Fear 1 was bad? Then you probably did not play. Fear did not rely once on cheap horror. The game was creepy. Virtually little music, seeing things out of the corner of your eyes, no sense of direction forcing you to explore in places you don't want to, the sound effects, fear may not be scary but it was very creepy and an incredible game. The only game I know that successfully bred action with horror
@Anothereviewer he never said its bad.he just said it sucks as a horror game.because it uses jump scares.check out his review for it. he loves the story and gunplay.also hes dead.
@BeingShotAt I prefer the term "special". Bleeding idiot is rather offensive. All I was saying is that i dont agree with fear using jump at you horror. Fear 2 and 3 I completely agree with cheap horror. I found fear 1 very creepy and unique like the ring or the grudge but with intense action like half life series. Maybe i misunderstood him or whatever and I am sorry if that makes me an idiot but hey man its cool.
I completely dissagree with your comment about fear not being 'proper horror.' Condemned has one of the nastiest, dankest, foulest atmospheres of any game I have played and relies on very little jump scares. It's like watching an 80's video nasty like last house on the left or something along the lines of irreversible. It's a fantastic game. Sure silent hill 2 is the best horror game, and my favourite game. Though it's not as scary as condemned or even SH3 IMO
The only thing I didn't like about SH 2 was some dumb moments and limited # of different weapons. But that's actually what some liked about the game...
thats so true i ask freinds they think resedent evil 5 is better then sillent hill 2 i said well you havent even fucken played it how the fuck is it better he said it just is i said fuck no sillent hill is one of the best games ive ever plaed then walked away LIKE A BOSS
wow i cant believe i never played sh2 i beat the 1st one. your review got me pumped to finally play sh2 i'm get it for pc. great review. do you think any sh games for next gen consol are as good as this one
@laifalbert Shattered Memories has astounding technology, and a decent story (though it relies too much on its ending), but the actual gameplay itself is terrible.
The horror is terrible. Ripping out combat was a good idea, but the run-away mechanic meant that you were totally safe if you kept running, and that just killed the game. The puzzles are designed for children. Studip children.
Overall, not a good game, but the technology alone is just astounding.
Only thing I did not like about the game was the respawning enemies and very limited health at some points in the game (the hospital was rather shitty imo regarding health).
i don't get how people don't give silent hill 4 the credit it deserves, that game was far different than the rest but was still as scary and the story was just as original as silent hill 2, it even introduced us to walter sullivan who was just as sinical as pyramid head...
@MyGodzilla99 You mean "cynical" because that's incorrectly using that word. Also, Silent Hill 2 introduced Walter. SH4 was a really good game but it's important to note that it was not originally going to be a SH game.
Combat in Silent Hill 2 wasn't meant to be good, so that point you made is invalid.
The voice acting for James may appear to be bad, but it's supposed to be emotionless because it fits his character. Angela's voice is supposed to be awkward because it, once again, fits her character. In a way, the voice acting is so good, it seems bad. The puzzles are there to test your intelligence and logic, not to drag the game out. All of the items you list are all "no mistake", as said in the making of SH2.
@bluerubyvideos It's ridiculous to say that something is immune to criticisim if it is intentional. Bad is bad, intentional or not. Harmful to the quality of the game, intentional or not.
Also, you're buying into some serious bullshit if you think the voice acting is meant to be as bad as it is. And the puzzles *do* drag the game out with much backtracking, so I don't see a point there.
They make the game worse, ipso facto; mistakes. If they are intentional, the design process is the mistake.
@bluerubyvideos Are you calling me a "hater"? Because I give the game a 5/5, describing it as one of the best games ever made. Indeed, I love the game. I am a lover!
But it does have some very clear flaws, and ignoring them simply because you like the game isn't helping anyone. If you want fanatical fanboyism, you should look elsewhere.
@bluerubyvideos I watched the making of SH2 (btw, Takayoshi Sato is awesome) and I don't recall them saying anything about the combat and voice-acting.
I would recommend to play it on Hard because it gets so much scarier,it IS harder,but it's not impossible.Strongly recommended.But riddle mode still is ok on normal mode.
Saw this at Gamestop on the PS2 for 16$. All I hear is good things about it. I'm into the survival-horror genre, so would anyone recommend it even though the PS2 is out-dated?
@Triforce9426 The game is tricky. I gave up at a certain point. But it is very creepy and mind boggling. But yeah, I would get it if I had the chance and didnt already own it.
@Triforce9426 I'd have to disagree. If you can get past the graphics it's definitely worth playing, if nothing else but for the wonderful story. Thanks for the review, by the way @antisocalfatman. Silent Hill 2 is my favorite of the series, despite the fact that, in my opinion, the original was quite a bit more terrifying. You make a good point about the combat; unlike in the original, where the enemies presented an immediate threat, combat in Silent Hill 2 was disappointingly lackluster.
@Triforce9426 it all depends how u feel about the series are u a fan of silent hill i had always been a RE fan and surprised how good the silent hill series was i own both 2,3 and i enjoyed both i would recommend it and the music is AMAZING :)
I love the Resident Evil series, and I credit Capcom for making the first true survival horror game, but Konami took survival horror to a whole new level with the Silent Hill series. I've never been so emotionally attached to characters as I have been in a Silent Hill game. Great review, great game.
I dont think you get the point resident evil. In essence, yes its a zombie jumping out of a closet, but whats really scary is the atmosphere and the growing sense of dread you have because you charater is very underpowered, and death means starting over. But theres also the choice to not kill it, for fear it comes back as a much more powerful zombie that you most likley cant handle
@Thethingofcreepy No, I completely get that. It just doesn't really work as horror. The RE games are too generous with supplies for it to work in any real way.
@antisocialfatman They may be very generous with supplies, but you don't have equipent good enough untill much later on in the game, but even then it won't be untill much later that you have enough supplies to not have to ration everything. BTW im not talking about re4 and re5, that's a very big stretch to call those true survival horror games, especially re5
@Thethingofcreepy Yes, RE4 nd 5 are definitely not survival horror. They are action horror.
But, the thing is, horror isn't really something that needs analysing and dissecting in order for it to be effective. Explaining to me why you think it's scary does not make it so for me. You feel it or you don't. There's nothing to get.
I have never found Resident Evil effective. I found the weapons perfectly adequate and I found enough supplies to keep me going. The best RE ever did was make me jump.
@antisocialfatman I guess i got a little carried away on my second response, but no, i don't mean to make you thing its scary, just the way you said it in your review made me think that you didn't get the style of horror they attempted to use in resident evil. but I am very impressed with your attention to your fan base to respond to almost every comment thet you think needs a response
I dont get how this has not been done since? Anything like Silent Hill. Sure, Resident Evil clones, and good ones! But the latest Silent Hill game, was just another attempt to be RE4. SH4 I thought was really interesting, I loved the idea, and the story more so than SH2. And with all the game mechanics we have now, like those in Amnesia Dark Descent, this could be remade, or a sequel that is truly Next-Gen. There hasnt been a horror game that has scared me since the imagery of SH4!
First Silent Hill was scarier than the rest, killing enemies was difficult and they chased you like crazy and system limitations made the darkness in the game pitch black. Plus I still think that the game had the best otherworld transformations and the puzzles were a lot harder than the rest even on normal.
