a good
day.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The Saturn and PC
releases are harder to find unfortunately.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
You may be able to
find only the disc for the Saturn for $20-30.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I've seen it
complete with the original case and manual from $40-80.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The PC version is
the most difficult to find, and, if you do find it, it may be $30-40.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
A copy of Deadly
Silence is currently $15 or less.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There are so many
options in buying Resident Evil.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I highly recommend
buying it for whatever system you want to play it on.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It was a good start
of a great series that's still going today nearly 20 years later.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It was an influence
for many video games, and it's one of the games that made me a huge
fan of the survival horror genre.
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15042208038875450551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2861361235101411275.post-76483804244500432632015-03-02T19:01:00.001-08:002015-10-18T16:40:43.490-07:00Shade's Review of Prince of Persia (2008)
<div align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Prince
of Persia was released on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in December
2008, and later on PC and Mac.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It was Ubisoft's
second reboot of the series after the conclusion of the Sands of Time
trilogy.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The Sands of Time
trilogy was Ubisoft's first reboot of the original Prince of Persia
trilogy created by Jordan Mechner.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The 2008 Prince of
Persia sold ok, but it wasn't a big success like Assassin's Creed
(another one of Ubisoft's franchises).</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There has yet to be
a sequel for this Prince of Persia game, and, after more than six
years since it's release, it seems unlikely that there will be one.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Does that mean it's
a bad game?</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
I don't think so.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The game has a new
story and different characters from the Sands of Time trilogy.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It takes place
somewhere within the Persian empire, though it's never specifically
stated.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The main character
is an adventurer who is never named in the game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
He doesn't have
connections to royalty, but the manual and websites refer to him as
the Prince.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The Prince is voiced
by Nolan North who is well known for voicing other video game
characters such as Nathan Drake in the Uncharted series and Desmond
Miles in the Assassin's Creed series.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
He crosses paths
with a princess named Elika while he is looking for his donkey.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Her father was the
king of the Ahura who are followers of Ormazd (the god of light), and
they protected the tree where Ahriman (the god of darkness) was
imprisoned.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
Ahriman has been
freed, and she partners with him throughout the game to heal the city
corrupted by the dark god and his minions.
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The gameplay is
focused on platforming and dueling.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The left stick moves
the Prince, and the right stick moves the camera.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
He will jump or wall
run with X/A (PS3/Xbox 360 buttons).</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The square/X button
is for sword attacks.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Grabbing a ring
during wall running or grabbing an enemy happens when circle/B button
is pressed.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
R2/R trigger makes
him drop down or grip-fall during platforming, and block during a
battle.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Elika's magic is
mapped to triangle/Y.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
While free-running,
her magic can be used to show the direction you must go after
selecting the goal destination on the map.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
She can also assist
the Prince with gaps that are too wide for him to make the jump on
his own.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
He will begin the
jump with X/A, the environment will lose its color to show players
that he can't make it prompting them to press triangle/Y, and she
will use her magic to help him make it to the other side.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
During combat, she
can use her magic to attack enemies.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
The L2/L trigger
can be pressed for the Prince's comments, and for him to engage in a
conversation with her.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Elika always saves
the Prince before he can die so there is no game over.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
If he falls while
platforming, she will catch him, and she will save him during battle
before the enemy can fatally wound him.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It does make the
game a little too easy, and there is no difficulty selection.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
This will turn off
some people who prefer challenging games.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The positive side is
that if you just want to relax, and enjoy a game without much
frustration then this is a good one for that.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Elika is a great
companion though.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In many games where
you have a companion or have to escort a character, it can be a real
pain.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There are so many
times when the NPC (non-playable character) following the main
character gets in your way, or lets themselves get hurt by enemies.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Sometimes they can't
keep up with you, and you have to go back for them.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
Half of the time,
they can't do anything for themselves, and scream for help.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Elika is none of
those things.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
She never gets in
your way.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
She always keeps up.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
She is helpful not
helpless.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Like the Prince, she
can't die.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
She can be struck by
enemies, but this only happens if you use her magic at the wrong time
in battle.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
She is a great
partner.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Any developer making
a video game where the main character has a companion, they should
look to Elika as a great example.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Unlike the Sands of
Time trilogy (which focused on combating multiple enemies at once),
this Prince of Persia's combat is one-on-one.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The enemies you duel
are Ahriman's followers, which at times you can prevent from
spawning.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There are also five
main enemies known as the Corrupted that you'll fight throughout the
game, and each one occupies a certain part of the land.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The Hunter in the
Citadel, the Alchemist in the Vale, the Concubine at the Royal
Palace, the Warrior in the City of Light, and the King at the Temple.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Some people don't
like the dueling in this game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I kind of like it.<br />I
thought the dueling was something a little different since many games
have you take on many enemies at once.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The entire game is a
3D platformer like the previous trilogy.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The platforming
consists of jumping, wall running, grip-falling, climbing on vines,
sliding down slopes, and using power plates to transport to different
areas.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Platforming is a big
focus in this game, which is one of the reasons why I like it.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Many recent
adventure games like the Uncharted series only have platforming in
certain sections.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Of course, there are
many indie titles that are platformers, but Prince of Persia is one
of a small number of physically released video games where
platforming is a main focus.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The characters and
environments have a watercolor presentation similar to the 2006 video
game Okami.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The game looks like
you're interacting with a live painting.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It may not be the
first video game to use these type of graphics, but it's very neat
nonetheless.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I also really like
the music.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It can make players
feel like they're on an epic adventure.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
One aspect about
this Prince of Persia that is not well-liked is that it's repetitive.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
All of the city
starts out corrupted by Ahriman with the environments dark and
infested with black blobs as well as enemies to battle.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
You have to make
your way to a particular fertile ground, and fight the main enemy of
that part of the land such as the Hunter in the Citadel.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Once the enemy is
defeated in that battle, Elika must use the fertile ground to heal
that part of the land.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Healing the land
clears the corruption, and the environment becomes bright and
colorful without any enemies.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Then you must
collect light seeds in the newly healed land.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
After a certain
amount of light seeds are collected, you return to the temple to
unlock one of four power plates.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The four power
plates are the Step of Ormazd (red), Hand of Ormazd (blue), Wings of
Ormazd (yellow), and Breath of Ormazd (green).</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Each power plate
opens certain parts of the land to be healed.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
You do this until
all power plates are unlocked, all parts of the land are healed, and
you have several confrontations with each of the Corrupted.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I still really
enjoyed the game despite its repetitiveness.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I like the
platforming, the dueling, both characters, the watercolor graphics,
and the music.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I played it several
times in the months after it was released.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Some people don't
like repetitive games, however.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
If it had a
sequel, maybe Ubisoft Montreal (developer) could have improved on
making it not as repetitive.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
That's another
issue.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It has yet to have a
sequel (which seems unlikely to happen), and the game ends on a
cliffhanger.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It did get an
epilogue as DLC on PSN and Xbox Live, which gives an hour or two more
gameplay.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It also explains the
main game's ending, but it too ends on a cliffhanger.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I wish video game
companies would not end games wide open for a sequel because if the
sequel never comes to fruition then players are left hanging forever.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The best thing to do
is to have a resolution at the end, but leave a couple areas of the
storyline open to explore in a possible sequel similar to films like
Alien and Terminator.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
That way if it isn't
a success then the audience is not left wondering how the story ends.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Additionally, this
game has low replayability.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There two reasons
why someone would play it more than once.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Either they just
really enjoyed the game, and want to experience it again.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Or, to get the
trophies/achievements.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The lack of
replayability is sadly another con for this game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The 2008 Prince of
Persia is a good game with a few flaws.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
What video game
doesn't have flaws?</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
If you like
platformers and can look past the flaws of repetitiveness, the
cliffhanger ending, low replayability, and easy difficulty then I
would recommend this game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Some fans of the
Sands of Time trilogy did not care for this game because this one is
so different from it.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
I like the Sands
of Time trilogy, but I can't compare those three games to this one
because it's been a long time since I've played them.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Currently, the PS3
and Xbox 360 versions are available to rent at GameFly if you want to
try it out.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
You can also find
used copies of this game for around $5.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Steam and GOG
currently have it for PC for $9.99.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The Mac version
seems to be harder to find.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
As of now, there are
only a couple listings on eBay for the physical copies of the Mac
version, and the only digital distributor that I found that has it is
GamersGate for $9.95.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The good news is
that the PC and Mac versions have no DRM protection.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
The bad news is
that Ubisoft decided not to release the epilogue for PC or Mac.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Of course, that
depends if the epilogue add-on is even worth it to you.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It's $9.99 on PSN
and Xbox Live.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I think that's too
much especially now if you buy the main game for $5, and then you
have to pay double that just to have an hour or two more gameplay
only to be led to another cliffhanger ending.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Either way, this
Prince of Persia is a good game that should be given a chance.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
If you're a Prince
of Persia fan that hasn't played this installment, just keep in mind
that this one is very different from the previous games.</div>
<div align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15042208038875450551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2861361235101411275.post-7578412845197108162015-02-25T18:09:00.000-08:002015-10-18T16:40:43.483-07:00Shade's Review of Terminator: Dawn of Fate<div align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I would
like to break away from the usual a little by covering two non-horror
titles.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I know this blog is
called Shade's Adventures in Survival Horror, but it's nice to do
different things sometimes.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
This post is about
Terminator: Dawn of Fate, which was released in North America and
Europe on PlayStation 2 and Xbox in 2002.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
It was developed
by Paradigm Entertainment, and published by Infogrames.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
As obvious by the
title, it's based on the Terminator series particularly the future
war shown and foretold by Kyle Reese in the first film.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It takes place right
before Reese is sent back in time to protect Sarah Connor, John
Connor's mother.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Sergeant Reese is
playable along with two other characters: Captain Justin Perry and
Lieutenant Catherine Luna.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Perry was mentioned
once by Reese in Terminator when he and Sarah are at the police
station, and he is questioned by Dr. Silberman.
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
General John
Connor appears as a non-playable character.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There are ten
levels, and each level has players controlling a specific character.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Sgt. Reese for
levels one, two, six, and ten.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Capt. Perry for
levels three, four, five, and nine.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Lt. Luna is played
in the seventh and eighth levels.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The entire game is a
third person shooter.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
If the player uses
a turret, the camera view switches to first person.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The Right stick
moves the character, and the Left stick moves the camera when L1/L
bumper (PS2/Xbox buttons) is held.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
L1/L bumper locks
onto an enemy, and players fire the equipped weapon or throw an
equipped explosive with the square/X button.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
X/A is used to fight
hand-to-hand combat with the electric baton.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
When L2/L trigger is
held, players access the inventory.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
Adrenaline can be
turn on and off with R1/R bumper, which makes the character move
faster and fight more aggressively.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Before playing the
game, there is a Basic Combat Training option in the main menu that
serves as a gameplay tutorial.<br />
There is a lot of collecting ammo,
medipaks, armor, and pieces of Skynet technology.<br />
Each Skynet tech
is worth points that can be used between each level to upgrade
medipak healing, armor, ammo capacity, and adrenaline.<br />
There is a
lot of pushing buttons and pulling levers.<br />
In a couple levels,
another character has to be escorted.<br />
A list of tasks is shown by
pressing the select/back button along with settings and controller
layouts.<br />
Of course, the game is primarily about shooting different
types of Skynet machines.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There are several
different types of Skynet machines in the game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Three series of
terminators appear: T-400, T-500, and, of course, the T-800.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The T-800
Infiltrator (T-800 disguised as a human) shows up in a couple scenes,
and as a boss during a level.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
When I first played
this game, I was a little scared to fight the terminators because the
T-800 endoskeleton at the end of the first film frightened me a
little.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
New enemies are
present called Skynet Initiates.<br />
They are humans taken by Skynet,
and mind controlled with a device attached to their heads.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
H/Ks
(Hunter/Killers) are also in the game as mentioned by Reese in the
first movie, and shown in the future war scenes of the movies.
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
One enemy mentioned
by Reese in the original film, but is not in the game is the T-600.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The game has the
T-400 and T-500 but no T-600.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I don't know why,
and I can't find any information on it.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In fact, there is
very little information online about the development of this game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It would've been
great to have the T-600 as well as it's rubber skinned infiltrators.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The T-1000 is a
no-show as well.<br />
It's not a surprise, however, since it's possible
that the T-1000 was a very new and mostly unheard of model by the end
of the war.
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Dawn of Fate also
has other story inconsistencies with Terminator 1 & 2.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
First off, the game
takes place in the days leading to Reese and the T-800 traveling back
to 1984, but it gives the year as 2027.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In Terminator 1,
Reese and the T-800 came from 2029.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In the opening
scenes of Dawn of Fate, John Connor narrates that sending Reese back
in time to protect his mother is his back-up plan if they can't
destroy the time displacement machine before the terminator is sent.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In the film, Reese
says that he volunteered to go back because he wanted to meet Sarah.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Reese in the game
sees the terminator being sent back through the time displacement
machine.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In the movie,
however, he had no idea what the terminator looked like.<br />
He had to
wait until it was about to kill Sarah to attack it.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There are a few
others, but those are the main ones that I noticed.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There is also the
gameplay issues of changing camera angles with no tank controls.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It's very common to
accidentally go in the wrong direction because the camera angle
changed.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I like switching
camera angles especially in horror games, but Dawn of Fate doesn't do
it very well.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
This is not an
issue, but I would like to address that the characters look nothing
like the original actors in the first two films.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Infogrames probably
did not have the rights to use the likenesses of the original actors.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Despite the issues,
there are several things I like about this game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
For one, it's so
much fun fighting terminators and other Skynet machines.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It's even more fun
when metal music plays while fighting.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The metal band Fear
Factory contributed a few of their songs to this game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Metal plays when
you're fighting, and ambient music is played when not fighting.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
Dawn of Fate has a
very good soundtrack.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Speaking of a good
soundtrack, I love the opening scenes of Dawn of Fate.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Part of it is the
music.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It also has good
narration by the voice actor of John Connor, and the war scenes along
with the character interaction afterwards is a great introduction.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I watched the
opening scenes over and over before I would actually play it.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I would put in the
game just to see the opening scenes.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The voice acting is
pretty good.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There are a couple
lines that are a little cheesy, but I like cheesy dialogue.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
A couple more
aspects I like consists of the title: Dawn of Fate.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I'm not sure why,
but it sounds good.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Another one is that
the loading screens in between levels shows the head of a T-800, and
it's red eyes slowly lights up as the game loads.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It's really neat,
and it's better than just having a typical loading icon or an
on-screen bar that fills up the more it loads.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Lastly, as far as I
know of, this is the last non-film based Terminator game that takes
place during the future shown and foretold in Terminator 1 & 2.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There were few other
Terminator games released in the 90's that were not based on any
particular movie such as the DOS games Terminator 2029, Terminator:
Rampage, Terminator: Future Shock, and one just called Skynet.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
There was also
Robocop Versus The Terminator released on Sega and Nintendo systems
in 1991-94 (depending on the region and system).</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Dawn of Fate is also
the only video game (that I know of) pre-Terminator 3 that focuses on
the events leading to Reese and the T-800 being sent to 1984.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I've always been
fascinated with that part of the story.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I will admit that I
do wish that Dawn of Fate was more focused on Reese's story.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
As far as human
characters, Terminator 1 was more focused on Sarah becoming the
mother of mankind's future leader in the war against the machines.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Terminator 2 was
about Sarah and ten-year-old John as well as their relationship.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I would love to see
a Terminator prequel to the first two films focusing on Kyle Reese,
and his relationship with John Connor.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Reese and Connor do
interact in Dawn of Fate.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The only thing,
though, mentioned about their relationship is towards the end of the
game when Luna tells Perry that "Reese is the son Connor never
had."</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
That is a great
idea, but it would be better if the game showed their relationship
rather than having a character say it.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The replayability of
Dawn of Fate is good.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There are three
difficulty modes: easy, medium, and terminal.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Each of the ten
levels has six medals, and achieving four of them unlocks something
in extra content.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The extra content
are cutscenes, cheats, music gallery, threat data (descriptions of
enemies), and concept art.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
You must achieve
four medals in all levels on all three difficulty modes to unlock
everything.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The cheats are
definitely worth unlocking, but they can only be unlocked by playing
on terminal mode.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
And, terminal mode
has to be unlocked by completing all levels on medium.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Everything is
unlocked in steps, which is a good way to give players an incentive
to play the game several times.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Terminator: Dawn of
Fate is not a wonderful game, but it's very likeable.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
A video game does
not have to be a AAA title to be good.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It can be
appreciated even with its flaws.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Bad games can also
be enjoyed.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I wouldn't say that
Dawn of Fate is a bad game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It has issues, but
it's still a decent game. <br />
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I
played it many times when I was a teenager, and I still like to play
it every now and then.</div>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I recommend it to
Terminator fans who have a PlayStation 2 or an original Xbox.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
You should be able
to find it for a couple dollars.
