The Review Thread

Ten years after the original game and Harry's still searching for his daughter.

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SPRINGS02
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Re: The Review Thread

Post by SPRINGS02 »

Tillerman wrote:If it fails as horror, it fails as a game.
Word, but i will say it doesn't mean it fails as a game, but it does mean it fails as a horror game. I definitely agree that horror is an extremely important element for silent hill games and shattered memories(while it did some other things well) lacked this very important element.
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Re: The Review Thread

Post by Typographenia »

Tillerman wrote:One other thing that really irritated me. The utterly wasted opening doors technique. SM introduced a completely awesome idea of allowing you to slowly open doors to peer inside... and then throws it away by never giving you a good place to use it. It's useless in nightmare sequences because stealth doesn't work in those. What a waste.
I'm thinking it was probably a loading buffer of sorts. Who knows, though, since there isn't such a technique in the iceworld running sections.

Games have been getting a little more creative with them lately, and I'm thankful for it. The icecave in uncharted 2 where you have to slowly slip between a tiny crack in the ice cave is by far my favorite.

A rather scathing review that I don't necessarily agree with, but I am always up for hearing the other side. : P
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Tillerman
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Re: The Review Thread

Post by Tillerman »

SPRINGS02 wrote:Word, but i will say it doesn't mean it fails as a game, but it does mean it fails as a horror game. I definitely agree that horror is an extremely important element for silent hill games and shattered memories(while it did some other things well) lacked this very important element.
That's true. But I'm not really sure what type of game SM is supposed to be if not a horror game. I guess a puzzle/chase game? But I don't see a lot of praise for it's puzzle or chase sequences, even from people who like the game. Maybe an "interactive story" game? I guess some people seem to really like the story. It kind of left me cold, pun intended.
Typographenia wrote:I'm thinking it was probably a loading buffer of sorts. Who knows, though, since there isn't such a technique in the iceworld running sections.
It just dissapointed me because when I first started playing I thought it was really cool that you could do that, and then eventually I realized that it served no purpose. I think it would make a fantastic addition to a more convention type of Silent Hill game, one where monsters could be around any corner or behind any door, and would really add to the suspense. The SM people definitely had good ideas, it just seems to me like they failed to execute them well.
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Mumbler
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Re: The Review Thread

Post by Mumbler »

It was a complete mind-trip.

Like seriously. What did I just play. My brain hurts.
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Doo-glas
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Re: The Review Thread

Post by Doo-glas »

well folks, here's my belated review of Shattered Memories and the finale to my Silent Hill marathon

so to begin, do I think Shattered Memories is as good as Silent Hill 1-3? not quite, however going in to the game I tried to keep as open mind as possible and judge the game on it's own merits instead of constantly comparing it to the other games and I have to admit that I loved it

I'm gonna have to eat my shoe a bit, because I had pretty much written off the idea that any western developed Silent Hill could be good after the crapfest that was Homecoming, but Shattered Memories is like a breath of fresh air, it proves that a western developed Silent Hill can be good and I think it's the first western developed one that's worthy of the name Silent Hill

what makes it work is that it it's own thing, Climax took it and ran with it creating their own separate storyline and continuity and I think that's what needs to be done if the Silent Hill series is going to continue

but more than that, it's just plain a good game

I dug the psychiatry vibe, answering questions and having the game reflect it and responding to what you do in the game, it's a cool and creepy idea even though there was nothing that necessarily affected me personally (although I am a horn dog in real life)

I absolutely loved exploring the non icy parts of the game and uncovering all the little subplots with the memories and whatnot, I also loved calling all the phone numbers I could find, I also loved all the neat references to the original game (Poston Market etc)

the "icy otherworld" aspect of the game was the thing that I was most skeptical of before playing it, but thankfully it turns out to be a lot creepier and surreal than just "everything is covered in ice" and the enemies are very creepy

running away from the enemies straddled the line between scary and frustrating, but overall I liked it

lastly there's the story, which I thought was great, I can't say I quite understood the ending, but I look forward to replaying it and picking up on details I might have missed

overall it brought back the good story, atmosphere and attention to detail to Silent Hill, I have to hand it to Climax
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Re: The Review Thread

Post by Missionary »

Shattered Memories is a good addition to the Silent Hill arsenal.