What a very well spoken review. I just picked the Directors Cut up today for PC in a bargain bin. I don't know how it stacks up against the normal version, but I assume there is just a little more content. I haven't played any other game in the series so I am pretty excited to start playing tomorrow. Thanks for not spoiling anything for me as well! Great review!
@secondghost Thank you for your kind words. The DC is actually the only version available for the PC.
It adds an extra campaign (2ish hours long) from the perspective of a side-character. It's not great or anything, but it's a nice little addition. I don't know of any changes made to the main campaign in the DC.
I actually thought the first FEAR was pretty damn scary, because it relied on that Japanese horror type thing, where the suspense just builds and builds and then something little happens yet you shit yourself. Like the part with Alma just pops up in the elevator. No BOO, no scary face. Just a single piano chord and that bitch in your face for half a second. Some people don't even see it.
I think that system shock 2 is scarier than Silent hill 2 but that is mostly because i didn't really think that it was scary the sounds were a little creepy but i found myself playing with enemies and having fun and laughing so if anything I thought Silent hill 2 was funny
I would recommend it. It does have a very unique feel to the setting of post-disaster survival. Includes some interesting character-building elements focused on questing, looting, and equipment, but no skill points or stat-building like traditional RPGs. And it too has some quite scary moments, what with underground ventures, horrific creatures, and an forbodding and hostile environment.
Oh, I've played it. I've played it to death! That's part of why I don't want to review it. It means playing it again, and I am totally burned out on the game.
i loaded this game up after watching your review. i must say, i had a very different experience when i took the time to relish all of the aspects of storytelling that i missed on the first playthrough.
also, did you happen to notice the huge amount of sexual imagery in this game? it's overflowing with such...then again, perhaps i just interpreted wrongly.
Yeah, it is filled with sexual imagery, and it's all completely tied in to the story. I don't want to give any spoilers away though so I won't say any more.
I play the SH games with a notepad and pen and write down everything I see what what it might mean.
I own all of the Silent hill games and have yet to finish one of them. The atmosphere just scares the crap out of me and usually about half way through I usually quit and adopt the aforementioned fetal position. I usually end up watching a let's play so I can at least figure out the engaging storyline without reading spoilers online.
i will try this game one of these days, just cuz you like it so much (and hopefully, i will hate it, so i can make fun of the game and you), but there are things about the game that you mentioned in the review that i don't like, namely shitty combat and bad dialogue. and i'm weary of japanese stories; they tend to be weird (and not in a good way)!!
True fear is about disarming the player and only allowing them two options, face the enemy or sneak past it. Facing the enemy ultimately leading to death or a much worse fate. Shooting simply isn't made for true horror games. That's not to say horror games can't have shooter aspects, but they should definitely be limited. Games like Penumbra: Black Plague, Pathologic and Darkness Within capture those elements of no defense and a rush, and are perfect examples of true horror games.
I remember the moment I played Silent Hill 1, when it I had to descend down to the black abyss below inside a rickety rusted elevator at the rusted basement or lower levels of either the hospital or the school..
I've never felt that sort of dread in a game or real life ever before or since. I *really* did not want to go down.
Yeah I know exactly what you mean. Something I wanted to say in my review was that every 'broken lock' is a blessed relief, as each one was one less brain-squeezing ordeal you have to go through.
I agree completely. Startling only lasts about a minute after it happens, but this game had me on edge for the entire time I was playing it and even sometime after it.
The symbolism was fantastic and perhaps the best used in a video game to my recollection. To this day I still have trouble tying some loose ends.
You should definitely play Cryostasis (or like the other dude said, Black Plague, though I like Cryostasis more). Anyone who likes storytelling in games should play it. I'll go on record saying that Cryostasis has the best story of any video game, ever. It comes with lots of annyoances, sure, but if you can overlook them in Silent Hill, I don't think they'll be a problem. I'd love to see a review of it, anyways :)
I actually own Cryostasis (and all the Benumbra games) and reviews are forthcoming, but Crystasis runs at about 12 FPS on my computer, so it'll be a while and an upgrade before I get around to it.
I never understood why so many people think Doom 3 is scary. One of your guns is call the "BFG" and anyone armed with it could take over a small country.
That in itself breaks any illusion of horror the game tried to put me in.
FEAR did a somewhat better job with its freaky scenes and the ninjas who went out of their way to screw with you, but it's still a far cry to a true horror game.
I don't know if anyone else feels about it like this but the way that the fear deflates when u get to the monster symbolizes that there really isn't anything to be afraid of and u have to just push through until u get out.
That's an interesting way of looking at it. I had never considered that.
But I don't think any message or symbolism or story element or anything should ever (be it deliberate or not) hurt the gameplay, and I think the way combat works in SH2 definitely hurts the gameplay.
I agree 100% with the startling / fear thing. I hate when things that are supposed to be scary just have stupid shit jumping out, I hate being startled, but I like scary stuff.
Great review and I would say that Silent Hill 2 is one of the best horror games ever made. Have you played Eternal Darkness? That's another game that I consider one of the best horror games ever made, and I think you should check it out if you haven't played it. I'm sure you would enjoy it very much.
However, I am a big fan of more real threats. Though the game now looks more promising to me, the fact that enemies are ridiculously easy to kill or avoid is kind of a putoff.
If you're not into Black Plague of Penumbra yet, I'll warn you you do not have weapons, which generates an amazing feeling of terror to face the enemy.
Getting all this suspense up for something as challenging as Cryostasis would be kind of sad. :(
it really is something you got to play through. watching gameplay footage or reviews wont do it justice i think in many ways it is similar to the game braid. they both look kind of weak and generic at first glance, but they also have some of the greatest stories and deepest themes of any game.
I would not call Doom 3 particularly scary, but many of the horror tactics that weren't jumping out at you were very successful at rattling my cage. The use of dark is very controversial, but I think that it's a genuine tactic, as the human fear of the unknown kicks in.
This game has always looked boring from everything I've seen of it, even reviews, but your actual analysis now makes me feel a lot more sure of myself if I were to buy it. I might get it.
Yeah. Vulnerability is the root of fear, I think, and Doom 3's see-or-shoot mechanic is very effective. But I find that it's only effective for perhaps an hour, because the game is so very routine.
While Pyramid Head is a great chacter and his symbolism in the story of SH2 of great importance, I think that he honestly proved a little too popular. As a fan favorite, he ends up getting forced into SH media even if it does not make sense for him to be there. His appearance in the SH movie for example, and I hear he has a cameo in SH: Homecoming.
To be fair a brilliant writer/director would still have had a difficult time making something like SH work as a film without radically altering it. But yeah, they really could have done a better job. I'm guessing they "got" the game in the same way Zack Snyder "got" Watchmen: all the puzzle pieces are there, just none of the subtext.
This was the first game that really nailed the sense of slowly eroding sanity for me. The enemies and situations reflect not simply what happens to the town, but what happens to the player character, and it is masterful.
Did the Windows version come with Restless Dreams? It was a side campaign on the Xbox in which you play as Maria shortly before she meets James. It was a likewise brilliant but short piece of story-telling, which only thows her character further into question.
