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Silent Hill Downpour First Impressions


On 03/13/2013 at 01:43 PM by angelfaceband42

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It's been a long time since I played a Silent Hill game.  In truth, I've only played the first one which I actually finished on my own without any help.  Silent Hill was one of 2 of the first games I got that Christmas when I got my playstation.  I was also a huge star wars fan at the time, so I also got the Phantom Menace with it. 

That first experience with Silent Hill was my first experience with Survival Horror as well.  There were many times while I was playing late at night with the lights off that I had to stop and turn the lights on for a while.  That was one creepy game with challenging puzzles.  Looking back Silent Hill will go on my list of top games of all time because of the atmosphere and most important it was a true experience that could not be had in any other way at that time.

I later went on to play at least half of Resident Evil 2 and 3.  Again I enjoyed the atmosphere and puzzles, but the series lacked the same spooky, unknown experience of Silent Hill. 

Later on for some crazy reason this game genre began creeping me out to the point where I couldn't play anymore.  Something in me changed for a couple years.  One thing I know for sure is that it's not because the genre got any more scary.  I'm starting to get back into this genre again and enjoying it.  I can also say, with experience now, that yes these games aren't nearly as scary anymore because I've experienced the best already (except Dead Space.  Never played the first yet. :)

Now you may be wondering, I thought this was about Downpour?  I've explained my attachment to Silent Hill, so recently on Amazon Downpour was on sale for 12.99.  After reading average to terrible reviews about almost all Silent Hill games in the series the past couple years, this was a good price worth my investment. I haven't got too terribly far but so far it's a good experience.

The game seems glitcy.  Brief flash/slow down at every automatic save point.  Before getting to the Devil's Train, the game froze.  Ugghh!!  But these things are tolerable.  Aside from those things.  I really like the game.  The first couple hours of the game is pretty much a linear experience.  The game starts out and you are a prisoner being transferred.  The bus crashes near, you guessed, Silent Hill.  You then try to find your way away from the crash site and have to go through The Devils Pit (I think that's the name, can't really remember at this moment).  Once through here you finally get into Silent Hill and the world begins to open up. 

Or does it....???  Okay it's open in the sense I can look around in the city, but my path is still somewhat linear.  There are some side quests which is interesting.  When I say interesting, I really mean Silent Hil has side Quests? I get to release birds and collect paintings to return and complete some type of puzzle. At least these are the side quests I've located so far.  Right now I'm in one of the main buildings, lots of books and puzzles to solve to get through doors.  There's nothing exceptional about all of this, but I have to admit I love this style of gameplay. 

If it just weren't for the damned glitch stuff.  Yeah I know I'm repeating myself, but now I'm getting frustrated The screen movement slows at least every few minutes and the game has froze on me entirely at least 4 times at this point.  Now I'm beginning to think I'm not sure I want to finish.  If it weren't for these things I would sit down and not be able to stop playing until I could reach the end.

Can I comment on the scare thing again?  At first I thought the scares didn't get to me because I'm already  familiar with what could be thrown at me.  But that's not the case.  One of those monsters came up behind me, I had no idea it was even there untilit screamed to alert me.  Wasted opportunity.   I'm sure I would have peed on myself if it wasn't the screamer lol. 

Anyway there you go.  I just finished Alan Wake American Nightmare, so next time I'll give you my thoughts on that.  By the way, if you didn't know, Alan Wake is one of my favorite games of all time. So I'm excited.


 

Comments

mothman

03/13/2013 at 01:58 PM

I wanted to play through Downpour but that damn vortex that chases you is the most annoying thing I've ever run into in a Silent Hill game. The third time was what killed it for me. The sequence seems to go on and on and if you die at any point you start from the beginning all over again. I rage quit after failing 10 times.

