Silent Hill: Shattered Memories

EXCITEMENT.

All that I've read about this "re-imagining" titillates me. Specifically the semi-procedurally generated aspects (ie. characters appear differently depending on your actions, etc.). The removal of combat is interesting (Clock Tower?) and I hope that that works out. I really think the complete removal of combat sort of iffy - it would be cooler if combat was just ridiculously difficult to win.

One thing does anger me, though. "Otherworld" is no longer blood-covered-rust-land, but has instead been changed to a place full of ice and snow. That is /not/ scary.

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Originally Posted by Moon Rabbits

EXCITEMENT.

All that I've read about this "re-imagining" titillates me. Specifically the semi-procedurally generated aspects (ie. characters appear differently depending on your actions, etc.). The removal of combat is interesting (Clock Tower?) and I hope that that works out. I really think the complete removal of combat sort of iffy - it would be cooler if combat was just ridiculously difficult to win.

One thing does anger me, though. "Otherworld" is no longer blood-covered-rust-land, but has instead been changed to a place full of ice and snow. That is /not/ scary.

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Glad I'm not the only person who realizes that ice and snow aren't scary. Must be a Canadian thing. Now if you were driving on the ice and snow with moose roaming the highway, then it'd be another story. I agree with you though that everything else sounds really cool. My only problem is that the character and facial animation is some of the worst I've seen in a while, and definitely a step back from SH 3 and 4. Too stiff and unnatural.

The icy Otherworld might not be scary, but it does convey a strong sense of loneliness and isolation that could have a strong effect. Which I think is what they're going for with it.

I'm very interested in it. We'll see what comes of it as more details emerge.

Its not just a Canadian thingie :P

Yes I miss the rustblood too but the snow and ice thing is interesting... It can certainly take on a mores sinister role.... Can you guys say hypothermia.....

The iPhone.


Otherwise I plan on watching a playthrough of this!

weren't you able to turn off monsters in 2 too?

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Originally Posted by Shoeberto

The icy Otherworld might not be scary, but it does convey a strong sense of loneliness and isolation that could have a strong effect. Which I think is what they're going for with it.

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I thought the same thing when I saw gameplay footage of it. There was one part where the main character was walking along a hallway with ice walls on both sides of him. Suddenly, he hears something and looks to his right to see a monster crawling along the ice on the other side of it and then disappears.

By far, one of the creepiest and scariest moments in gaming is when you see Pyramid Head for the first time, staring at you. You come into a hallway and all of a sudden, you see this monstrosity just staring at you with 3 metal bars separating you two. You know something's there and you know it'll smurf you up, but you just don't know when. This heightens the dread and suspense, and I think with the ice walls, we'll have some of that going on in Shattered Memories.

I cant wait for this.
Im a huge fan of the series and am so excitred to see how this turns out.
Its could be one huge mess or one bloody fantastic game.
I think the ice world could be an interesting new take on the fear factor of the alternate worlds.
Not sure how scary exactly but it will certainly be different.

One thing though....pyramid head is in this game too??
Theres fan service and then theres taking the mick. By them plastering Ph in every game they are taking away from the greatest in the series, SH2. This makes me sad.

I agree. The monsters should be unique to their respective games because they are just manifestations of the characters' deepest fears, sins, and regrets. Throwing in Pyramid Head is blatant fan-service.

i like to think of PH as James personal tormentor.
That is clearly not the case. :(

He's supposed to be James's way of dealing with his violent, sexual side, which is why he rapes the monsters and later (SPOILER)kills Maria.

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Originally Posted by Vivi22

My only problem is that the character and facial animation is some of the worst I've seen in a while, and definitely a step back from SH 3 and 4. Too stiff and unnatural.

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Watch the close-ups of characters talking in this trailer; the facial animation is fantastic. I could look at Cybil's cheeks for a while.

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Originally Posted by SomethingBig

He's supposed to be James's way of dealing with his violent, sexual side

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Specifically, Pyramid Head exists to remind James of his sins and punish him for them. He was born from the unconscious part of James that felt he deserved to be punished.

