[David-kyo]

http://www.escapistm...nt-Hill-Origins

Follow link. Watch. Discuss.

[Captain Wonderful]

I've never played Origins, but I reckon his critique on the rest of the series is spot-on. I love SH.

[lavaj]

"You have one second to name one game in which weapon degredation has been a good idea."

Well Dead Rising for one.

[Dannysaysnoo]

All that was good about the weapon degradation in Dead Rising was that you could prolong it.

[Dannysaysnoo]

All that was good about the weapon degradation in Dead Rising was that you could prolong it.

[Otal Nimrodi]

What was good about the double post?

[Dannysaysnoo]

The fact it was an accident.

[Sylv]

Best throwaway animation in the background: Pyramid Head feeling up the Nurse.

I was looking at SH: Origins as a reason to get a PSP because I CRAVE a good horror-game experience on a portable. It just seems like such a perfect medium for immersing yourself and I want to be able to play something creepy while huddled in bed underneath the blankets. Is there anything about Origins worth checking out at all even if it doesn't live up to its predecessors? Atmosphere? Exploration? Nah?

I am the only person in the universe who still hopes that SH 5 will be good. I mean, I LIKE the idea of a war veteran as the protagonist. Partly because it seems like a nod to the influence of Jacob's Ladder on the series and because it paves the way for some interesting monsters born out of his Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Partly because I'm hoping they'll present us with what should be a combat-ready character and then find ways to unman him (and the player) through SH's trademark monster dickery. It would be a cool bait and switch, and still leave us with the vulnerability that characterizes nearly every human being in the series.

Well if nothing else at least it means a new SH soundtrack (I love you Akira Yamaoka!)

This post has been edited by Sylv: 09 January 2008 - 06:55 PM

[Captain Wonderful]

I'd love the same thing too, but the only official info I've heard on SH5 says they'll be adding more to the combat system with special attacks and shit. This means they'll probably not bring back the traditional control method, with all its clumsiness that makes enemies actually a threat, and retread the failed ground of SH4 making all combat easy and therefore enemies not scary, and (worst case scenario) shoehorn in a Walter-like character who's super-tough, super deadly, and super-fucking annoying in lieu of any real scares.

I imagine some might disagree with my idea of the importance of controlling your character like a tank, so riddle me this: If you're stumbling around in the dark (or not even the dark if they carry on the way 4 went), and looming round a corner comes a thing you can't quite make out (or CAN, in case of my previous parenthesis being the case, ruining the creep factor), is it more scary to have to quickly make a fiddly action to either get away or dodge past, or just slam the control stick "down" and release yourself from immediate danger before charging up an attack and knocking that bad boy down with an axe because the combat is so lenient?
God, SH4 makes me annoyed.

[Sylv]

I'd love the same thing too, but the only official info I've heard on SH5 says they'll be adding more to the combat system with special attacks and shit.

Nnnnnoo!

Seriously, I understand why they might want to try something new but that seems like a counterintuitive direction to take for all the reasons you outlined.

[Sartain]

Never played any of the Silent Hill games myself, but that didn't stop it from being a very entertaining review. Maybe it's because I play horror-rpgs with a friend which gets a lot of inspiration from the series...

One thing, not really on topic but what the fuck:
Sylv, what on earth makes you feel that a small, handheld console "...seems like such a perfect medium for immersing yourself..."?
I mean, it's a small box, with a small screen and an odd control system. Wouldn't say, a real playstation, be much better for immersion?

[Sylv]

Sylv, what on earth makes you feel that a small, handheld console "...seems like such a perfect medium for immersing yourself..."? I mean, it's a small box, with a small screen and an odd control system. Wouldn't say, a real playstation, be much better for immersion?

It sounds odd, but I live in a house with other people. Handhelds are a great way to get away from anything distracting (mainly the aforementioned people) and just wallow in the gameplay holed up in my room, which doesn't really have the space for a TV among all my junk. And I think there's something a bit more intimate about the gameplay when you're holding the console right in your hands and the screen is only a few feet from your face, which is sort of ideal for horror games where you want people as immersed as possible.

[Plainclothesman]

That's a shame. I was still holding on to some faint hope that Origins might not be completely terrible.

Based on the teaser for SHV, I uh ... I actually think it looks like it might be good. Not as good as previous titles, maybe, but I think there's potential there. A war veteran could make an interesting protagonist, although I do worry that the game won't be creepy like the others because of the improved controls. But man, the obsession with Pyramid Head is the worst thing. He's a phallic symbol for Christ's sake - he didn't belong in the movie and I seriously doubt he'll be any less out of place in SHV.

I want Team Silent back.

[Captain Wonderful]

Don't get my skepticism wrong, the screenshots are all pretty good-looking and for all I know it might end up being a real killer, but I'm not feeling overly optimistic.

[Casual]

The only silent hill I've played was the room, and it was alright not mindblowing but it was atmospheric. I might have to try playing silent hill 2 before I can say this but theres not much about the series that has ever appealed to me. I can honestly say I think Yatzees AGS games had more atmosphere and gave me bigger jumps. (7 days realy gave me an actual scare when the welder was chasing me about the ship)