"Remember me, and your true self as well, also that which you must become. The one who will lead us to Paradise with blood stained hands!"
I'm not a really big fan of survival horror games, or horror games in general, because I get scared easily, so I feel like I never get to fully enjoy these games and their qualities, mostly because I end up looking for guides and walkthroughs online.
Before the Silent Hill games that I played for the first time last summer, I had only played RE 2 and 3 remakes, and those were both games that i didn't like very much. Luckily, that wasn't the case for the Silent Hill games, because I loved them. After finishing Silent Hill 2 in one day and loving it, I decided to play Silent Hill 3, which quickly became my favorite in the series, even more after playing Silent Hill 1. After one year, while watching my friend play sh2, I decided to replay sh3, and my opinion on it hasn't changed.
I think that Silent Hill 3 is the best game in the original trilogy for a different number of reasons, from the gameplay to the even more absurd horror elements and the incredible story and characters.
First of all i wanted to talk about how good all the different "levels" in this game were, they were all perfectly crafted and scary but fun to go trough, my favorite one was the hilltop center, mostly bc i really liked the change to the otherworld and also i feel like they are the most scary ones with the church, that is one of the best parts in the game with the recalls to silent hill one, the shopping mall and the subway were also good but in this replay i found them really fast to go through and didn't think much of them other than the fact that the mall is a perfect preview of what the game is going to be, then bookhaven hospital is in my opinion the least fun one because you already go through it already in sh2 so its a bit repetitive in its normal form; overall i think that every place visited is good in its own way and doesn't fail at making you feel scared thanks to the perfect sound design but also to its little eastereggs like the cutscene in the subway that always freaks me out.
The gameplay is also better than in sh2, thats because theres more types of weapons that make the gameplay more fun and engaging, also i love the ng plus weapons like the infinite flamethrower, the infinte submachinegun and my favorite one which is the beam saber. Also the costumes add to the game a lot of replayability thanks to all the different shirts and outfits that Heather can wear, even though in my opinion her original outfit is the best one bc its more iconic and particular.
I loved the cult story and how it managed to deliver an interesting and particular narrative, even though it can be considered more "common" than the one in Silent Hill 2.
My favorite characters were Heather, Douglas, and Vincent. The best one is Heather, who has probably become my favorite female character, she acts like a real person during the game by showing a wide range of emotions but also by her interactions with the world around her, and I love how she has her own unique personality, i also really liked Douglas because i think hes a really intricate charachter and i love how the game makes you hate him at the start but then not only he becomes a very important part in the plot, but he also becomes an important person to Heather, then theres Vincent which I really liked because of its contrast with claudia about their beliefs and their different view on the same religion.
The themes of the game are very delicate but at the same time very important to talk about, like unwanted pregnancy, abortion, and womanhood in general. I would love to talk more precisely about each one of them, but I think that since they are a big part of the game, I would end up spoiling something.
I can say that Silent Hill 3 is, at least in my opinion, the peak of horror gaming, and even if I don't play a lot of horror games myself, I don't think that there will ever be a game that surpasses the feeling of anxiety, terror, and also sadness that Silent Hill 3 gave me. This game is a must-play for everyone, even for the people who, like me, aren't really big fans of the horror genre.
PS:
Even though the review is finished, I wanted to share 2 of my favorite quotes from the game:
"Is every person here a mental case?"
"Monsters? They looked like monsters to you?"
I'm not a really big fan of survival horror games, or horror games in general, because I get scared easily, so I feel like I never get to fully enjoy these games and their qualities, mostly because I end up looking for guides and walkthroughs online.
Before the Silent Hill games that I played for the first time last summer, I had only played RE 2 and 3 remakes, and those were both games that i didn't like very much. Luckily, that wasn't the case for the Silent Hill games, because I loved them. After finishing Silent Hill 2 in one day and loving it, I decided to play Silent Hill 3, which quickly became my favorite in the series, even more after playing Silent Hill 1. After one year, while watching my friend play sh2, I decided to replay sh3, and my opinion on it hasn't changed.
I think that Silent Hill 3 is the best game in the original trilogy for a different number of reasons, from the gameplay to the even more absurd horror elements and the incredible story and characters.
