Kormiic
May 27, 2003, 08:01
Silent Hill 3
It's happened again. Konami have done it again. I love you Konami, you fucking beauties.
You may have noticed from previous posts, I'm a bit of Silent Hill fan. If you read this forum more, you may have further surmised that I'm an utter Silent Hill nutcase. That's right... I love these games.
Still, I shall review without bias and ensure your best interests as an informed gamer are considered. We all know that forty quid is a fair amount of dosh to spend on a game, and you should sure before you fork it over to the spotty guy with excessive hair gel that the game your purchasing is right for you.
The Game
Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Nope, definitely a bird. By that, I mean a bint, broad, lass, wee girly. That's right, our main character is female this time. Her name's Heather, her turn-ons are shopping, well toned chest muscles and romantic gestures. Her turn offs are large hanging lumps of rotting flesh, psychotic monsters with her demise as their only intent, and vile gruesome surroundings filled with filth, decay and depression. Sorry darlin', but that's all Silent Hill can offer you.
Silent Hill falls smack bang in the middle of the Survival Horror genre. That instantly writes off a lot of gamers as potential buyers of this game. Many fail to appreciate what these games have to offer. For the rest of you, read on.
The developers of Silent Hill games are maybe a little disturbed. Furthermore, one could possibly gesture that they're a deranged bunch of sick fucks, who's goal in life is to reduce you to a quivering, blubbering wreck. OK, so they don't quite achieve that, but they give it a good go. If you've played either of the previous two titles, you will know what I'm on about. The settings are dirty, disgusting and appallingly repugnant. The inhabitants are vile twisted lumps of flesh with gimpy legs and halitosis. Such is the appeal. This game speaks directly to the most sinister, evil, down-right sadistic part of your person. It toys with your brain, shakes you up, chews you and spits you out.
Most games fail to have an effect on a highly desensitised product of the nation such as myself, except Silent Hill. It's why I love them. This one is no exception. It delivers, plain and simple. I try not to let it happen when I'm playing, it's like a fight with myself. I try not to get immersed and let what I'm seeing and hearing get to me, but it's difficult with the exquisite crafting of this masterpiece.
The gameplay doesn't see much in the way of innovation or progression from the previous games. A possible deterant for many. The gameplay still consists of a whole lotta trundling around trying to find that item that allows you to progress past an obstacle, which is typically a key to a locked door. The puzzles are a mix of genius and naff. Some of them you will pass by without having to use your noggin at all, and some of them could strain the logic cortex of a Vulcan to melting point. The problem with this type of game is, if you miss something, you've got a whole lotta wandering to look forward to. There's still the massive number of doors, of which most are locked and can never be opened, which means a whole lotta running around hammering X trying to find a door that opens. And then you enter the 'alternate' dimension of Silent Hill and have to do it all again in the same area, with different scenery.
The earlier previews of this game seemed to boast a heavier, most Resident Evil combat feel. I didn't get that much from this game, it felt more like the previous titles, with a few tastes of heavy combat in the almost annoyingly sparse machine gun shooting areas, which are rather confined, and it's made apparent that you're only meant to use the machine gun where the game designers want you to use it.
The Scenery
The whole Silent Hill world is rendered in mind-blowing detail. Every room is a work of art from top to bottom. It's like the ugliness is so beautiful that your eyes can't help but roam all across it and absorb every pixel of the acrid filth. It makes you love what you should hate. Stains of a biological inclination, large looming shadows twitching and contorting around you, monsters that look like the stars of Jeffry Dahmer's favourite porno. I have no problem saying this is the best looking computer game in existence. As superficial as it sounds, this is the meat of the game... no pun intended. This game is pure (yet savoury) eye candy in all areas. The gameplay is just there to drag you in, and not only make you see it, but feel it, and relish it in all it's vile beauty.
The animation too is very delicately perfected. The demonic presences in Silent Hill twitch and shake as if in a perpetual painful spasm. Some of the monsters move in a manner comparable to a fitting epileptic who's just farted and followed up while on a date with Cameron Diaz. The movements of the creatures seems, painful and wretchedly uncomfortable. You really feel for them as you smash their internals outward with a great big piece of metal. It's the human element to their hideousness which really hits you, as if there's an innocent person trapped within, screaming for mercy.
