I finally got to beat Silent Hill, a game practically known for being the hallmark of the psychological horror genre, and while it might not maneuver the best (the game features really frustrating and clunky tank controls coupled with a static camera that can also have weird static camera angles) it still retains its identity intact, and shows off why it's one of the best of the genre.
Mostly carried by its ambiance and sound design being able to convey a feeling of dread and getting you to actually jump in reaction to some moments in the game, they had really nailed it in the head with the psychological aspect of it, since the game doesn't ever really feature any scares that jump at you and are loud just because, it's always something you can remedy with somehow but that still can go from 0 to 100 in absolutely no time. It's pretty well made, they had a clear intention of the kind of horror they wanted to put their players in and they did a great job, but I personally think that's where all the wonders end and why this review has a kind of low score for the game that it is.
So, Silent Hill is a game that kind of abuses its maze-y and cryptic base to have some pretty nerve wracking and confusing aspects, mostly when it comes to "levels" such as Midwich High School which is practically a maze with a map, with everything looking pretty much the same and without having much directions of where to go unless you go look at the guide. The overworld exploration isn't all that much either, if you're not going around stepping into walls because of the control schemes, you are either running for your life avoiding monsters because of resource management, or you're running somewhere whilst opening the map constantly just to make sure you're going in the right direction to advance the story.
Lore is pretty confusing till the very end, and is probably a bunch of symbolism the average person won't get anyways, making it a bit convoluted and loosely put together, as the character have just a lil' bit of characterization or important moments, none of them really stick out until the very last parts of the game though, since apparently leaving everyone all alone in the mist in a city filled with monsters is a greater idea than just sticking together.
Ultimately, I understand why this game is so beloved, and I do see it, it's a fine game. I just don't think I liked the experience enough to go back and play it again, I think if there was a remastered version with stuff like good camera controls and movement/aiming options it'd make for how much of a "look at the guide" game it is, I guess. Got the Good+ ending though, that's pretty neat.
Mostly carried by its ambiance and sound design being able to convey a feeling of dread and getting you to actually jump in reaction to some moments in the game, they had really nailed it in the head with the psychological aspect of it, since the game doesn't ever really feature any scares that jump at you and are loud just because, it's always something you can remedy with somehow but that still can go from 0 to 100 in absolutely no time. It's pretty well made, they had a clear intention of the kind of horror they wanted to put their players in and they did a great job, but I personally think that's where all the wonders end and why this review has a kind of low score for the game that it is.
So, Silent Hill is a game that kind of abuses its maze-y and cryptic base to have some pretty nerve wracking and confusing aspects, mostly when it comes to "levels" such as Midwich High School which is practically a maze with a map, with everything looking pretty much the same and without having much directions of where to go unless you go look at the guide. The overworld exploration isn't all that much either, if you're not going around stepping into walls because of the control schemes, you are either running for your life avoiding monsters because of resource management, or you're running somewhere whilst opening the map constantly just to make sure you're going in the right direction to advance the story.
Lore is pretty confusing till the very end, and is probably a bunch of symbolism the average person won't get anyways, making it a bit convoluted and loosely put together, as the character have just a lil' bit of characterization or important moments, none of them really stick out until the very last parts of the game though, since apparently leaving everyone all alone in the mist in a city filled with monsters is a greater idea than just sticking together.
Ultimately, I understand why this game is so beloved, and I do see it, it's a fine game. I just don't think I liked the experience enough to go back and play it again, I think if there was a remastered version with stuff like good camera controls and movement/aiming options it'd make for how much of a "look at the guide" game it is, I guess. Got the Good+ ending though, that's pretty neat.