First of all i wanted to talk about how good all the different "levels" in this game were, they were all perfectly crafted and scary but fun to go trough, my favorite one was the hilltop center, mostly bc i really liked the change to the otherworld and also i feel like they are the most scary ones with the church, that is one of the best parts in the game with the recalls to silent hill one, the shopping mall and the subway were also good but in this replay i found them really fast to go through and didn't think much of them other than the fact that the mall is a perfect preview of what the game is going to be, then bookhaven hospital is in my opinion the least fun one because you already go through it already in sh2 so its a bit repetitive in its normal form; overall i think that every place visited is good in its own way and doesn't fail at making you feel scared thanks to the perfect sound design but also to its little eastereggs like the cutscene in the subway that always freaks me out.
The gameplay is also better than in sh2, thats because theres more types of weapons that make the gameplay more fun and engaging, also i love the ng plus weapons like the infinite flamethrower, the infinte submachinegun and my favorite one which is the beam saber. Also the costumes add to the game a lot of replayability thanks to all the different shirts and outfits that Heather can wear, even though in my opinion her original outfit is the best one bc its more iconic and particular.
I loved the cult story and how it managed to deliver an interesting and particular narrative, even though it can be considered more "common" than the one in Silent Hill 2.
My favorite characters were Heather, Douglas, and Vincent. The best one is Heather, who has probably become my favorite female character, she acts like a real person during the game by showing a wide range of emotions but also by her interactions with the world around her, and I love how she has her own unique personality, i also really liked Douglas because i think hes a really intricate charachter and i love how the game makes you hate him at the start but then not only he becomes a very important part in the plot, but he also becomes an important person to Heather, then theres Vincent which I really liked because of its contrast with claudia about their beliefs and their different view on the same religion.
The themes of the game are very delicate but at the same time very important to talk about, like unwanted pregnancy, abortion, and womanhood in general. I would love to talk more precisely about each one of them, but I think that since they are a big part of the game, I would end up spoiling something.
I can say that Silent Hill 3 is, at least in my opinion, the peak of horror gaming, and even if I don't play a lot of horror games myself, I don't think that there will ever be a game that surpasses the feeling of anxiety, terror, and also sadness that Silent Hill 3 gave me. This game is a must-play for everyone, even for the people who, like me, aren't really big fans of the horror genre.
PS:
Even though the review is finished, I wanted to share 2 of my favorite quotes from the game:
"Is every person here a mental case?"
"Monsters? They looked like monsters to you?"
ludic poetry tbh...every room a precisely chosen word in a line, every dungeon a verse, full of rhymes and rhythm and melodious surprises. the line between downtime and climax feels far less pronounced then in the first two installments, instead channeling a near-endless flow state thats not so much barrelling as it is Sickly and Congesting. very unpleasant and deeply compulsive to play, and absolutely the most i have ever felt Involved with one of these games moment to moment (and easily the scariest time, if that wasnt clear!). i struggle with whether to give this the edge over 2, but theyre clearly in the same ballpark...for all ive said 2 is i think still on the whole the more Unpleasent experience simply because perhaps no other games story has so effortlessly channeled Here's A Bunch Of Things That Would Suck If They Happened To You, with both a gentle human hand and fist of divine pseudo-justice. if anything, 3 makes me feel more at home, its terror lovingly vindicating. the campaign is half Having A Bad Time Walking Home and half You Can Never Go Home Again...every moment of destabilization feels like a cathartic acknowledgement of the sinister underbelly to things that people by and large Pretend Are Okay, with notes specific to my life in ways that r obvious if u know me. cheryl is on edge and looking over her shoulder and has been for years before being plunged into the events of a silent hill game...running on messy strength pulled from the experience of living in a world hostile to her Body and Self (at least insofar as she is in control of both). just rly wonderful stuff...almost good enough to take my mind off recent silent hill news!!!
continued the level of excellence of the predecessor, even more harrowing atmosphere and sound-design (some of the scares are brilliant), Heather is a great lead, the gameplay has some new additions with the blocking/dodging mechanics and more varied weapon animations, the visuals are impressive for the PS2 especially when the character models and faces are concerned, this came out 2 years after Silent Hill 2 and Team Silent/Konami managed to step up their game even more.