The Sounds
Silent hill is not only is it visually groundbreaking. The sounds will take your breath away, and replace it with something much less palatable. Mechanical grinds, shrill shrieks, shocking silences broken by distant whispers. The visuals entice you, but the sound is what absorbs you deep into the hell that is Silent Hill. Some will take you by surprise, some will hang ambiently. They escalate, they decay away. The clang, shriek and grind. They scream, cry and beg for mercy.
Every room, every area, every monster, every weapon all have something unique to offer with their sound. Each their own ambience, each their own impact. The sound is as ear-splittingly stunning as the visuals.
The "What's it all about?"
The plot is typical of Silent Hill. Ambiguous characters, confusing happenings swirling in your head and suddenly falling together with a lung-busting thud. Twists, turns, climbs and drops which orchestrate your emotions in ways you only thought that annoying bastard at the Argos customer services counter could. At times, it takes a bit of following. It's a fairly Japanese story. Conspiracies, secrets, hidden agendas are rife. You sometimes need to stop and make sense of it all before you can continue playing.
Silent Hill is the most unsettling game available on the market, simply 'cause it was designed with that in mind. If you want a film equivalent to the game, seek out a film called "Jacob's Ladder". The plot, theme and imagery are aimed in a very similar direction to Silent Hill 3.
The pros and cons in brief
What's good
Incredible graphics, especially the lighting effects.
Stunning and varied sounds.
In involving, twisty, mind boggling plot.
Lots of endings to attain.
What's bad
The controls occasionally let you down.
The game is maybe a little too short.
The puzzles can be a bit naff.
It's possible to miss something, and subsequently be stuck for a long time.
Should I buy it?
Is Silent Hill 3 for you. If you're a fan of the previous two, yes. Yes, yes and yes again. If offers everything the others do, with a new inventive plot, improved visuals and even more indepth sound.
It's got plenty to offer any Survival Horror fan, except longevity. The game is disappointingly short. If you expecting Resident Evil style epic length gameplay you will be disappointed.
If you like your games fast paced, bullets flying and bodies dropping, you probably won't like Silent Hill. I wouldn't like to say the gameplay is relaxed, but it's no shoot-em-up. The idea isn't to kill everything that moves. If you like that sort of game, buy Grand Theft Auto: Vice City or TimeSplitters 2.
If you're of a nervous disposition, or you scare easily, this game might make you leave a few stains in your undies. It's vicious, cruel, ugly, and the horror is no-holds-barred.
The score
91/100
It's happened again. Konami have done it again. I love you Konami, you fucking beauties.
You may have noticed from previous posts, I'm a bit of Silent Hill fan. If you read this forum more, you may have further surmised that I'm an utter Silent Hill nutcase. That's right... I love these games.
Still, I shall review without bias and ensure your best interests as an informed gamer are considered. We all know that forty quid is a fair amount of dosh to spend on a game, and you should sure before you fork it over to the spotty guy with excessive hair gel that the game your purchasing is right for you.
The Game
Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Nope, definitely a bird. By that, I mean a bint, broad, lass, wee girly. That's right, our main character is female this time. Her name's Heather, her turn-ons are shopping, well toned chest muscles and romantic gestures. Her turn offs are large hanging lumps of rotting flesh, psychotic monsters with her demise as their only intent, and vile gruesome surroundings filled with filth, decay and depression. Sorry darlin', but that's all Silent Hill can offer you.
Silent Hill falls smack bang in the middle of the Survival Horror genre. That instantly writes off a lot of gamers as potential buyers of this game. Many fail to appreciate what these games have to offer. For the rest of you, read on.
The developers of Silent Hill games are maybe a little disturbed. Furthermore, one could possibly gesture that they're a deranged bunch of sick fucks, who's goal in life is to reduce you to a quivering, blubbering wreck. OK, so they don't quite achieve that, but they give it a good go. If you've played either of the previous two titles, you will know what I'm on about. The settings are dirty, disgusting and appallingly repugnant. The inhabitants are vile twisted lumps of flesh with gimpy legs and halitosis. Such is the appeal. This game speaks directly to the most sinister, evil, down-right sadistic part of your person. It toys with your brain, shakes you up, chews you and spits you out.
Most games fail to have an effect on a highly desensitised product of the nation such as myself, except Silent Hill. It's why I love them. This one is no exception. It delivers, plain and simple. I try not to let it happen when I'm playing, it's like a fight with myself. I try not to get immersed and let what I'm seeing and hearing get to me, but it's difficult with the exquisite crafting of this masterpiece.