As much as i genuinely love and appreciate silent hill 2, as it is one of my favorite games of all time, i must disagree with your opening statements and defend another personal favorite: Condemned. For me, the dilapidated, rundown, bum-infested buildings in condemned sets an equally foreboding and dreadful atmosphere as silent hill 2, and those startling scares come at any given moment. with the superb sound effects monolith delivers in all of their games, i was always on edge throughout...
condemned. the game evoked pure fear from me when i was playing it. when i heard a shelf fall in the distance and the grunts of an insane crack addict yell in a nearby corner, i would ever-so-cautiously creep toward an inevitable scare. to me, these jump out moments are the frights that truly catch me off guard and define an even scarier game. top those scares with a depressing, relentless atmosphere and an engrossing murder mystery story and youve got my scariest game all time...
read these posts backwards since youtube's remaining character count in retarded and so is the reply system. but actually, i may renig on what i said and proclaim fatal frame the scariest game ive ever played...it's the only horror game i simply was too scared to finish
Well, I won't write a serious reply here (as I'm reviewing Condemned soon - I think it suffices to say you won't be liking that review), but I completely disagree.
The atmosphere felt so contrived and artificial, and I just spent the whole time waiting for enemies to pop out, like I always knew they would. It felt so very cheap.
I don't think F.E.A.R. rely only on the ability to startle people. In many parts of the game I was really frightened, I felt fear. Just like you do in Silent Hill.
Yeah, there is no right and wrong. No one can decide what other people feel, but I have an obligation to report my honest beliefs when writing a review, rather than, say, review by committee, and I found F.E.A.R. to be very cheap and artificial as a horror game, just like Condemned.
That surprises me, as you call F.E.A.R. a fantastic game in previous reviews. Anyway, I like your reviews although we often have different opinions. Are you going to review Left 4 Dead 2? It would be interesting to hear your thoughts on the game.
I do love F.E.A.R., but just for the gunplay. The gunplay is absolutely fantastic, and although very badly told, the story is kind of awesome. But I don't rate it at all as a horror game.
I will probably review L4D2 when I get it, but that won't be any time soon (unless someone feels like buying it for me). Hotlesbianassassin has made a fantastic review of it, though. Check out his profile.
dam man, you should have asked me, i got l4d2 from my uncle but i didn't want it. I activate it to check it out and it's not really my thing. could have given it to you. Oh well, to late :P
Ive played all the Silent hill games up until now, I found them scary when I was younger but now I kind of see them for what they are like exploring the town go in a building look into every door do a puzzle ect,
The storys are always great and like you said the deep meanings of everything is pretty amazing, Everyone hates me for saying this but somthing about silent hill 4 really creeped me out and I have no idea why, A verry meh game but it just creeped me out,
I totally disagree with you saying FEAR depends on startling the player. FEAR is more about atmosphere than anything else. FEAR 2 is about startling the player, and it was pretty much crap. Not scary, not even particularly interesting. Pretty much every scare was Alma jumping out and grabbing the player. FEAR 1 was nothing like that at all.
I never found that to be the case. Alma was constantly popping out at me (even though it had been established that she didn't want to hurt me, so encountering her made me feel nothing) and that was it, really.
Little girls popping out and shouting boo!
I think the key element of horror - any kind of horror - is vulnerability, and F.E.A.R. is the antithesis of that. You're a badass slow motioning soldier armed to the teeth.
I don't believe there is a right and wrong opinion in this, though.
I understand that argument, definitely. I think Alma worked in spite of you being a badass though because you just couldn't hurt her. Doesn't matter how much of a badass you are, your bullets just go right through her.
I'll have to give SH2 a try though. Even Yahtzee likes it so I guess it must be pretty good.
I feel like F.E.A.R. could have handled the Alma situation a bit better. For example, in F.E.A.R. 2 Alma is hunting you. What if they mixed up the close encounters by, say, having her appear, and start slowly walking toward you. You must turn and run the other direction, but her power is warping reality, pulling everything back to her, and you move away slowly, like a nightmare you try to run from but cannot. You must go over and under obsticles trying desperately to stay one step ahead...
It would be like a Mirror's Edge chase in slow motion. Or maybe have a scene where Alma slowly moves toward you as ghosts spawn and fly at you, where you must eliminate the ghosts before she can get to you, and as she is almost there, reality snaps back into place, halting her psychic advance, if only temporarily.
What I am getting at is that the horror would be more compelling if they mixed up the Alma encounters with a bit more varied gameplay than just some mouse-mashing QTEs.
I remember trying Silent Hill 3 for an hour or two and found that the controls were so bad that I would rather spend an hour or two headbutting the business end of a pitchfork. I'd imagine SH2's controls are not much better. It's the only thing that has kept me from giving it a try. The Japanese have a weird way of implementing controls in 3d games. They very rarely get it right.
Were you playing with a pad? A lot of PC gamers refuse to, but I always say the smart gamer uses the best tool for the job, and a pad is definitely the best tool for the job.
You also have to turn on directional control (not on by default for some stupid reason), which gives you proper 3D movement control rather than the archaic tank spin-left-spin-right-move-forwards-or-backwards thing.
With a pad and directional control set on, it's absolutely fine.
Great review, as usual. System Shock 2 is still the scariest game ever made, in my opinion, mostly for the same reasons you mentioned that make this one scary. Which would you say is more so?
System Shock 2. The enemies are far, far more intimidating and they respawn randomly, so you can rarely feel safe.
Although SS2 also uses the you-can-hear-them-before-you-see-them thing, SOME enemies are silent, and the sense of paranoia that creates is very intense.
I also feel a pretty strong disconnect when playing third person horror games. SS2 being first person gives it a huge edge.
But SH2 is a masterpiece, and despite this list of points in favour of SS2, it is a hard decision.
I really dislike 3. It's mostly just a remake of 1 (meaning there's no awesome new story to figure out) and I think they sort of ignored the symbolish almost entirely.
I played SH1 when it first came out for the PSX. But when I played SH2 on my PS2, I have to say. It's my favorite and most nostalgic game on the PS2 I have ever played as a teenager. I beat the game so many times, got all the endings and what not. This game holds a special place in my heart of all Survival horror games.
Great review! Silent hill 2 is a special game for me, easily in my top 3,and depending on the mood, sometimes I even consider it my personal favorite. It opened my eyes on what video games can do, and raised my gaming standards quite high.
And bravo for mentioning Akira Yamaoka, a god among musicians in gaming industry. I'm telling you, his music is too good for him to be just a regular human. :)
Which one is your favorite soundtrack, by the way? I love all of them, even though The room one was a bit to generic perhaps. Homecoming had some nice music, like the track that plays during the Scarlet boss fight. You should check that out if you didn't play the game. But overall, it was too noisy, the whole game just didn't have the subtlety it should have.
But yeah, Akira is in my opinion, one of the highlights of gaming industry in general.
I've actually only played the first three (I also own the 4th, but dislike it and quit after ~20 minutes).
My favourite is definitely the first, I think. I've never listened to the soundtracks side by side, but I find the first game quite a bit more frightening, and I'm sure a lot of that is rooted in the music.
I plan to play the 4th sooner or later, and I'm planning to get the upcoming Wii game, but I don't think I want to try Homecoming.
Love this game with a passion, great review. It does tend to annoy me seeing people talking about Dead Space, Doom 3 and similar games like they've reinvented the horror genre, when all they've really done is rehash the oldest tricks in the book, and poorly at that.