I felt that the pacing and some of the narrative aspects were inferior to Silent Hill 2 though and that game is still my favorite out of the ones that I played so far but nonetheless an excellent survival horror game, these games are all very unique.
I felt that the pacing and some of the narrative aspects were inferior to Silent Hill 2 though and that game is still my favorite out of the ones that I played so far but nonetheless an excellent survival horror game, these games are all very unique.
I didnt play this game but i might cuz i saw a SH Themed dragshow at a furry con yesterday and there was a costume change mid performance into Heather, it went hard
To me this is PEAK Silent Hill. I think SH2 has the better narrative but this game (minus the Subway) is much creepier and the vibes are immacutlate. Akira Yamaoka's OST just hits even harder here than it did in SH1 and 2. End of Small Sanctuary is a great song and you only hear it at the beginning of the game. Heather's VA does an amazing job potraying a teenage girl who just wants nothing to do with the horrible situation she's in. Also THAT ONE VINCENT LINE MESSES WITH YOU SO MUCH AND I LOVE IT. This game is peak
im literally just a girl and no one will ever understand.
So after the Silent Hill 2 Remake media blow out that occurred recently during the Sony State of Play and Konami's Silent Hill Transmission, I got the undeniable urge to play a classic title from the franchise. I already did a replay of the first installment some years back, so it was still relatively fresh in my mind, and Silent Hill 2 is one of my all time favourite video games, so needless to say I'm very familiar with it. This left Silent Hill 3, and I realised it was long due a revisit as I hadn't played it since not long after its release in the UK.
While celebrated by the fanbase in its own way, Silent Hill 3 has long lived in the shadow of its predecessor and it's easy to see why. Whereas SH2 was its own standalone story and featured a new spin on what the titular town represented thematically, SH3 is a direct sequel to the first game. This means a return to the evil cult storyline that SH1 revolved around, which frankly is far less interesting than that of James Sunderland's descent into his own twisted purgatory. And SH3 is at its worst when it's zoned in on its story. Cutscenes are filled with irregular pacing, awkward pregnant pauses, hammy delivery, inexplicable character actions and unintentional comedy. It's a story so haphazardly put together that it's often difficult to figure out if it's the acting at fault, the writing, the direction, or all three at the same time. During one cinematic sequence before what should be a harrowing boss battle, Heather decides to get her smirk on and acts in a carefree manner towards the abnormal monstrosity she's about to go mano a mano with. It's... bizarre. Many fans will tell you that it works and it's all part of the plan of the infallible Team Silent, but this horror enthusiast is not convinced.
BUT, and this is a big but, when control is put back into the player's hands, SH3 is scary. Incredibly scary. I struggle to think of another game that has instilled in me such an immense feeling of sheer dread and unease. SH2, the masterpiece that it is, may have also excelled at creating a tangible feeling of dread and unease, but it's a fairly easy game at its core. SH3 is SH2 on steroids. It goes hard with its horror. Rooms and corridors often are often swarming with monsters, and Akira Yamaoka's terrifying industrial arrangements will accompany these encounters with a deafening clatter. Pitch blacks and pulsing bright reds will fill the screen. Abstract images will have you exclaiming "What the fuck am I looking at?" out loud.
Ramshackle storytelling aside, SH3 was a draining experience for me, in a way that horror ought to be. It is with a tinge of shame that I say I struggled to play it in long sessions, and often felt relieved when turning it off for the night. Halfway through my playthrough, I even started a playthrough of the Spyro Reignited Trilogy (review coming soon!) as a form of cope; a game that I could fall back on to help me unwind after a stressful hour or two in the hellish Otherworld. The fact that a game this frightening was made over twenty years ago with the limited technology of the PS2 is really quite remarkable. I played Alan Wake 2 earlier this year, a 'survival horror' game afforded a large budget and highest production values this current generation can muster, and the best that borefest could do was make me jolt a couple of times with its myriad of eye-rolling jump scares. Silent Hill 3 just goes to show that there's no instruction manual written or blueprint laid out that can guarantee a video game or film or whatever will be scary. It's an art in itself to a create a piece of media that gets under a person's skin and remains there for a long time after, and you either know how to do it intuitively or you don't. And those sickos at Team Silent really did know how to create something genuinely unholy.
