Review at Large: Silent Hill

I have never played a Silent Hill game. This is largely due to the fact that my ability to absorb media that falls under the moniker of "horror", can easily be likened unto that of a five year old girl: I stay awake at night, jump at shadows, and hide under the covers. Forsooth, even my twenty one years have not endowed me with skin thick enough to sit through a Child's Play movie (Chucky still haunts my nightmares) without covering my eyes and thinking happy thoughts. I won't even try to describe to you the week that followed my first and only viewing of, "The Ring" when it hit American theaters in 2002. Suffice to say it was embarrassing.

And so I have never, ever, played a Silent Hill game. And until very recently, did not entertain the notion of doing so. However, a friend suggested that I review the series and I, caught up between my love of nightmareless sleep and my "journalistic" (I use the term very, very loosely) curiosity arrived at a decent compromise. People would tell me about Silent Hill, and I would talk about what they said. It almost goes without saying that I will get things wrong and need to be corrected, but that's what comment threads are for. So without further adieu, I present to you Hindsight Alloys's first Review at Large - Silent Hill.



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The first, and most obvious aspect to note about the thirteen-game franchise is that it is really really scary. Derelict buildings, dark and foggy environs, and even the infamous Pyramid Head all push to endow the player with a sense of the wrong. These are not places you want to go or things you want to see. You do not play Silent Hill and say to yourself, "wow, I wish this was real" (well, maybe some people do, but come on). And yet the player perseveres, pushing onward and forward from screen to horrifying screen.

Originally meant to capitalize on the success of the Resident Evil/Biohazard games on the Playstation, Silent Hill has since evolved into it's own self sufficient organism, with a fan base that rivals its zombie-riddled cousin. Over its ten year lifespan the series has become known for its complex and emotionally driven story lines, as well as its ability to scare you to death. From the nightmarish aesthetic to the haunting soundtrack composed by Akira Yamaoka, Silent Hill has a certain way of embedding itself in the player's psyche.

According to Sara Castro the series is, "the awesomest" and, "No, really." She goes on to say that "The stories of the first three games are pretty radical." and that once one takes in all the specific details that make up SH's plot lines, it becomes impossible not to love it. At least in the case of the first three entries.

Christian Moore (HA's very own Murex Brandaris) cites the fact that, "these guys (Konami, that is) managed to make a derelict, muck-encrusted old hospital into something far more uncomfortable." in reference to the dark world/hell world mechanic of Silent Hill 3(citation needed).

Brett Cook (HA tag Animated Trigger) notes that Silent Hill 3 is also, "scary as hell, pretty much."

Overall, it can be concluded that anyone wanting a deep and involved storyline, to be scared out of their wits, or simply a meaty game series with lots of entries to chew on would do well to give Silent Hill a spin. In addition to several game entries, the series has spawned a movie adaptation, several comic books, and a few games exclusive to mobile phone platforms. Even the iPhone/iPod touch has an abbreviated SH incarnation available for download, which speaks volumes about the popularity and notoriety that the series has managed to garnish in recent years.





*This is partially a joke. Obviously I can't properly review something I've never played.