Yeah, I know what you mean. I have to pick my words very carefully when talking about DS. I *love* the game, but the horror is really pretty bad. It does have some pretty fantastic sound, though, which I find is a key element of horror.
Dead Space was, in many ways, a by-the-numbers game, but I felt that it was executed with an uncommon compotence. Presentation counts when it comes to enjoyment of games, and that game had a great presentation. It was a different style presentation than games like Silent Hill, different style of horror, but still good. As one commentor said of Dead Space, "It's not Alien, it's Aliens."
This and Eternal Darkness were the only pre-RE4 survival horror games I really got into. Wasn't a fan of the gameplay of SH but like you said, you just can't top its presentation. Probably up there with Fumito Ueda's work in terms of atmosphere and immersion.
Do you consider RE4 a survival horror game? Quite a few people do, but it doesn't seem to fit the bill to me.
I think of it as an action horror game - I mean, you're way more focused on killing than you are on surviving.
The survival horror genre has had a much needed face lift over the last 4-5 years, but I think a lot of non-survival horror games are being categorised as survival horror because of content (monsters etc), pretty much regardless of the gameplay.
One magazine tagged RE4 as being "adrenaline horror" and I am inclined to agree. It is not so much a "scary" game as a "tense" game. It keeps the player under near-constant pressure, trying to get them to crack. It is a little like L4D that way.
Incidentally, that same magazine refered to the Silent Hill series as taking the genre from "survival horror" to "survival terror". It was the first game to really get in your head, and continues to be the ur-example of that.
Fear 1 was bad? Then you probably did not play. Fear did not rely once on cheap horror. The game was creepy. Virtually little music, seeing things out of the corner of your eyes, no sense of direction forcing you to explore in places you don't want to, the sound effects, fear may not be scary but it was very creepy and an incredible game. The only game I know that successfully bred action with horror
Anothereviewer 1 month ago
@Anothereviewer he never said its bad.he just said it sucks as a horror game.because it uses jump scares.check out his review for it. he loves the story and gunplay.also hes dead.
averageblackreviews 1 month ago
@Anothereviewer you're a bleeding idiot
BeingShotAt 2 weeks ago
@BeingShotAt I prefer the term "special". Bleeding idiot is rather offensive. All I was saying is that i dont agree with fear using jump at you horror. Fear 2 and 3 I completely agree with cheap horror. I found fear 1 very creepy and unique like the ring or the grudge but with intense action like half life series. Maybe i misunderstood him or whatever and I am sorry if that makes me an idiot but hey man its cool.
Anothereviewer 2 weeks ago
I completely dissagree with your comment about fear not being 'proper horror.' Condemned has one of the nastiest, dankest, foulest atmospheres of any game I have played and relies on very little jump scares. It's like watching an 80's video nasty like last house on the left or something along the lines of irreversible. It's a fantastic game. Sure silent hill 2 is the best horror game, and my favourite game. Though it's not as scary as condemned or even SH3 IMO
Togutas 1 month ago
The only thing I didn't like about SH 2 was some dumb moments and limited # of different weapons. But that's actually what some liked about the game...
LaharlD2 2 months ago
shattered memories was bullshit....end of.., this game does not compare
Rilyn666 2 months ago
R.I.P.
JohnMarksTV 3 months ago
thats so true i ask freinds they think resedent evil 5 is better then sillent hill 2 i said well you havent even fucken played it how the fuck is it better he said it just is i said fuck no sillent hill is one of the best games ive ever plaed then walked away LIKE A BOSS
quickzzcope 3 months ago
The guy sounds like he can say "THIS IS SPARTA!"
1812death 3 months ago
wow i cant believe i never played sh2 i beat the 1st one. your review got me pumped to finally play sh2 i'm get it for pc. great review. do you think any sh games for next gen consol are as good as this one
Pandabearmadness 3 months ago
SH2 nailed the look of the town more than any other SH game, but it is not the best SH game at least for me :)
Tactomanify 4 months ago
When you talked about the fluffy animal shadows, I just thought of Monty Python's killer rabbit joke.
laifalbert 5 months ago
What do you think of Silent Hill: Shattered Memories? What do you think is the most frightening or the best overall?
laifalbert 5 months ago
@laifalbert Shattered Memories has astounding technology, and a decent story (though it relies too much on its ending), but the actual gameplay itself is terrible.
The horror is terrible. Ripping out combat was a good idea, but the run-away mechanic meant that you were totally safe if you kept running, and that just killed the game. The puzzles are designed for children. Studip children.
Overall, not a good game, but the technology alone is just astounding.
antisocialfatman 5 months ago
Yea yea the scariest game ever made I agree with you fatty.
Didnt play any other Silent Hills,can you recomend any ?
And by the way Condemned and Resident Evil series are not scary in my opinion.
jimmyy13 5 months ago
I played Silent Hill homecoming for 30 mins, NEVER AGAIN. I pissed my pants, damnitt what a freakin creepy game.
PapirGlo 6 months ago
@PapirGlo Homecoming is suppose to be the least scary of all the Silent Hills :l
P0PTArrtSxD 6 months ago
Great review. Game looks good too.
RPKGameVids 6 months ago
I love your voice
30subber 7 months ago
Only thing I did not like about the game was the respawning enemies and very limited health at some points in the game (the hospital was rather shitty imo regarding health).
lildread1 7 months ago
i don't get how people don't give silent hill 4 the credit it deserves, that game was far different than the rest but was still as scary and the story was just as original as silent hill 2, it even introduced us to walter sullivan who was just as sinical as pyramid head...
MyGodzilla99 7 months ago
@MyGodzilla99 You mean "cynical" because that's incorrectly using that word. Also, Silent Hill 2 introduced Walter. SH4 was a really good game but it's important to note that it was not originally going to be a SH game.
KedViper 7 months ago
@KedViper why are you stalking me dude?
MyGodzilla99 7 months ago
@MyGodzilla99 Oh, I didn't even know you were the same person. I'm just subscribed to both these people.
KedViper 7 months ago
@KedViper o ok :)
MyGodzilla99 7 months ago
take a breath. you've earned it
cami80104 8 months ago
@cami80104 you his master? O.o
MyGodzilla99 8 months ago
@MyGodzilla99 somewhat
cami80104 8 months ago
Comment removed
MyGodzilla99 8 months ago
Thanks for the review, son
Can you elaborate more on the Symbols ?
TheBaharmast 8 months ago
@TheBaharmast Not in so public a forum. It might spoil the story for people.
antisocialfatman 8 months ago 3
Greatest horror games in my opinion: Silent Hill, Eternal Darkness, Amnesia...I could go on and on.
JRevengeavengerY 8 months ago
Combat in Silent Hill 2 wasn't meant to be good, so that point you made is invalid.
The voice acting for James may appear to be bad, but it's supposed to be emotionless because it fits his character. Angela's voice is supposed to be awkward because it, once again, fits her character. In a way, the voice acting is so good, it seems bad. The puzzles are there to test your intelligence and logic, not to drag the game out. All of the items you list are all "no mistake", as said in the making of SH2.
bluerubyvideos 9 months ago
@bluerubyvideos It's ridiculous to say that something is immune to criticisim if it is intentional. Bad is bad, intentional or not. Harmful to the quality of the game, intentional or not.