While celebrated by the fanbase in its own way, Silent Hill 3 has long lived in the shadow of its predecessor and it's easy to see why. Whereas SH2 was its own standalone story and featured a new spin on what the titular town represented thematically, SH3 is a direct sequel to the first game. This means a return to the evil cult storyline that SH1 revolved around, which frankly is far less interesting than that of James Sunderland's descent into his own twisted purgatory. And SH3 is at its worst when it's zoned in on its story. Cutscenes are filled with irregular pacing, awkward pregnant pauses, hammy delivery, inexplicable character actions and unintentional comedy. It's a story so haphazardly put together that it's often difficult to figure out if it's the acting at fault, the writing, the direction, or all three at the same time. During one cinematic sequence before what should be a harrowing boss battle, Heather decides to get her smirk on and acts in a carefree manner towards the abnormal monstrosity she's about to go mano a mano with. It's... bizarre. Many fans will tell you that it works and it's all part of the plan of the infallible Team Silent, but this horror enthusiast is not convinced.
BUT, and this is a big but, when control is put back into the player's hands, SH3 is scary. Incredibly scary. I struggle to think of another game that has instilled in me such an immense feeling of sheer dread and unease. SH2, the masterpiece that it is, may have also excelled at creating a tangible feeling of dread and unease, but it's a fairly easy game at its core. SH3 is SH2 on steroids. It goes hard with its horror. Rooms and corridors often are often swarming with monsters, and Akira Yamaoka's terrifying industrial arrangements will accompany these encounters with a deafening clatter. Pitch blacks and pulsing bright reds will fill the screen. Abstract images will have you exclaiming "What the fuck am I looking at?" out loud.
Ramshackle storytelling aside, SH3 was a draining experience for me, in a way that horror ought to be. It is with a tinge of shame that I say I struggled to play it in long sessions, and often felt relieved when turning it off for the night. Halfway through my playthrough, I even started a playthrough of the Spyro Reignited Trilogy (review coming soon!) as a form of cope; a game that I could fall back on to help me unwind after a stressful hour or two in the hellish Otherworld. The fact that a game this frightening was made over twenty years ago with the limited technology of the PS2 is really quite remarkable. I played Alan Wake 2 earlier this year, a 'survival horror' game afforded a large budget and highest production values this current generation can muster, and the best that borefest could do was make me jolt a couple of times with its myriad of eye-rolling jump scares. Silent Hill 3 just goes to show that there's no instruction manual written or blueprint laid out that can guarantee a video game or film or whatever will be scary. It's an art in itself to a create a piece of media that gets under a person's skin and remains there for a long time after, and you either know how to do it intuitively or you don't. And those sickos at Team Silent really did know how to create something genuinely unholy.
I love the flavor text in this game so much
Peak
if i played this game when i was a child, i would probably realize that i was a girl way sooner
eu te amo heather mason, eu te amo harry mason, eu te amo akira yamaoka.. silent hill 3, não deixe os burros te subestimarem !!
Most relatable protagonist of all time.
SH3 is a culmination of both SH1 and 2. It's a personal story while also having the world's fate hanging on the balance. Team Silent continued to push the disturbing imagery and sound to their limits.
A personal nit pick of mine would be the lack of pre rendered cutscenes. Facial expressions from in game cutscenes aren't the best.
A personal nit pick of mine would be the lack of pre rendered cutscenes. Facial expressions from in game cutscenes aren't the best.
wow
Maybe it's autism fixation but this MIGHT be my new favourite game like ever.
This game is a masterpiece. I say that with no exaggeration. The way this game potrays feminine fears of agency of your own body being taken from you, stalking, objectification, sexual harassment is done in such a well done way. Such as the way every other character in this game has a creepy vibe to them, even Douglas who later does help, still doesn't have an issue potentially killing Heather, it makes the game feel truly lonely. Or Vincent, who as someone who's dealt with narcissists in my life before, is such a uncomfortable character.