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Originally Posted by xXsarahXx

One thing though....pyramid head is in this game too??
Theres fan service and then theres taking the mick. By them plastering Ph in every game they are taking away from the greatest in the series, SH2. This makes me sad.

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Read this. The game's producer agrees with you.

Also read this, where he fields questions directly from the Silent Hill fan community.

xD!

and I quote:

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They keep saying the right things.

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I've never really been a big fan of these types of games to be honest, so never really bothered with SH or got the interest.

Though I am starting to think this could be very interesting, and may very well pick it up at launch.

I'm ecstastic that Pyramid Head will be (seemingly) unincluded in this game. I hated his inclusion in SH:H, and even moreso his :bou::bou::bou::bou:ty re-tailoring for Origins. I mean, the Butcher was essentially PH without the P.

Here's hoping the Bogeyman of SH:SM will be as terrifying as Pyramid Head.

SH3 > SH2, btw, Sarah.

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Originally Posted by Silent Hill interview

Tomm: I subscribe to the idea that Pyramid Head was unique to James Sunderland in Silent Hill 2. He's not just some guy who walks around with a big knife. I think if anyone was going to use Pyramid Head again, they would need a really good reason, and they would have to let him serve some kind of purpose. He was a heavy thematic character in SH2, and less so in SHH or the movie. Without the emotional ties to James, he loses his impact and is just a cheap scare, and that's doing a disservice to such an iconic character.

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At last, someone in the company seems to get it!!
I now cannoyt wait for this one.

Nice find Kawaii Ryûkishi :D

Oh and SH2> SH3 (but only margionally!)

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Originally Posted by Moon Rabbits

SH3 > SH2, btw, Sarah.

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After years of saying the exact same thing, I think you and I may be the only ones who realize this. SH2 did have deeper characters I will admit, but SH3 took the horror to new levels where they held back in SH2 instead. Except for a few areas and moments, SH2 wasn't nearly as scary as 1 and 3.

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Watch the close-ups of characters talking in this trailer; the facial animation is fantastic. I could look at Cybil's cheeks for a while.

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Sorry, still not impressed. Cybil was the only marginally well done character there, but even she was a lot of head shaking and lip moving, without a whole lot of change in the eyes. And none of the movements felt natural with the tone of her voice and what she was trying to express. Maybe I've just been spoiled by Valve games, but I'd like someone to show me that we didn't hit the peak of facial animation 5 years ago.

[QUOTE=Vivi22;2716827]

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Originally Posted by Moon Rabbits

SH3 > SH2, btw, Sarah.

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Originally Posted by vivi22

After years of saying the exact same thing, I think you and I may be the only ones who realize this. SH2 did have deeper characters I will admit, but SH3 took the horror to new levels where they held back in SH2 instead. Except for a few areas and moments, SH2 wasn't nearly as scary as 1 and 3.

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I think they were all scary in different ways,

Sh1 = The first game like it really (yes there was Resi but its not the same) so the shock factor was so high because it was completely unwalked terretory.
SH2 = Psychologically twisted, a lot of deep hidden mental shocks and it actually made you use your head about whats going on. Thios one delved deeper into the characters heads and thoughs than the others.
SH3 = went a bit more for the visually shocking violence (i think it was this one with the giant head in a room in the hospital). The characters wernt so deep although the was heather killing monsters or people was pretty deep.
SH4, The room = Was scary in a isolated kind of way. i didnt think much of this one TBH
SH5: Homecoming = Scary because of reused enemys (eg PH) and pure jump value.

Its all down to whatever type of fear scares you the most, physchological fear petrifies me so SH2 is my favorite.

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Originally Posted by xXsarahXx

SH2 = Psychologically twisted, a lot of deep hidden mental shocks and it actually made you use your head about whats going on. Thios one delved deeper into the characters heads and thoughs than the others.
SH3 = went a bit more for the visually shocking violence (i think it was this one with the giant head in a room in the hospital). The characters wernt so deep although the was heather killing monsters or people was pretty deep.