Also, you're buying into some serious bullshit if you think the voice acting is meant to be as bad as it is. And the puzzles *do* drag the game out with much backtracking, so I don't see a point there.
They make the game worse, ipso facto; mistakes. If they are intentional, the design process is the mistake.
antisocialfatman 9 months ago 5
@antisocialfatman
Haters gonna hate.
bluerubyvideos 8 months ago
@bluerubyvideos Are you calling me a "hater"? Because I give the game a 5/5, describing it as one of the best games ever made. Indeed, I love the game. I am a lover!
But it does have some very clear flaws, and ignoring them simply because you like the game isn't helping anyone. If you want fanatical fanboyism, you should look elsewhere.
antisocialfatman 8 months ago 9
@bluerubyvideos The combat could have been better executed and easier to do while still keeping James as a vulnerable human.
ichater 8 months ago
@bluerubyvideos I watched the making of SH2 (btw, Takayoshi Sato is awesome) and I don't recall them saying anything about the combat and voice-acting.
KedViper 8 months ago
I would recommend to play it on Hard because it gets so much scarier,it IS harder,but it's not impossible.Strongly recommended.But riddle mode still is ok on normal mode.
burexasiromm 9 months ago
Dude you have and awesom voice thumbs up for this guy plz!!
areyou0serious 9 months ago
Best review yet for any game. Thank you.
reachmehere5 9 months ago
Saw this at Gamestop on the PS2 for 16$. All I hear is good things about it. I'm into the survival-horror genre, so would anyone recommend it even though the PS2 is out-dated?
Triforce9426 10 months ago
@Triforce9426 I definitely wouldn't recommend it.
antisocialfatman 10 months ago
@antisocialfatman why u said its good though
anthonyslashtv 9 months ago
@Triforce9426 The game is tricky. I gave up at a certain point. But it is very creepy and mind boggling. But yeah, I would get it if I had the chance and didnt already own it.
AnimalCatcherz1 9 months ago
@Triforce9426 I'd have to disagree. If you can get past the graphics it's definitely worth playing, if nothing else but for the wonderful story. Thanks for the review, by the way @antisocalfatman. Silent Hill 2 is my favorite of the series, despite the fact that, in my opinion, the original was quite a bit more terrifying. You make a good point about the combat; unlike in the original, where the enemies presented an immediate threat, combat in Silent Hill 2 was disappointingly lackluster.
jgmitro 9 months ago
@Triforce9426 it all depends how u feel about the series are u a fan of silent hill i had always been a RE fan and surprised how good the silent hill series was i own both 2,3 and i enjoyed both i would recommend it and the music is AMAZING :)
meg5493 8 months ago
Good review!
Ps3GamerVideos 11 months ago
Good work on the review, mate.
Clarensee 1 year ago
wow, 6666 views on a silent hill video. coincidence?
RoronoaZorolover 1 year ago
I really like the manor in which you did this review.
A2Nesk 1 year ago
im gonna attempt to play this on the 360 even though i heard its really glitchy
crossfaceable 1 year ago
I love the Resident Evil series, and I credit Capcom for making the first true survival horror game, but Konami took survival horror to a whole new level with the Silent Hill series. I've never been so emotionally attached to characters as I have been in a Silent Hill game. Great review, great game.
tylerfrump15 1 year ago
I have to say this is a top review. Thanks for improving the last 10 minutes of my life!
BumCrackCookies 1 year ago
I dont think you get the point resident evil. In essence, yes its a zombie jumping out of a closet, but whats really scary is the atmosphere and the growing sense of dread you have because you charater is very underpowered, and death means starting over. But theres also the choice to not kill it, for fear it comes back as a much more powerful zombie that you most likley cant handle
Thethingofcreepy 1 year ago
@Thethingofcreepy No, I completely get that. It just doesn't really work as horror. The RE games are too generous with supplies for it to work in any real way.
antisocialfatman 1 year ago 2
@antisocialfatman They may be very generous with supplies, but you don't have equipent good enough untill much later on in the game, but even then it won't be untill much later that you have enough supplies to not have to ration everything. BTW im not talking about re4 and re5, that's a very big stretch to call those true survival horror games, especially re5
Thethingofcreepy 1 year ago
@Thethingofcreepy Yes, RE4 nd 5 are definitely not survival horror. They are action horror.
But, the thing is, horror isn't really something that needs analysing and dissecting in order for it to be effective. Explaining to me why you think it's scary does not make it so for me. You feel it or you don't. There's nothing to get.
I have never found Resident Evil effective. I found the weapons perfectly adequate and I found enough supplies to keep me going. The best RE ever did was make me jump.
antisocialfatman 1 year ago
@antisocialfatman I guess i got a little carried away on my second response, but no, i don't mean to make you thing its scary, just the way you said it in your review made me think that you didn't get the style of horror they attempted to use in resident evil. but I am very impressed with your attention to your fan base to respond to almost every comment thet you think needs a response
Thethingofcreepy 1 year ago
I dont get how this has not been done since? Anything like Silent Hill. Sure, Resident Evil clones, and good ones! But the latest Silent Hill game, was just another attempt to be RE4. SH4 I thought was really interesting, I loved the idea, and the story more so than SH2. And with all the game mechanics we have now, like those in Amnesia Dark Descent, this could be remade, or a sequel that is truly Next-Gen. There hasnt been a horror game that has scared me since the imagery of SH4!
BuckFastZombie 1 year ago
i finally bought this game.i beat it with my friend but now i own it.i got the xbox version so i could use it on 360 and its awsome.
bobombthekoopa 1 year ago
First Silent Hill was scarier than the rest, killing enemies was difficult and they chased you like crazy and system limitations made the darkness in the game pitch black. Plus I still think that the game had the best otherworld transformations and the puzzles were a lot harder than the rest even on normal.
DeadEndScreamer 1 year ago
@DeadEndScreamer I agree. It also has a better story.
...though it is told even worse, with much worse writing and voice acting.
antisocialfatman 1 year ago
What a very well spoken review. I just picked the Directors Cut up today for PC in a bargain bin. I don't know how it stacks up against the normal version, but I assume there is just a little more content. I haven't played any other game in the series so I am pretty excited to start playing tomorrow. Thanks for not spoiling anything for me as well! Great review!
secondghost 1 year ago
@secondghost Thank you for your kind words. The DC is actually the only version available for the PC.
It adds an extra campaign (2ish hours long) from the perspective of a side-character. It's not great or anything, but it's a nice little addition. I don't know of any changes made to the main campaign in the DC.
antisocialfatman 1 year ago
Silent Hill 2 was truly a landmark for horror games. I loved this story so much, BEST story in a video game ever.
LasagnaProductions 1 year ago
You should review the Penumbra games, no jump scares in those and the atmosphere is amazing!
mrbitbot 1 year ago
@mrbitbot They're already on my list, but thanks for the suggestion.
antisocialfatman 1 year ago
I actually thought the first FEAR was pretty damn scary, because it relied on that Japanese horror type thing, where the suspense just builds and builds and then something little happens yet you shit yourself. Like the part with Alma just pops up in the elevator. No BOO, no scary face. Just a single piano chord and that bitch in your face for half a second. Some people don't even see it.