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15042208038875450551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2861361235101411275.post-36690547134672604172015-02-12T16:23:00.001-08:002015-10-18T16:40:43.460-07:00Shade's Review of Alien Isolation
<div align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I love
survival horror.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I love the first two
Alien movies.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Combine those two
together, and we get Alien Isolation.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
This game is a wish
come true for me.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
When I first saw
Alien a few years back, I thought about how great it would be to have
an Alien survival horror game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Of course, the Alien
Resurrection game on PlayStation is a survival horror, first person
shooter, but I was thinking about more of a survival horror game with
similarities to the first Alien film.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Then in 2014, Alien
Isolation was officially announced as being in development by The
Creative Assembly with Sega publishing it, and I could not be more
excited.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
Alien Isolation
was released on October 7, 2014 for the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4,
Xbox 360, Xbox One, and PC.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The story is an
interquel of Alien and Aliens taking place 15 years after Alien, and
42 years before Aliens.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The protagonist is
Amanda Ripley, daughter of Ellen Ripley.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Yes, Ellen Ripley
has a daughter.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In the special
edition of Aliens, one of the re-inserted deleted scenes shows Carter
Burke giving Ellen Ripley information on her daughter.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It reveals that
Amanda had died two years prior in her 60's.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In Alien Isolation,
Amanda is in her 20's, and she is searching for information about her
mother's disappearance.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The Seegson
Corporation's Sevastopol Station has received the flight recorder of
the Nostromo (the ship of the first Alien film on which Ellen Ripley
was one of the crew members), and it is wanted by the Weyland-Yutani
Company.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Amanda is offered to
be apart of the team sent by the Company to retrieve it.<br />Once they
reach Sevastopol, however, it's obvious that something has gone
horribly wrong.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The entire game is
in the first person view of Amanda Ripley.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Like most current
video games, the left stick moves Amanda, and the right stick moves
the camera.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Pressing the left
stick has her run while pressing the right stick makes her crouch.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There is a lot of
crouching in this game because in many situations with enemies, it's
best to not let them see you.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Running is not
advised when enemies are anywhere nearby.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The more noise you
make, the more likely you'll get caught.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
This is especially
true on harder difficulty levels.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The main enemy in
this game is, not surprisingly, the alien.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
You'll be doing
everything you can to avoid being caught by it.<br />You can't kill it,
and you'll automatically die when it catches you.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Some people who play
this game say that they don't find the alien scary after seeing the
Alien films.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I understand that
some people are easily desensitized.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I'm the same way
with certain aspects of horror particularly when it comes to jump
scares and showing blood and gore.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
For me, though, I
still find the alien frightening somehow.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I don't think it's
just one thing about it that makes me uncomfortable.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
It's the
combination of how it's created with the facehugger and host, kills
the host when its born, has acid blood, has sexual overtones in its
design, and other aspects.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Facehuggers also
make an appearance.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
As I said in my
review of Alien Resurrection on PlayStation, I hate facehuggers.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
They always disturb
me.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Similar to that
game, facehuggers will jump onto the screen if you don't kill them in
time.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
This time you
automatically die if a facehugger jumps on the screen because Ripley
will die anyway from the chestburster.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There are also
android and human enemies.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The androids are
known as Working Joes.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
They are Seegson's
humanoid synthetics, but they're not sophisticated like the
Weyland-Yutani androids.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
They have hairless,
sleek rubber skin, no gestures or facial features, glowing eyes, and
deep, distorted voices.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
These guys are
creepy as hell.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I'm still debating
which is worse: the alien or Working Joes.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I've always wondered
if robots could ever make good horror.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Ever since the
original Terminator film, I've been thinking about this.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The T-800
endoskeleton chasing after Sarah Connor and Kyle Reese towards the
end scared me a little bit.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
The Working Joes
in Alien Isolation prove that robots can be terrifying if done right.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The enemies that I
don't find terrifying are the hostile humans.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
They're more of a
nuisance than anything.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
If they see you,
they'll shoot you, and it pisses me off.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
They're not scary.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
They're annoying.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Unlike the alien,
facehuggers, and Working Joes, there is nothing disturbing about the
humans.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
They're just
willing to harm you for no good reason, which drives me nuts.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The game claims that
they're just trying to survive.<br />How are they just trying to
survive when I'm not doing anything to harm them?</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
They know I'm human
just like them also trying to survive, but they think it's necessary
to shoot me.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
When people are in a
survival situation, it's very crucial to work together, and not kill
each other.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
If I attack them
first and they started shooting then that's understandable.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Or, they could
possibly shoot first out of panic.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It also makes less
sense when they start shooting me, half of the time the alien comes
after them.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I would think that
they would take into account that the more noise they make the more
likely they'll attract the alien's attention, and be even more
hesitant about shooting me.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
At least, they
should not shoot me to prevent the alien from attacking them.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
When the alien
does go after them, I cheer on the alien because the humans frustrate
me so much.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It makes me wonder
if the hostile humans are just there to be another type of enemy.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I understand that
this game is limited on the number of enemies it has, but this type
of cat and mouse horror game does not need a lot of enemy types.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The human enemies in
this game are not good at being scary.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
What to do when
enemies are around depends on the enemy, the situation, and how much
resources you have.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
This game really
puts survival in survival horror.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The tactics that are
used against enemies are hiding, distractions, and combat.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I primarily focused
on hiding and distractions, and only used combat when I really needed
to.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
You'll definitely be
relying a lot on the motion tracker to know if any enemies are
nearby.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
When the alien is
close by, I rely mostly on hiding.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The best places to
hide are lockers and small cabinets.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
As a long as you
don't make any noise, the alien should not find you.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Nonetheless, there
are times when it will try to sniff you out while you're hidden.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
You might be able to
get away with hiding under an open space such as a desk, but there is
a good chance that the alien will see you because you're pretty much
in plain sight.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Sometimes I used
distractions if I was close to a specific area that I needed to be.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Devices such as
noisemakers, smoke bombs, medkits, and several others must be crafted
using resources you find throughout the game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The flamethrower is
good for scaring the alien away.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
At some points in
the game, the flamethrower is your only defense against it.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
You can't kill it so
you have to do your best to stay away from it, or keep it away from
you.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
On the other hand,
facehuggers must be killed, and the flamethrower is the best way that
I know of to do the job.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
For Working Joes,
they can be killed but it's not easy. <br />It's usually best to avoid
being detected by them just like the alien notably when you're low on
resources.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Furthermore, there
are times when you really have no choice but to kill them.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The best ways to
kill them that I've found are with the bolt gun and shotgun.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
A stun baton can
also be used to immobilize them, and then hit them repeatedly with
the maintenance jack before they recover.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Pipe bombs work
really well when they're in groups.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Fire can kill them,
although it won't kill them immediately.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It will take at
least a couple molotovs or quite a bit of flamethrower fuel to kill
them.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Human enemies are
best avoided whether it's hiding or using distractions.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
This is mainly due
to them having firearms majority of the time.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
On occasion, I used
the maintenance jack to hurt a human enemy, or let the alien kill
them.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I quickly got tired
of dealing with them.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />The horror in
this game is very well done.<br />It's nerve-wrecking trying to survive
against the alien and Working Joes.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I was always worried
about being caught.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
When the alien is
close, it's constantly on your ass, and I wasn't confidant that I was
safe when hiding from it.<br />Every time I took the chance of walking
towards the goal destination with the alien or a Working Joe nearby,
I was very paranoid and nervous that it would catch me at any
moment.<br />Sometimes Working Joes are not hostile towards you, which
makes them even less comforting to be around because you're not
always sure if they'll attack.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
They can be
hospitable one minute and deadly the next.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There really isn't
any jump scares or blood and gore.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I did jump a few
times while I was playing, but it was not due to a scare tactic.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It was usually
because the alien, facehugger, or Working Joe came out of nowhere.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
These enemies
frighten me, and I did not expect them to be so close to me.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The music and sound
effects can also frighten me.<br />Music and sound effects are two
aspects of making a good horror game, and Alien Isolation gets them
both right.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Music creates the
mood while sound effects can induce fear.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There are times when
the music is calming, and it relaxes me.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Other times the
music is more aggressive, which makes me uneasy.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The sounds make me
paranoid.<br />One example is when the alien travels in the air ducts a
lot similar to the original film.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It can be heard
moving around in the ducts, and it makes me nervous.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
Once I hear it
hissing, I know it's out of the ducts, and it's close by.<br />Then I
think I'm screwed because it might hear me trying to get away.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
You will die a lot.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
No matter what
difficulty level you play.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I've only played the
entire game once, and I played it on the easiest difficulty.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
If difficulty levels
are provided as an option for a game, I like to play on the easier
difficulty the first time playing because I like to enjoy the game,
and not get frustrated due to dying a lot.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I still died a lot
on novice, and, from what I've read, dying is more frequent on hard
and nightmare modes.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There are no cheap
tricks to kill you in Alien Isolation.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
If you die, it's
because you messed up somehow.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
You will make many
mistakes that will get you killed, and you have to learn from those
mistakes to progress.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
A typical
characteristic of survival horror is the limited inventory.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The inventory in
this game is limited.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There is no
inventory management like the old school Resident Evils, but you are
limited on how much you can carry of each item.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It's very easy to
have all your items maxed when there is plenty of resources lying
around.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Then later, you're
low on items in your inventory, but resources are now hard to find.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
That is the name of
the game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
You have to choose
wisely on when it's best to use items.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
As I said earlier,
you will be using the motion tracker a lot to detect any enemies
nearby.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Be careful while
using it because enemies can hear the noise of the tracker if they're
close enough.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
One time, I was
hiding from the alien in a locker.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I didn't know that
it was only a few feet away, and it came right for me when I looked
at the tracker.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Sometimes you don't
know what enemy is close because it just shows that something is
moving in your vicinity.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
Not knowing what
enemy it is adds to the horror.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Something else that
adds to the horror is the manual saving system.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
You have to do most
of the saving by interacting with a save station, which looks like an
emergency phone.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I've said in some of
my previous reviews that manual saving is a characteristic of making
a horror game scary because it produces more worry about dying.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Like the motion
tracker, enemies can hear you using the save system if they're close
enough.<br />The game will warn you if hostiles are nearby before you
save.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
It makes me
nervous to save at times.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Many people,
including reviewers, have complained about the manual save system
saying that it makes the game too hard.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I really don't
understand that.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There are plenty of
chances to save through most of the game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
They made me think
that there are very few save stations, and I was surprised that there
were a lot more than I thought there would be.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
I saved my game
countless times.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The people
complaining about manually saving must not have played old horror
games, or may not remember playing them very well.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The majority of
video games nowadays have autosaves and checkpoints every five
minutes, which has spoiled gamers.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Some players may be
missing save stations because they're not paying attention to their
surroundings.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
Definitely pay
attention to the surroundings in this game for save stations,
resources, hiding spots, enemies in the vicinity, and objects to
interact with.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I've read some
reviews claim that there are no autosaves in Alien Isolation.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
That is not true.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There are some
autosaves mostly at the beginning of each mission.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It just doesn't have
constant autosaving like most games.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In my Silent Hill:
Downpour review, I said that constant autosaving kills the horror.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I don't mind the
autosaving in this game since it doesn't occur often.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I'm happy that
manual saving is a part of Alien Isolation. <br />It creates more
tension, and it makes the game feel more like the traditional horror
games that I love.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Speaking of
interacting with objects, interactive objects are highlighted.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Mission objectives
are shown on screen at certain times, and they are listed on the map
screen.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The map pinpoints
the location that you need to be with a green or white circle.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There are also
on-screen button prompts.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In my reviews of
Silent Hill: Homecoming, Shattered Memories, and Downpour, I
criticized highlighting objects, on-screen objectives, and button
prompts.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I was critical of
them due to the early Silent Hill games relying on environment
exploration, and clues such as memos to figure out what to do.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
With Alien
Isolation, there isn't always much time to explore that much because
you're focused on not being caught by enemies.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
You're also on a
huge space station, and it can be difficult to figure out where to go
without a waypoint.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Highlighted objects,
button prompts, etc. don't bother me much here.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
One flaw is that the
green or white waypoint on the map can be confusing.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
No matter what floor
you're on or what floor you switch the map to, the waypoint will stay
in the exact same spot.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
This confused me a
couple times when I would go the waypoint as shown on the map, but
the goal destination was actually on another floor.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
A couple of other
flaws are glitches and near escape attempts.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It seems that
glitches have become the norm in video games.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Not surprisingly,
Alien Isolation has its share of them.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Some of the ones I
experienced include Ripley falling through the floor while crouched,
and one where a character freezes in place when he's suppose to be
killed.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There was also a
part when I opened a door to a long hallway (I don't remember which
mission it was), and the hallway wasn't there.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It was just outer
space.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
After a few seconds,
the hallway appeared as it should.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I've read about some
complaints of the game having glitches that prevent you from
progressing.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
Thankfully, I did
not experience any myself.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I've also read
complaints of the game's length, and the several near escape
attempts.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It is a long game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There are 19
missions, and it's slower paced than most games.<br />It took me almost
two weeks to play it from beginning to end.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I don't mind the
game's length, and I also didn't mind the near escape attempts too
much until the end.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
What I mean by near
escape attempts is that Amanda is ready to get off the space station,
but something sets her back that prevents her from escaping.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
This happens a few
times.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I can understand it
as a way to make players think that they're finally getting away and
escaping the horror.<br />Then there is a setback, which is a good way
to lower the hopes of surviving.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The last setback, on
the contrary, kind of annoyed me.<br />I knew the game was about to
end, and there was yet another setback.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
At this point of the
game, the very end, being prevented from escaping got a little
ridiculous.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Some think that the
ending is a cliffhanger for a sequel.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I don't really see
it as a cliffhanger.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
We know from the
special edition of Aliens that Amanda survives to her 60's so she has
to survive in Alien Isolation.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I'm debating about
whether or not there needs to be a sequel.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I wouldn't mind to
see Amanda's story continue, and for a sequel to improve on some of
the flaws of this game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
At the same time, I
got what I wanted from Alien Isolation.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It terrified me, it
used more traditional aspects of survival horror than most recent
games in the genre do, and Amanda finds some information on what
happened to her mother.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
Of course, I know
where Ellen Ripley is during this time, but I was interested in what
Amanda is led to believed.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I'm also concerned
that Sega would want the sequel to be more pleasing to gaming
audiences instead of being a good horror game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
For example, the
follow up could have more combat and faster pace with the intent of
widening audiences.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
That happens a lot
with survival horror franchises, and it usually alienates many fans
causing sales to decrease instead of increasing like the publisher
had hoped.
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
They could also take
away the manual save system, and just have autosaves since so many
people complain about it.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I don't like that
idea because manual saves are good for horror as I've said many
times.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Maybe easy
difficulty levels could have autosaves while harder levels have
manual saves.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Current reports of
an Alien Isolation sequel is that The Creative Assembly is discussing
it.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
If Sega decides not
to produce a sequel, it won't bother me too much.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The replayability in
Alien Isolation is pretty good due to the difficulty levels and extra
content.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There are five
difficulty levels: novice, easy, medium, hard, and nightmare.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Novice and nightmare
were actually added in a recent software update for the game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The only extra
content that comes with the game is survivor mode.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It is a challenge
mode with a time limit where you must escape the alien with the best
time possible, and you'll receive a score at the end.<br />There are
optional objectives as well to increase your score.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The problem with
survivor mode is that it only comes with one map.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There have been a
few more maps released in a couple add-on packages, but you have to
buy them separately.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
That is one of the
reasons why I don't like DLC.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Something else I
don't like about DLCs is day one DLC like Crew Expendable and Last
Survivor.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Both of which were
pre-order incentives for Alien Isolation.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I didn't pre-order
it, but I was able to get the Nostromo Edition with the Crew
Expendable voucher code.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I haven't made time
to play it, but it's really neat that it takes place during the
original film with most of the original actors providing their voices
for their characters.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The issue is that
it's very short.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
From what I've seen
of gameplay footage, it can be played in 20-30 minutes.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The same goes for
the Last Survivor add-on.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I think they
could have been extra content already a part of the game when it was
released instead of DLC.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I think Alien
Isolation is a great game even with its few flaws.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It has traditional
aspects of survival horror including very limited resources, little
combat, slow pace, and manual saves.<br />It relies very much on music,
sound effects, and being hunted by very strong, disturbing enemies to
terrify players.<br />It doesn't have hordes of 20-50 enemies attacking
you, no upgrade system, no partner that's always following you, and
it's not a shooting gallery.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It is just true
horror.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It is one of the few
modern horror games that has many similarities with the video games
of the golden age of survival horror (1996-2004).</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />The Evil Within
is another video game in the survival horror genre released around
the same time as Alien Isolation.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I've seen several
articles on video game news sites saying that The Evil Within is a
return to the roots of survival horror.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I just don't see it.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I like The Evil
Within because it's a very fun game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It just isn't the
old school survival horror that I know and love from the early
Resident Evils (pre-RE4), Silent Hill 1-4, Fatal Frame, Dino Crisis,
and on and on.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The Evil Within is
the same survival action with horror elements that we've been getting
since Resident Evil 4.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
Alien Isolation is
closer to the roots of survival horror than The Evil Within.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The two most
important recommendations I have for anyone playing Alien Isolation
is to be patient and play any of the easier difficulty modes first.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
This is a long, slow
paced game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It's also not an
easy game even on easier difficulty modes.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Take your time to
figure out how to survive and complete objectives.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
You may have to look
up written guides or gameplay footage on occasion because you might
get stuck.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
If you're tired of
playing or the game is frustrating you, quit playing for while
whether it's for a few hours or a few days.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The game is really
difficult on hard and nightmare modes, which is why I suggest playing
novice, easy, or medium first.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I know some people
like the go straight for the harder difficulties for the challenge,
but I would highly suggest to make an exception for this game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I have yet to play
it on hard or nightmare mode, but I've read many comments that both
of them can enrage you.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The difficulty can
also be changed while you're playing.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
If the game is too
easy or too hard on the difficulty you're playing, don't be ashamed
to change it.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I would recommend
this game to anyone who likes old survival horror games, and the
Alien movies particularly the original film.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Whether you should
buy or rent depends on your preferences in games.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The good news is
that the price has dropped some, and it will drop more as time goes
by.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
If you want to try
it, but there are things about it that you're not sure if you'll like
then I would definitely suggest to rent it.<br />I got it at full price
soon after it was released, and it was well worth it to me.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I would say that
Alien Isolation is one of the few great survival horror games that
has come out in recent years.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15042208038875450551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2861361235101411275.post-2420433888165881732015-02-08T09:29:00.000-08:002015-10-18T16:40:43.454-07:00Shade's Review of Aliens Infestation
<div align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Side-scrolling
video games can be so much fun.<br />They remind me of my time as a kid
when I played the Sega Genesis, and
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
watched friends play
games on their SNES consoles like Alien 3.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I remember one of my
friends controlling Ellen Ripley shooting aliens, and saving
prisoners from facehuggers.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I never I got the
game myself when I was that age, but it's on my list to add to my
video game collection.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I did, however, get
a more recent side-scrolling Alien game: Aliens Infestation.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />Aliens
Infestation was developed by WayForward Technologies and Gearbox
Software with Sega as the publisher.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It was released only
for the Nintendo DS at the end of September 2011 in Europe and
Australia, and in North America on October 11, 2011.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The game's story
takes place after Aliens when the US Colonial Marines find the USS
Sulaco.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The marines have a
mission of finding alien life, and searching for information on the
involvement of the Weyland-Yutani company.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
The story is told
through text without spoken dialogue.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Four marines are
available at the beginning of the game, and the player chooses which
one to play through the level.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
If the chosen marine
dies, that marine is dead for the rest of the game, and the next
marine takes his/her place.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
The game is over
if all four marines die. <br />There are fifteen more marines that can
be found in various parts of the game to replace the ones who've
died.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Since this is a
side-scrolling game, the left and right buttons on the d-pad move the
marine with the R button to run.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Pressing A with the
left and right buttons makes the marine roll.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The up button points
the equipped weapon up, and the down button is to crouch.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The up and down
buttons are also used to climb ladders and move elevators.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The A button
interacts with objects such as doors.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The marine jumps
when B is pressed.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
Y fires the
equipped firearm, and X throws explosives.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The only issue I had
with the controls is that I kept pressing the wrong button, but it's
not a fault of the game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I'm used to the A,
B, X, Y button layout on the Xbox controller.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The Nintendo DS and
3DS have the same right thumb button layout as the SNES controller
where the A and B buttons are swapped, and the X and Y buttons are
switched from the Xbox controller.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Of course, the SNES
controller was around before the Xbox controller, but I haven't held
a SNES controller since I was a little kid.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
I've played many
Xbox games over the past 10-12 years, and that's the A, B, X, Y
button layout that I'm used to.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There is a Heads Up
Display in the upper left corner of the screen with the heath gauge
in green, stamina gauge in red, and shows the ammo count.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It also shows the
firearm and explosives equipped.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
All the action in
the game happens in the top screen of the Nintendo DS/3DS.<br />The
touch screen displays the unit of four marines as well as the
inventory of weapons and items.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The touch screen can
be switched to the map of the current level you're playing, and it
will pinpoint exactly where you are along with the locations of
enemies as flashing dots.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Sometimes it will
have the goal location pointed as a gold dot.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
If you reach an
area that you will need to return to later, it helps to leave a flare
behind, which will show as a red dot on the map.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The enemies in the
game include the aliens (obviously), facehuggers, robots, and some
humans.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Most of the game
consists of running and shooting along with collecting items and
exploring hidden areas.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There are a few
parts that break away from running around such as shooting aliens
with a tank.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The game is short
with only five levels including the Sulaco and LV-426.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
It can be played
in two to three hours if you know what to do.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Aliens Infestation
is a very fun game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
If you have a
Nintendo DS or 3DS/2DS, and you like old school side-scrolling
goodness then I highly recommend Aliens Infestation.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I was able to find
my copy for $10 brand new, which is a good deal for it's short
length.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
If it's a used copy,
I would suggest getting it for less than $10.</div>
<div align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15042208038875450551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2861361235101411275.post-11325291125615629182015-02-05T16:53:00.001-08:002015-10-18T16:40:43.448-07:00Shade's Review of Alien Resurrection (PlayStation)
<div align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The
Alien Resurrection video game was released exclusively for the
PlayStation on October 10, 2000 in North America, and on December 1,
2000 in Europe.<br />Argonaut Games (dissolved in 2006) was the game's
developer, and it was published by Fox Interactive.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It came out three
years after the film on which it was based ran in theaters.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
According to
Gamespot's review of the game, the delay was due to it originally
being made as a third person adventure, and it was apparently
scrapped.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The final product
turned out to be a survival horror, first person shooter more similar
to Alien Trilogy released on PlayStation, Sega Saturn, and MS-DOS in
1996.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I can't review Alien
Trilogy because I don't currently own it.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I remember my
parents getting the Alien Resurrection game for me when I was a kid.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I tried playing it
so many times, but I couldn't finish the first level without getting
too scared to continue.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I couldn't even
watch the Alien movies at that age because I was too afraid to see
them.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Years later as an
adult, I finally watched all the Alien films, and fell in love with
the first two movies in the series.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I recently decided
to make time to the play the game and finally finish it.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
As usual when
playing a game, the first thing I noticed is the controls.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Since the game is in
first person, the left analog stick moves the character, and the
right analog stick moves the camera.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
As long as the
character has a weapon then the weapon equipped will be drawn at all
times, and the R1 button is pressed to fire.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
If you play this
game on the original PlayStation digital controller (no analog
sticks) then the d-pad will be used move the character back and forth
(up and down buttons) as well turn the camera left and right (left
and right buttons).</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Firing the weapon
will be changed to the X button.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The digital controls
are smoother as far as moving the character back and forth, and
turning the camera left and right with the d-pad.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The problem is
strafing left and right (which is moving the left stick left and
right on the analog controls) is moved to L2 and R2.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
Also, in order to
move the camera up and down (moving the right stick up and down on
the analog controls), the L1 button must be held while pressing the
up and down buttons on the d-pad.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I understand that
the developing team made button layouts for the both the digital and
analog PlayStation controllers since some people might have one
controller style but not the other.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I've read a lot of
people complaining about Alien Resurrection's controls.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I'm not sure if
they're referring to the analog or digital controls.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I can definitely see
where they would have difficulty with the digital controls.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I would suggest
using an analog controller for this game if you can since it's more
straightforward with the left stick doing all the character
movements, and right stick making all the camera movements.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It's also more
similar to how most current video games are controlled.<br /><br />The
only problem I had with both controls is going down ladders.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
When the character
is right in front of a ladder, players press down for the character
to climb down.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The problem is that
when I press down near a ladder, half of the time the character will
just move backwards away from the ladder instead.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Maybe I just wasn't
in the right spot when I got near a ladder, though going down ladders
in this game is a pain.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />Alien
Resurrection is also compatible with the PlayStation mouse, and some
people claim that it's the best way to play it.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I don't have a
PlayStation mouse so I can't test it.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The PlayStation
mouse is hard to find, but it's not expensive.<br />It's not sought
after by many people since only a small amount of PlayStation games
are compatible with it.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I did try to test
the mouse controls with the ePSXe emulator, but I couldn't get the
emulator to recognize my mouse.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There are Heads Up
Displays for the health gauge, ammo count, motion tracker, and
flashlight.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Gauges for embryo
impregnation, and oxygen while swimming also appear when these events
happen.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
All saving is done
manually.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Players have chances
to save between each level, and at save stations while playing.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Manually saving at
specific points is part of what makes players worrying about
surviving in a survival horror game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The horror in this
game starts out good.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I kept anticipating
the first alien at the beginning, and it made me nervous.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The first few levels
continued to be a little tense with an eery atmosphere in waiting for
the aliens to come for me.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Once I reached the
middle of the game, however, I didn't find it that scary anymore.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I think it's because
the atmosphere does not keep me on edge throughout the game, and I
get used to fighting the aliens so I'm not as frightened of them as I
was in the beginning.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Most of the aliens
in the game are the regular ones that we're used to seeing.<br />There
are also human enemies that appear at certain points.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The alien queen and
the hybrid alien make appearances.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
My favorite is also
present during most of the game: facehuggers.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I hate facehuggers.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I've had nightmares
about them, and seeing them still makes me uncomfortable.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
Even though the
game became less scary for me the more I progressed, I was still
afraid of those things getting me.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
A facehugger can
latch onto the character, and it will be the screen like it's on your
face.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It makes me jump
every time.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The screen will go
black after a facehugger jumps on the character then the character
will wake up with a new HUD gauge for the embryo.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The embryo gauge
goes down pretty quickly, and it's the amount of time the player has
to use an autodoc unit to extract the embryo.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
If time runs out
before then, the chestburster will kill the character leading to a
game over.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There are portable
autodoc units that can be collected, and the communication units also
have autodocs.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Some doors, however,
will not open if an alien presence is detected, and that includes the
character being impregnated.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The characters
played in the game are from the movie: Ripley, Call, Christie, and
DiStephano.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Ripley is the
character that is controlled the most throughout the game, but there
are levels where one of the other three characters is played.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There is very little
story or character interaction.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Any character
interaction that does happen is silent dialogue with text on the
screen to show what they're saying.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
The only time
voices are used is when a person is heard screaming.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
My guess is that
this is due to being a video game based on a movie.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It's common for
movie based games to stray away from the movie's plot, or at least
leave out important plot details.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Understandably, the
movie studio doesn't want the video game to spoil the plot of the
movie on which it's based.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Of course, the Alien
Resurrection game came out three years after the movie.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Why bother?</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I don't know, but I
would presume that 20th Century Fox would still not want to game to
reveal anything about the movie's plot.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Besides being based
on the Alien Resurrection movie, this game is known for it's
difficulty.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There is a reason
why it has a cheat menu that can be unlocked with a button
combination in the options menu.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It is a hard game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Part of it is due to
controls.<br />Another part is the gameplay itself.<br />Players have to
figure out how to conserve ammo and health (which isn't easy in this
game), there isn't always an autodoc unit nearby when you get
facehugged, and save points are few and far between.