Its all down to whatever type of fear scares you the most, physchological fear petrifies me so SH2 is my favorite.

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You're thinking of SH4 with the giant head in the hospital, but I disagree with SH3 being about shocking violence. It definitely came at you from a psychological horror angle, but differently than 2 did. 2 was about some pretty messed up characters, but 3 was more about thrusting this teenage girl into progressively more hellish situations. As you go along through the game, not only do the monsters get progressively more unimaginable (not that they were that imaginable to begin with), but the locations become more twisted and demented right up to the very end of the game. Whereas I felt that SH2 was a little too conservative with the places you visit, and most didn't take a huge step into being truly nightmarish versions of their real world counter parts, SH3 pulled out the stops and created locales that get progressively more alien and impossible in the nightmare world, and which truly convey the reality that you don't belong and everything, right down to the rooms is out to kill you.

In fact, there are some parts of that game that still leave me utterly terrified even if there's no real danger from them.

If it wasn't obvious already, I'm partial to SH2. I liked that it took a step away from the rusty, veiny otherworld and used typical environments we'd see, except darkened them and added fog. In the other games, where it takes you to the otherworld, there's a separation from reality, whereas in SH2, the reality is that there are literal and figurative monsters there.

There's also the psychological aspect of the in-game characters that bring a new, unique level of horror to the game. When you begin to realize that James is not only responsible for (SPOILER)Mary's death, but also that the terrifying images he sees are a direct result from his sins, it makes you question (well, it made me :p) just what kind of monsters you have hidden inside you. James never came to terms or accept that he had these monsters (masochism, rage, etc.) inside and they almost devoured him. The idea that our own monsters can come out and torment us is what is scary.

I enjoyed SH3, too, regardless of how irritating Heather was at the beginning, but I think what makes me lean towards SH2 is the amount of depth found in the game, added onto, of course, that I feel SH2's scarier.

The Room should be the best Silent Hill of them all and instead it's at the bottom of the barrel. I want that game remade. Personally, 2 is my favorite, but not by much. What attracts me to 3 is mostly the main character. Heather is the most interesting protagonist the series has to me.

I have to admit I laughed during parts of the trailers for Shattered Memories. But I remain hopeful. Kinda.

Silent Hill 4 was great in my opinion. The premise was very original and the game had a great story throughout, maybe the best in the franchise. It isn't my favourite but I would consider it better than Silent Hill 3. Even if you don't like SH4, you have to respect what they were doing with the game.

As for Shatter Memories, well its definitely up there as my most anticipated game for the Wii. It definitely looks the part, plus I'm happy they are steering away from combat and putting more focus on avoiding enemies.

I'm still holding out on a next gen sequel that is done properly. Depending on the success of Shattered Memories its likely we wont see another Silent Hill considering Homecoming did so poorly.

Sure, I like a lot of stuff The Room did. I want to love it, but it just ultimately didn't work for me at the end of the day. But it gave me Room of Angel at least.

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Depending on the success of Shattered Memories its likely we wont see another Silent Hill considering Homecoming did so poorly.

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I don't think Homecoming was /that/ bad. I really enjoyed the storyline, though the twist was pretty predictable - anyone that you constantly see but can't catch up since they book it into the fog is, in a Silent Hill game, is already dead.

I loved the bosses (especially after I realized that they were all the manifestations of the dead children), and Judge Holloway (SPOILER)turned out to be a crazy bitch. The drill is intense.

Now that I'm finally getting around to playing The Room again for a second time, I was able to realize that where they tried to take things out of your control in order to scare you, they really just became irritating,such as the invincible ghosts and having to drag Eileen around.
If there was one thing that could make this game better in my opinion it would be to give you one sword of obedience and allow you to kill a ghost for good, not just pin it down.
I could live with Eileen I suppose if they gave me that much.