This game has bar none the best female protagonist we've seen in the medium, unlike your Jill Valentines or Samus types, Heather is just a 17 year old girl who stands up to fight the horrors that take the form of monsters that represent things like sperm cells all the way to body dysmorphia.
Despite the game being about a cult wanting Heather to birth a god which is a far out concept. The concept of a group wanting to strip women of their rights to their body is horrifying whether that be abortion rights or rights for trans women to live as who they are is a very real thing and it makes the game horrifying in the best way.
The ending, where Heather even after all the torment and breaking down after killing the god about her dad, still finds the resolve to walk forward and decides to move forward with her life is inspiring.
As someone who can relate to themes of not liking the way your body looks, stalking and rights to your body being taken away, this game hit me in such a way no other game has. Literally perfect for me
This game is a masterpiece. I say that with no exaggeration. The way this game potrays feminine fears of agency of your own body being taken from you, stalking, objectification, sexual harassment is done in such a well done way. Such as the way every other character in this game has a creepy vibe to them, even Douglas who later does help, still doesn't have an issue potentially killing Heather, it makes the game feel truly lonely. Or Vincent, who as someone who's dealt with narcissists in my life before, is such a uncomfortable character.
This game has bar none the best female protagonist we've seen in the medium, unlike your Jill Valentines or Samus types, Heather is just a 17 year old girl who stands up to fight the horrors that take the form of monsters that represent things like sperm cells all the way to body dysmorphia.
Despite the game being about a cult wanting Heather to birth a god which is a far out concept. The concept of a group wanting to strip women of their rights to their body is horrifying whether that be abortion rights or rights for trans women to live as who they are is a very real thing and it makes the game horrifying in the best way.
The ending, where Heather even after all the torment and breaking down after killing the god about her dad, still finds the resolve to walk forward and decides to move forward with her life is inspiring.
As someone who can relate to themes of not liking the way your body looks, stalking and rights to your body being taken away, this game hit me in such a way no other game has. Literally perfect for me
First of all, props to Team Silent for having the guts to focus on a teenage girl protag. bowing emoji
At the same time, kinda feels like a bit of a vie for relevancy? Sorry. The original Silent Hill was very standalone and didn't need much of a continuation, it wrapped things up pretty nicely. SH2 somehow managed to be amazing by just being a completely different story set in a similar setting. Little to no connection really, but it also establishes the franchise as something that can be further expanded upon.
Now in with the amusement park and mall, etc. It may star a teenage girl but it also seems a bit geared towards teenagers as well. Euh, it's fine really, Silent Hill as a series had diminishing sales with each subsequent release, so changing the core concept of each story while polishing the gameplay was probably the best option, but it's also not super compelling. Shrug
Let's get this straight; I didn't like James Sunderland. I didn't feel sorry for him, a lot of his issues were his own damn fault tbh. SH2 is as much about the struggle of mental illness and trauma as it is the hubris of the male psyche and sexuality. He's not a very likeable MALE character when the credits roll. Heather on the other hand, is quite likeable. That's a double edged sword though, because it's ultimately a lot less compelling.
Oh well, the game is a bit more fun on the action side, if more labyrinthian.
At the same time, kinda feels like a bit of a vie for relevancy? Sorry. The original Silent Hill was very standalone and didn't need much of a continuation, it wrapped things up pretty nicely. SH2 somehow managed to be amazing by just being a completely different story set in a similar setting. Little to no connection really, but it also establishes the franchise as something that can be further expanded upon.
Now in with the amusement park and mall, etc. It may star a teenage girl but it also seems a bit geared towards teenagers as well. Euh, it's fine really, Silent Hill as a series had diminishing sales with each subsequent release, so changing the core concept of each story while polishing the gameplay was probably the best option, but it's also not super compelling. Shrug
Let's get this straight; I didn't like James Sunderland. I didn't feel sorry for him, a lot of his issues were his own damn fault tbh. SH2 is as much about the struggle of mental illness and trauma as it is the hubris of the male psyche and sexuality. He's not a very likeable MALE character when the credits roll. Heather on the other hand, is quite likeable. That's a double edged sword though, because it's ultimately a lot less compelling.