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There are four
cheats that can be used: infinite health, infinite ammo, no
chestburster, and no drowning.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The cheat menu also
has all ten levels available to select.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
If you play the
game, don't be surprised if you find yourself needing to use cheats
to get through it.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I ended up using the
cheats a lot because I really wanted to finish it.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There are two final
things I must address.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It's a little easy
to get lost in this game, and there isn't much replayability.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The big problem with
getting lost is that there is no map to help players keep track of
where they are on the ship.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The only replay
incentives are the three difficulties: easy, normal, and hard.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
As a result of this,
most players will play it once or twice.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
If you like survival
horror, first person shooters, and the Alien movies then you might
like the Alien Resurrection game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
If you like the
Alien Trilogy game then you might like this one too.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
As far as I know of,
it's never gotten a release on the PlayStation Store or anywhere
else.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It can only be found
in it's physical release form for the PlayStation.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
If you don't have
a PlayStation or PlayStation 2, it can be played on any PlayStation 3
model and the ePSXe emulator.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Be warned that there
is a bug when playing it on ePSXe.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The third or fourth
level has a door that will not open when it's suppose to after you
press the button.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I never got the
chance to test it myself on the PlayStation 3, but I've read on
forums that people have been experiencing the same bug when playing
it on the PS3.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
If you play it on
the PS3 or ePSXe, the only thing I can suggest is that the cheat menu
has level selection, and you can use it to skip to the next level.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
It's not ideal,
but that may be the only way to continue through the game if you
experience this bug.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
As for price value,
I would suggest $5 at most complete with the case, manual, and
artwork.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
This is primarily
due to the lack of replay value, and it's not well sought after by
collectors.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Most current
listings on eBay have the game for $10 or more.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I personally think
that's a little too much.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
If you're interested
in the game, I recommend watching gameplay footage to see if the eBay
prices are worth it, or just wait patiently until you can find it at
the price that you want it for.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /><br />Gamespot's
review of Alien Resurrection on
PlayStation<br /><a href="http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/alien-resurrection-review/1900-2637344/" target="_blank">http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/alien-resurrection-review/1900-2637344/</a></div>
<div align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15042208038875450551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2861361235101411275.post-52591829545900460422015-01-26T17:38:00.001-08:002015-10-18T16:40:43.477-07:00Shade's Review of Silent Hill: Downpour
<div align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The
last Silent Hill console release made by a western developer was
Silent Hill: Downpour.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It was developed by
Vatra Games, and released for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in 2012.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There was one last
Western Silent Hill game that came out after Downpour called Silent
Hill: Book of Memories.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Book of Memories was
made by WayForward Technologies for the PlayStation Vita.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It was released in
2012, months after Downpour.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
I don't currently
own Book of Memories so I can't review it.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Downpour's
development members involved Devin Shatsky (producer), Tomm Hulett
(senior associate producer), Brian Gomez (design director), and
Daniel Licht (music).</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The story of
Downpour was written by Hulett, Shatsky, and Tom Waltz.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
This was the first
Silent Hill without Akira Yamaoka as the music composer.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Shorty after the
North American release of Silent Hill: Shattered Memories in December
2009, Yamaoka left Konami, and began working at Grasshopper
Manufacture in early 2010.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
Licht, most known
as the music composer for the Showtime TV series Dexter, was
Yamaoka's replacement for Downpour.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The main character
of Downpour is Murphy Pendleton, an escaped prisoner.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
He was being
transferred to another prison when the transport bus crashed in
Silent Hill, and his past comes back to haunt him as he tries to
escape the town.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Controlling Murphy
has some similarities with Silent Hill: Homecoming's controls.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The left analog
stick moves Murphy, right analog stick moves the camera, L2/L trigger
(PS3/Xbox 360) makes him go into combat mode, and X/A attacks
enemies.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
The Triangle/Y
button blocks enemy attacks, pressing R1/R bumper makes him run, and
L1/L bumper to look behind him.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The camera usually
stays behind Murphy, although there are times when the camera angles
change.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It's great that they
were trying to bring back switching camera angles, but it's not as
well done as it was in earlier games.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The camera would
change in the original Silent Hill games to give a cinematic feeling,
to show an important item to pick up, to go through a certain door,
etc.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There isn't much of
that in Downpour.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Most camera angles
seem to be there just to switch camera angles.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There are times when
the angle changes when Murphy is turning a valve or some other object
to show what action it's doing such as opening a gate.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
That does help in
seeing what it's doing while you're doing it.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
Other than that,
however, the switching camera angles don't really serve much of a
purpose in this game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There are a few
things about Downpour's controls that can accidentally make Murphy do
something that players don't want him to do.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
One is throwing an
equipped weapon.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
R2/R trigger has
Murphy throw the weapon he has in his hand, and it's usually lost
forever.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It's so easy to
accidentally throw a weapon especially on the PS3 controller.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The L2 and R2
buttons on the PS3 controller are very sensitive, and they can be
slightly pressed to perform an unwanted action in any game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
In Downpour, it's
one of the many ways to lose your weapon.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Another one is the
fact that the right button on the d-pad heals Murphy by using a
health item in the inventory.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Quick healing him
can be nice so players don't have to scroll through the many items in
the inventory.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The problem, once
again, is that it's not hard to mistakenly press the button, and use
a health item when he doesn't need one.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
This is especially
true when the left button switches weapons, and players can
accidentally press the right button thinking it will switch them
back.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
But, it uses a
health item instead.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The last issue of
performing unwanted actions is due to Murphy automatically
implementing certain movements such climbing up and down a ladder
when he's near it, or ducking under an opening when he's close
enough.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In preceding games,
players had to press the action button to climb up or down a ladder,
duck under or over something, etc.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In Downpour, you can
be walking towards an certain area, and Murphy climbs up a ladder
just because you were walking passed it and got close to it.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Before talking about
the combat, I would like to briefly explain the inventory system.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The inventory is
similar to Silent Hill 4's inventory.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It appears at the
top of the screen when the up button on the d-pad is pressed, and it
does not pause the game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Murphy is limited to
only holding one melee weapon and one firearm at the same time.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
Unlike Silent Hill
4, Murphy can hold an unlimited number of any other items.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There is nothing
wrong with limiting the number of items the main character can carry.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
This is usually done
by limiting the inventory space making players decide which weapons
and other items they want to carry.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It's a little
strange that the number of weapons Murphy can have is limited, but
other items he can carry are not restricted.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It's also a pain
when all weapons are breakable.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Combat in Downpour
is very frustrating.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
All weapons are
breakable including firearms.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
This is a lot like
Silent Hill: Origins where players can pick up many objects to use as
weapons most of which are breakable.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The difference in
Origins is that firearms are not fragile, and that game has unlimited
space for weapons.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
Breakable weapons
are more annoying than scary.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In games like
Resident Evil, players rely on firearms to defeat enemies, but you're
always worried about running out of ammo.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The same is true for
older Silent Hill games especially on harder modes.<br />And, if
players use melee weapons to fight enemies then they are taking a
chance of acquiring damage by getting close to them.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
Breakable weapons
do not make me worry about surviving.<br />It just makes me want to
avoid combat as much as possible because I don't want to deal with
them especially when enemies in this game are very good at testing
your patience.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Like Homecoming,
there are some doors where you must use a weapon to open a door such
as a wrench to break a lock, or an axe to chop wooden planks.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
With breakables
weapons, though, it's common for the weapon you're using to open the
door to shatter before the lock breaks, or all the wood is
chopped.<br />Then you have to search for another weapon.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There are also parts
of the game when Murphy loses his weapons.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
This usually happens
when Murphy is walking across a bridge, it breaks apart, and the
weapons fall off of him.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Yet again, you have
to search for more weapons.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Speaking of enemies
testing your patience, the enemies in this game are not scary.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
They piss me off.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In past games, the
monsters' primary purpose is to put fear in the player.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Yes, monsters can
harm the main character, but they are more about being frightening
and disturbing.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Monsters nearby are
often heard through radio static, and the noises they make as they
come closer to the main character.<br />Many times you hear the
monsters before you can see them, and you either avoid to them or
attack them before they get too close.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Just hearing that
the monsters are close by is very frightening.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In Downpour, they
come running at Murphy, sometimes out of nowhere, and start beating
the hell out of him.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It even happens once
or twice when you're trying to solve a puzzle.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Enemies running up
to Murphy and beating him doesn't make me afraid of them.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It makes me angry.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I also have to say
that Downpour's enemies are poorly designed.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In previous games,
particularly Silent Hill 1-4, the monsters are ambiguous and
disturbing.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
The monsters in
Downpour look kind of silly, and do not compare to the monsters of
the originals.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The nightmare is not
scary either.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In Downpour, water
causes the nightmare shift, which makes sense with Murphy's
background.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The problem is that
the nightmare itself is not disturbing or frightening at all.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
For one, there are
similarities with the nightmares of past games such as a red light
chasing Murphy through most the game's nightmare.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Silent Hill 3 has a
small part where a red light chases Heather, and she must run away
from it or it will drain her health.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
Since the red
light chases Murphy through most of the time the nightmare takes
over, there isn't much exploring in the nightmare a lot like the ice
world in Shattered Memories.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There are parts
where Murphy must balance on narrow objects like a tree, which
reminds me of Assassin's Creed and Uncharted.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
A couple times, he
has to turn an object to open a gate, and run through it before it
closes.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I've only ever had
to do this in platforming games like Prince of Persia.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
A few times, Murphy
gets on a water slide, and players move him from side to side to
avoid objects.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
I've seen
something like this in action games like Binary Domain.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I don't understand
how the developers thought they were scaring players.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Reusing nightmare
elements from past Silent Hill games is not scary to those of us who
have played the older games.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It's also not scary
to use gameplay aspects of games that are not even a part of the
horror genre.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There are also a lot
of prison cages, clocks and monsters in cages.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It's a very obvious
reference to Murphy being in prison, and it's not disturbing in any
way.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Downpour's nightmare
is more like a Halloween amusement park than it is a nightmare.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Something else that
makes Downpour not scary is autosaves and checkpoints.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I have no problem
with autosaves and checkpoints in any other game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In a horror game,
however, saving manually is part of making players worry about
surviving.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I'm guessing the
Downpour developing team was thinking more about having modern video
game elements like autosaves and checkpoints.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In making a horror
game, on the other hand, they should understand why it's necessary to
require players to save manually.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The good thing about
autosaves and checkpoints is that there are many glitches in this
game, and you don't lose a lot of progress if you have to restart it.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Downpour has
freezing, stuttering, one of Murphy's arms can disappear at certain
points, opening a door and another is in its place, and many more.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The game loads a
lot, and it stutters almost every time it's loading.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The loading icon is
exactly the same as the saving icon.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
It even says
saving when it's actually loading so you're never sure if it's saving
or loading.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There is something
that I like about Downpour.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In Homecoming and
Shattered Memories, there are button prompts to indicate actions to
perform such as opening a door, and objects to pick up are
highlighted by making them flash or having arrows point at them.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Again, button
prompts and object highlighting is fine for any other game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
I just always
liked how Silent Hill 1-4 made it obvious about which door to go
through or which objects to pick through camera angles, and having
objects stand out in the environment somehow.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Downpour has button
prompts and shiny objects, but they can be turned off in the options
menu.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
This game is the
only one that I know of that has the option of turning off button
prompts and highlighted objects.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Objects do flash a
little bit when Murphy is close enough to them even if the object
highlighting is turned off.<br />It could have something to do with how
the game is programmed.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The option to turn
these indicators off is definitely a positive for Downpour.<br />If
only the game didn't have so many other issues.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Downpour's
replayability is decent.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Action and riddle
difficulties are brought back from Silent Hill 2 & 3, and each
has three difficulty levels: easy, normal, and hard.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The puzzles are not
bad, but there is really only one that requires players to solve a
riddle to find the answer similar to the riddles of Silent Hill 1-3.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There are six
endings, and several objects for players to collect.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The game introduces
sidequests, but there is not a lot to be gained by completing them.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Sidequests in Silent
Hill is a decent idea, but good sidequests would be to add to the
story, history of the town, character background, etc.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Sidequests in
Downpour are mostly ghost stories, finding ammo and health items,
rewarding players with drawings of the characters, and gaining a
trophy/achievement.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
For me, that's not
much motivation to complete sidequests.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In my reviews of
Silent Hill 1-4, I said that the complicated storylines added to the
replayability because it makes players replay them many times to
piece the stories together.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In recent games, the
stories are not very complicated, and not very good quality like the
originals.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Sometimes they don't
make sense with the storylines established by the first four games.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Downpour continues
this problem except this time the story tries to be intricate like
originals, but there are no answers unlike Silent Hill 1-4.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
The big issue is
Downpour's endings.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In previous games in
the series, the story plays out, and each ending shows a possible
outcome of that story.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In Downpour, each
ending can change the story itself.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The original games
always had specific answers with certain aspects that can be left to
the players' imaginations.<br />The specific answers had to be figured
out through character dialogue, memos, and images within the game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Downpour has players
pick the ending they want, and find their answers based on that
ending.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
That would be fine
if the developers did that with any other game, but it doesn't make
sense to do that with a Silent Hill game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Out of all the games
in the series, Downpour has the most issues.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I can see why it was
one of the last Silent Hill games that Konami outsourced to another
developer.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
If you want to play
the game, I would highly suggest to rent it even if you're a big
Silent Hill fan.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Both PS3 and Xbox
360 versions are currently available through GameFly if you have a
membership.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I would only
recommend buying it if you rented it and like it, or if you're a
collector of horror video games.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
If you're a
collector, I would advise to buy it for around five dollars or less.