To me there hasn't been a good Silent Hill since 3. The first half of 4: The Room is not bad either but when invincible enemies appear and the running starts in the second half of the game it degenerates into an irritating frikkin' mess.

angelfaceband42

03/13/2013 at 11:28 PM

If you're talking about that thing that you have to run from and push stuff over....yeah that was a little frustrating.  I had to learn how to knock those things over without stopping.  Of course I was also playing on easy combat though.  I do agree it was a bad placement of platforming that just doesn't belong in the franchise.

mothman

03/14/2013 at 02:28 PM

That be it. Each time it gets longer and longer until, Aaaaarrrgh! I just couldn't take it anymore. 

Julian Titus Senior Editor

03/13/2013 at 02:36 PM

The side quests have some of the best moments in Downpour. They don't make up for the awful combat, lackluster monster designs, and blah story, but they do offer some uniquely creepy elements.

angelfaceband42

03/13/2013 at 11:29 PM

Thanks for the info.  I was thinking about dropping them just to complete the story, but if I do continue with the game I'll reconsider.

Matt Snee Staff Writer

03/13/2013 at 03:14 PM

never played a Silent Hill game but I have the first one on my PSP. always wanted to get into that series cause it seemed authentically scary, whereas RE was always kind of cheesy.  

V4Viewtiful

03/13/2013 at 04:57 PM

it's certainly full of nightmare fuel and and steeped in symbolism, 2 is arguably the best

angelfaceband42

03/13/2013 at 11:30 PM

Wish I had played 2.  I hear so much good about it.  I was so creeped out by the first one it's just hard to believe the second one was worse.

angelfaceband42

03/13/2013 at 11:32 PM

I loved the first one because of the unknown.  I loved having a radio that emitted static anytime a monster was near.  I never knew which direction it would come from, flying or walking, or what type it was.  Plus the fog was heavy and I couldn't see very far.

If you every get to the first one, my spookiest memories are from the school house.

Nick DiMola Director

03/14/2013 at 10:30 AM

Another great, authentically scary gaming series - Fatal Frame. I'd say they're easily my favorite Survival Horror titles and probably one of the more overlooked series in the genre. Definitely not as out there as Silent Hill, but there's plenty of genuine scares to be had and the environment and ambiance is almost perfect.

Matt Snee Staff Writer

03/14/2013 at 10:43 AM

yeah I always wanted to get into Fatal Frame

mothman

03/14/2013 at 02:31 PM

I could never get the camera lined up properly during ghost battles and kept dying. I'm ridiculously uncoordinated. LOL

angelfaceband42

03/14/2013 at 10:43 PM

I remember Fatal Frame. I actually pre-ordered it when it first came out. It was different. I enjoyed it and the scares, but unfortunately when those games began creeping me out I sold it.

Surfcaster

03/13/2013 at 05:27 PM

I played the first two Silent Hill games back in the day. It's been forever since I played them, though. I picked up Silent Hill: Shattered Memories when it came out for Wii, and I was pretty excited about it, but I ended up hating the running sequences and just stopped playing.

angelfaceband42

03/13/2013 at 11:33 PM

I bought a used copy and took it back.  I didn't like the flashlight no weapon idea.  Or maybe I was just playing it wrong lol

Surfcaster

03/14/2013 at 12:11 PM

No, you were playing it right. The only real action in the game are the scenes where you run from the monsters, which could be cool, but are instead tedious and annoying.

mothman

03/14/2013 at 02:32 PM

^^^

What you said. I bought the Wii version and the PSP version. More fool me.

Coolsetzer

03/13/2013 at 06:21 PM

Other than the first game, I really liked the one for Wii, Shattered Memories. Those chase scenes were pretty scary! And of course, I could never forget the demon school in the first game. It was like exploring Freddy Krueger's place. Very scary!

angelfaceband42

03/13/2013 at 11:34 PM

The school was crazy.  The shadow baby that walked straight through me sent chills down my spine.  Nuts!