Oh well, the game is a bit more fun on the action side, if more labyrinthian.
The lock is broken. I can't open the door.
Same reason i stopped playing this game like 2 just cus the ps plus ran out but I'll say unlike 2 i had to stop playing for like every other day cus this shit kept scaring me that bad so yeah and I love the combat in this way more than 2 like shit was lit but yeah one day I'll finish it I just wanna play the hd collection again tho I hate the voice acting man when I was playing the game anytime a cutscene popped up id just watch the og on my phone after to experience actual good acting but yeah great game 9/10
I really enjoyed the game, the gameplay is boring at first but over time it's easy to get used to it, some things are strange in the story but overall it's easy to enjoy.
Played time: 5hrs
Played time: 5hrs
Несмотря на слабую техническую часть и камеру(я бы сказал что это и + и - так как я сравнил её с RE4, у которой тоже говорили что камера неудобная, но потом привыкли к ней, с SH3 такой же случай) у этой части присутствует свои вайб и атмосфера, а также отличная режиссура катсцен в ходе которых за персонажами интересно наблюдать, но самый главный твист игры был в том что это песня из видосов про страшилки оказывается была рождена от Сайлент Хилла... https://youtu.be/09pafELL-tU?si=7VBh5xCuqdadGRGj
while not as special of a game as Silent Hill 2, it is definitely the most engaging one
if you put this under 5 stars you are a man
Loved the setting and the story. Cheryl is such a good character in her design and personality. Banger ost and banger messages of struggles. (Item management was a bit of a pain and some puzzles were... finicky)
Bem top
scariest game since tetris
9/10
This review contains spoilers
Silent hill 2 was also amazing but this feels like the real silent hill 2. Coming right after playing Silent Hill 1 was so cool just seeing glimpses of Harry at the start of the game and being like "THAT'S MY CHARACTER!!" Then when the actual game started I loved the objective of just trying to get home and exploring these buildings. The exploration and combat are basically what it is in 2 but feel a lot tighter and more 'survival horror' like. With the amount of ammo and resources 2 gave me the enemies felt pretty free to deal with and 1 was easy right after I got the hammer, but 3 truly felt like a fight for my life and I loved it.
There was an amazing sense of relief when I got to the first save room and that's when I knew I'd love this game because I had to play more careful and cautious than in any other silent hill game while still being fair and fun to play. The story was also good up to this point and I was really engaged in learning more about Vincent, Claudia, and Douglas and they were all really interesting characters that drew me in more than 1 and almost as much as 2. While these characters aren't as complex as the ones in 2, they are just as entertaining and made a really cool story that fleshes out the cult plot from 1 and I always wanted to know what happened next. The music also added to scenes and I think this is my favorite soundtrack in the whole series.
Yamaoka has more chances to actually make rock music besides the endings and openings of Silent Hill 1 and 2 and it really fits the vibe of this game. The song that plays after Harry's death especially really hit me and made me feel terrible for the character I just played as a few days ago. Actually going to Silent Hill after his death was cool seeing the map from 2 again, but I was a little underwhelmed that they reused a small area of silent hill from 2 and then made it really linear. You can't really explore these streets the same way you explore 1 or 2's, and if you try to then Heather is just like "I better turn around!"
One thing I will say is that even though you couldn't explore much of these streets, this is the most threatening Silent Hill has ever felt to me and the fog effects and music were on point. That's another reason why I wish there was more to Silent hill than just two areas. The normal version of Brookhaven felt mostly the same as in 2, but the Otherworld version actually was amazing and probably the most scary part of the game. Surviving that was so hard and it's a huge glowup from the one in 2 where I could barely even tell it's the Otherworld. I had a lot of fun here.
Lakeside also was really interesting with the haunted house and being a place that Harry visited, and I loved seeing his save points here and in Alessa's room. Not much to say on the church besides I really enjoyed it and it transforming while you explored it was cool. It was also a cool twist that there was Aglaophotis inside of the charm Harry gave Heather the entire time and it felt like he could save her even when he was dead as fuck. Killing god was a cool final boss idea but the boss kinda dragged way too long, but seeing the ending where Heather just cries for Harry really hit me and made me cry too.