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15042208038875450551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2861361235101411275.post-42079797713904353622015-01-23T11:07:00.000-08:002015-10-18T16:40:43.471-07:00Shade's Review of Silent Hill: Shattered Memories
<div align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Climax
Studios, developer of Silent Hill: Origins, created the next game in
the Silent Hill series: Silent Hill: Shattered Memories.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The game was
released in North America on December 8, 2009 for Nintendo Wii.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It was released in
Europe, Australia, and Japan in early 2010, and ported to PlayStation
2 and PlayStation Portable.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Returning
development members include Tomm Hulett (producer), Mark Simmons
(director), Sam Barlow (writer), and Akira Yamaoka (music).</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
Shattered Memories
was the last Silent Hill game that Yamaoka had involvement.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I'm reviewing the
Wii version of this game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I have yet to play
the PS2 and PSP versions.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Shattered Memories
is a good Wii game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It has good graphics
for the system it was primarily made for, it controls well, and it
has no loading screens.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
Like every video
game, though, it's also not without its issues.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Shattered Memories
was created as a re-imagining of the first Silent Hill.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Players control
Harry Mason once again. <br />Like the original, he is searching for
his missing daughter Cheryl in Silent Hill after a car crash.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The analog stick on
the nunchuck moves Harry, the Z button makes him run, and motioning
the Wii remote moves the flashlight and camera at the same time.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Once more, there are
no switching camera angles like the older Silent Hill games.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
The camera always
stays behind Harry unless the down button on the d-pad is pressed to
look behind him.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There are therapy
sessions at certain points in the game.<br />During this time, the game
switches to first person mode, and only the Wii remote is used.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The motion control
is used to move the camera, and to move objects.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
These sessions are
part of what effects the game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The game utilizes
the Wii's motion controls wonderfully.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
This includes
opening doors, moving objects, and many more actions.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Motion control is
definitely the focus of Shattered Memories.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
The problem with
Shattered Memories is that it's classified as survival horror, but
it's not really a scary game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Throughout Shattered
Memories, a bad snowstorm is occurring in Silent Hill, and the
nightmare takes over by freezing the entire area that Harry is in.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Changing from snow
to ice is a cool effect in the game, and it's a shifting nightmare
similar to Silent Hill 1.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
One problem is that
the ice world isn't scary.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
It's a cool idea
for this game, but, if the creators wanted to scare players with the
ice world, it's not very effective.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The monsters are not
scary either.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
They start out as
featureless human shaped creatures, and later change shapes depending
on the actions of the player.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
Monsters changing
shape based on the player's actions is really cool, but the monsters
themselves just aren't scary.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Harry has no away of
fighting the monsters.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There is no combat
whatsoever in Shattered Memories.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I personally don't
mind no combat in a horror game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The problem with no
combat in Shattered Memories is that it makes dealing with the
monsters more frustrating than anything.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
When the ice world
takes over and the monsters come out, players must hightail it to the
exit back to the normal snowy Silent Hill.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The monsters will
constantly grab Harry, and players have to perform the actions shown
on-screen with the Wii remote.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It's gets very
annoying.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Harry can hide
inside or under something, but the monsters always find him and drag
him out.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It's best to just
keep running until you reach the exit.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Flares do help in
keeping the monsters away from Harry when they're lit.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Another problem with
the nightmare (ice world and monsters), is that it's predictable and
a little dull.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The monsters only
attack when the ice world takes over making the normal world boring
at times.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There is also
nothing to do in the ice world except to run to the exit.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I think there are
one or two parts where a puzzle has to be solved in the ice world,
but that's about it.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
You can explore as
much as you want in the normal world, but there are very few chances
to explore in the ice world.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Predictability and
dullness take away a big part of what makes a horror game scary.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
VHS static on the
screen indicates that Harry is taking damage from the monsters.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The more static on
the screen the closer Harry is to dying.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Radio static also
plays when the monsters are close.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There is no
inventory, no health items to heal Harry, and, of course, no weapons.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Harry's phone is
used to have access to the map, save the game, take pictures, etc.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
One issue is the
map.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The game never has a
map that shows the inside layout of the building you're in.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
It only shows the
town's map, and marks outside doorways of buildings.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There are some
puzzles in Shattered Memories, but I didn't find them very difficult.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Only a couple
require some thinking.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There are objects to
collect called mementos.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
As far as I know,
they don't effect the outcome of the game in any way.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
They're just
collectibles.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
Lastly, like
Homecoming, Shattered Memories has on-screen button prompts as well
as white arrows to point out objects that Harry can use or pick up.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I understand the
need to show on-screen actions that players need to perform to push
enemies off of Harry.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
On the other hand,
having a button prompt to open a door, or a white arrow above an
object to perform an action is a little aggravating since they are
obvious actions that Harry needs to do.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I understand that
developers most likely want button prompts, objects to be pointed
out, and directions for people who don't play video games often.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It would just be
nice if they would have the option to turn off these indicators for
those of us who don't need them.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Replayability in
Shattered Memories is a little low.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The only incentive
to replay the game is for the five endings.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There are also three
possible conversations Harry can have with a character at the end of
the game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There are no
difficulty levels, no extra gameplay modes, or anything like that.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The game says that
it keeps a psychological profile on the player, and it changes the
game based on the player's actions.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
When I first read
about this gameplay mechanic in previews of the game, it sounded
complicated, and that it would give me a reason to play the game over
and over to see the many different ways the game changes.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I read about the
characters' looks changing and monsters changing shapes, but I also
imagined many different ways the game could have changes such as
meeting different characters each time.<br />Or, the nightmare would
take over a certain point in one playthrough, but not take over at
that same point in another playthrough.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Maybe the
environments could change more somehow besides just snowing outside
and turning into an ice world.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Things like
that.<br />Once I played the game, it was obvious that it's not as
complicated as it was advertised, and the game doesn't change that
much.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Players' actions
that determine the outcome of the game are the choices made in
therapy sessions, what you look at while playing Harry, and instances
of going inside one of two possible places.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
For example, in the
beginning of the game, Harry can either go into the diner or the bar.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Going into the diner
or the bar can be a factor in determining the outcome of the game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
These actions
determine how the characters look and how they talk to you, the shape
of the monsters, and the ending.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I think the phone
messages received are effected too.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Everything else
remains the same.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It's simple to
figure out how the game changes by finding out the requirements for
each ending.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Shattered Memories
makes for a very good Wii game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I would recommend it
to gamers who own a Wii.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It isn't scary, and
the replayability is low.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
But, it utilizes the
motion control well, and some players will find that it has an
interesting story.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
As for Silent Hill
fans, I would say to judge the game for yourselves.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Some fans debate
about whether or not it's truly a re-imagining of Silent Hill 1.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I see most of the
characters, some places, and few story elements in Shattered Memories
as a reminisce of Silent Hill 1.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Other than that, I
think of it as an entirely different game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I can't recommend
the PS2 or PSP versions since I haven't played them, and I don't know
how well the game controls on those systems.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The Wii and PSP
versions should not be hard to find for around $10-20.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The PS2 version
looks to be more expensive at around $30 or higher.</div>
<div align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15042208038875450551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2861361235101411275.post-39739251493316649862015-01-21T12:56:00.000-08:002015-10-18T16:40:43.465-07:00Shade's Review of Silent Hill: Homecoming
<div align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Silent
Hill: Homecoming was released on September 30, 2008 in North America
on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The European and
Australian versions were released in early 2009, but the Japanese
version was canceled.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
North America,
Europe, and Australia also got PC releases.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
Some of the
graphic scenes in Homecoming were censored in some countries
including Australia and Germany.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Homecoming was
developed by the American studio Double Helix Games.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Members of the
development team include William Oertel (producer), Tomm Hulett
(associate producer), Cordy Rierson (director), Patrick J. Doody and
Chris Valenziano (writers), and Akira Yamaoka (music).</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Once again, Yamaoka
was the only Team Silent member that had involvement in the game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
One of the first
things players will notice when playing Homecoming is how different
the controls are.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It's basically first
person controls in the third person similar to Resident Evil 4.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The left stick moves
Alex, the main character, and the right stick moves the camera.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There are no
switching camera angles in this one.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
The camera always
stays behind Alex unless he goes into combat mode.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In past games,
different camera angles would not only give players a cinematic view,
but they were also an artistic way of showing players which door to
go through, important items to pick up, etc.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Homecoming, on the
other hand, has on-screen button prompts to let players know when an
action needs to be performed.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I don't like button
prompts, and I'm sure they're in Homecoming due to its common
practice in current video games.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I wish the game
provided the option of turning them off.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I definitely prefer
the different camera angles to indicate an action needs to be
performed over button prompts.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Combat is still the
usual shooting enemies with firearms, or hitting them with melee
weapons as in past games.<br />Once again, though, the controls are
different.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I will give the
controller layouts for both PS3 and Xbox 360 versions.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
To shoot enemies,
players press L2/L trigger (PS3/360) to draw the firearm equipped at
which time the camera switches to an over-the-shoulder view to aim at
enemies, and R2/R trigger fires the gun.
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The ammo count of
the gun equipped appears at the button right of the screen while the
firearm is drawn, and the gun can be reloaded during this time by
pressing Square/X.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
For melee weapons,
L2/L trigger makes Alex go into combat stance, and the camera
switches to a side view of him and the enemy.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
Players press X/A
for fast attack, Square/X for strong attack, and Circle/B to block
enemy attacks.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Combat is pretty
good in Homecoming.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I like the
over-the-shoulder shooting for horror games.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It makes players aim
at enemies, which can be nerve-wrecking.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
For me, I can get
nervous when an enemy is running towards me, and I have to quickly
aim and shoot it.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The side view during
melee combat is decent.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It gives players a
better angle while attacking enemies.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Weapons are also
used to open doorways such as using a knife to tear a hole through a
sheet for Alex to squeeze through it, using a steal pipe or crowbar
to force a door open, etc.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There are also a lot
of jumping across platforms, hopping over and ducking under things,
climbing up and down ledges, and squeezing through tight openings.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I'm not really sure
the point of these actions.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Maybe to break from
running around and fighting enemies.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
In past games,
there were more exploring environments, reading memos, and solving
puzzles to break from running and fighting.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There is not much
exploring or reading memos in Homecoming.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There are some memos
in this game, but not as much as the originals.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I also don't feel
compelled to explore the environments like I do in Silent Hill 1-4.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Part of that is
because the nightmare isn't unique.<br />It's taken directly from the
Silent Hill movie.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There also isn't a
lot of detail or many disturbing things to look at in the
environments like the first four games.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There are puzzles in
Homecoming, but, like Origins, they're not very challenging except
for the one at the very end.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
There isn't much
riddle solving like the first three games, which is why I don't find
them very challenging.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Enemies are a little
tough this time around.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Each enemy is best
fought with a certain weapon with a particular strategy.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
For example, nurses
are usually best fought with a knife using fast attacks, and firearms
are best on the smog monster especially when its lungs are exposed.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Sometimes its better
just to run from enemies if you can.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There are four
bosses, and they also have certain weaknesses.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Each one has two
phases, and each phase will require a different type of attack.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />I have no
problem with challenging enemies especially for a survival horror
game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The designs of the
enemies, however, aren't as good as the first four games.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Maybe it's just me,
but Homecoming's enemies don't seem as ambiguous as the enemies of
the originals.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Like the nightmare,
a few of Homecoming's enemies were taken directly from the Silent
Hill movie such as the nurses, bugs, cult members in miner's
uniforms, and Pyramid Head's design.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I didn't care for
enemies being reused in Homecoming.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Like Silent Hill 4,
surviving in Homecoming is more of a concern than Silent Hill 1-3.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Health drinks and
first aid kits are more scarce than previous games, and enemies can
cause plenty of damage if you don't know how to fight them.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The first time I
played Homecoming, I had to use a lot of health supplies due to all
the damage Alex was taking because I wasn't very good at fighting the
enemies.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Plus, I would
accidentally use health items, which I will explain soon.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It was such a relief
when I did find a health drink or a first aid kit.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Even ammunition is
not easy to come by.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
During later
playthroughs, I got better at fighting enemies, and I was able to
conserve health supplies and ammunition better.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I like the fact that
surviving is not easy in Homecoming.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Combat and surviving
is mainly what the game does best.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
One issue is that
Homecoming really isn't psychological horror like the originals.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Silent Hill 1-3 were
more focused on psychological horror.<br />Silent Hill 4 was a mix of
psychological horror and survival horror.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Origins tried to be
more like the first three games, but I never got much of a sense of
either psychological horror or survival horror while playing it.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Homecoming is mostly
about surviving, and graphic blood and gore horror.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I will describe the
horror in Homecoming a little more later in the review.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The inventory in
this game is completely different.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Silent Hill 1-3 had
a pause menu inventory mapped to the select button on the PlayStation
controller (start button by default in Silent Hill 2).</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The inventory in
those games had everything players needed, an infinite space for all
weapons and items, health status, etc.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Silent Hill 4 took
away the pause menu inventory, and had a limited inventory of ten
slots with an item chest to store leftover items and weapons.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
A health meter
appeared on screen in Silent Hill 4 when the main character was in
attack stance and/or attacked by enemies.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Homecoming has the
pause menu inventory with no limited space, but this time there are
two inventories each mapped on a different button.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
L1/L bumper opens
the inventory for items, and the R1/R bumper opens the inventory for
weapons.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The weapon inventory
also has the flashlight and radio, and they can be turned on and off
by the Square/X button (flashlight) and Triangle/Y button (radio)
while that inventory is open.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The same is true for
health drinks and first aid kits in the item inventory.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Health status
appears in both inventories as a meter.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The health meter
also appears on screen when Alex takes damage.<br /><br />There are
problems with the inventories.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There is nothing
wrong with dividing the inventory by items and weapons.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Silent Hill 3's
inventory was divided like that, and it made it more organized.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Having two separate
inventories mapped to two separate buttons, on the other hand, is
confusing.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There were many
times when I wanted to open the item inventory, but I opened the
weapon one instead and vice versa.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
Since health
drinks and first aid kits are mapped to Square/X and Triangle/Y
respectively in the item inventory, there have been several times
when I accidentally used a health item when going through it.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The map can be
accessed by pressing the Triangle/Y button, which is typical for a
Silent Hill game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
What is not typical
is an objective screen.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
To bring up the
objective screen, press Triangle/Y for the map then press Square/X
for the list of objectives.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In the preceding
games, players figured out what to do and where to go next by
exploring and finding clues within the game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There is some of
that in Homecoming, but an objective screen makes it a little
obvious.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
At the beginning of
the game in the hospital, the objective screen says, "Escape the
hospital."
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I would think that
would be self-explanatory while playing.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I'm the type that
likes to figure it out myself from the clues provided.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The good news is
that the objective screen can be easily ignored by just looking at
the map and not the objectives.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
A new gameplay
element introduced is dialogue options during some character
interactions.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It's not a bad idea,
but it's not well implemented.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Characters will give
different responses with each dialogue option, although most of them
do not effect the outcome of the story.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There are only three
instances where the dialogue selected determines the ending.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There are also times
when Alex is speaking to a character, and all the dialogue options
can be selected making it seem pointless.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Before moving on, I
must warn that Homecoming is known to have several glitches.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Every time I've
played and reach the cemetery a second time, a certain area will not
load.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It sometimes loads
if I leave and come back.<br />Other times, I have to restart from
where I last saved.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I've also
experienced a glitch where an enemy is suspended a few inches off the
ground after its dead.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I've read that some
players have problems with the game freezing in certain areas,
character models disappearing in cutscenes if certain actions are
performed, and many more.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
If you play
Homecoming, beware of glitches.<br />Some of them are funny.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Others may force you
to restart from your last save, or you may have to avoid certain
areas all together.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Homecoming's
replayability is ok, but it's not as high as the original games.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There is only one
set of two difficulty levels: normal and hard.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The game has five
endings, and each ending achieved unlocks a new costume for Alex.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
One costume is
unlock by using the Konami code at the main menu.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There are two extra
weapons: circular saw and laser pistol.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
One becomes
available after beating the game once, and the other is gained after
achieving a certain ending.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
All typical Silent
Hill characteristics, nothing new added, and nothing difficult to
achieve.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Unfortunately, a
great puzzle-like storyline typical of Silent Hill 1-4 is not present
in Homecoming.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Like Origins, the
story and nightmare in Homecoming are my biggest criticisms.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Homecoming is about
Alex Shepherd returning from the military to his family's house in
Shepherd's Glen.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
His father and
brother have disappeared, and his mother is in a catatonic state.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
He finds out that
other people in the town have disappeared as well.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
Alex has a bad
feeling that something has happened to his brother, and goes in
search of him.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The premise isn't
bad.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The quality of the
story, and the way it's presented isn't so good.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In Silent Hill 1-4,
pieces of information about the story is given throughout the games
through character dialogue, memos, and images.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Players take all the
information, and put everything together to understand the story.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Homecoming has
little information through most the game, and everything is made
obvious towards the end.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
One character tells
Alex much of what happened in the events prior to the start of the
game, and then there is a big reveal right before the final boss.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Moreover, in the
originals, the disappearance of Silent Hill residents was always left
a mystery.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
In Homecoming, it
becomes clear what happened to Shepherd's Glen residents in the
latter half of the game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
As for the
nightmare, it's pretty much taken straight from movie like I said
previously.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It isn't unique and
detailed like the originals.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Even some of the
enemies are taken from the movies, and they're really not disturbing
like the monsters in Silent Hill 1-4 due to lack of ambiguity.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In addition,
Homecoming has graphic blood and gore like most modern American
horror films whereas the first four games had suggested images such
as a human shaped body in a certain pose that makes players use their
imaginations.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I know some people
like graphic blood and gore horror, but I personally prefer the
horror of Silent Hill 1-4.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Homecoming is a
mediocre game on its own merit.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
As a Silent Hill
game, it has many issues.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Combat and surviving
are the good points of the game.<br />Everything else: story,
nightmare, inventory, etc. is not so good.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
I want to mention
that even though I think that combat in Homecoming is good, I don't
think it's better or worse than the combat in Silent Hill 1-3.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Some people seem to
think that combat in the first three games is bad, and that it's
because the main characters are ordinary people.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
On the contrary, the
combat in the originals is not bad, and I'm sure the combat has
nothing to do with the characters.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Combat is the way it
is in those games because that was the standard set by the first
Resident Evil.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In some ways, Silent
Hill 1-3's combat improved on Resident Evil's combat particularly
with melee weapons.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I've heard similar
remarks that Homecoming's combat method is due to Alex being a
soldier.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
That may have
effected the American team's decision, but Homecoming's combat may
have something to do with the new gameplay standard set by Resident
Evil 4.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Resident Evil 4
influenced the gameplay in many modern video games, and Homecoming
may be one of them.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Would I recommend
Homecoming to anyone?<br />Probably not because it's not for everyone.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
If a person loves
survival horror, but is not a huge Silent Hill fan then I might
suggest that he or she give it a try.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
For anyone that
loves the original Silent Hill games, judge the game for yourself,
but, like Origins, don't be surprised if you have problems with it.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
GameFly currently
has Homecoming available to rent for both PS3 and Xbox 360 if you
have a membership.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
If you don't have a
GameFly membership, I would recommend buying it used for $10 or less
if you want to try it.</div>
<div align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15042208038875450551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2861361235101411275.post-80129154592187319992015-01-19T11:10:00.003-08:002015-10-18T16:40:43.495-07:00Shade's Review of Silent Hill: Origins<div align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I've
decided to go ahead and review the recent Silent Hill games: Origins,
Homecoming, Shattered Memories, and Downpour.<br />
I admit that I do
not care for these games.<br />
I don't think they measure up to the
original four games for several reasons, but I will do the best that
I can to be objective in reviewing them.<br />
<br />
Silent Hill: Origins
was released on the PlayStation Portable in North America, Europe,
and Japan in late 2007.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It was ported to
PlayStation 2 in spring 2008.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Origins was
developed by Climax Studios making it the first Silent Hill game not
made by Team Silent.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The Origins
development team included William Oertel (producer), Tomm Hulett
(associate producer), Mark Simmons (director), Sam Barlow (writer),
and Akira Yamaoka (music).</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
Yamaoka is the
only Team Silent member that had a role in making Origins.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The gameplay style
is very similar to Silent Hill 1-3.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
R trigger (combat
stance) plus X to attack enemies, L trigger to move camera, analog
stick to move the main character Travis, etc.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The only control
issue is that there are no tank controls.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
No tank controls can
be a problem when the camera angles changes.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It is easy to
accidentally have Travis go in the opposite direction when the camera
angle changes.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It may be due to
people complaining that they don't like tank controls.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
Like Silent Hill
4, Origins also demonstrates that tank controls are needed in a game
that changes angles.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The flashlight
button is mapped to the circle button like the first three games,
though whether or not having the flashlight on in Origins is not as
much of a dilemma as in past games.<br />
In Silent Hill 1-3, the
flashlight attracted enemies, but the main character could not see in
the dark with the flashlight off.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I always just keep
the flashlight on, and take my chances with enemies.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In Origins, Travis
can somehow see without the flashlight in the dark so it's much
easier to run around with the flashlight off.<br />
In fact, there is an
accolade in the game for only having the flashlight turned on for a
certain amount of time.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Sometimes, however,
enemies will still attack Travis in the dark with the flashlight
off.<br />
<br />
When an enemy grabs Travis, quick time button presses
will appear on screen.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Hit the right button
at the right time, and Travis will push the enemy off.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Fail to do so,
however, and the enemy will hit Travis.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It's a little odd to
have quick time events (QTE) in a Silent Hill game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I couldn't find any
interviews from Origins development members on why QTE was added, but
I presume it's due to the popularity of games like God of War and
Resident Evil 4 where QTE is common.<br />
<br />
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There
isn't a lot to say about the enemies in the game.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
They're
not difficult to fight.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
They're
more annoying to deal with especially since QTE is used when they
grab Travis, and most weapons are breakable.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Their
designs are not disturbing like in the monsters in Silent Hill 1-4.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Part
of what made the monsters in the originals disturbing was their
ambiguity.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It
takes awhile to figure out how each monster is disturbing.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I
don't see ambiguity in Origins' monsters.</div>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
To attack enemies,
Travis has many items he can use as weapons.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
He can uses TVs,
knives, shovels, wrenches, etc. etc.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
All melee weapons,
except extra weapons, are breakable.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There are firearms
as well, but they are sturdy.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I'm not a big fan of
breakable weapons.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I find them to make
a horror game more frustrating than frightening.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Every time I've
played a new game from scratch in Origins, I avoid combat unless I
have to engage in it such as boss fights because of the breakable
weapons I didn't want to deal with.
