In my opinion, this isn't the best step forward for the new generation of Silent Hill. I think if this game didn't have the Silent Hill title on it, it would be a fine indie horror game. Granted, I also wouldn't of thought highly of it still, but I don't think I'm the target audience for it.
The Short Message deals with a teenage girl who suffers from some pretty serious mental health issues, so as a 31 year old dude, I find it difficult to talk about since I've not been in the same situation as the one portrayed in this game.
I think they laid it on quite thick with really hammering it home this girl has some issues. To a point where the elements of the story becomes a little hokey because they're not giving the player any credit. I don't need thousands of sticky notes with words like LOSER, DUMB, SLUT, LONER, etc to get the point that she doesn't think too highly of herself. I can gather that by the way she holds herself, how she thinks, etc. and that's really my main complain here. The themes are so in your face 24/7 that the value of learning about the darkness of this girl's mind and her hardships are lessened, to an extent.
The beauty of Silent Hill for me is how well story elements are portrayed in the environment, enemies, situations, etc. You can always pick up something new you didn't see or notice with additional playthroughs. I will never play this game again and if I did, I don't think I'd get anything out of it.
Lastly, the combat is just running away from a dude in narrow hallways with slight rng or poor patterns (I can't tell tbh). These parts suck and they've nothing of note.
Overall, for a free game, it could be worse. For the first new game in a beloved franchise since 2012, it's abysmal.
The Short Message deals with a teenage girl who suffers from some pretty serious mental health issues, so as a 31 year old dude, I find it difficult to talk about since I've not been in the same situation as the one portrayed in this game.
I think they laid it on quite thick with really hammering it home this girl has some issues. To a point where the elements of the story becomes a little hokey because they're not giving the player any credit. I don't need thousands of sticky notes with words like LOSER, DUMB, SLUT, LONER, etc to get the point that she doesn't think too highly of herself. I can gather that by the way she holds herself, how she thinks, etc. and that's really my main complain here. The themes are so in your face 24/7 that the value of learning about the darkness of this girl's mind and her hardships are lessened, to an extent.
The beauty of Silent Hill for me is how well story elements are portrayed in the environment, enemies, situations, etc. You can always pick up something new you didn't see or notice with additional playthroughs. I will never play this game again and if I did, I don't think I'd get anything out of it.
Lastly, the combat is just running away from a dude in narrow hallways with slight rng or poor patterns (I can't tell tbh). These parts suck and they've nothing of note.
Overall, for a free game, it could be worse. For the first new game in a beloved franchise since 2012, it's abysmal.