Muzzleflash219 1 year ago
First class review. You should do more.
Bulunderuuun 1 year ago
yeah silent hill 2 was my fav. horror game ever its maybe the only franchise that relly fucks with your head
lowspecreview 2 years ago
You deserve the most epic of virtual high fives for this review.
TheDominoDecree 2 years ago
Silent Hill 2 is one of the greatest games ever made.
TheodenN 2 years ago 36
This comment has received too many negative votes show
i think Silent Hill the movie is good
Moose60000 2 years ago
I think that system shock 2 is scarier than Silent hill 2 but that is mostly because i didn't really think that it was scary the sounds were a little creepy but i found myself playing with enemies and having fun and laughing so if anything I thought Silent hill 2 was funny
skaterkidz7 2 years ago
A lot of people say Silent Hill was scary, and SH2 was creepy.
KedViper 2 years ago
How about a S.T.A.L.K.E.R. review?
MrBoBoTom 2 years ago
I can't rule out a STALKER review, but at this point it's unlikely, certainly any time soon.
antisocialfatman 2 years ago
I would recommend it. It does have a very unique feel to the setting of post-disaster survival. Includes some interesting character-building elements focused on questing, looting, and equipment, but no skill points or stat-building like traditional RPGs. And it too has some quite scary moments, what with underground ventures, horrific creatures, and an forbodding and hostile environment.
FearlessSon 2 years ago
Oh, I've played it. I've played it to death! That's part of why I don't want to review it. It means playing it again, and I am totally burned out on the game.
antisocialfatman 2 years ago
ANOTHER CLASSIC REVIEW.....
HardWarUK 2 years ago
Thanks!
antisocialfatman 2 years ago
AMAZING review thank you
danfish88 2 years ago
Brilliant review!
hi4adam 2 years ago
i loaded this game up after watching your review. i must say, i had a very different experience when i took the time to relish all of the aspects of storytelling that i missed on the first playthrough.
sidexwalk 2 years ago
also, did you happen to notice the huge amount of sexual imagery in this game? it's overflowing with such...then again, perhaps i just interpreted wrongly.
sidexwalk 2 years ago
Yeah, it is filled with sexual imagery, and it's all completely tied in to the story. I don't want to give any spoilers away though so I won't say any more.
I play the SH games with a notepad and pen and write down everything I see what what it might mean.
antisocialfatman 2 years ago
I own all of the Silent hill games and have yet to finish one of them. The atmosphere just scares the crap out of me and usually about half way through I usually quit and adopt the aforementioned fetal position. I usually end up watching a let's play so I can at least figure out the engaging storyline without reading spoilers online.
Raditzdm 2 years ago
i will try this game one of these days, just cuz you like it so much (and hopefully, i will hate it, so i can make fun of the game and you), but there are things about the game that you mentioned in the review that i don't like, namely shitty combat and bad dialogue. and i'm weary of japanese stories; they tend to be weird (and not in a good way)!!
anyway, great review, as always.
hotlesbianassassin 2 years ago
SH 2 is a game that fascinated me, long before i've ever played it.
Everybody says it's such a great game.
That's why I installed it about 3 days ago...
So far, I think it's brilliant.
It really knows how to get you on the edge of your seat :)
Good review !
Shame you didnt mention piramid-head...
That guy makes my stomach turn :S
oh and PS: I just love the theme song !!
TheAquarius87 2 years ago
True fear is about disarming the player and only allowing them two options, face the enemy or sneak past it. Facing the enemy ultimately leading to death or a much worse fate. Shooting simply isn't made for true horror games. That's not to say horror games can't have shooter aspects, but they should definitely be limited. Games like Penumbra: Black Plague, Pathologic and Darkness Within capture those elements of no defense and a rush, and are perfect examples of true horror games.
LiamNeesonsDick 2 years ago
I remember the moment I played Silent Hill 1, when it I had to descend down to the black abyss below inside a rickety rusted elevator at the rusted basement or lower levels of either the hospital or the school..
I've never felt that sort of dread in a game or real life ever before or since. I *really* did not want to go down.
jamiekin 2 years ago
Yeah I know exactly what you mean. Something I wanted to say in my review was that every 'broken lock' is a blessed relief, as each one was one less brain-squeezing ordeal you have to go through.
antisocialfatman 2 years ago
fatman, thank you so much for distinguishing scary from startling, as the latter is so commonly mis-labeled as the former.
sidexwalk 2 years ago
@sidexwalk
I agree completely. Startling only lasts about a minute after it happens, but this game had me on edge for the entire time I was playing it and even sometime after it.
The symbolism was fantastic and perhaps the best used in a video game to my recollection. To this day I still have trouble tying some loose ends.
666OrWhat 2 years ago
I've heard this review alot, even though it just got released :D
Great job, this game still creeps me out!
ZeNoodle 2 years ago
You should definitely play Cryostasis (or like the other dude said, Black Plague, though I like Cryostasis more). Anyone who likes storytelling in games should play it. I'll go on record saying that Cryostasis has the best story of any video game, ever. It comes with lots of annyoances, sure, but if you can overlook them in Silent Hill, I don't think they'll be a problem. I'd love to see a review of it, anyways :)
utubegod35 2 years ago
I actually own Cryostasis (and all the Benumbra games) and reviews are forthcoming, but Crystasis runs at about 12 FPS on my computer, so it'll be a while and an upgrade before I get around to it.
I'm sceptical about the story, though!
antisocialfatman 2 years ago
I never understood why so many people think Doom 3 is scary. One of your guns is call the "BFG" and anyone armed with it could take over a small country.
That in itself breaks any illusion of horror the game tried to put me in.
FEAR did a somewhat better job with its freaky scenes and the ninjas who went out of their way to screw with you, but it's still a far cry to a true horror game.
whatitubelike 2 years ago
I don't know if anyone else feels about it like this but the way that the fear deflates when u get to the monster symbolizes that there really isn't anything to be afraid of and u have to just push through until u get out.
KedViper 2 years ago
That's an interesting way of looking at it. I had never considered that.
But I don't think any message or symbolism or story element or anything should ever (be it deliberate or not) hurt the gameplay, and I think the way combat works in SH2 definitely hurts the gameplay.
Not much, but it does.
antisocialfatman 2 years ago
Oh god I love you. You're a fucking genious D:
nicha112 2 years ago
I agree 100% with the startling / fear thing. I hate when things that are supposed to be scary just have stupid shit jumping out, I hate being startled, but I like scary stuff.
SillySnake72 2 years ago
Great review and I would say that Silent Hill 2 is one of the best horror games ever made. Have you played Eternal Darkness? That's another game that I consider one of the best horror games ever made, and I think you should check it out if you haven't played it. I'm sure you would enjoy it very much.
Gonboo 2 years ago
(Continued because of shitty character limit)
However, I am a big fan of more real threats. Though the game now looks more promising to me, the fact that enemies are ridiculously easy to kill or avoid is kind of a putoff.
If you're not into Black Plague of Penumbra yet, I'll warn you you do not have weapons, which generates an amazing feeling of terror to face the enemy.