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
In subsequent
playthroughs, I used the extra weapons to fight enemies.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Travis carries
weapons and other items in the pause menu inventory like the first
three games.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Players can access
the inventory by pressing the select button.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The D-pad can also
be used to scroll through weapons without pausing the game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Among the items that
can be collected are energy drinks for Travis' stamina, but players
don't need to worry too much about collecting them.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The reason is
because when Travis is running, he will get tired and slow down after
a few minutes, but he'll run like normal again a few seconds later.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
One last thing I'll
say about the gameplay is the puzzles.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The puzzles aren't
bad, but I didn't find them to be as challenging as the puzzles in
the original three games.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I think it's most
likely due to the fact that most puzzles in Silent Hill 1-3 are
solved by figuring out riddles in the games.<br />
There isn't much
riddle solving in Origins, which may be why I didn't find them very
challenging.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The puzzles in
Origins can be fun, but not quite a challenging as past games.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
As for
replayability, Origins has a few reasons to replay it.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There are no
difficulty levels, but there are three endings.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The game also has
accolades that can be achieved through players' actions.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Each accolade
achieved rewards players with a costume or an extra weapon.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The replayability in
Origins is decent, but I do think it's hindered by the lack of
difficulty levels.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In my reviews of
Silent Hill 1-4, I said that the storylines contribute to their
replayability because they are presented like a puzzle, and it takes
multiple playthroughs of each game to understand them.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
That is not quite so
true with Origins.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
In fact, the story
and nightmare presentation of Origins are my biggest criticisms of
the game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I'll try to keep
this spoiler free.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The story of Origins
takes place seven years before the first game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
A truck driver named
Travis Grady is dragged into the events of the town when he drives
through Silent Hill.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Origins acts as a
prequel to Silent Hill 1, but there are a lot of things about the
story of Origins that doesn't make sense with the story of Silent
Hill 1.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
I also don't find
the story of Origins to be presented like a puzzle like the first
four games.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The nightmare
consists of switching between the normal version of an area to the
scary version of the same area by Travis touching mirrors.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Mirrors are kind of
a neat concept for a horror game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
For Silent Hill,
however, giving players the ability to switch between normal and
nightmare versions of the area they're in takes away some of the
horror.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The idea of mirrors
in Origins also does not make sense with the nightmare of Silent Hill
1-4.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
For anyone who
understands and likes the storylines of Silent Hill 1-4, the story
and nightmare of Origins may be problematic for you.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Silent Hill: Origins
is not a bad horror game for PSP especially when there are really no
other horror games for the system.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
If you love the
story and nightmare of the original four games then you might have
some issues with Origins.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
A used copy of the
PSP version can be found for around $10 or less.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The PS2 version may
be a little higher though.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It also was released
on the PlayStation Store for PS3 exclusively in Europe.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I would recommend
Origins for anyone who has a PSP, and would like a horror game for
it.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
For fans of the
original Silent Hill games who have not played Origins, I would
suggest to judge the game for yourselves, but don't be surprise if
you think that it doesn't measure up to its predecessors.</div>
<div align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15042208038875450551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2861361235101411275.post-31249255993857176122015-01-15T18:10:00.003-08:002015-10-18T16:43:05.075-07:00What Happened to Team Silent's Silent Hill 5?<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In a 2004 Boomtown
interview on Silent Hill 4: The Room with Masashi Tsuboyama (director
of SH2 & art director of SH4) and Akira Yamaoka (series sound
director & producer of SH3 & SH4) are asked about the future
of the series.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
One of them
responds, "A fifth game is being planned but it will not be for
this generation, although we do not know for what formats exactly. We
have seen the rumours that the next game will be called Silent Hill
5: Shadows, but we can say that this is not true, we have no idea
where this rumour came from!"</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
When asked about
the next Silent Hill game in another interview with Game World in
2005, Akihiro Imamura (producer of SH2 & sub-producer of SH4)
says, "Maybe I'll get in trouble for this, so Konami Japan don't
fire me, but we are interested in playing with the idea of 'light'...
as in 'daylight' and shadows. Ever since the pre-production of SH2,
we wanted to start a SH in a normal environment- daylight, people
going about their business, just normality. What happens when you
make that normality rot all around you? It is possible to make a
normal sunny day really creepy. Just look at films like the original
Texas Chainsaw Massacre or even one of our favorites, Jacobs Ladder."</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I don't how, but I
actually remember reading these interviews after finishing Silent
Hill 4 for the first time.<br />
I was so excited that they were making
another game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I love all four
games, and I could not wait for a fifth.<br />
The concept of light and
shadows sound very interesting for a Silent Hill game.<br />
I'd love to
see how Team Silent could make daylight creepy.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
One possibility for
Silent Hill 5's storyline could have been the original Silent Hill 3
story.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The original Silent
Hill 3 story was much different than the story in the final product.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
Fans were begging
for a direct continuation of Silent Hill 1 so Team Silent set aside
the original story to satisfy fans' pleas.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In the same
interview with Game World, Imamura and Yamaoka were asked if they
could say what the original Silent Hill 3 story was about.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Yamaoka responds,
"Unfortunately no, since we plan on using it for a future game.
(laughing) It was much more along the lines of the second, where the
main character was a damaged human being, summoned to the town for a
very specific reason. It was, or should say is, the darkest story we
have come up with."</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
Imamura goes on to
say that "I'm sure a lot would have to be cut. Just the
preliminary scenario had elements that would most likely not be
approved by the ratings boards. Another thing is we really didn't
want to use a similar template as SH2 for the game that followed it.
That was another deciding factor in changing SH3."</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Could this have been
used for the story of Silent Hill 5?</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
We really have no
way of knowing.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
We just know what
Imamura and Yamaoka said in this interview.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I'm happy with how
Silent Hill 3 & 4 turned out, however it's also frustrating that
we never got to see this story as well as their concept of light and
shadows.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The fact that they
said that it's the "darkest story" they've made, and some
things may "not be approved by the ratings board" makes me
wonder what this story was about.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
After these
interviews, there was virtually no word on Silent Hill 5.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Silent Hill: Origins
was announced at E3 2006 for the PSP, and confirmed that it was in
development by the Western developer Climax Studios.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I will admit that I
have issues with Origins especially the story, but it's not a
surprise that it was made by another developer.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It is not uncommon
for a handheld installment of a video game series to be made by a
different developer.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
For example, the God
of War series is made by SCE Santa Monica, but the two PSP entries
(Chains of Olympus & Ghost of Sparta) were made by Ready at Dawn.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
At least for me,
the fact that Origins was confirmed that it was being made by a
different developer didn't entirely indicate that Team Silent was no
longer making Silent Hill games.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Then at E3 2007,
another Silent Hill was announced as Silent Hill V, and that it was
being developed by the American studio The Collective.<br />
The
Collective later became Double Helix Games, and Silent Hill V was
renamed Silent Hill: Homecoming before its released in 2008.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
At this point, I had
been waiting for Silent Hill 5 for two years.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I was a little
disappointed that Silent Hill V being made by a completely different
developer was announced instead.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I had the same
concerns that some other fans had about the new game including an
American developer would not understand the story and horror of
Silent Hill 1-4. <br />
I was afraid that the game would mostly be jump
scares and a slaughterfest like most modern American horror movies.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
That's pretty much
how Homecoming turned out.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I got both Origins
and Homecoming soon after they were released.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I had some hope that
these games would be good, and that they could carry on what Team
Silent did with the original four games.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I did find some
enjoyment in playing them.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I didn't have a very
good understanding of Silent Hill 1-4 at that time, but I knew that
Origins and Homecoming didn't feel like Silent Hill games.<br />
I just
couldn't put my finger on it.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
The more I began
to understand the original four games, the more problems I had with
the new games.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The same thing
happened with the next two games: Shattered Memories and Downpour.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I know Shattered
Memories is supposed to be a re-imagining of Silent Hill 1, but I
think it's debatable about whether or not it's truly a re-imagining
of the first game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I gave each Western
Silent Hill game a chance, and each time I was disappointed.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Since Konami began
outsourcing Silent Hill, I've been asking two questions.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
What the hell
happened to Silent Hill?</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
And, where is Team
Silent?</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There has been no
official information on what happened to Team Silent.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There are only
rumors.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
One rumor is that
Konami disbanded Team Silent due to the mixed reaction and lower
sales of Silent Hill 4.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
Another one is
that the team was done with Silent Hill, and Konami wants to milk the
series to death by having other developers make sequels.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
An artist on the
Homecoming developing team, Kenzie LaMar, seems to have confirmed the
first rumor.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The Escapist quotes
LaMar's comments on his DeviantArt page, "Just remember and
never forget that if you don't like the direction of where <i>Silent
Hill</i> went the only people you can blame are Konami themselves.
They are the ones who canned team Silent and wanted someone else to
make the games."</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I went to LaMar's
DeviantArt page, and I couldn't find this exact quote.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I did, however, find
a very interesting comment on his Smog 3D artwork.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
LaMar responded to
a person saying that they had wished Silent Hill 5 was made by Team
Silent when he wrote, "Most people just assume the American team
was to blame for all the changes when the reality is that it was
Konami that wanted the changes. Team Silent was making a Silent Hill
5 and it got canned in favor of what ended up being done. They didn't
want more of the same."</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Of course, the
validity of his statements can be questioned.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
At the same time, it
would not surprise me if Konami broke up Team Silent in favor of
taking the series in a different direction.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I know there are
individuals at Konami that make the decisions on Silent Hill games,
but we don't know who exactly at Konami made these decisions.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
That is why is I say
Konami did this or that despite the fact that it was probably a small
group of individuals within Konami that made these decisions.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Some fans believe
that Team Silent wanted the series to end with Silent Hill 3, and I
think it's partly due to comments made by Masahiro Ito, creature
designer of Silent Hill 1-3.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In Part 3 of Twin
Perfect's The Real Silent Hill Experience video series, Rosseter says
that an administer of <a href="http://silenthill5.net/" target="_blank">silenthill5.net</a>
forums traded emails with Ito, and Ito's response was "My real
intention is SH is over."</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
The website
<a href="http://silenthill5.net/" target="_blank">silenthill5.net</a>
seems to be no longer active so I can't find this particular quote.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
If Ito thinks that
Silent Hill should end, I understand where he is coming from.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
On the other hand,
he is the only Team Silent member that I know of that has expressed
that the series is done.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
That does not mean
that other Team Silent members that were still working at Konami
Computer Entertainment Tokyo (KCET) after Silent Hill 3 & 4 were
done with the series as well.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
If Team Silent was
done with the series then why were Tsuboyma, Imamura, and Yamaoka
talking about making Silent Hill 5 in interviews?</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
Plus, they planned
on making the original Silent Hill 3 story into a future game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Of course, it is
also true that the Silent Hill decision makers at Konami probably
wanted the series to continue for business reasons, and they are the
main people who decide if the series should keep going.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Meanwhile the
remaining Team Silent members were still willing to make another
Silent Hill game as indicated in the interviews.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
We obviously don't
know for certain, but it is possible that Konami took the series away
from Team Silent and gave it to Western developers.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I've read some
arguments by Silent Hill fans that they thought Silent Hill 4 was the
weakest of the four games, and say that the series probably would've
still gone downhill if it had stayed with Team Silent.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It is a possibility
that if Silent Hill 5 and any more sequels made by Team Silent would
not have been as good as the first few games.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
On the contrary,
what about Imamura and Yamaoka in the Game World interview stating
that they had been listening to fans' criticisms of Silent Hill 4,
and wanted to improve the next game?</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In that interview,
Imamura says "After the underwhelming response SH4 got, we've
been gathering opinions from everywhere to make sure we come back
strong with the next installment."</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
When asked if there
would be no Otherworld in Silent Hill 5, Imamura responds, "I'm
not saying that. In fact, the lack of a more dramatic 'otherworld' in
SH4 bothered a lot of fans, so we intend to have a very impressive
'otherworld' with the next generation power."</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
By taking these
statements into consideration, it's also possible that Team Silent's
Silent Hill 5 could've been a good entry in the series.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Weeks before this
interview with Game World was published in April 2005, KCET along
with three other Konami studios merged to form Kojima Productions.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
As we all know,
Kojima Productions is making the new Silent Hill.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Looking at it that
way, it seems the series is back with the developer that made the
original four games, although we don't know which Team Silent members
are currently working at Kojima Productions.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Wikipedia's page on
Team Silent says that Suguru Murakoshi (drama director of SH2; writer
& director of SH4) and Kazuhide Nakazawa (director of SH3) are
working with Kojima Productions.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
Unfortunately, I
can't find other sources to verify this information.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Hopefully, Team
Silent members working at Kojima Productions have roles in the new
game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It would be great if
Kojima would get the team back together, but that seems too much to
hope for.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In my PT demo
impressions post, I wrote that I hope that Silent Hills is the Silent
Hill 5 I've been waiting for.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
That would be
awesome, but now I have a hard time believing that will actually
happen.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Silent Hills does
make me nervous with the hype surrounding it, the disappointment of
recent Silent Hill games, involvement of Norman Reedus and Guillermo
Del Toro, and the fact that there is very little information about
the game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
At the Tokyo Game
Show 2014, Kojima said that they're looking into using an episodic
format for Silent Hills.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I hope not.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I'm not a big fan of
video games being divided into episodes.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Silent Hills may not
be Silent Hill 5, but I hope it ends up being a good game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Who knows if any
official information on why Team Silent's Silent Hill 5 was never
finished and released.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
All we know is that
they were making a fifth game, but Konami hired other developers to
make Silent Hill games before they finished it.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I think it's
unfortunate that we never got to play Team Silent"s Silent Hill
5.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Like I said, I
would've liked to see their ideas of making daylight creepy, and
their original Silent Hill 3 story come to fruition.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
That seems to be
very unlikely to happen, however.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Each of us has our own
hopes for the new game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
All I can hope for
is that the team making Silent Hills at Kojima Productions learns
from the criticisms of recent Silent Hill games, and make a great new
horror game in a similar spirit of Team Silent's Silent Hill.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<u>Sources</u></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
<br />
Tsuboyama and
Yamaoka Interview with Boomtown (Apr. 31,
2004)<br />
<a href="http://www.silenthillmemories.net/creators/interviews/2004.08.31_tsuboyama_yamaoka_boomtown_en.htm" target="_blank">http://www.silenthillmemories.net/creators/interviews/2004.08.31_tsuboyama_yamaoka_boomtown_en.htm</a></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Konami Absorbs its
Studios (Dec. 16,
2004)<br />
<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/konami-absorbing-its-studios/1100-6115221/" target="_blank">http://www.gamespot.com/articles/konami-absorbing-its-studios/1100-6115221/</a></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
<br />
Imamura and
Yamaoka Interview with Game World (Apr. 23,
2005)<br />
<a href="http://www.silenthillmemories.net/creators/interviews/2005.04.23_imamura_yamaoka_gameworld_en.htm" target="_blank">http://www.silenthillmemories.net/creators/interviews/2005.04.23_imamura_yamaoka_gameworld_en.htm</a></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
Hideo Kojima
Exclusive Q&A (May 20,
2005)<br />
<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/hideo-kojima-exclusive-qanda/1100-6126180/" target="_blank">http://www.gamespot.com/articles/hideo-kojima-exclusive-qanda/1100-6126180/</a></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
Kenzie LaMar's
DeviantArt - Konami wanted the changes (June 22,
2010)<br />
<a href="http://hedrus.deviantart.com/art/Smog-3D-Silent-Hill-5-101371201?offset=130#comments" target="_blank">http://hedrus.deviantart.com/art/Smog-3D-Silent-Hill-5-101371201?offset=130#comments</a></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Twin Perfect: The
Real Silent Hill Experience Part 3 - Silent Hill 3 (Oct. 30,
2010)<br />
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lFiAkjaFSo&index=4&list=PL87676CF7D0B816B4" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lFiAkjaFSo&index=4&list=PL87676CF7D0B816B4</a></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
Silent Hill Artist
Claims Konami Disbanded Team Silent (Jan. 18,
2011)<br />
<a href="http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/107042-Silent-Hill-Artist-Claims-Konami-Disbanded-Team-Silent" target="_blank">http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/107042-Silent-Hill-Artist-Claims-Konami-Disbanded-Team-Silent</a></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
New Silent Hill Game
May Be Released in Episodic Format (Sept. 18,
2014)<br />
<a href="http://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-silent-hill-game-may-be-released-in-episodic-f/1100-6422395/" target="_blank">http://www.gamespot.com/articles/new-silent-hill-game-may-be-released-in-episodic-f/1100-6422395/</a></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15042208038875450551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2861361235101411275.post-66273046733403975412015-01-11T16:59:00.000-08:002015-10-18T16:43:23.453-07:00Shade's Review of Silent Hill 4: The Room
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
One year after the
release of Silent Hill 3 in 2003, Silent Hill 4: The Room hit the
PlayStation 2, Xbox, and PC.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
During the
development of Silent Hill 3, Team Silent split in two teams.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The first team
including Hiroyuki Owaku and Masahiro Ito created Silent Hill 3.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
The second team
involved Suguru Murakoshi (writer & director), Kosuke Iwakura
(program director), Masashi Tsuboyama (art director & creature
designer), Akira Yamaoka (sound director & producer), and Akihiro
Imamura (sub-producer) developed what came to be known as Silent Hill
4: The Room.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I am including
several quotes from Team Silent members Masashi Tsuboyama, Akira
Yamaoka, and Akihiro Imamura from interviews around the time that
Silent Hill 4 was released (2004-2005).</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Silent Hill 4 has a
lot of changes in gameplay making it different from the first three
games.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Some fans like the
game, and some don't.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
These quotes are
from the team members explaining why the game is the way it is.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Whether these
changes are liked or not, it's good to know why the creators made the
decisions for the changes.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The links for the
interviews I use are pasted at the end.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />For years, it
has been claimed by many fans that Silent Hill 4 was not originally
suppose to be a Silent Hill game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In an interview in
April 2005, Akihiro Imamura states "Well, keep in mind SH4 was
not originally suppose to be a Silent Hill."</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Masashi Tsuboyama
and Akira Yamaoka said in an interview, "In a sense this is true
because the game began life as simply Room 302. However, it was
always at least a spin-off of Silent Hill and the most important
thing was simply that it be different to the previous games.
