|
|
Silent Hill for PlayStation 1 Videos >>
Summary Silent Hill is a rare breed of its own genre. In fact, its so scary, it made me dizzy after playing it for the first time. Its almost overwhelming. You see, its actually more than shooting the same old excessively graphic zombie with super-turbo flamethrower k-42 laser beam whatever guns. You have actually have to use your witts to overcome the power of witchcraft and satanic cult rituals. But you will never really understand whats going on. It can really mess with your head, and its a well thought out game. Kind of one of those games you really have to play twice to understand. It messes with your head.Sound The overall sound in Silent Hill is one of the main contributing factors in what make it such a great game. They set just the right kind of mood. They are soft, and distant, and rather strange. So is the music (Your pocket radio plays strange music when a bad guy is near.Very creepy). Except in one part where they use the sounds of what sounds like clashing metal as music.Now the voices are a different story. I think that Harry's voice was just a bit too mellow for the situation. Its not even that he is mono-toned, he just sounds too relaxed. Cybil too. But all the other voices were just fine.The only other problem was the timing. It was pretty bad. There was like a 3-5 second delay between every sentence, or pause, and it was kind of annoying. But, whatever. Gameplay The beautiful thing about Silent Hill is the fact that you play the role of a normal person in a completely abnormal situation. Harry (the character whom which you play), has no special training, no special weapons, and no super powers. Just this alone makes Silent Hill more interesting.Now, even though Harry might not be the quickest guy in the world, he is rather easy to control.Part of this is because the camera view never changes (unless you make it), which means you stay behind Harry the whole time. This is good because walk with Harry, and you feel like you can interact with your surrounding environment more. Unlike the annoying set camera angles that the game chooses for you, which constantly changes and gives you the "sit back and watch" kind of feeling. The game also gives you the perfect feeling of suspense and terror due to the surrounding environment. Either its too foggy, or too dark to see much of anything, and if its not awkwardly quiet, you are hearing soft moans or breathing in the distance, or are hear faint "haunted house" style music in the background. Another thing that might scare you is the fact that you never really know whats going on. Just when you think that things cant get any worse, they never fail to. Nothing in Silent Hill seems real. Silent Hill is just as much of a mind game as it is a video game. Would you like to Comment? Join VideoGameReview for a free account, or Login if you are already a member. Summary I'll admit it.I'm a chicken.I'm one of the biggest wusses who ever walked this planet.I jump at the slightest noises,and I'm afraid of the stupidest things.But I was extremly dissapointed with the low fear factor in Silent Hill.Sure,everyone raves about how terrifying and disturbing it is,but I played it HOME ALONE, in the PITCH DARK,LATE AT NIGHT,and I wasin't scared.Seriously,couldin't they have done a better job of scaring me?I had alot of fun out of this game even if it wasin't that scary.But my biggest beef is the duration.This is the shortest Playstation game I have ever played.The length is just ridiculous,you could probably sit down and beat it in two hours.So that was extremly dissapointing for me,I would have liked this game much better had it lasted longer.The story is simple,nothing like a Final Fantasy.You're Harry.Harry Mason.A middle aged average guy who lost his wife to a disease a few years back. Now it's just him and his cute little seven year old daughter Cheryl.Harry decides to drive to Silent Hill with Cheryl for a vacation.On the way there,a teenage girl steps into the road and Harry swerves to avoid her,and the jeep lands in a ditch.He's knocked unconscious and when he wakes up Cheryl's missing.Now it's your job to find her.There's a small cast of characters, a crazy old woman named Dahlia Gillespie, a lovely young nurse named Lisa Garland, and a blond female cop named Cybil Bennet as well as a male hospital worker (I forgot his name),and Alyssa.They're the only living humans in Silent Hill,the rest of the population consists of skinless bloody dogs,large skinless flying birds,knife weilding zombie kids,and more. Of course,they're all anxious to chomp down on a piece of Harry's flesh.What's a nice change is that fact that Harry's your average Joe.He's not a arse kicking martial artist,a master sniper, or a staff weilding sorcerer,he's merely a middle aged average simgle parent who's never held a gun in his hand in his life.He's a bit clumsy,and when you stop after running,he'll lean over to catch his breath.He's not very agile,either.If you're not careful he'll topple right off the front steps and bite the dirt.So naturally,his aim in the beginning of the game isin't perfect, but he gets better and better as he uses it more and more. Sound Let me state that the voice acting for Harry and Cybil are awful.The male hospital worker,Lisa,and Dahlia Gillespie are pretty good,though. I just hate how Harry seems pretty unxciteable. Oh,I nearly got killed in a car accident,my little girl's missing,possibly lieing in a pool of blood with a skinless dog gnawing on her neck, I keep having nightmares,I don't know what's real anymore,and this crazy old hag's telling me the town is being devoured by darkness.Yeah, everything's cool with Harry.He never even thinks that Cheryl