Usually when I pick up a new SH game I look forward to the initial playthrough, and then replay it to get more costumes and weapons, see details I might have missed, and watch the different endings. SH:SM took me by surprise in that the real replay value was not in collecting these items for myself, but in handing the controller over to someone else and watching them have their own adventure. The game seems simplistic on the surface, yet it managed to evoke very deep responses from everyone I showed the game to. So it starts off as a scary game you play by yourself, and by the end becomes a social game getting people to talk about it.

As fans we may disagree on what the individual elements in the series mean, or what is actually canon, but one thing I think we can agree upon is that we want other people to experience Silent Hill for themselves.
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Re: The Review Thread

Post by Besti »

Haha.. watch me fail in paragraph form!

Seeing as I marked this game as my favorite, I should probably throw in my two-cents on what I thought about it. Because you all obviously want to know, amirite?

The box art was what hooked me initially. PSP made it convenient. In my opinion, the story was great. It really touched me emotionally. I felt like I was making the wrong move most of the time, though. Arbitrary elements usually do that to me. The graphics were decent enough. They managed to make Harry look like a proper middle-aged man (no abs here!) The music really went well with it. Who can resist the voice of the Major?

Like any game with multiple endings, it has obvious replay value. My only real problem with it was the way they recycled the characters. I felt it really could've stood alone with it's own original cast.

Aaaand that's it! The end. :lol:
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Re: The Review Thread

Post by AuraTwilight »

Like any game with multiple endings, it has obvious replay value. My only real problem with it was the way they recycled the characters. I felt it really could've stood alone with it's own original cast.
I'm honestly not sure about this, considering the whole point of the game was twisting SH1 around.
[quote="BlackFire2"]I thought he meant the special powers of her vagina.[/quote]
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Besti
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Re: The Review Thread

Post by Besti »

Huh. That never occurred to me. You might have a point there.
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Re: The Review Thread

Post by AuraTwilight »

It's not even subjective; it's what the developers said they were doing. They said they wanted to "make veteran fans go "Wait, that's not how it's supposed to go"." Naming the Dahlia character "Dahlia" works because she's totally and completely unlike the old bitch we're used to, but then in the end it makes sense since she's Cheryl's mother.
[quote="BlackFire2"]I thought he meant the special powers of her vagina.[/quote]
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Besti
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Re: The Review Thread

Post by Besti »

Well poop. That's what I get for not reading more. :cry:
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AngelValtiel
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Re: The Review Thread

Post by AngelValtiel »

Simple review;
As a SH game, SM disappoints, yet as a game of its own it delivers a quite creepy atmosphere and somewhat delivers with it's story.
Otherworld sections are extremely forgettable and get repetitive by the end of the game, while normal world sections deliver the most with their take on exploration and puzzle solving.
Overall, not a fan. :arrow:
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Re: The Review Thread

Post by Lemex »

I've just played this game, and I was very impressed. I'm such a massive fan of the original that knew nostalgia would cloud my judgement somewhat, and I tried to approach this game as if it was a new game not in anyway related. Honestly, I found I could.

I really like the feeling of the game the most. It feels really open, and the graphics are amazing. The story I'm not sure of, and I think I need to play the game again before I can get my head around it, and here my nostalgia for the old game was both a blessing and a curse. I wouldn't want SH1 remade, and I was worried that is was SM would be, but it's not. It's better than that: a re-imagining, and I really like that idea. But in the back of my mind I still did have 'this is very different' as much as I tried to ignore it. For the most part I was successful.

I loved the game, this one might be one of my favorites in fact.
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Re: The Review Thread

Post by KoRn_Child »

Shattered Memories stands as my second-favorite SH game (with SH2 being my favorite). What the game lacks in scares it more than makes up for with all kinds of mindfuckery. By playing on your expectations carried over from the original game (which really should be played through before SM, lest you rob yourself of a significant part of the experience), Shattered Memories creates a sense of unease that compliments the rest of the game extremely well. It doesn't hurt that the soundtrack is great, as are the graphics and (most of the) voice acting. Plus, the game has one of the most poignant and heartfelt endings I've ever seen in a game.