Certainly if Silent Hill had not existed we would not have gotten the
idea for The Room, so in that sense they have always been together."</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
Unfortunately, the
Boomtown interview with Tsuboyama and Yamaoka does not list who gave
each answer.<br />Due to this, I don't if Tsuboyama or Yamaoka said the
latter quote.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Despite this fact,
both quotes prove that Silent Hill 4 started out as a game with a
connection to Silent Hill with the working title Room 302, and later
called Silent Hill 4: The Room.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Some Silent Hill
fans claim that Silent Hill 4 is a Silent Hill game in name only
because Konami thought it would make more money with a Silent Hill
title.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It is possible that
Room 302 became Silent Hill 4 partly due to a business decision.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Business decisions
play a big role on how video games turn out.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
Whether Room 302
became Silent Hill 4 due to a business decision or a creative
decision (maybe both played a role), Silent Hill 4 has everything to
do with its predecessors. <br />Yes, it is quite different from the
previous games, but it makes a good Silent Hill game even with its
changes and its flaws.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The protagonist of
Silent Hill 4 is Henry Townsend.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
He lives in a city
called South Ashfield, and he has been living in his apartment room
302 of South Ashfield Heights for two years.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
One day he began
having a strange dream every night, and he became trapped in his
room.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The door is chained
on the inside, he can't open the windows, he can't make phone calls
to anyone, and no one outside his apartment can hear him no matter
how much noise he makes.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
After five days of
being confined in his room, a large hole appears in the wall of his
bathroom, and his only choice is to crawl through it with the hopes
of escaping.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The first thought
that comes to someone's mind might be, "if it doesn't take place
in Silent Hill then what does this game have to do with Silent Hill?"</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I can't answer this
question without giving too much of the plot away.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I will say that
Henry visits different dream worlds when he goes through the hole in
his bathroom wall.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Two of these dream
worlds take place in or near Silent Hill.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Also keep in mind
that part of Silent Hill 3 does not take place in the town itself.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
Just because the
game does not entirely take place in Silent Hill does not mean that
it has nothing to do with the town.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The game has two
different play styles.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Henry's room is
always in first person mode, and all exploration outside of Henry's
room is in third person mode.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
This is the first
Silent Hill to have first person mode.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Some people don't
seem to like first person in Silent Hill 4.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I have no problems
with first person in the game, and it controls just fine.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
The buttons are
mapped the same in first person as it is in third person.<br />The only
difference is that there is no fighting while you're in the room (all
fighting take place outside the room in third person), and the left
analog stick is used to walk while the right analog stick moves the
camera.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In the Boomtown
interview with Tsuboyama and Yamaoka, they're asked about using first
person for the room, and one of them responds, "We wanted to
bring another kind of atmosphere to the game, as if you really were
in the room."</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
When asked about
the game's setting in the same interview, "The idea for The Room
is that we wanted to show somewhere that should be the safest place
in the world. But turning this assumption on its head we hope to
generate the fear you feel in the game."</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It definitely worked
for me.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Being in first
person in Henry's room makes me feel like I'm really in that room,
and I feel safe in there.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The room even heals
Henry's health, but that changes later in the game when Henry's room
is not a very safe place to be anymore.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
When I first played
Silent Hill 4 and I got to this point in the game, I had to quit
playing for a while.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
The fact that the
room was no longer safe made me feel very uncomfortable.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The room also serves
as a hub.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
You save your game
in the room, and there is no other place to save.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The pause inventory
screen with infinite space in Silent Hill 1-3 is not in Silent Hill
4.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Instead, the
inventory is limited to ten slots.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Players access the
inventory by pressing the square button (PS2 version), and the items
in the inventory appear at the bottom of the screen.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The d-pad scrolls
through the items, and pressing square will equip a weapon or use an
item.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The game does not
pause when the inventory items are on the screen.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I think the game
pauses when you examine an item in the inventory though, and players
do this by pressing the select button.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
Unneeded items can
be storied in a chest in Henry's room, which does have infinite
space.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Understandably, some
fans do not like this kind of inventory.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
One criticism I have
is that it is easy to accidentally press square, and use an item like
a health drink when you don't need it.
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I do wish Silent
Hill 4 had the pause inventory screen like the previous games except
with just ten slots to hold items.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Limiting item
inventory is not well liked by some fans either especially when items
like health drinks, ammunition, etc. will go in each slot one at a
time.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
For example, if you
want to take two health drinks then one will go in one slot and the
other will go in the next slot.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
Limiting inventory
space, how many items each slot can carry, and how often you can save
your game are among the main characteristics of survival horror.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Silent Hill has
always been categorized as survival horror since that it is how all
horror video games are known.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In Silent Hill 1-3,
players do have to worry about surviving to a certain extent
especially on harder difficulties, but they're more focused on
psychological horror.<br />Silent Hill 4 is more of a mix of
psychological horror and survival horror.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Surviving is more of
a worry in Silent Hill 4.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
One tip I have for
surviving in the game is to take advantage of the room healing
Henry's health in the first half of the game, and save as many health
items as you can for later in the game when the room no longer heals
him.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The inventory is not
as good as Silent Hill 1-3, but it is not bad either.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I just have the one
criticism of how easy it is to use a health item when you don't need
it.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Speaking of Henry's
health.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Since there is no
inventory pause screen, a meter for Henry's health appears on the
upper left corner of the screen when he takes damage and/or when he
is fighting enemies.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
I've heard an
argument that the on-screen health meter is a distraction while
you're playing.<br />That is true in a way.<br />The good thing is that
the health meter is not on screen when Henry is not taking damage or
fighting enemies.<br />Thus, it is not a distraction throughout the
game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I could not find any
interviews of the team explaining why they changed the inventory.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I'm guessing it's
partly because they wanted the room to be the place players spend a
lot of time in, and it is place that you spend a lot of time in.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
You will go to the
room to heal Henry's health (part of the game), save your game, and
store items in the chest.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Most memos in the
game are found at the front door of the room as if they were pushed
under it from the outside.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
You can look through
the peephole of the front door to see characters walking outside.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There are some
scenes with these characters through the peephole.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
You can also look
through Henry's window, and see everything going on outside including
what tenets are doing on the other side of the building.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The room is kind of
fun namely since this is the only Silent Hill game that has such a
concept.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Something else to
note is that there is more fighting and less puzzles than past games.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Akihiro Imamura
explains in an interview with Game World why Silent Hill 4 has more
fighting, "Sometimes the most vocal opinions, for example the
desire for more battles, are not always the best ones, especially for
a series like this. We wanted more melee combat in SH4, but realized
from fan reaction that there was just too much action, regardless of
it being melee or not. That kind of action doesn't make the
atmosphere creepy anymore, but kind of obnoxious."</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Were there people
asking for more fighting in Silent Hill?</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
This quote makes
it sound like it.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Team Silent seemed
to be good about listening to their fans.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Silent Hill 3 was
originally suppose to have a completely different story, but fans
wanted a continuation of Silent Hill 1.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Due to fans'
requests, Silent Hill 3 was made show the outcome of the characters'
stories from the first game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Increasing combat
and decreasing puzzles may have been due to some fan requests.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
This got a mixed
reaction, and Team Silent was going to correct it with the next game
that unfortunately never happened.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
I admit that it is
too bad that Silent Hill 4 does not have puzzles like the first three
games, but it doesn't take away from the game being good.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Like Imamura said,
there is more melee combat this time.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There are two
firearms in game: pistol and revolver.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I use melee weapons
throughout most of the game such as the steel pipe, baseball bat,
shovel, and axe.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I save the pistol or
revolver for certain parts of the game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There are several
golf clubs that can be used as weapons, but I don't pick them up
because they're breakable.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I find breakable
weapons to be frustrating.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Enemies in the game
are a little difficult to fight at times.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Their difficulty
could be a way of making the game more action based and/or make it
more difficult to survive.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Another change is
that the game doesn't have tank controls like its ancestors, which
makes it difficult to control Henry when the camera goes to a
different angle.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Again, I can't find
any information on why they did this.<br />My guess is that it could be
due to people complaining that they don't like tank controls.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Silent Hill 4 shows
that tank controls are needed in a game where the camera is not
behind the main character at all times.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
One last change that
I must list is that Henry never gets a flashlight or a radio.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The flashlight and
radio played a role in the horror in the preceding games.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The flashlight
allows the player (and the character) to see better in the darkness,
but having the flashlight on can also attract enemies to attack the
character.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The radio emits
static when enemies are nearby, which in itself can be frightening
when you can't see enemies in the fog or dark.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In Silent Hill 4,
all the areas are well-light, and the flashlight is not needed.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There is a radio,
but it stays in the room.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In the first half of
the game, you can listen to some radio messages every so often.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
It is more useful
later in the game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The fact that the
flashlight is not needed and the radio stays in the room may be due
to the game having less fog and darkness.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Tsuboyama and
Yamaoka explain why the game is more well-light in the Boomtown
interview, "The brightness of the game, the lack of fog and
darkness, is to ensure that combat is fair but it could affect the
atmosphere negatively. We didn’t want it that way. This time we
wanted to do more obvious horror – to make the question for the
player what to do about a monster rather than wondering what or where
it is."</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I agree that less
fog and darkness (as well no flashlight and no radio with Henry) does
hurt the atmosphere a little bit.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
At the same time, I
do think more about what to do when I see enemies.<br />It makes me
contemplate whether I should try to fight them or run.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It may not be as
scary, but it does work the way that they wanted it to.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Before I move on to
explain the replayability, I must give a little word of caution.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There are three
things about Silent Hill 4 that some fans have a lot of dislike for:
revisiting the dream worlds, the escort mission, and Henry's
personality.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
By revisiting dream
worlds, I mean that in the first half of the game you play through
five different worlds.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
After playing
through the hospital (which is the midpoint of the game), you play
through the same five worlds for the second half of the game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Of course, there is
a reason why Team Silent chose to organize the game this way.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Tsuboyama and
Yamaoka explain this in the Boomtown interview, "In regards
revisiting the different worlds in the game, we wanted to introduce
the various characters in the first half of the game, then show them
again later to see how they had changed. To us it was more important
to see the psychological horror of the characters."</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
If you've played
the game or will play the game, this will make a lot more sense.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It is actually not
uncommon in Silent Hill to revisit an area.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
At least once or
twice in Silent Hill 1-3, you play through an area such as the school
or hospital while it's normal.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Then something
triggers the nightmare to take over changing the environment, and you
explore the same area again this time in its hellish form.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The entire second
half of Silent Hill 4 is revisiting areas except the environments
don't change much.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I definitely
understand that revisiting all the worlds a second time is to see how
the characters you meet in the first half have changed, but it does
feel a little repetitive.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Maybe it would have
helped if the environments had changed a lot more the second time
around.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
Revisiting the
worlds with much different environments could make it feel less
repetitive.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Something else about
the second half of the game is that Henry has to escort another
character.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Yes, he must escort
someone else throughout the latter half of the game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The other character
is also injured so Henry must wait on this person to go though a
door, or the character will be left behind.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
You can equip the
escort character with a weapon, which can help in fighting enemies.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The problem is that
if you want to run from enemies, the other character will be too busy
hitting enemies to follow Henry.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Furthermore, when
the other character fights enemies then that person is more likely to
take damage.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The character
doesn't die while following Henry.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The amount of damage
this person has, however, can effect the ending.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Once again, I have
yet to find information on why the creators decided on an escort
mission.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I understand that
whether or not this person is saved is one of the conditions for the
endings.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
I do think,
however, that saving this character could've been done differently
than having an injured companion through half of the game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
One last thing that
I must mention is that Henry does not have much of a personality, and
that bothers some players.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
Tsuboyama and
Yamaoka explain Henry's character, "It is true that Henry does
not change much as a character, but rather things change around him.
Henry is supposed to be the player so we wanted it to be possible for
you to impose your own feelings of the game onto him, without him
contradicting you. Also if the character is too heroic, this might be
unrealistic. We wanted him to react to everything just as an ordinary
person would."</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Henry's personality
does not bother me.<br />In fact, it makes sense that he doesn't have
much of a personality because the story has very little focus on him,
and he does not impose feelings on the player like Tsuboyama and
Yamaoka said.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Much of the thoughts
and feelings from the game will come from the other characters,
reading memos, the disturbing images, and the seclusion of the room
with one way out.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Now for the
replayability.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I've heard some fans
say that Silent Hill 4 does not have good replayability like the
first three games.<br />That depends on how one looks at it.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I look at all four
games, and see that each one has its own elements of replayability
with two things that are common among all of them.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It doesn't have
fourteen difficulties like Silent Hill 3, nor are there two sets of
difficulty levels for action and riddles like Silent Hill 2 & 3.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
It has one set of
three difficulty levels: easy, normal and hard.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
When the game is
beaten once, save after the results screen, and Brand New Fear can be
played during the second playthrough.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There is an extra
weapon when playing Brand New Fear: the chainsaw.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
If a player scores
90 points, an unlimited sub-machine gun will be available for the
escort character during the next game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The two female
characters can wear sexy costumes, but players must fulfill certain
conditions for each woman to wear them.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There are also two
in-game challenges.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Beat the game with a
perfect score to unlock one weapon mode.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In one weapon mode,
players choose one melee weapon to use during the entire game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
Then beat one
weapon mode with a perfect score to unlock all weapon mode.
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The two common
replayability elements in all four games are multiple endings and the
intricate storylines.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Silent Hill 4 has
four endings, and which ending a player gets depends on two factors.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
As for the
storyline, some fans say that the quality of Silent Hill 4's story is
not as good as past games.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
A few others say
that it has nothing to do with Silent Hill.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I respectfully
disagree with both statements.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Like Silent Hill
1-3, the story of Silent Hill 4 is not straightforward, and requires
multiple playthroughs to better understand it.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Silent Hill 4's
connection with the first three games is not obvious, and it takes
good comprehension of all four games to see the connection.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The nightmare in
Silent Hill 4 also has everything to do with the nightmares in the
previous games.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The nightmare and
the trigger for the nightmare is different in each game, and that
includes Silent Hill 4.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I love Silent Hill 4
just as much as the first three games.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I would love to
recommend Silent Hill 4 to anyone that likes Silent Hill 1-3, but I
know it's not a game for every Silent Hill fan.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The gameplay in
Silent Hill 4 isn't quite as good as the previous games, but I still
enjoy it very much.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
If you have not
played the game, and there things that I wrote about it that you are
not sure about then I would recommend watching some gameplay footage
on YouTube, Twitch or Hitbox.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It's always best to
play the game yourself to see if it's for you, but seeing the
gameplay footage can show how the game is played before deciding to
buy it.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
For anyone who plays
some of the game and decides that you don't like it, I would suggest
to give it another chance after some time has passed.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Honestly, I did not
like Silent Hill 4 when I first got it, and played the beginning of
it.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
A few months
later, I gave it a second try, and I really liked it</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Tsuboyama in the
Kizio interview comments on the concept of Silent Hill 4, "We
wanted to make a sequel after Silent Hill 3 and you could say that
was the initial concept, but upon that we needed to implement a lot
of new flavour to the sequel, otherwise it would have been the same
old Silent Hill."</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Silent Hill 4 does
bring something new to the series, but it is a big change from the
first three games.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It's common for
people to have a hard time accepting big changes.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
If you love Silent
Hill 1-3, and you think that story along with the nightmare is more
important than gameplay then I say give Silent Hill 4 a shot.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It shouldn't be hard
find on PS2 and Xbox, although the PC version seems to be a different
story.<br />Silent Hill 4 is the most under-appreciated game in series,
and sometimes the most misunderstood.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
<br /><br /><br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
Akihiro Imamura
and Akira Yamaoka Interview with Game World (Apr. 23,
2005)<br /><a href="http://www.silenthillmemories.net/creators/interviews/2005.04.23_imamura_yamaoka_gameworld_en.htm" target="_blank">http://www.silenthillmemories.net/creators/interviews/2005.04.23_imamura_yamaoka_gameworld_en.htm</a></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
Mashashi Tsuboyama
and Akira Yamaoka Interview with Boomtown (Aug. 31,
2004)<br /><a href="http://www.silenthillmemories.net/creators/interviews/2004.08.31_tsuboyama_yamaoka_boomtown_en.htm" target="_blank">http://www.silenthillmemories.net/creators/interviews/2004.08.31_tsuboyama_yamaoka_boomtown_en.htm</a></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
Mashashi Tsuboyama
and Akira Yamaoka Interview with Kikizo (Sept. 6,
2004)<br /><a href="http://www.silenthillmemories.net/creators/interviews/2004.09.06_yamaoka_tsuboyama_kikizo_en.htm" target="_blank">http://www.silenthillmemories.net/creators/interviews/2004.09.06_yamaoka_tsuboyama_kikizo_en.htm</a></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15042208038875450551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2861361235101411275.post-72007215140342608302015-01-06T14:45:00.000-08:002015-10-18T16:43:23.460-07:00Shade's Review of Silent Hill 3
<div align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Silent
Hill 3 was released on the PlayStation 2 in 2003.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The PC version was
released in North America and Europe later that same year.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Silent Hill 3 never
got a Xbox release like Silent Hill 2 & 4.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I have no idea why.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
I tried finding
information on why it didn't, but I cannot find anything.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
KCET's Team Silent
began developing the third game soon after the release of Silent Hill
2.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Some key members of
Silent Hill 3 development are Kazuhide Nakazawa (director), Masahiro
Ito (art director & creature designer), Akira Yamaoka (sound
director & producer), Yukinori Ojima (program director), Hiroyuki
Owaku (scenario writer), and Shingo Yuri (character designer).</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Some members of
Silent Hill 2 development were not involved in making Silent Hill 3.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Suguru Murakashi,
Masashi Tsuboyama, and Akihiro Imamura were among the members of the
Silent Hill 2 development that split into a second team to make
Silent Hill 4 at the same time that Silent Hill 3 was being made.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Takayoshi Sato, CGI
and character designer of Silent Hill 2, was not involved in either
game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
According to his
website <a href="http://satoworks.com/" target="_blank">satoworks.com</a>,
he eventually left Konami, and worked for Electronic Arts in Los
Angeles for a few years.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
He currently works
as an art director for Virtual Heroes, Inc.
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The storyline of
Silent Hill 3 originally conceived by Team Silent was about a damaged
person being called to the town.<br />Fans, however, wanted some
resolution to the events of Silent Hill 1.<br />Plus, Team Silent
thought their original Silent Hill 3 story was too similar to Silent
Hill 2 to be a sequel to that game.<br />They decided to set their
original Silent Hill 3 story aside as a future planned game instead,
and made the third entry to satisfy fans' pleas.<br /><br />The
protagonist of Silent Hill 3 is seventeen-year-old Heather.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
She is a typical
teenager on a shopping trip at the mall when a man approaches her.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
He introduces
himself as Douglas Cartland, a detective.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
He tells her that
someone wants to meet her, and that she must know important
information about her birth.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
She refuses to speak
to him, however, for she is not interested in what he has to tell
her.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
She goes to the
restroom to sneak away from him, and the nightmare slowly takes over.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The nightmare shifts
in Silent Hill 3 is similar to the nightmare shifts of Silent Hill 1,
but Silent Hill 3 is a little more disturbing than the first two
games in some ways.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I can't explain a
lot about the nightmare because it will give away too much of the
game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The gameplay is
primarily the same as the previous two games, and it carries on the
improvements made in Silent Hill 2's gameplay.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Like James in Silent
Hill 2, I have no problems with Heather running outside or inside.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The default controls
of start and select buttons are now switched back to the start button
pausing the game and select bringing up the inventory.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The other default
control buttons are the same as the past games.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There is a little
change to the inventory in Silent Hill 3.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In all three games,
the inventory is a pause menu screen with the character's health,
access to options and memos, and infinite amount of space of all
items collected.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The inventory in
Silent Hill 1 & 2 had players going through a long line of stuff
when they were looking for something.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Silent Hill 3's
inventory is a little more organized by dividing it into three
sections: items (flashlight, radio, keys, and other important items),
weapons, and supplies (healing items and ammunition).</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
Dividing the
inventory makes it easier to find something especially when there are
more special items available in subsequent playthroughs.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Silent Hill 3 brings
back the separate difficulties from Silent Hill 2 for action and
riddles.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
This time there are
three riddle difficulty levels, and fourteen action difficulty
levels.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Yes, fourteen
difficulty levels.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The main action
difficulty choices are easy, normal, and hard.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
If a player plays on
easy mode and dies three times, the game will give the player the
option to change the difficulty to beginner.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
When a player beats
the game on hard mode, extreme 1 is unlocked.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
After a player
beats it on extreme 1, extreme 2 is unlocked, and it goes on to
extreme 10.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
A new feature
introduced in Silent Hill 3 is Extra New Game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It unlocks after
completing the game once.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
As the title
suggests, it has many extras that the regular games does not have.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Extras includes four
new weapons, several costumes (most of which are unlocked through
passwords), and a few small changes to the game that I will not give
away.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
I think the
extreme modes have to be unlocked through Extra New Game, but I could
be wrong.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There are three
endings this time around.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Playing regular New
Game always leads to the Normal ending, but playing Extra New Game
allows players to see the other two endings by fulfilling the
conditions for them.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Silent Hill 3 has
fewer endings than its predecessors.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Years ago, I
remember reading an online article of an interview with one of the
members of the Silent Hill 3 creative team explaining that there was
going to be at least one other ending.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
Unfortunately, I
cannot find this article anywhere.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The only
confirmation of the team considering a fourth ending that I could
find is a quote from Silent Hill 3's writer Hiroyuki Owaku in the
Book of Lost Memories.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I do have some
issues with the Book of Lost Memories, but I will include this quote
since it is from a member of Team Silent.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
He is quoted saying,
"The truth is that when we first started development on this
project, we considered including an ending for this situation.