Getting all this suspense up for something as challenging as Cryostasis would be kind of sad. :(
leewolfgang 2 years ago
it really is something you got to play through. watching gameplay footage or reviews wont do it justice i think in many ways it is similar to the game braid. they both look kind of weak and generic at first glance, but they also have some of the greatest stories and deepest themes of any game.
elipoop123 2 years ago
What do you think of homecoming?
LufsyLurqy 2 years ago
I haven't played it. I'm not sure I want to.
antisocialfatman 2 years ago
I would not call Doom 3 particularly scary, but many of the horror tactics that weren't jumping out at you were very successful at rattling my cage. The use of dark is very controversial, but I think that it's a genuine tactic, as the human fear of the unknown kicks in.
This game has always looked boring from everything I've seen of it, even reviews, but your actual analysis now makes me feel a lot more sure of myself if I were to buy it. I might get it.
leewolfgang 2 years ago
Yeah. Vulnerability is the root of fear, I think, and Doom 3's see-or-shoot mechanic is very effective. But I find that it's only effective for perhaps an hour, because the game is so very routine.
I just got used to it, and it lost its effect.
antisocialfatman 2 years ago
Im surprised you didnt mention pyramid head or the awsome characters.....:S
IsaacD1987 2 years ago
Yeah he's a great character, but I wanted to reveal as little as possible (that's why all the gameplay footage is from the first 40 minutes).
antisocialfatman 2 years ago
While Pyramid Head is a great chacter and his symbolism in the story of SH2 of great importance, I think that he honestly proved a little too popular. As a fan favorite, he ends up getting forced into SH media even if it does not make sense for him to be there. His appearance in the SH movie for example, and I hear he has a cameo in SH: Homecoming.
FearlessSon 2 years ago 23
Yeah, the entire SH film pissed me off. The use of Pyramid Head, the sexy nurses, the straightjacket guy... None of it made sense.
And Gans and Avery both publicly claimed they "get" Silent Hill. Clearly they don't!
antisocialfatman 2 years ago
To be fair a brilliant writer/director would still have had a difficult time making something like SH work as a film without radically altering it. But yeah, they really could have done a better job. I'm guessing they "got" the game in the same way Zack Snyder "got" Watchmen: all the puzzle pieces are there, just none of the subtext.
Kagemusha08 2 years ago
Fatguy, your shit needs subtitles.
hatefuIIkat 2 years ago
james sunderland is my history teacher
ryeguy48 2 years ago
This was the first game that really nailed the sense of slowly eroding sanity for me. The enemies and situations reflect not simply what happens to the town, but what happens to the player character, and it is masterful.
Did the Windows version come with Restless Dreams? It was a side campaign on the Xbox in which you play as Maria shortly before she meets James. It was a likewise brilliant but short piece of story-telling, which only thows her character further into question.
FearlessSon 2 years ago
The version I have did, but there may be multiple versions.
I didn't mention it only because of limited time.
antisocialfatman 2 years ago
mfsa. Today I declare my undying man crush towards you for reviewing this piece of classic.
althoir88 2 years ago
Yay!
antisocialfatman 2 years ago
You have no idea how happy I am to see you do a review of a silent hill. thank you antisocialfatman
AlessaChevalier 2 years ago
You are very welcome.
antisocialfatman 2 years ago
As much as i genuinely love and appreciate silent hill 2, as it is one of my favorite games of all time, i must disagree with your opening statements and defend another personal favorite: Condemned. For me, the dilapidated, rundown, bum-infested buildings in condemned sets an equally foreboding and dreadful atmosphere as silent hill 2, and those startling scares come at any given moment. with the superb sound effects monolith delivers in all of their games, i was always on edge throughout...
ImTylerDurden99 2 years ago
condemned. the game evoked pure fear from me when i was playing it. when i heard a shelf fall in the distance and the grunts of an insane crack addict yell in a nearby corner, i would ever-so-cautiously creep toward an inevitable scare. to me, these jump out moments are the frights that truly catch me off guard and define an even scarier game. top those scares with a depressing, relentless atmosphere and an engrossing murder mystery story and youve got my scariest game all time...
ImTylerDurden99 2 years ago
read these posts backwards since youtube's remaining character count in retarded and so is the reply system. but actually, i may renig on what i said and proclaim fatal frame the scariest game ive ever played...it's the only horror game i simply was too scared to finish
ImTylerDurden99 2 years ago
Well, I won't write a serious reply here (as I'm reviewing Condemned soon - I think it suffices to say you won't be liking that review), but I completely disagree.
The atmosphere felt so contrived and artificial, and I just spent the whole time waiting for enemies to pop out, like I always knew they would. It felt so very cheap.
antisocialfatman 2 years ago
So this game has no real problems running under vista?
Ilikelimpbizkit 2 years ago
I don't own Vista, so I have no way of knowing. But it's fine in XP (and patches fix what aren't fine).
antisocialfatman 2 years ago
good review!
fernando101090 2 years ago
I don't think F.E.A.R. rely only on the ability to startle people. In many parts of the game I was really frightened, I felt fear. Just like you do in Silent Hill.
theulv 2 years ago
Yeah, there is no right and wrong. No one can decide what other people feel, but I have an obligation to report my honest beliefs when writing a review, rather than, say, review by committee, and I found F.E.A.R. to be very cheap and artificial as a horror game, just like Condemned.
antisocialfatman 2 years ago
That surprises me, as you call F.E.A.R. a fantastic game in previous reviews. Anyway, I like your reviews although we often have different opinions. Are you going to review Left 4 Dead 2? It would be interesting to hear your thoughts on the game.
theulv 2 years ago
I do love F.E.A.R., but just for the gunplay. The gunplay is absolutely fantastic, and although very badly told, the story is kind of awesome. But I don't rate it at all as a horror game.
I will probably review L4D2 when I get it, but that won't be any time soon (unless someone feels like buying it for me). Hotlesbianassassin has made a fantastic review of it, though. Check out his profile.
antisocialfatman 2 years ago
dam man, you should have asked me, i got l4d2 from my uncle but i didn't want it. I activate it to check it out and it's not really my thing. could have given it to you. Oh well, to late :P
Licardo7 2 years ago
I thought silent hill 3 was the best. Deffinately the scariest.
STRING3R 2 years ago
Great review=D
Ive played all the Silent hill games up until now, I found them scary when I was younger but now I kind of see them for what they are like exploring the town go in a building look into every door do a puzzle ect,
The storys are always great and like you said the deep meanings of everything is pretty amazing, Everyone hates me for saying this but somthing about silent hill 4 really creeped me out and I have no idea why, A verry meh game but it just creeped me out,
HavokkG1 2 years ago
Nice review. Your comments are intelligent and well thought out. Well done.
mrxsive 2 years ago
I totally disagree with you saying FEAR depends on startling the player. FEAR is more about atmosphere than anything else. FEAR 2 is about startling the player, and it was pretty much crap. Not scary, not even particularly interesting. Pretty much every scare was Alma jumping out and grabbing the player. FEAR 1 was nothing like that at all.
Freecell82 2 years ago
I never found that to be the case. Alma was constantly popping out at me (even though it had been established that she didn't want to hurt me, so encountering her made me feel nothing) and that was it, really.
Little girls popping out and shouting boo!
I think the key element of horror - any kind of horror - is vulnerability, and F.E.A.R. is the antithesis of that. You're a badass slow motioning soldier armed to the teeth.
