I think it's common knowledge at this point that the story in Silent Hill: Origins is really stupid and contradictory to events depicted in the first Silent Hill, and it was that plus my natural aversion to the non-Team Silent games that made me avoid it. Then one day I was futzing with my PSP and decided to launch it, if for no other reason than to have a laugh.

I didn't laugh. I was horrified. Not by the game, it's not scary at all, but by the fun I found myself having with it.

The graphics were pretty solid for the system. The music, of course, was excellent. The level design was competent. The puzzles, while not exactly brainbusters, were well done and enjoyable to solve. Although the weapon system was silly, the combat was mostly functional save for some awkward context sensitive actions and the very little need to engage with it. The only thing I found myself really frustrated with was the omission of the tank control option, as the static camera angles change a lot and the 2D-type controls don't handle it very well at all. Despite that and the odd interpretation of Silent Hill 1's plotpoints, I found myself in the same strange position I was in when I played Shattered Memories: I wasn't hating a dirty, stinky, non-Team Silent SH game, and I was mortified.

I know it's been said millions of times, but if this game were stripped of its ties to Silent Hill, had the original story elements fleshed out more, and had a little more general polish, it would probably make for a decent handheld action/horror game. That said, I also know it's hard to look past the fact that it's supposed to be a prequel to some of the literal greatest games ever made, so I completely understand why it catches flak. I'm not defending or making excuses for it. I just liked it, goddammit.