However, in order to show another means of resolving this in a way
that could be easily understood, we decided to show it in the form of
a 'game over.'"</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Owaku is talking
about a part at the end of the game where Heather must perform a
certain action within so many seconds, or it will result in a game
over.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
Team Silent was
thinking about making this into a fourth ending, but they made it as
a game over instead.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I will put the link
to Owaku's quote at the end.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Fair warning to
anyone who has not played Silent Hill 1, 2, & 3, this page of the
Book of Lost Memories has storyline details of those games.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
I will also
include a link to the Making of Silent Hill 3 video since I did so
with my reviews of the first two games.<br />Once again, the Making of
Silent Hill 3 video is best to be watched after finishing the game at
least once.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Silent Hill 1 &
2 have five endings each (SH2 has a sixth ending in the Xbox and PS2
Greatest Hits versions).</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The many endings in
both games is one of the reasons why they're highly replayable.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Silent Hill 3 does
have fewer endings, but it has more extras than its predecessors
making it just as replayable.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I've always thought
the complicated way that Silent Hill 1-4 told their stories is
another motive for people play them over and over again.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Some fans have
commented through various forums and websites that the story of
Silent Hill 3 is more forthright than the first two games.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I've also read some
comments saying that Silent Hill 3 is not as well told as Silent Hill
1 & 2.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It is true in some
ways that Silent Hill 3's story a little more straightforward than
the previous games, but that's only because it's a direct
continuation of Silent Hill 1.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
If you have a good
understanding of Silent Hill 1's story then the main story details of
Silent Hill 3 will be easier to follow.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There are details
about Silent Hill 3's story, however, that are not straightforward.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It will take
multiple playthroughs and some examination of information in the game
to better understand the entire story.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The story of Silent
Hill 3 is definitely well told.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Silent Hill 3 is a
wonderful entry to an amazing series.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
If you like Silent
Hill 1 & 2 then Silent Hill 3 is a must own.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It is best to get
the game on the PlayStation 2.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The PC version would
be great as well, but it seems to be difficult to find.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
Like I mentioned
in my Silent Hill 2 review, there has yet to be Steam or GOG releases
of the PC versions of Silent Hill 2, 3, & 4.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
An HD Collection of
Silent Hill 2 & 3 was released on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 in
2012.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
As I said in the
review of Silent Hill 2, I strongly suggest that anyone who has not
played these games to NOT buy this version.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I know the HD
Collection is more convenient to get if you have a PS3 or 360, and
you don't have a PS2.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
But, it is not worth
wasting your time and money due the numerous issues these ports have
from graphical glitches (some are pretty bad), freezing, stuttering,
missing or wrong sound effects, missing or wrong music pieces,
problems with fog effects, and much more.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The character's
voices were also re-recorded with new voice actors.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Silent Hill 2 has
the option for the original voices, but Silent Hill 3 does not.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
The new voice
acting does not match the fantastic job done by the original actors.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Silent Hill 2 &
3 are perfect on PlayStation 2, and Silent Hill 2 has a great port on
Xbox.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The Silent Hill HD
Collection is a mess, and it's a terrible way to experience Silent
Hill 2 & 3 especially if it's your first time playing them.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
If you want to
experience Silent Hill 3 in the best way possible, the PlayStation 2
version is the one to play.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
<br />Hiroyuki
Owaku's quote on a 4th ending (Book of Lost Memories pg
111)<br /><a href="http://www.translatedmemories.com/bookpgs/Pg110-111.jpg" target="_blank">http://www.translatedmemories.com/bookpgs/Pg110-111.jpg</a></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Making of Silent
Hill 3 video<br /><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiH4wOkSzGs" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiH4wOkSzGs</a></div>
<div align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15042208038875450551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2861361235101411275.post-64445339085647317132015-01-04T09:49:00.002-08:002015-10-18T16:43:23.447-07:00Shade's Review of Silent Hill 2
<div align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Silent
Hill 2 was released on the PlayStation 2 on September 24, 2001 in
North America.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It was released in
Japan and PAL regions at later dates.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Unlike Silent Hill
1, Silent Hill 2 is multi-platform.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It was released on
the Xbox as Silent Hill 2: Restless Dreams with extra content in late
2001 and early 2002 depending on the region.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
A Greatest Hits
re-release hit the PlayStation 2 in 2002 (2003 for Europe).</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There was also a PC
version, which seems to be a little difficult to find at a decent
price now.<br />Unfortunately, the PC versions of Silent Hill 2, 3 &
4 have yet to be released on Steam or GOG.<br /><br />Team Silent of
Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo (KCET) increased from a team of
15 people for Silent Hill 1 development to around 50 people for
developing Silent Hill 2.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The team for the
sequel include: Masashi Tsuboyama (Director), Masahiro Ito (Art
Director & Creature Designer), Hiroyuki Owaku (Scenario Writer &
Drama Programmer), Suguru Murakashi (Drama Director), Akira Yamaoka
(Sound Director), Akihiro Imamura (Producer), and Takayoshi Sato
(Character and CGI Designer).</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Keiichiro Toyama,
writer and director of Silent Hill 1, left KCET after the development
of the first game was finished.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
He currently works
with Sony Computer Entertainment Japan where he founded Project
Siren, and created the Siren series and Gravity Rush.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Many fans name
Silent Hill 2 as their favorite in the series.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I'm sure it's due to
the surprise revelation towards the end of the game, and everything
leading up to that revelation is so well done.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I know the game was
released years ago, but I'm doing my best to keep this review spoiler
free just in case anyone reading this has not played it.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I will say that the
plot is centered around new characters with the protagonist being
James Sunderland who is grieving over the death of his wife Mary.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
One day, he gets a
letter claiming to be from Mary, and it says that she is in Silent
Hill.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The letter prompts
him to go to Silent Hill to find his wife who supposedly died three
years prior.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It is a wonderful
game, but it's not my favorite.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I think Silent Hill
1-4 are all wonderful games, and I cannot pick a favorite.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
I love all four of
them.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I don't think I got
to play Silent Hill 2 until about a year after its initial release
because I did not have a PS2 until then.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I know it was one of
the first games I got for the PS2.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The only thing I
really remember about my first time playing is that it took me weeks
to play the entire game because it was so good at scaring me.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I would get to a
certain part that would make me so uncomfortable, usually due to a
sound effect, and I would turn off the game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
I was too scared
to even care when I last saved my progress.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Once I did finish
it, I loved the game just like the first one, and I loved that it
brought something different.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Also like the first
game, I did not understand what was going on.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I understood the
surprise ending, but I did not know how the presentation of the
nightmare and storyline led to the ending.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Once again, that
intrigued me to replay the game many times.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
In subsequent
playthroughs, I understood the game better, and loved it even more.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The controls and
gameplay are pretty much the same as Silent Hill 1.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
They have been
improved.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In my review of
Silent Hill 1, my only complaint about the controls was that I had
trouble with Harry running inside buildings such as the school and
hospital.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Harry running on the
streets is not much of a problem.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
When he runs inside,
though, I had problems with him running into walls.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I don't have that
problem in Silent Hill 2.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
James seems to run
more gracefully than Harry.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />I do have a
little complaint about the controls in Silent Hill 2.<br />The pause
and inventory buttons are switched.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In Silent Hill 1,
the start button pauses the game and select brings up the inventory.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
By default in Silent
Hill 2, the two are switched and it's confusing.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Many times I will
press select intending to bring up the inventory, and it pauses the
game instead.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
You can re-map the
buttons in the options menu, but I usually forget about it while I'm
playing.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
It's very annoying
that the two buttons were switched by default, but I can't count that
as a negative since players can switch them back.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The graphics in
Silent Hill 2 are very good.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It's obviously an
upgrade from Silent Hill 1 on PS1.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Both games have good
graphics for the consoles that they were released on.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
One thing I notice
about the graphics in Silent Hill 2 is how well shadows are done.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
When it came to the
character and monster animations, Team Silent took advantage of both
full body motion and facial animations.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
They tried to make
movements as realistic as possible.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In the Making of
Silent Hill 2 video (originally released as an extra for the European
release of the game), Team Silent explains how they achieved this.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I will post the link
to the video below.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It is a great video
of the team talking about making the game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I strongly suggest,
though, that anyone reading this that has not played Silent Hill 2
should play the entire game before watching the video.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Some people claim
that the voice acting is not very good.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
If you ask me, the
acting is just right.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Acting in a lot of
films and TV shows can be a little too dramatic at times.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The characters in
Silent Hill 2 seems like everyday people, and the dialogue is like
normal conversations.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
Of course, Silent
Hill 2 has drama, but it is not overdone.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The horror is
presented differently than the first game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In Silent Hill 1,
the nightmare was constantly shifting.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In Silent Hill 2,
the nightmare shift is more gradual, and the environment changes as
you progress through the game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Silent Hill 2 also
has different techniques to scare players most of which have to do
with the theme of the game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
There are new
monsters that also reflect themes of the game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Silent Hill 2 has
good replayability like its predecessor.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It has 5 endings
depending on the player's actions (6 endings in the Xbox and PS2
Greatest Hits versions).</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There are two extra
weapons that are unlocked after completing the game once: chainsaw
and hyper spray.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The difficulty level
is divided between action difficulty (combat) and riddle difficulty
(puzzles).</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There are four
difficulties levels for each.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Action difficulty
has beginner, easy, normal, and hard.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Riddle difficulty
has easy, normal, hard, and extra hard.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The extra hard
riddle difficulty is hidden however.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I think it's a great
idea to divide the difficulty level for combat and puzzles.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It gives players
more options.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
The game can be
played on an easier action level but harder riddle level and vice
versa.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Again like the first
game, the story presentation can make players replay the game many
more times as well.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The story is not
told outright.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Players must pay
attention to the information in character dialogue, memos, and
images.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Then put the
information together like a puzzle.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
All four games are
like this, and it's another reason why I love the games so much.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I highly recommend
Silent Hill 2 to anyone especially survival horror fans.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
A lot of people will
recommend Silent Hill 2, and say that you don't need to play Silent
Hill 1 before playing the second one.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
That is true, but I
recommend playing Silent Hill 1 and then 2.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
If you want to
better understand the Silent Hill storyline then Silent Hill 1 is a
good introduction to the town, and Silent Hill 2 adds to it
especially information on the town's history.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
Keep in mind that
it will probably take multiple playthroughs, and some examination the
information in the games to better understand what is going in the
town.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
For anyone looking
for Silent Hill 2, you're probably more likely to find it on
PlayStation 2 and Xbox.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
If you want the
extra content then the Xbox version and the PS2 Greatest Hits
re-release are the best to get.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There was a Silent
Hill HD Collection containing Silent Hill 2 & 3 for PlayStation 3
and Xbox 360 released in 2012, but I do not recommend that version.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Both games in the
collection are bad ports with so many glitches, missing or messed up
sound effects, and many other issues.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The characters
voices in both games were also re-recorded with different actors, and
the characters don't sound the way they should.<br />The good thing is
that Silent Hill 2 has the option for the original voices.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Silent Hill 3 does
not unfortunately.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Despite Silent Hill
2 having the option for the original voices, I still cannot recommend
the HD Collection.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The ports are just
too bad for me to suggest it to anyone interested in the games.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
If you're
interested in playing Silent Hill 2, definitely buy it on PlayStation
2 or Xbox.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Making of Silent
Hill 2<br /><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1VKvED76WQ" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1VKvED76WQ</a></div>
<div align="left" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15042208038875450551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2861361235101411275.post-39027251352833962272014-12-02T12:35:00.001-08:002015-10-18T16:43:23.432-07:00Shade's Review of The Evil Within
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I
just finished The Evil Within.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I
have to say that it's a fun game, but it's not scary.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It's
definitely a survival game, and the horror is more blood and gore
than anything.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
Some
reviewers say that The Evil Within is what Resident Evil 5 should
have been, and that it's a return to old school survival horror.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The
gameplay is very much like Resident Evil 4.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It
has over-the-shoulder shooting, which many games nowadays have due to
the success of RE4.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There
are also hordes of enemies that come after you, and tough bosses to
fight.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I
think The Evil Within has some improvements of the RE4 gameplay.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Unlike
RE4, the camera can be moved independently of moving the main
character Sebastian.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The
melee is a little better.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
The
only melee in RE4 was using Leon's knife, and kicking enemies when a
button prompt appeared on the screen.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Sebastian
can punch or hit enemies with whatever weapon he has equipped.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
He
can also pick up weapons such as a hatchet or torch.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The
problem is that as soon as you hit an enemy with it, Sebastian drops
it or it breaks.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
That
is one thing about the game that really drove me nuts.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I
understand that melee weapons cannot be kept in the inventory, but I
hate breakable weapons or just dropping it after one hit.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Sebastian
could have at least carried the weapon until he equipped a firearm
from his inventory.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
You
can use stealth and sneak behind certain enemies to perform a stealth
kill.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
You
can also hide in some places such as a locker or under a bed, but I
only did that in the very beginning.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I
agree that The Evil Within is better than Resident Evil 5.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
One
big issue that Resident Evil fans have with RE5 is that Chris has a
partner, Sheva, with him at all times, and a second player can
control Sheva turning RE5 into a co-op shooter.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There
are parts in The Evil Within where one or both of the other
detectives team up with Sebastian, but it's only for short periods of
time.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
For
the most part, though, Sebastian is on his own so there is no
co-op.<br />Now that I think of it, there are no quick time events in
The Evil Within like there is in RE4, 5 & 6, which is a huge
plus.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The
fact that it has RE4 gameplay, makes some improvements on that
gameplay, and does not have co-op/partner from beginning to end, The
Evil Within can be thought of as a game that Resident Evil 5 should
have been.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I
do, however, have to disagree with the statement that The Evil Within
is old school survival horror.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I
think of old school survival horror as Silent Hill 1-4, Pre-RE4
Resident Evil games, the Fatal Frame series, Dino Crisis 1, and other
horror games on the 5th and 6th generation consoles.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
They're
slower paced, you fight a few enemies and bosses here and there (not
many hordes of enemies), there seemed to be more puzzles in those
games, and you could spend time exploring the environments.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Of
course, some people don't like slower paced games.