After the last coment I'm already considering trying Shattered Memories again. :)

Coolsetzer

03/14/2013 at 12:15 AM

Haha! I remember that part. S.M. was good for what it was. It was actually a pseudo remake of the original. I liked the chase scenes, but I guess that everybody else hated them. Oh well.

smartcelt

03/13/2013 at 09:51 PM

Just started on this game recently. Been having the same issues with freezing and choppy graphics. I do like it,but it's going to take some time and patience to wade through it. Alan Wake has been sitting on my shelf waiting to be played. For 3 months! God,I suck......

angelfaceband42

03/13/2013 at 11:36 PM

Alan Wake is worth the time.  The story is good and somewhat twisted and I can't believe how satisfying it is to shine a flashlight on a bad guy to weaking him then blow him away with a shotgun....or maybe it's just me :).  The DLC plays pretty good too.

Julian Titus Senior Editor

03/14/2013 at 10:23 AM

And the soundtrack is amazing.

angelfaceband42

03/14/2013 at 10:44 PM

Yes, the soundtrack is amazing.  I ended up getting a free download of it.  I love the songs played between each chapter.

Ranger1

03/14/2013 at 10:22 AM

Don't feel bad, Wayde. I preordered Alan Wake and haven't played it yet, lol.

BrokenH

03/13/2013 at 10:07 PM

I actually thought Homecoming was okay. The game went so far as to genuinely impress me at certain moments. The reason for bad scores? Probably because the fans couldn't stand the fact Team Silent was not the developer.

I haven't played Downpour but it seems pretty good from what you described. It's a shame the glitches damper an otherwise interesting survival horror game. (I also get the feeling Screamers would be more scary if they didn't immediately announce themselves verbally. lol.)

angelfaceband42

03/13/2013 at 11:39 PM

I'll have to read more about Homecoming.  Since I played RE6 and liked it despite how different it was from the first 3, I'll have to check more of the Silent Hill franchise out.  The new one for Vita, I'm actually enjoying although I don't think it should be titled Silent Hill.  It's just a dungeon crawler with the horror theme.

Ranger1

03/14/2013 at 10:25 AM

I'm on the fence about playing the Silent Hill games. I have an extremely active imagination and I live in a little cottage on a backroad without streetlights. And have I mentioned the coyotes that make blood-curdling noises out in the field about every six weeks or so? Not howls, more like hyena noises.

angelfaceband42

03/14/2013 at 10:49 PM

lol.  Yeah if I lived in your area I don't think I would try it.  I also used to watch lots of horror movies.  Seeing the exorcist and poltergeist multiple times messed with me.  I would lay in my bed as a kid while watching, afraid to hang my legs over the bed (did i mention gage from pet semetary could also slice my heel). 

When I had to go to the bathroom I would run to/from my room and from light switch to light switch.  We lived out in the middle of nowhere, but the sad part is I continued this well into my twenties  Surprised  

Super Step Contributing Writer

03/15/2013 at 02:37 PM

I still have yet to play a Silent Hill title. My favorite horror entry remains Eternal Darkness. I do want to play a Silent Hill some time though, I got creeped out just playing the demo of 3 a while back, and my older brother's playing of the older titles made me curious.

Sucks that downpour is glitchy though. I don't think I'd mind it if the game was good either, but that does get frustrating.

angelfaceband42

03/15/2013 at 02:47 PM

I bought Eternal Darkness for Gamecube sometime last year because of the good things I read about it.  I just haven't had time to give it a try yet.

smartcelt

03/15/2013 at 04:12 PM

I'm such a Silent Hill fan that I have both movies on Blu-Ray. And a framed picture of the bunnies with bloody faces that a friend sent me. It was a Christmas card! Recently picked up HD collection for PS3 and am very impressed by it. I think Silent Hill 2 is my favorite game of the series.

angelfaceband42

03/15/2013 at 11:25 PM

Since you are such a big fan, this may be a dumb question, but are the movies any good?  Honestly I was afraid to watch and be disappointed. 

NSonic79

03/24/2013 at 09:41 PM

I'll still give it a go just the same. I've enjoyed them so far, warts and all. Sure their not close to SH2 but it still is SH.

angelfaceband42

03/24/2013 at 10:42 PM

Agreed.  It's flawed but fun.

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