The scene where she goes back for Douglas was also funny and I knew about the possessed ending before playing but not what happens so I was like "DID I REALLY GET IT SOMEHOW EVEN THOUGH ITS MY FIRST PLAYTHROUGH?" but they faked my ass out. I really like Heather and Douglas' relationship. Lastly, at the credits, hearing hometown and seeing Heather at Harry's grave felt like an amazing end for Silent Hill.
I know SH4 exists but since it's its own thing like 2, as well as Ito leaving Team Silent, this feels like the end of Silent Hill and a damn good one at that. Honestly I like it more than 2 at this point and I think this is a survival horror masterpiece, and also the most survival horror feeling game between 1 and 2. Playing 4 SOON
There was an amazing sense of relief when I got to the first save room and that's when I knew I'd love this game because I had to play more careful and cautious than in any other silent hill game while still being fair and fun to play. The story was also good up to this point and I was really engaged in learning more about Vincent, Claudia, and Douglas and they were all really interesting characters that drew me in more than 1 and almost as much as 2. While these characters aren't as complex as the ones in 2, they are just as entertaining and made a really cool story that fleshes out the cult plot from 1 and I always wanted to know what happened next. The music also added to scenes and I think this is my favorite soundtrack in the whole series.
Yamaoka has more chances to actually make rock music besides the endings and openings of Silent Hill 1 and 2 and it really fits the vibe of this game. The song that plays after Harry's death especially really hit me and made me feel terrible for the character I just played as a few days ago. Actually going to Silent Hill after his death was cool seeing the map from 2 again, but I was a little underwhelmed that they reused a small area of silent hill from 2 and then made it really linear. You can't really explore these streets the same way you explore 1 or 2's, and if you try to then Heather is just like "I better turn around!"
One thing I will say is that even though you couldn't explore much of these streets, this is the most threatening Silent Hill has ever felt to me and the fog effects and music were on point. That's another reason why I wish there was more to Silent hill than just two areas. The normal version of Brookhaven felt mostly the same as in 2, but the Otherworld version actually was amazing and probably the most scary part of the game. Surviving that was so hard and it's a huge glowup from the one in 2 where I could barely even tell it's the Otherworld. I had a lot of fun here.
Lakeside also was really interesting with the haunted house and being a place that Harry visited, and I loved seeing his save points here and in Alessa's room. Not much to say on the church besides I really enjoyed it and it transforming while you explored it was cool. It was also a cool twist that there was Aglaophotis inside of the charm Harry gave Heather the entire time and it felt like he could save her even when he was dead as fuck. Killing god was a cool final boss idea but the boss kinda dragged way too long, but seeing the ending where Heather just cries for Harry really hit me and made me cry too.
The scene where she goes back for Douglas was also funny and I knew about the possessed ending before playing but not what happens so I was like "DID I REALLY GET IT SOMEHOW EVEN THOUGH ITS MY FIRST PLAYTHROUGH?" but they faked my ass out. I really like Heather and Douglas' relationship. Lastly, at the credits, hearing hometown and seeing Heather at Harry's grave felt like an amazing end for Silent Hill.