</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I
like the slow paced horror games especially when such games as Silent
Hill and Fatal Frame use atmosphere and sound effects to make players
feel uncomfortable.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Another
point is that sometimes it can be more frightening to be attacked by
less enemies because it can make players anticipate when they'll be
attacked again.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Resident
Evil 4, on the other hand, changed the survival horror genre to be
more what I call survival action with horror elements.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
That
is the type of survival horror continues through The Evil Within.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It
is fast paced, many enemies come after you, and the bosses are tough
to fight.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There
isn't much inventory management, but you can only carry firearms, the
agony crossbow, grenades, ammo, and health items.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The
game limits how much ammo you can carry for each weapon as well as
the amount of other items that you can have in your inventory.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It
does have an upgrade system, which can be used to increase health,
increase the number of ammo and health items you can carry, make your
weapons stronger, and much more.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
You
collect green gel throughout the game, and the green gel is worth so
many points for upgrades.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There
is nothing wrong with this type of survival horror.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I
just don't find it to be like old school survival horror.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I've
read some review comment sections that The Evil Within is a RE4
rip-off.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Despite
how similar it is to RE4 in gameplay, I have a hard time calling it a
rip-off of RE4 since both games are directed by Shinji Mikami.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The
horror in the game is nothing new unfortunately.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It
has a lot of blood and gore.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The
enemies remind me of the enemies in Resident Evil 4 & 5, and they
sometimes eat people like zombies.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
As I
mentioned, fighting hordes of enemies and tough bosses is very
reminiscent of RE4 & 5.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The
nightmare experienced throughout the game makes me think of the
nightmare in Silent Hill.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I
will admit that I prefer the way the original Silent Hill games
present the nightmare better.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Sneaking
past enemies and stealth kills is similar to the Siren games.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
The
option to hide in lockers, closets, and under beds is also like Siren
as well as indie horror games where all you can do is run and hide
from enemies.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There
is too much familiarity in The Evil Within for me to find scary due
to the mixture of elements from other horror games.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
One
could say that that the mixture of elements such as the gameplay,
enemies, nightmare, etc. is a love letter to survival horror.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Despite
feeling like I've experience so many of these elements in other games
before The Evil Within, I still appreciate it as a dedication to the
survival horror genre.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Plus,
I never thought fighting hordes of enemies to be frightening.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Fighting
hordes of enemies makes the game intense and frustrating at times.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The
only part of the game that I found a little scary was chapter 9 when
you're in the mansion, and Ruvik (the main antagonist) comes after
you at certain points.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I
also noticed that every time Ruvik chases you, the lighting in the
environment turns blue.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I
think this was probably taken from one of the scrapped versions of
Resident Evil 4, which fans have called Resident Evil 3.5.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
This
version was meant to be like the typical survival horror Resident
Evil except it was more paranormal than previous games.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
Footage
of Resident Evil 3.5 can be found on YouTube.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Speaking
of hordes of enemies being frustrating at times, The Evil Within is
not an easy game.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I
played the game on casual, the lowest difficulty level in the game,
and I still died a lot.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It
may have been the easiest difficulty provided in the game, but it
sure wasn't easy.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I
also ran out of ammo many times, but that's expected in a game about
surviving.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The
game can get very frustrating, which is why it took me over a week to
finish it.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I
played The Evil Within slower than I usually do with games.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I
don't understand why video games are criticized for being difficult.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Many
video games are easy to play, and there is nothing wrong with that.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
At
the same time, some video games need to provide some challenge too.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Yes,
there are some games that are unfairly difficult, but there is not
much unfairness in difficulty in The Evil Within.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I
will say that it did overstay its welcome a little bit towards the
end.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
At
least, it did for me.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
By
the time I reached the final chapter, I was ready to fight the last
boss and beat the game.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
But,
I had to fight a bunch more enemies before I could battle the final
boss.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Not
surprisingly, I died several times fighting all the enemies in the
last chapter.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Once
I did beat them all including the last boss, I felt like I
accomplished beating a difficult game, but I was also getting a
little tired of playing it.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Lastly,
the plot of The Evil Within is not bad.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I
will not give anything away, although I will say that I'm not sure
why people claim that the storyline is non-sensical.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
My
guess is that some people could not follow the storyline.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I
didn't find it hard to follow.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The
characters don't explain every detail, and no one sums up the story
at the end.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
The
Evil Within is a little indirect with it's storyline, but I like it
when stories aren't always direct.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The
criticism that I have is the characters.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
They
have very little personality.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The
voice acting has little emotion, the characters don't have many
gestures, and they don't have much character development.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
You
do learn about Sebastian's background through journals.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Without
spoiling anything, I will just say that his backstory is a little
predictable.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
All
things considered, The Evil Within is a difficult but fun game.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I
don't see it as an old school survivor horror game because it
continues the survival action horror brought about by Resident Evil
4, but it's a great love letter to the genre.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
For
anyone who has yet to play it, I would suggest renting The Evil
Within before buying it, or wait for the price to drop just in case
it's not a game for you.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I
don't regret getting the game at full price with 15-20 hours worth of
gameplay that I found to be challenging and fun along with decent
replayability of collecting items and four difficulty modes.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I
also want to support good horror games released on consoles since
there are so few of them these days.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
But,
not everyone will agree that those are good reasons for a $60
purchase.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Furthermore,
there might be things about the game that will cause you to not like
it especially if I described some aspects about the game that you
already know might not appeal to you.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
That's
why I suggest to renting The Evil Within before buying it even if
you're a big survival horror fan.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15042208038875450551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2861361235101411275.post-42700241234573071522014-11-18T19:07:00.001-08:002015-10-18T16:43:23.438-07:00Shade's Review of Silent Hill
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
During the week of
Halloween this year, I played Silent Hill 1-4.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
When I was a
teenager, I loved playing all four games (one Silent Hill a day) for
four days straight during summer breaks from school.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I have played these
games so many times it's ridiculous.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
After writing about
my impressions of the upcoming Silent Hills as well as just finishing
these games for the umpteenth time, I thought I would write a blog on
each game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I also hope to write
plot analyses of the games in the near future.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I will write about
the western Silent Hill games soon when I get the chance to play them
again.<br />As for now, I will focus on the original four games
starting with the first Silent Hill.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In this post, I will
give some information on Silent Hill 1, I will briefly talk about my
experience with the game, and provide my of review for it.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I will also not
provide many plot details in case someone who has not played Silent
Hill reads this review.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Silent Hill was
released for the original PlayStation in 1999, and published by
Konami.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It was developed by
a creative team at Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo (KCET) that
Silent Hill fans call Team Silent.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
According to the
short Making of Silent Hill video (I will post the link below), Team
Silent had 15 people working on Silent Hill including Keiichiro
Toyama (Writer and Director), Hiroyuki Owaku (programmer; writer of
SH2&3), Masahiro Ito (creature designer), Takayoshi Sato
(character designer & CGI creator), and Akira Yamaoka (sound
director & music).</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In an article from
Polygon (I will also post the link below), Toyama says that he was
influenced by stories of occults and UFOs, and David Lynch films in
creating Silent Hill.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
He did not think the
game could be considered horror, and was surprised when people that
played it found it scary.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It is definitely a
scary game, and the start of a wonderful series.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
Silent Hill is the
game that not only made me a big fan of this and the next three
games, but it got me into the survival horror genre.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I received Silent
Hill as a Christmas gift a year or two after it was released.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I was around 12-13
at the time, and I was too scared to play it.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
A family member
ended up playing it first so I watched them play.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Just watching the
game being played made me uncomfortable.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I would close my
eyes or hide behind a pillow when I thought something bad would
happen.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
One scare in
particular scared us half to death.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I will not say which
one it was in case anyone reading this has not played Silent Hill.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It took me a long
time to play the game myself.<br />I would start playing it, but I
would get too scared and shut it off.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
After a few tries, I
finally built the courage to play the entire game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The game still made
me uncomfortable, and I would have to take breaks from being scared.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Once I finished the
game, I realized how much I enjoyed it.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Not only was it very
successful at scaring me, but it was very fun to play.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The story was
intriguing even though I did not understand what was happening at
time, and what exactly the nightmare was due to the story being
presented like a puzzle.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The fact that the
story was not easy to follow made me even more fascinated with Silent
Hill.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I didn't replay the
first game until after I played Silent Hill 3.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
After playing Silent
Hill 4, I played Silent Hill 1 and its sequels over and over because
I enjoyed them so much.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
That is my
experience with Silent Hill 1, and now I will give my review of the
game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The game itself
plays very similarly to old school Resident Evil.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Like Resident Evil,
Silent Hill uses tank controls.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Tank controls is the
term used for a control scheme in which the directional buttons move
the character in the same direction no matter the camera angle.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Up on the d-pad/left
analog stick always moves the character forward, down moves the
character backward, and so on.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Some people hate
tanks controls.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I found them to be
difficult at first as well.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Once I got used
them, I realized how well they work especially in a game where the
camera angles are constantly changing.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The only problem I
still have is that Harry (the character you control) seems a little
difficult to control when he's running.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
He always seems to
hit the walls when I have him run.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Due to this, I only
have Harry run when he's in the streets of Silent Hill, or I'm trying
to get away from enemies.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The camera angles
give the game a cinematic feel.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
At some points such
as running down a street or a hallway, the camera angle can be
switched to move behind Harry by pressing L2 on the default control
layout.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Other times, the
camera will be fixed on a door, an object, or just to show the player
which direction to go.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
Nowadays, most
games have button prompts to tell players which door to open and what
items can be taken.<br />I think using camera angles is a more artistic
way of showing players where to go and important items to pick up.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Silent Hill has
combat, which involves using firearms and melee weapons to kill
monstrous enemies.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
To fight enemies,
the player holds R2 to draw the weapon equipped, and presses the X
button shoot (if a firearm is equipped) or strike the enemy (if a
melee weapon is equipped).</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Harry also carries a
flashlight and a radio.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The flashlight helps
Harry and the player see in the darkness, and the radio emits static
when enemies are nearby.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It's very hard to
see anything in the thick fog or when the town is dark.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
When it is dark and
the flashlight is off, Harry cannot see to look at a map, unlock a
door, or pick up an item.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
But, having the
flashlight on can attract enemies to Harry.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The radio lets the
player know when enemies are close even though they can't be seen.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Not only does this
alert the player to be prepared, but the radio static itself can
become frightening because the player knows that a monster that can't
be seen is getting close.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
Not being able to
see what is coming close to you is very frightening.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There are no HUDs
(Heads Up Displays).</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Everything including
Harry's health indicator, weapons, items, and options is in a pause
menu inventory.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
That's one of the
things I love about the gameplay in Silent Hill.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There is nothing on
the screen to distract players.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The only downside is
that you have to remember to check your health status especially if
Harry has been hit a few times.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I remember some
people claiming that Silent Hill is a rip-off of Resident Evil.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I never understood
that claim because Silent Hill is nothing like Resident Evil.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The only thing that
Silent Hill has that is similar to Resident Evil is gameplay with the
tank controls, camera angles, no HUDs, and pause menu inventory.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Silent Hill was
using the gameplay standard at the time set by Resident Evil, and it
was used by many other horror games during the 5th and 6th console
generations.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
That does not make
Silent Hill a rip-off of Resident Evil.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
Silent Hill and
Resident Evil have more differences than similarities.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
A big difference is
that Silent Hill focuses more on psychological horror than survival
horror.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Resident Evil is
survival horror due to limitations in health items, ammunition, and
inventory space.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The items you can't
carry with you (which will be a lot) can be kept in item boxes
throughout the game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It makes players
think about what items they should have with them.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Silent Hill is
categorized as survival horror, and you do have to worry about dying.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
But, it is more
focus on psychological horror.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There are an
abundance of health items.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
If you play hard
mode, though you might be using more of those health items.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Ammunition is not
too much of a worry unless, again, you play hard mode, and you don't
increase the ammo count in the extra options menu.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There are several
melee weapons such as the kitchen knife, steel pipe, etc.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Of course using
melee weapons means that you have to come in close range with
enemies, which can lead to Harry taking more damage.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The inventory space
in Silent Hill is unlimited.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There is no place to
store items nor is there a need to because Harry carries everything.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
That does seem
unrealistic, but so does Jill or Chris carrying weapons, herbs, and
other items in their pockets.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Silent Hill is more
psychological horror due to the atmosphere, sound effects, and
horrifying environments.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Jump scares are few
and far between.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It is more about
constantly anticipating something to happen.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The music and sound
effects can make players feel on edge.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
It plays on the
fear of the unknown.<br />For example, a crash may be heard that can
scare players (scared me the first few times), but you have no idea
where the noise came from or what caused it.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The environments are
always shifting from normal (fog and snow) to dark to nightmare, and
the cycle repeats.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The shifting in the
environment makes it seem unpredictable especially during the first
playthrough.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It usually takes
something to trigger the shift such as when Harry uses three keys to
unlock the backdoor of a house, and the town becomes dark when he
goes through the door.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I found the
nightmare to be very disturbing with the blood and rust walls, grated
floors, and disfigured bodies.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It made me want to
get the hell out.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
Harry questions
reality throughout the game, and it makes players question what is
real and what is just a dream.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There is a lot to
the storyline of Silent Hill.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I will save most of
the details for my plot analysis.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It begins with Harry
driving his daughter Cheryl to the resort town of Silent Hill for a
vacation.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
A female motorcycle
cop passes Harry on the highway to the town.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Moments later, Harry
passes the cop's abandoned motorcycle, and the cop is nowhere to be
found.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
He then sees what
looks to be a person walking in the road, and Harry turns the wheel
in a panic causing the jeep they're in to run off the road.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
He later wakes up,
and finds that Cheryl is gone.<br />He goes to look for her in the
foggy town of Silent Hill.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Lastly, the game has
good replayability.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There are three
difficulty levels: easy, normal, and hard.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There are five
endings to achieve depending on players' actions during the game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
A statistics results
screen is shown after the credits giving the players a star rating
based on the time it took to beat the game, number of deaths, endings
achieved, etc.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The statistics can
be an incentive for players to attain a better star rating.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Afterwords, players
can save their results to play Next Fear on their second playthrough.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Next Fear has extra
items and weapons based on the endings accomplished.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It's also the next
level up in difficulty.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
If a player plays on
easy the first playthrough then Next Fear will be on normal, and so
forth.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I think the
puzzle-like presentation of the storyline adds to the replayability
as well.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It certainly made me
replay it over and over so I could I figure out the story through
character dialogue, memos, and images within the game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I think this is a
great place to end the review.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I love Silent Hill.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I don't have
anything bad to say about the game.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The only criticism I
have is the clunky controls with Harry running into walls at times,
but the next two games improve on it.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I have the played
the game so many times that I'm not scared of it anymore, but I still
love the game due to the creativity of Team Silent.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I don't like giving
number ratings so I won't do that.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I will say that
anyone who loves horror games and especially Silent Hill, Silent Hill
1 is definitely worth keeping forever.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
For anyone who has
never played Silent Hill 1, but has played other Silent Hill games or
liked the Silent Hills P.T. demo then don't hesitate to buy a used
copy.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
A digital version is
also available for PS3 and PSP through the PlayStation Store for $6.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /><br />Making of
Silent Hill 1<br /><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HoIJ2EzUtpo" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HoIJ2EzUtpo</a><br /><br />Silent
Hill Creator Discusses How He Joined the Game
Biz<br /><a href="http://www.polygon.com/2013/10/30/5048140/silent-hill-creator-discusses-how-he-joined-the-game-biz-and-why" target="_blank">http://www.polygon.com/2013/10/30/5048140/silent-hill-creator-discusses-how-he-joined-the-game-biz-and-why</a></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15042208038875450551noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2861361235101411275.post-41191099717131622332014-11-02T17:07:00.001-08:002015-10-18T16:43:34.925-07:00Silent Hills: My Thoughts on the Upcoming Silent Hill<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
First
off, I have yet to play the Silent Hills demo myself because I don't
have a PS4 yet.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I
have seen it played through YouTube videos.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
It
is best to watch it without commentary if you don't have a PS4
because it can be much more immersive.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
When
the Silent Hills teaser demo was originally announced as P.T., I
really didn't have much interest in it.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Then
hours later, it was revealed that it was actually a teaser demo
announcing a new Silent Hill game being made by Hideo Kojima with
Guillermo del Toro, and Norman Reedus as, presumably, the main
character.<br />
P.T. just stood for Playable Teaser.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Silent
Hill 1-4 is one of my favorite video game series of all time.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
Of
course, I had to check out this demo, and the best way I could do
that was to find it on YouTube and Twitch.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The
demo itself was great.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It's
a constant loop of a hallway in a house, which works really well
because something different happens every time you go through.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It
scared me just watching it.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
At
times, I would cover my eyes when I thought something bad was going
to happen.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I
found some parts to be very disturbing like the creature in the sink
that looked like a human baby, and the ghost, Lisa, especially when she grabs
you.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I'm guessing her name is Lisa from the message "Forgive me Lisa, there's a monster inside of me" above the door at the end of the hall. </div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
What
made me the most uncomfortable was the refrigerator hanging from the
ceiling, and hearing sounds of someone screaming like they were
trapped inside.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It
made me think of the hell it would be if I were trapped in a very
small space with no way out.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
It
has been a long time since a horror game has scared me like that.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It
also amazes me that anyone that has played the demo has yet to figure
out one solution of finishing the final puzzle.<br />
Everyone seems to
find a different method of doing it.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It
makes me wonder if Kojima intended the game to have one
solution that no one can figure out exactly what it is, or did he
intend to have many solutions that would be different for each
person?</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Kojima
said that he thought it would take at least a week for someone to
finish the game.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Either
way, it's obvious that he intended to make the demo difficult to
finish.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There
were also a few parts that reminded me of Silent Hill.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The
first thing that I noticed is that a lot of weird stuff happens in
the bathroom.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Bathroom
scares or just plain weirdness in bathrooms are very common in Silent
Hill 1-4 because Japanese children were told horror stories involving
toilets.<br />
Due to these stories, members of Team Silent (the
creative team of Silent Hill 1-4) associate bathrooms with horror in
some ways.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Masahiro
Ito briefly explains the scary bathroom stories in the Making of
Silent Hill 3 video.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I
also noticed that Lisa can
sometimes be seen with her head twitching like Valtiel in Silent Hill
3.<br />
The head twitching was an influence from the film Jacob's
Ladder.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
Her
head twitching is most obvious when she is seen in the bathroom
mirror and the window.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Something
else I took note of is that the nightmare in the demo plays out
similarly to the original games.<br />
I sometimes find it a little difficult to explain how the nightmare in Silent Hill works, but I will describe it the best that I can.<br />
The area you're in starts out normal, but a little unsettling
such as Silent Hill being a foggy town that seems to be deserted.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In
P.T., the house seems to be deserted with sounds of rain and a person
on the radio talking about recent murders.<br />
In Silent Hill 1-3 (and
SH4 in some ways), it progressively becomes a disturbing nightmare
with monsters attacking the player, weird things happen like noises
with unknown causes, and the environment usually gets darker with
only a flashlight to see.<br />
Sometimes the environment becomes grotesque with grated floors, blood and rust walls, hanging bodies,
etc.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
This
is demonstrated very well in P.T. with strange noises, changes in
lighting, Lisa's appearances, etc.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Once
the nightmare is at its worst, it goes back to a more normal state.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Usually the grotesque nightmare shift, or Otherworld as Harry calls it in Silent Hill 1, is triggered somehow especially in Silent Hill 1 & 3.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
One example is in Silent Hill 3 when Heather is at the Hilltop Center, and she turns the knob on the bathtub.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Instead of water coming out of the faucet, blood fills the bottom of the bathtub from the drain, and the environment becomes a blood and rust nightmare.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
In both Silent Hill 1 & 3, the nightmare will sometimes go back to normal after a boss fight.<br />
I don't remember how the otherworldly nightmare is triggered in P.T., but I do remember what seems to makes it go back to normal. </div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There
is a part in P.T. where the hallway has red lighting, pictures on the
wall are eyes that move, and your character seem to be moving very
fast through the hall.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
When
the player finds a hole in the wall, they can peep into the bathroom,
and hear sounds of a murder happening.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Afterwards,
the hallway goes back to normal as the player walks further down the
hall.<br />
The environment shifts in P.T. just like the original games. </div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It
makes the environment seem unstable, and people often fear
instability in their environment such as weather or crime.<span style="background-color: black;"><span></span></span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Kojima
has the ability to lead a creative team to make a great horror game
as shown by the P.T. demo.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
He
is already well known for making wonderful games such as Metal Gear
Solid and Snatcher.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
P.T.
also demonstrates that the Silent Hill game he makes may be amazing.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
There
are also members of Team Silent that now work for Kojima, which
boosts my convince in his team making Silent Hill.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
At
the same time, I can't help but be a little nervous about the new
game in some ways.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The
new game has already been a little hyped especially by how the game
was announced even though we know very little about it.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Releasing
a teaser demo disguised as a new indie horror game with the intent to
have players finish it to see the announcement trailer is an
awesome way reveal a new game.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
But,
the hype worries me.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Games
don't always live up to the hype, and I'm
afraid that the same might happen to Silent Hill.
</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It's possible that there might be so much hype around the game that it's
hard to live up to it.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
I
hope that doesn't happen.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I'm
also not sure how Guillermo del Toro and Norman Reedus can contribute
to making a wonderful Silent Hill game.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I'm
not very familiar with Guillermo del Toro's work.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The
only film of his that I've seen is Pan's Labyrinth.<br />
From what I
remember, some of the scenes such as the creature designs were very
creative.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
I
will not decide whether or not he's good for his part on Silent Hill
until I play the game, and I understand what his role is in making
the game.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I
will say that I'm not too sure about Norman Reedus in Silent Hill.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I
don't watch Walking Dead, but I know that his character in the series,
Daryl Dixon, is popular.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
My
issue is that Silent Hill has never been about celebrity characters.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It
has always been about typical every day people experiencing theirs or
another person's nightmare in Silent Hill.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It
makes wonder if it will make players think more about playing Daryl
Dixon in Silent Hill than playing a new character.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I
would think that Reedus and the people directing him would be focused
on him portraying an original character for the game, and not make
him as a Daryl Dixon clone in Silent Hill.
</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
I
hope casting Norman Reedus works out for the game, and it ends up
that I didn't need to have doubts in the first place.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Of
course, the fact that recent Silent Hill games made by western
developers have not been up to par with the Team Silent games makes
me cautious in getting too excited for the new Silent Hill.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The
western Silent Hill games aren't terrible, and they can be fun to
play at times.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
They
are just not scary like the original games were, and they also don't
always make sense with the narrative established by the first four
games.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
I
think of Origins, Homecoming, Shattered Memories, and Downpour as
more of western horror games influenced by Silent Hill or western
versions of Silent Hill.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I
have to admit that the name Silent Hills doesn't sound right.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Having
the S at the end just seems weird.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Kojima
says that the S is for plural scariness.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I'm
not sure what he means by that.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I
like to think of it as another way of calling it Silent Hill 5.<br />
I
know that sounds kind of dumb, but I've been waiting for Silent Hill 5 for
10 years now.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
As
enjoyable as the western Silent Hill games can be, I don't think of
them as true sequels to Silent Hill 1-4.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
I
really hope that this is the Silent Hill 5 that I've been waiting
for, but I'm also trying not to let my hopes up especially since not
much is known about the new game.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
One
last thing.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I've
read that some people would like the game to be in first person since
the demo is in first person.<br />
Some have also stated that many
horror games nowadays are in first person, and it can make players
feel more like the scares are happening to them rather than the
character they're playing.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I
have to disagree with that.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
First
of all, not every horror game has to be first person.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Second,
I'm sure the demo was in first person because they were trying to
make it look like an indie game, and possibly to hide the fact that
you're playing Norman Reedus until you see the trailer at the end.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Third,
Silent Hill has always been a third person series, and they did a
great job making players feel like the nightmare was happening to
them especially with the different camera angles.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Silent
Hill 4 has a mix of first and third person perspectives.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
You
play in first person when you are in Henry's apartment, and third
person outside of his apartment.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I
wouldn't mind if they did something like that for the new Silent
Hill.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The
game could be in third person for certain areas, and first person in
others.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I also read that the game may give players a choice to play in first or third person.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
That's fine too.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I just don't think the game should only be in first person when the series has always been in third person perspective.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
My
current thoughts of the game are very positive, but I have a few
concerns that I hope will be proven wrong.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
I am
excited about it especially after seeing the demo that shows what
Kojima is capable of in making a horror game, and the series is back
in the hands of a Japanese creative team.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Hopefully
some Team Silent members are working on the game as well.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
It
would be awesome if Hiroyuki Owaku (story writer for Silent Hill 2 &
3), Masahiro Ito (creature designer), and Akira Yamaoka (sound
effects and music) would have roles in developing the game.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Kojima
says that the new Silent Hill will come out in 2016 at the earliest.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Hopefully
we will have more information about the game in the coming months.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Until
then, I will be excited for the new Silent Hill game while bracing
myself for the worst just in case.</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15042208038875450551noreply@blogger.com0