Silent Hill Origins was the first non-internal SH title made and it truly is a sign of things to come.
I have no idea whose bright idea it was to make a prequel to Silent Hill 1, but while the idea is silly, I do believe it could be done relatively well.
This game is competent and has all the elements of Silent Hill. You get an "open world" map and several dungeons, puzzles, monsters, melee and ranged weapons. However no element feels like it functions properly.
This was the first SH game that decided that prior games had bad combat and therefore need to be "fixed". I don't mind the idea, but the solution of having QTEs and allowing the main character to carry an entire Looney Tunes arsenal of melee weapons from typewriters to toasters is incredibly stupid.
The dungeons lack any tension or memorable moments. I can remember most rooms from classic SH games because so many of them were interesting. Not every was an all-timer, but most had something: music, a little sting to make you jumpy, an ambush, striking imagery... Origins has none of that. I don't even ask for something like a mirror room from SH3, but it doesn't even have empty rooms with awesome audio design. Sometimes you unlock a room for it to be completely quiet, go in, pick up a key, and leave.
The way you deal with dungeons is a little changed, but in my opinion, for way, way worse. Now you can interact with mirrors to go into the otherworld and back. This is a pathetic and awful idea that trades tension for a bunch of stupid, often time-wasting puzzles. Can't open the door here? Go find a mirror!
However, my biggest gripe with this idea is why would you give player control over the scariest part of the world?! Instead of being its own thing, this town is on your leash now. Who thought it would help if you could take over when the world changes?!
The story is kind of split in two, being a prequel to SH1 and a personal story of new protagonist, Travis. The former fails spectacularly by failing to say anything at all new about Silent Hill 1 or introduce any new characters. So you meet all your favorites like Lisa Garland or Dr. Kaufmann, who are now just in the story for no reason, don't do much interesting, and whose arcs, due to them also being present in SH1, have no conclusion at all. Lisa, for example, just walks out of the story the last time you see her!
Travis' personal trauma is a little more interesting, but not enough to hold the game together. You learn the main thing about his past in dungeon two out of four. As a protagonist, he is not only bland, but overly bumbling. Other characters had the reason to be in Silent Hill, but Travis just saves Alessa from the fire, wakes up on the streets, and just sorta walks around.
You first go into the hospital to learn how Alessa is doing, and don't ever leave until you learn that she is, supposedly, dead. You also meet Lisa who basically says "I'm gonna go into a different hospital now". So you also go there for some reason. Then you find a theater ticket so you also go there for some reason. Then you find a motel key so you also go there for some reason. Travis doesn't need anything in town, makes no attempt to leave, there's no feeling like he's being kept there, and the final reveal is underwhelming. He doesn't come out of the story in any way changed, just reminded of the past trauma.
The game feels like Silent Hill Best Hits, as it reuses a couple of locations, which is welcome with new graphics. However, it also reuses monsters for some reason. You'll fight creatures that are basically Lying Figures from SH2 who will hump you, and I honestly have no idea what that's about. Of course the nurses return, despite Alessa being just admitted to the hospital, and they aren't even the kind from Silent Hill 1. There's an off-brand Pyramid Head, too, who you see like twice and then you have a boss battle where he chases you around a table.
There's nothing about this game that feels worthwile. If you want to check doors in spooky dungeons, I guess you can do so. It looks and sounds pleasant, sure. But there's nothing to it. It's a short underwhelming journey that won't give anything new to SH1 fans and will only confuse newcomers.
I have no idea whose bright idea it was to make a prequel to Silent Hill 1, but while the idea is silly, I do believe it could be done relatively well.
This game is competent and has all the elements of Silent Hill. You get an "open world" map and several dungeons, puzzles, monsters, melee and ranged weapons. However no element feels like it functions properly.
This was the first SH game that decided that prior games had bad combat and therefore need to be "fixed". I don't mind the idea, but the solution of having QTEs and allowing the main character to carry an entire Looney Tunes arsenal of melee weapons from typewriters to toasters is incredibly stupid.
The dungeons lack any tension or memorable moments. I can remember most rooms from classic SH games because so many of them were interesting. Not every was an all-timer, but most had something: music, a little sting to make you jumpy, an ambush, striking imagery... Origins has none of that. I don't even ask for something like a mirror room from SH3, but it doesn't even have empty rooms with awesome audio design. Sometimes you unlock a room for it to be completely quiet, go in, pick up a key, and leave.
The way you deal with dungeons is a little changed, but in my opinion, for way, way worse. Now you can interact with mirrors to go into the otherworld and back. This is a pathetic and awful idea that trades tension for a bunch of stupid, often time-wasting puzzles. Can't open the door here? Go find a mirror!
However, my biggest gripe with this idea is why would you give player control over the scariest part of the world?! Instead of being its own thing, this town is on your leash now. Who thought it would help if you could take over when the world changes?!
The story is kind of split in two, being a prequel to SH1 and a personal story of new protagonist, Travis. The former fails spectacularly by failing to say anything at all new about Silent Hill 1 or introduce any new characters. So you meet all your favorites like Lisa Garland or Dr. Kaufmann, who are now just in the story for no reason, don't do much interesting, and whose arcs, due to them also being present in SH1, have no conclusion at all. Lisa, for example, just walks out of the story the last time you see her!
Travis' personal trauma is a little more interesting, but not enough to hold the game together. You learn the main thing about his past in dungeon two out of four. As a protagonist, he is not only bland, but overly bumbling. Other characters had the reason to be in Silent Hill, but Travis just saves Alessa from the fire, wakes up on the streets, and just sorta walks around.
You first go into the hospital to learn how Alessa is doing, and don't ever leave until you learn that she is, supposedly, dead. You also meet Lisa who basically says "I'm gonna go into a different hospital now". So you also go there for some reason. Then you find a theater ticket so you also go there for some reason. Then you find a motel key so you also go there for some reason. Travis doesn't need anything in town, makes no attempt to leave, there's no feeling like he's being kept there, and the final reveal is underwhelming. He doesn't come out of the story in any way changed, just reminded of the past trauma.
The game feels like Silent Hill Best Hits, as it reuses a couple of locations, which is welcome with new graphics. However, it also reuses monsters for some reason. You'll fight creatures that are basically Lying Figures from SH2 who will hump you, and I honestly have no idea what that's about. Of course the nurses return, despite Alessa being just admitted to the hospital, and they aren't even the kind from Silent Hill 1. There's an off-brand Pyramid Head, too, who you see like twice and then you have a boss battle where he chases you around a table.
There's nothing about this game that feels worthwile. If you want to check doors in spooky dungeons, I guess you can do so. It looks and sounds pleasant, sure. But there's nothing to it. It's a short underwhelming journey that won't give anything new to SH1 fans and will only confuse newcomers.