I know SH4 exists but since it's its own thing like 2, as well as Ito leaving Team Silent, this feels like the end of Silent Hill and a damn good one at that. Honestly I like it more than 2 at this point and I think this is a survival horror masterpiece, and also the most survival horror feeling game between 1 and 2. Playing 4 SOON
Very little here for me in the first like 70 minutes of my experience
Traverse rooms over and over that looks the same (dull and ugly), backtrack if you have to- in finding items or paths to get to the same type of areas, so I can get the items and find the door for next area where I do the same shit again again again, where tf am I supposed to go fuck everything looks the same (already feels like that atp)
Uncreative puzzle designs like SH2 that are there just to have to do them and have no art to them at all (requires knowledge of chemicals, very smart)
No stakes really of being attacked or necessity to worry about survival or items since u can just run past everything
Nothingburger cutscenes that amount to "Wow this is really weird" + vague nothings implying there is more mystery to be revealed
I'm prob done with this one. I bet I would've liked SH2 more on a replay, tho I still don't think that'd be all that worthwhile either ofc. That game doesn't have a nothingburger story, that's one thing going for it so far against SH3, even if the mystery feels too linear
Gameplay still is not my thing at all and too empty and repetitive. It's spooky and abominably hideous I guess for moments, even if it can't string anything together to keep my attention for long. In one scene there was a cool tune too. So that stuff holds it from being bad for me completely maybe
Edit: Alright there is a map I for some reason didn't utilize, but I think this prolongs my patience rather than adding to my fun
Traverse rooms over and over that looks the same (dull and ugly), backtrack if you have to- in finding items or paths to get to the same type of areas, so I can get the items and find the door for next area where I do the same shit again again again, where tf am I supposed to go fuck everything looks the same (already feels like that atp)
Uncreative puzzle designs like SH2 that are there just to have to do them and have no art to them at all (requires knowledge of chemicals, very smart)
No stakes really of being attacked or necessity to worry about survival or items since u can just run past everything
Nothingburger cutscenes that amount to "Wow this is really weird" + vague nothings implying there is more mystery to be revealed
I'm prob done with this one. I bet I would've liked SH2 more on a replay, tho I still don't think that'd be all that worthwhile either ofc. That game doesn't have a nothingburger story, that's one thing going for it so far against SH3, even if the mystery feels too linear
Gameplay still is not my thing at all and too empty and repetitive. It's spooky and abominably hideous I guess for moments, even if it can't string anything together to keep my attention for long. In one scene there was a cool tune too. So that stuff holds it from being bad for me completely maybe
Edit: Alright there is a map I for some reason didn't utilize, but I think this prolongs my patience rather than adding to my fun
Hmmmm. Silent hill 3 is great, but I didn’t love it like I did the others in the trilogy.
There is SO much good stuff and so many great ideas here. Heather is my favourite protagonist, the theming, symbolism, and scares are phenomenal here.
But…I just don’t think it’s executed that well. I think the areas you explore are just bad and uninteresting until you get to Hilltop. The shopping centre and the subway were just not fun for me. I found them clunky and the lack of puzzles here is a real letdown. The game gets MUCH better once you arrive in Hilltop (although playing through the same hospital as Silent Hill 2 was a little lame).
The other problem with Silent Hill 3’s areas is its enemies. This game simply has way too many many of them. At first it’s a scary shock, but after a while it actually LOSES the tension and makes the game less scary. Not to mention all of these enemies are much harder to hit and kill now. It just makes seeing enemies frustrating, not tense, and had me running past far more enemies than I did in past games.
Other than that - it’s a great Silent Hill game. What it does well, it does really well - some fantastic moments, both haunting and emotionally driven. It’s still a must play for any Silent Hill fan. But to me it feels a bit rushed. Give this game a couple more months of development and just straight up remove some of the enemies - and this would be up there with the greats.
There is SO much good stuff and so many great ideas here. Heather is my favourite protagonist, the theming, symbolism, and scares are phenomenal here.
But…I just don’t think it’s executed that well. I think the areas you explore are just bad and uninteresting until you get to Hilltop. The shopping centre and the subway were just not fun for me. I found them clunky and the lack of puzzles here is a real letdown. The game gets MUCH better once you arrive in Hilltop (although playing through the same hospital as Silent Hill 2 was a little lame).
The other problem with Silent Hill 3’s areas is its enemies. This game simply has way too many many of them. At first it’s a scary shock, but after a while it actually LOSES the tension and makes the game less scary. Not to mention all of these enemies are much harder to hit and kill now. It just makes seeing enemies frustrating, not tense, and had me running past far more enemies than I did in past games.
Other than that - it’s a great Silent Hill game. What it does well, it does really well - some fantastic moments, both haunting and emotionally driven. It’s still a must play for any Silent Hill fan. But to me it feels a bit rushed. Give this game a couple more months of development and just straight up remove some of the enemies - and this would be up there with the greats.
Banger Soundtrack ok game