Silent Hill

The 3-D environments in Silent Hill are bathed in fog or darkness, making its dismal setting all the more eerie; this also allows for some spectacular lighting effects when using a flashlight in the dark. Granted, there are some pretty coarse graphics being obscured here, but it's a fair trade-off, considering the game's short load times.

Silent Hill is played from a third-person perspective, viewed from both fixed and moving camera angles. As with similar games, the viewpoint can be awkward at times, especially during combat, which here is so clunky that you should try to avoid it whenever possible--something you should do anyway, as this isn't Tomb Raider.

Rather than resort to cheap scare tactics, Silent Hill features a gameplay twist that works very well with its limited visibility environments. Harry carries a radio with him that crackles with static whenever the game's nasties are near, and continues until they're no longer in the vicinity or have been killed off. (Enemies may require further whacking when they're down, as they like to play dead.) Additionally, the supported Dual-Shock controller pulsates in a heartbeatlike fashion whenever you're moderately or seriously injured. --Joe Hon

Pros:

• Suspenseful story with bone-chilling gameplay
• Short load times
• Excellent lighting and fog effects
• Five possible endings add replay value

• Coarse graphics
• Clunky combat

Customer Reviews:

Still, the Best horror game *no spoilers*

This is a game for the PS1 system. It's got underwhelming graphics considering todays standards, but its incredibly immersive, as good as the best horror movies or books, everything about the game oozes atmosphere and style.
The game play, especially the movement is a little clunky though the emphasis is not on fast paced action so that is never and issue. The objective of the game is to go through a "haunted" town looking for a missing little girl while slowly discovering the back story of the town of silent hill. The puzzles are interesting and logical, never too difficult or too weird, though the game will seem a little little railroaded and constrained (since some sections of the town are off limits at the beginning you will be following a set course throughout the game) this is due to the nature of the eerie and slowly unfolding story. overall a great experience, better than a horror movie anyhow!
Silent Hill 2 will later top this story wise and become the best game in the series, though this magic first experience will remain the most intense!

2008-07-10

Very scary

This game is one of the scariest of all time. Fear perpetuates throughout the game at all times. And most of it is genuine fear, not just the cheap scares like something jumping out from behind a corner (but there are a few of those too). I can't play this game in the dark or alone, it messes me up.

2008-06-07

Down the rabbit hole we go

This was a really fun videogame. Silent Hill is almost like a twisted version of Alice in Wonderland. Set with all kinds of twists and turns you'll certainly enjoy this game. Although beware, the gameplay as well as the outcome changes depending on the decisions that you make during the course of the game. So choose wisely. The part of the videogame that I found to be the most frustrating was the hospital. Even though I have never really played any of the other Silent Hill videogames except for Silent Hill Origins. I also highly recommend Silent Hill Origins.

2008-04-29

An experience I will never forget.

This is a Brilliant game and one of the best games I have ever played. A master peace from start to end

2008-04-04

still one of the best

i am finally playing this game. I played SH2 when it first came out, skipped 3 and played 4 after i saw the movie. I went back and just beat 0rigins. I was able to track down the first three games for relatively cheap. and i must say, playing sh1 on ps3, is still creepy and scary. it might not be as polished the later entries, and definatly not as polished as the upcoming 5 still. if you can get your hands on this game, and like real scary movies and games. if i had to twist this into the movie world. and compare RE to SH. i would say RE is obviously more like Romero's Living Dead series, with a little X files thrown in. While SH with the music, mood and atmospheric setting wise its closer to psycho.

2008-03-10