could be dead,he's just gonna round up her little buns and take her on home.Piece o' cake,right?And Cybil is even worse.But the sounds are great.You can hear the zombie kids giggle as they hack at you with a knife,you can hear chains clanking and heavy breathing,and that doom filled music that plays occasionally is awesome.There's hardly ever any kind of music to speak of,except in the beginning FMV,but that music seems a little out of place in a horror game.It sounds kind of like some wierd mexican music,but it's fine. THE FINAL WORD:This game is a pretty fun experience while it lasts,so I recommend renting it.The graphics are crappy for the Playstation, but they work.It didn't scare me,but it will probably scare you. Gameplay I already discussed the gameplay!!Would you like to Comment? Join VideoGameReview for a free account, or Login if you are already a member. Rating Reviewed By ShermanFrom Silent Hill (Ooooh) Review Date 06/16/2002 Overall Rating  5 of 5 Rate this review? Summary The only game in this genre I liked better was SH2, and that's only because of the graphics(and the storyline was a bit more interesting, but that's another review.) Other that that, it's two thumbs up.Sound The sound is very good. If you read my review of SH2, it's pretty much the same deal. Scary music, scary noises, scary sounding enemies. What more is there to say?Gameplay If you're like me, and only bought it because you loved SH2, I'll tell you, the gameplay is for the most part, the same. The controls haven't really changed, and of course, the monsters and characters are different(still as terrifying as ever though). It's hard for me to say which one scare's me more, but I do know, they both scare the hell out of me. The only reason I didn't play it more, is because I just got it two days ago.Would you like to Comment? Join VideoGameReview for a free account, or Login if you are already a member. Rating Reviewed By Jonny H.From SiLeNt hILL, NH Review Date 05/23/2002 Overall Rating 5 of 5 Rate this review? Summary Silent Hill is, without a doubt, the greatest horror game ever(for any platform/system). Rivaled only by its sequel, SH sets the standard for the survival/horror gaming experience. I could go on and on, line after line, page after page trying to tell you how great this game really is, and it still wouldn't be enough to do it justice. So I'm keeping it short and sweet. If you haven't already, drop a few bucks, get the game for yourself, and see first-hand what is impossible to explain here. Bottom line, end of story. This one will never leave you alone!Sound The sound hast to be the greatest thing about the game. It will totally FREAK you out! From music, to strange noises, to wicked scary ambient, it's all there. The perfect atmosphere.Gameplay The gameplay is excellent, full of surprises. It is perfect, complete in every way. Excellent storyline and characters.Would you like to Comment? Join VideoGameReview for a free account, or Login if you are already a member. Rating Reviewed By Agent J.R.From Winnipeg, Manitoba Review Date 05/12/2002 Overall Rating 5 of 5 Rate this review? Summary "GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!! Harry! Watch out for that huge lizard monster about to eat..*loud chewing noises* Oops, too late." Thats what you'll be yelling when you play this game. The fear is not based on Gruesome monsters and huge explosions that can blow your character to mince meat if youre not careful. Ohhhh no, this my friends is a phycological fear maker. If youre saying "Ah why listen to this guy? Resident Evils probably scarier." Than you try playing at midnight with no lights on when "somebody" Whams on the door with all their might and runs away. A true masterpiece.Designed to scare the living s*** out of you.The creepy monsters with no skin look annoying, and you wish they would go away. at first... then half an hour later your praying for them to come back so you don't have to face the "Things" as I call them. As for the 666 hours, Thats just a little joke. hey wait whats that wierd shadow? *I turn around slowly* AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! I used to be one of those people who would sit and watch Evil Dead alone coz my older sister was hiding in the other room crying her eyes out. And go to sleep smiling. Now I'm a person who never watches horror movies alone and blares music when they sleep as if to ward off monsters. and evey siren I hear I hide immediatly. (No Joke!) Here are some gameplay tips: Don't stand in the middle of a room and attack or the monsters will sneak behind you, rip yer head off, and spit down yer throat. Also when you get the katana you have a greater chance of surviving. If youre trapped in a corner. pull er out and swing away. you'll glide forward, be out of the corner, and possibly hurt the enemies. Sound THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT OF THE GAME!!! Silent hill without music is like an airplane without wings, or a keybored without buttons, or a.... well, you get the piont. The radio warns you when monsters are near but the voice acting sucks. Monster and gun sounds really sound good. Also in nowhere the music doesnt have a beat or tempo! Totally freaky, and in one part feedback is used as music! Also as you get to more essential parts of the game the music gets more and more horrific.If i didnt have to use this rating system 10/5 Gameplay The movement is similar to resident evil. You have to aim before you fire, you have to hold square to run, Blah blah blah. But the camera angles aren't fixed and allow freer movement.Would you like to Comment? Join VideoGameReview for a free account, or Login if you are already a member.
 |
4.62 of 5
|