Out of all the western-developed SH titles, I feel that Shattered Memories is the only one that truly "got" the series. The story has all of the subtext and meaning of the original games, the gameplay is rock solid (if formulaic), and the game is dripping with atmosphere. That's not to say the game doesn't have problems (they all do), but they're relatively minuscule in the grand scheme of things.

Im hoping Climax gets another shot at the series. If they could just hammer out a couple of SM's issues (I actually proposed a few solutions in another thread on this board, but that was months ago and I don't feel like digging) and can come up with an equally-compelling story, I think SH2 could have some genuine competition.
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Re: The Review Thread

Post by Redklok »

Just finished SM:

Good points:

+Story is very intriguing, didn't see the plottwist coming
+ Emotion!
+The graphics are really good for a Wii game, the level of detail is amazing
+ Puzzles are a fun addition, they are not to hard and don't remove the pace out of the game
+There's more replay value then any Silent Hill game before
+Anybody can play this, you don't need to know the background
+No tour de gore as done in SH: Homecoming for cheap thrills

Cons:

- One of the lesser scary Silent Hill games
- Controls don't always respond very well, this is frustrating in the chase parts
- You know exactly when the monsters come so this diminishes scare factor
- Text on your cell phone is almost indecipherable

Not really a Silent Hill game as we know it, the only thing that resembles it to the other games are actually the names. I suspect that it's named silent hill to increase sells, but they are forgiven because it's an enhancement to the series.

Oh you don't need to play it to follow the 'cannon', it's completely stand alone.
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Re: The Review Thread

Post by Yuki »

Redklok wrote:Just finished SM:

Good points:

+Story is very intriguing, didn't see the plottwist coming
+ Emotion!
+The graphics are really good for a Wii game, the level of detail is amazing
+ Puzzles are a fun addition, they are not to hard and don't remove the pace out of the game
+There's more replay value then any Silent Hill game before
+Anybody can play this, you don't need to know the background
+No tour de gore as done in SH: Homecoming for cheap thrills

Cons:

- One of the lesser scary Silent Hill games
- Controls don't always respond very well, this is frustrating in the chase parts
- You know exactly when the monsters come so this diminishes scare factor
- Text on your cell phone is almost indecipherable

Not really a Silent Hill game as we know it, the only thing that resembles it to the other games are actually the names. I suspect that it's named silent hill to increase sells, but they are forgiven because it's an enhancement to the series.

Oh you don't need to play it to follow the 'cannon', it's completely stand alone.
I'd like to nitpick and say that the psychological themes and mindfuckery are like the other SH games. :P
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Re: The Review Thread

Post by wonder's boy »

^ I have to agree with the whole mindfuckery thing. I was shocked at how altered my expectations soon became.

I'd also like to agree with how the cell phone text messages have text that is far too unclear. It's just way to small. I tried putting my contacts in versus my glasses (I see things bigger with contacts on - almost twice as big) and it didn't help. What the hell?
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Redklok
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Re: The Review Thread

Post by Redklok »

Yuki wrote:
I'd like to nitpick and say that the psychological themes and mindfuckery are like the other SH games. :P
Agreed, also forgot about the 'fall downward' theme, which is a returning aspect of every SIlent HIll game
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Post by MariaRising »

I've now played this game on PS2 and Wii. I've always said that I enjoy this game because it brings new ideas to the table, that are very unique and seem to work pretty good with this title. I like the PS2 version because the nightmare sequences aren't very difficult and the text message text is for the most part legible. The Wii version, I like because the text on some of those mementos is more legible than the PS2 copy... For example the geometry piece. The only thing I don't really like about this copy is the text messages are harder to read, smaller print I think and sometimes in nightmare sequence, to shake em off you gotta try several times, hard (or at least it seems like it to me) and the swimming part takes forever lol.
So, for the most part I really like this title and will continue playing :D
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Re: The Review Thread

Post by AdjectiveRyan »

l'm kind of at a loss for words with this title. it didn't feel like silent hill at all to me. my only play through l beat it in 2 sittings with 1 save. that never happens with me with what is supposed to be a survival horror game. ex. my first time through re3 l had 30+ saves. l never felt frightened. the sound l heard from the raw shocks sounded like the worm monsters from dementium:the ward(excellent game btw), which is a ds title. l liked the tests more than the world exploration. l spent more time coloring the house than looking for mementos. worst silent hill game since EVER. not a fan.
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