Wow this was ugly.
Played at Galloping Ghost Arcade.
Played at Galloping Ghost Arcade.
Decent fun, amusing voice acting, asset reusal galore. References the first movie and one of the two only Japanese developed Silent Hills that isn't 1-4 (other being Play Novel: Silent Hill), ermm well before all the announcements Konami made last year anyway.
I went for all endings, didn't think of Silent Hill as a rail shooter but it's quite fun lol. I highly recommend the fanmade PC port.
I went for all endings, didn't think of Silent Hill as a rail shooter but it's quite fun lol. I highly recommend the fanmade PC port.
(Galloping Ghost June '23 Trip)
A cool novelty but really not much more
A cool novelty but really not much more
Fine light-gun game, mediocre Silent Hill entry, Silent Hill: The Arcade is an interesting time if only in small moments. From the way certain enemies move, to rare, but deliberate horror film inspired framing and enemy placement, it's clear that the makers of this title understand what small touches give Silent Hill its charm, but actively choose to ignore them in the larger scheme of design?
It's a short and breezy arcade title with very little substance and little to no impact on the legacy or intent of the series and that's...fine. I keep saying "fine" specifically, because that's what it is. It is just fine.
If anything the elephant in the room here is the liberal use of creatures from individual manifestations of the town of Silent Hill. Pyramid Head is James' demon specifically. Robbie so heavily tied to Heather that it's weird to see him in so many other titles. I definitely feel like games like Silent Hill: The Arcade, and other SH titles released around this time (Homecoming, Downpour, etc.) became so focused on "mapping" and defining the concept of Silent Hill that they all lost their mystery and allure. I'm really hopeful that the upcoming titles have learned from these missteps, but if you play Silent Hill: The Arcade, know that it is easily the biggest offender of the bunch in this regard. It's a clip show of things you like about Silent Hill, in a shell that adds nothing and subtracts plenty.
It's a short and breezy arcade title with very little substance and little to no impact on the legacy or intent of the series and that's...fine. I keep saying "fine" specifically, because that's what it is. It is just fine.
If anything the elephant in the room here is the liberal use of creatures from individual manifestations of the town of Silent Hill. Pyramid Head is James' demon specifically. Robbie so heavily tied to Heather that it's weird to see him in so many other titles. I definitely feel like games like Silent Hill: The Arcade, and other SH titles released around this time (Homecoming, Downpour, etc.) became so focused on "mapping" and defining the concept of Silent Hill that they all lost their mystery and allure. I'm really hopeful that the upcoming titles have learned from these missteps, but if you play Silent Hill: The Arcade, know that it is easily the biggest offender of the bunch in this regard. It's a clip show of things you like about Silent Hill, in a shell that adds nothing and subtracts plenty.
I got a virus trying to get a hold of a copy of this game to run on my pc
and its also not good lol
and its also not good lol
This game is a pretty standard light-gun game, it's not too clear with where enemy weakpoints actually are but it doesn't actually matter, I'd play this if I ever see it in an arcade.
I'm kind of a stickler when it comes to rail shooters. Regarding the entire subgenre, I think House of the Dead and Time Crisis cracked the code on what makes it such a gratifying way to play, and nearly every studio trying to make their own of that ilk do not understand what made those games so great from a game design standpoint.
With all that said, the Silent Hill arcade game is surprisingly good. Not amazing, it still feels lacking in a lot of aspects, but the pace is just right, and the multiple paths and unique bosses make it fun to play through a few times. The challenge feels just below engaging, but it could've been a difficulty switch turned low or something, I'm not sure.
It's very funny seeing Konami delegate some Western yahoos to continue the mainline entries of the series, while gathering a bunch of their in-house devs to make a goofy rail-shooter.
With all that said, the Silent Hill arcade game is surprisingly good. Not amazing, it still feels lacking in a lot of aspects, but the pace is just right, and the multiple paths and unique bosses make it fun to play through a few times. The challenge feels just below engaging, but it could've been a difficulty switch turned low or something, I'm not sure.
It's very funny seeing Konami delegate some Western yahoos to continue the mainline entries of the series, while gathering a bunch of their in-house devs to make a goofy rail-shooter.
The utter look of @Nowhere when I turn to him and said "this is mt first Silent Hill game"
Surprisingly not that unfair (only beat stage 1), though they probably would've charged $2 a play in 2007 on a massive rear-projection CRT cab.
Surprisingly not that unfair (only beat stage 1), though they probably would've charged $2 a play in 2007 on a massive rear-projection CRT cab.
I actually got to play this on the arcade machine itself, even better, it was set up in the same building as the cinema I'd just been to see the silent hill movie at. So you can imagine how mind blowing that was.
The game isn't exactly very silent hill, but for some reason, i afford light gun games the benefit of the doubt, regardless of the property they're based on. They exist in a different reality to regular games, where everything must be communicated to you quickly, excitingly, and with some cool visuals and flashing words on the screen.
I remember a cruise liner? Pyramid head? The striped dog/cat things and the bugs?
The game isn't exactly very silent hill, but for some reason, i afford light gun games the benefit of the doubt, regardless of the property they're based on. They exist in a different reality to regular games, where everything must be communicated to you quickly, excitingly, and with some cool visuals and flashing words on the screen.
I remember a cruise liner? Pyramid head? The striped dog/cat things and the bugs?
Decent light gun rail shooter, it just shouldn't exist
I sank a few bucks into this with a friend back in the day when we found this in some random shopping mall. It's... not great.
This game is not good, but I do recommend playing it, because it is hilarious.
Imagine the terrifying world of Silent Hill, but with infinite ammo. "Shoot his weakspot!" someone shouts, as Pyramid Head appears. Of course, you think, his exposed chest must be his weakspot. Wrong. You must shoot him directly in his gigantic, steel, pyramid head over and over again.
And my favourite line of the whole game:
"I've never been in a mall I wanted to leave before"
Imagine the terrifying world of Silent Hill, but with infinite ammo. "Shoot his weakspot!" someone shouts, as Pyramid Head appears. Of course, you think, his exposed chest must be his weakspot. Wrong. You must shoot him directly in his gigantic, steel, pyramid head over and over again.
And my favourite line of the whole game:
"I've never been in a mall I wanted to leave before"