The gameplay doesn't see much in the way of innovation or progression from the previous games. A possible deterant for many. The gameplay still consists of a whole lotta trundling around trying to find that item that allows you to progress past an obstacle, which is typically a key to a locked door. The puzzles are a mix of genius and naff. Some of them you will pass by without having to use your noggin at all, and some of them could strain the logic cortex of a Vulcan to melting point. The problem with this type of game is, if you miss something, you've got a whole lotta wandering to look forward to. There's still the massive number of doors, of which most are locked and can never be opened, which means a whole lotta running around hammering X trying to find a door that opens. And then you enter the 'alternate' dimension of Silent Hill and have to do it all again in the same area, with different scenery.
The earlier previews of this game seemed to boast a heavier, most Resident Evil combat feel. I didn't get that much from this game, it felt more like the previous titles, with a few tastes of heavy combat in the almost annoyingly sparse machine gun shooting areas, which are rather confined, and it's made apparent that you're only meant to use the machine gun where the game designers want you to use it.
The Scenery
The whole Silent Hill world is rendered in mind-blowing detail. Every room is a work of art from top to bottom. It's like the ugliness is so beautiful that your eyes can't help but roam all across it and absorb every pixel of the acrid filth. It makes you love what you should hate. Stains of a biological inclination, large looming shadows twitching and contorting around you, monsters that look like the stars of Jeffry Dahmer's favourite porno. I have no problem saying this is the best looking computer game in existence. As superficial as it sounds, this is the meat of the game... no pun intended. This game is pure (yet savoury) eye candy in all areas. The gameplay is just there to drag you in, and not only make you see it, but feel it, and relish it in all it's vile beauty.
The animation too is very delicately perfected. The demonic presences in Silent Hill twitch and shake as if in a perpetual painful spasm. Some of the monsters move in a manner comparable to a fitting epileptic who's just farted and followed up while on a date with Cameron Diaz. The movements of the creatures seems, painful and wretchedly uncomfortable. You really feel for them as you smash their internals outward with a great big piece of metal. It's the human element to their hideousness which really hits you, as if there's an innocent person trapped within, screaming for mercy.
The Sounds
Silent hill is not only is it visually groundbreaking. The sounds will take your breath away, and replace it with something much less palatable. Mechanical grinds, shrill shrieks, shocking silences broken by distant whispers. The visuals entice you, but the sound is what absorbs you deep into the hell that is Silent Hill. Some will take you by surprise, some will hang ambiently. They escalate, they decay away. The clang, shriek and grind. They scream, cry and beg for mercy.
Every room, every area, every monster, every weapon all have something unique to offer with their sound. Each their own ambience, each their own impact. The sound is as ear-splittingly stunning as the visuals.
The "What's it all about?"
The plot is typical of Silent Hill. Ambiguous characters, confusing happenings swirling in your head and suddenly falling together with a lung-busting thud. Twists, turns, climbs and drops which orchestrate your emotions in ways you only thought that annoying bastard at the Argos customer services counter could. At times, it takes a bit of following. It's a fairly Japanese story. Conspiracies, secrets, hidden agendas are rife. You sometimes need to stop and make sense of it all before you can continue playing.
Silent Hill is the most unsettling game available on the market, simply 'cause it was designed with that in mind. If you want a film equivalent to the game, seek out a film called "Jacob's Ladder". The plot, theme and imagery are aimed in a very similar direction to Silent Hill 3.
The pros and cons in brief
What's good
Incredible graphics, especially the lighting effects.
Stunning and varied sounds.
In involving, twisty, mind boggling plot.
Lots of endings to attain.
What's bad
The controls occasionally let you down.
The game is maybe a little too short.
The puzzles can be a bit naff.
It's possible to miss something, and subsequently be stuck for a long time.
Should I buy it?
Is Silent Hill 3 for you. If you're a fan of the previous two, yes. Yes, yes and yes again. If offers everything the others do, with a new inventive plot, improved visuals and even more indepth sound.
It's got plenty to offer any Survival Horror fan, except longevity. The game is disappointingly short. If you expecting Resident Evil style epic length gameplay you will be disappointed.
If you like your games fast paced, bullets flying and bodies dropping, you probably won't like Silent Hill. I wouldn't like to say the gameplay is relaxed, but it's no shoot-em-up. The idea isn't to kill everything that moves. If you like that sort of game, buy Grand Theft Auto: Vice City or TimeSplitters 2.
If you're of a nervous disposition, or you scare easily, this game might make you leave a few stains in your undies. It's vicious, cruel, ugly, and the horror is no-holds-barred.
The score
91/100