I don't believe there is a right and wrong opinion in this, though.
antisocialfatman 2 years ago
I understand that argument, definitely. I think Alma worked in spite of you being a badass though because you just couldn't hurt her. Doesn't matter how much of a badass you are, your bullets just go right through her.
I'll have to give SH2 a try though. Even Yahtzee likes it so I guess it must be pretty good.
Freecell82 2 years ago
My problem with that though is that you don't fight her. She doesn't hurt you!
I can't be afraid of something that isn't a threat to me.
I know she can instakill you in some situations, but they are rare and easy to avoid.
antisocialfatman 2 years ago
I feel like F.E.A.R. could have handled the Alma situation a bit better. For example, in F.E.A.R. 2 Alma is hunting you. What if they mixed up the close encounters by, say, having her appear, and start slowly walking toward you. You must turn and run the other direction, but her power is warping reality, pulling everything back to her, and you move away slowly, like a nightmare you try to run from but cannot. You must go over and under obsticles trying desperately to stay one step ahead...
FearlessSon 2 years ago
I love this idea.
antisocialfatman 2 years ago
It would be like a Mirror's Edge chase in slow motion. Or maybe have a scene where Alma slowly moves toward you as ghosts spawn and fly at you, where you must eliminate the ghosts before she can get to you, and as she is almost there, reality snaps back into place, halting her psychic advance, if only temporarily.
What I am getting at is that the horror would be more compelling if they mixed up the Alma encounters with a bit more varied gameplay than just some mouse-mashing QTEs.
FearlessSon 2 years ago
I remember trying Silent Hill 3 for an hour or two and found that the controls were so bad that I would rather spend an hour or two headbutting the business end of a pitchfork. I'd imagine SH2's controls are not much better. It's the only thing that has kept me from giving it a try. The Japanese have a weird way of implementing controls in 3d games. They very rarely get it right.
PunchInTheNutz 2 years ago
Were you playing with a pad? A lot of PC gamers refuse to, but I always say the smart gamer uses the best tool for the job, and a pad is definitely the best tool for the job.
You also have to turn on directional control (not on by default for some stupid reason), which gives you proper 3D movement control rather than the archaic tank spin-left-spin-right-move-forwards-or-backwards thing.
With a pad and directional control set on, it's absolutely fine.
antisocialfatman 2 years ago
Great review, as usual. System Shock 2 is still the scariest game ever made, in my opinion, mostly for the same reasons you mentioned that make this one scary. Which would you say is more so?
Orderves 2 years ago
System Shock 2. The enemies are far, far more intimidating and they respawn randomly, so you can rarely feel safe.
Although SS2 also uses the you-can-hear-them-before-you-see-them thing, SOME enemies are silent, and the sense of paranoia that creates is very intense.
I also feel a pretty strong disconnect when playing third person horror games. SS2 being first person gives it a huge edge.
But SH2 is a masterpiece, and despite this list of points in favour of SS2, it is a hard decision.
antisocialfatman 2 years ago
Good stuff, I don't have number 2 but I do have 3 on the PS2, might consider giving it a try.
GammaGoblinX 2 years ago
I really dislike 3. It's mostly just a remake of 1 (meaning there's no awesome new story to figure out) and I think they sort of ignored the symbolish almost entirely.
1 and 2 are both so much better.
antisocialfatman 2 years ago
I played SH1 when it first came out for the PSX. But when I played SH2 on my PS2, I have to say. It's my favorite and most nostalgic game on the PS2 I have ever played as a teenager. I beat the game so many times, got all the endings and what not. This game holds a special place in my heart of all Survival horror games.
KoiKitsune2006 2 years ago
Great review! Silent hill 2 is a special game for me, easily in my top 3,and depending on the mood, sometimes I even consider it my personal favorite. It opened my eyes on what video games can do, and raised my gaming standards quite high.
And bravo for mentioning Akira Yamaoka, a god among musicians in gaming industry. I'm telling you, his music is too good for him to be just a regular human. :)
GoodlikeSweeper 2 years ago
Any review of SH2 that doesn't mention Akira Yamaoka's music is not a review of SH2!
antisocialfatman 2 years ago
Amen to that!
Which one is your favorite soundtrack, by the way? I love all of them, even though The room one was a bit to generic perhaps. Homecoming had some nice music, like the track that plays during the Scarlet boss fight. You should check that out if you didn't play the game. But overall, it was too noisy, the whole game just didn't have the subtlety it should have.
But yeah, Akira is in my opinion, one of the highlights of gaming industry in general.
GoodlikeSweeper 2 years ago
I've actually only played the first three (I also own the 4th, but dislike it and quit after ~20 minutes).
My favourite is definitely the first, I think. I've never listened to the soundtracks side by side, but I find the first game quite a bit more frightening, and I'm sure a lot of that is rooted in the music.
I plan to play the 4th sooner or later, and I'm planning to get the upcoming Wii game, but I don't think I want to try Homecoming.
antisocialfatman 2 years ago
Your review is excellent.
Justice for priceless art.
samuelmichaud 2 years ago
I couldn't agree more Fatman.
1triggerhappy1 2 years ago
these reviews are best on youtube keep up the good work
videogamerevie81 2 years ago 3
Love this game with a passion, great review. It does tend to annoy me seeing people talking about Dead Space, Doom 3 and similar games like they've reinvented the horror genre, when all they've really done is rehash the oldest tricks in the book, and poorly at that.
Reptiloid87 2 years ago
Yeah, I know what you mean. I have to pick my words very carefully when talking about DS. I *love* the game, but the horror is really pretty bad. It does have some pretty fantastic sound, though, which I find is a key element of horror.
antisocialfatman 2 years ago
Dead Space was, in many ways, a by-the-numbers game, but I felt that it was executed with an uncommon compotence. Presentation counts when it comes to enjoyment of games, and that game had a great presentation. It was a different style presentation than games like Silent Hill, different style of horror, but still good. As one commentor said of Dead Space, "It's not Alien, it's Aliens."
FearlessSon 2 years ago 2
Dam, every time you rate a game as excellent my wallet starts crying.
Diegog5 2 years ago
But your hard disk must be moaning with delight at all the awesome games being installed on it!
antisocialfatman 2 years ago
This and Eternal Darkness were the only pre-RE4 survival horror games I really got into. Wasn't a fan of the gameplay of SH but like you said, you just can't top its presentation. Probably up there with Fumito Ueda's work in terms of atmosphere and immersion.
Kagemusha08 2 years ago
Do you consider RE4 a survival horror game? Quite a few people do, but it doesn't seem to fit the bill to me.
I think of it as an action horror game - I mean, you're way more focused on killing than you are on surviving.
The survival horror genre has had a much needed face lift over the last 4-5 years, but I think a lot of non-survival horror games are being categorised as survival horror because of content (monsters etc), pretty much regardless of the gameplay.
antisocialfatman 2 years ago
One magazine tagged RE4 as being "adrenaline horror" and I am inclined to agree. It is not so much a "scary" game as a "tense" game. It keeps the player under near-constant pressure, trying to get them to crack. It is a little like L4D that way.
Incidentally, that same magazine refered to the Silent Hill series as taking the genre from "survival horror" to "survival terror". It was the first game to really get in your head, and continues to be the ur-example of that.
FearlessSon 2 years ago