There are few horror franchises as great and iconic as Silent Hill. The fourth game is the final of the classic main titles of the franchise. Although a very different experience, it manages to capture most of the things I really enjoy about the series. But it does lack or complicate in some areas that hold it back from being at the same level as the other games.
The world and lore expansion of Silent Hill 4 is fantastic. The new areas you explore are creepy, and there are plenty of small details that make it a rich, dark experience. One example is the backstory of the Twin Victims, who hold one of the creepiest monster designs I’ve seen. The story and mechanics about the room itself are also haunting, getting progressively more cursed as you advance the story.
The design of the monsters and the horrible things you encounter are mesmerizing. Besides the Twin Victims, the ghosts, especially Cynthia are haunting. The game offers plenty of deep lore and symbolism that will disturb you and leave you thinking about its meaning. This is something that I highly appreciate of the franchise as a whole. The rust, blood, and flesh of the environments are so iconic that everyone recognizes a Silent Hill game immediately.
After playing the previous Silent Hill games, the first thing I noticed was that the gameplay aspects were so much different than in the previous installments. 4 takes a more survival horror approach, opposed to more intense action. You don’t have many weapons, dealing with a much smaller inventory. This is a great thing, but it can also be very stressful, so this change of pace might not be attractive to many people.
I have to say that although the first half of the game maintains the pacing of the precious Silent Hills, the second half is nothing short of torture, and not necessarily in a good way. For most of this part, you have to escort Eileen, one of the most annoying characters I’ve had the misfortune of meeting in a videogame. Added to this, the health and saving systems become much more stressful. Seriously, there came a point where I had to repeat whole areas to make sure I had enough health to continue as I struggle to make Eileen follow me. Although some people might praise this as how a survival horror title should make you feel.
SPOILERS AHEAD
Focusing on the story and lore of Silent Hill 4, I think it had a lot to offer. It took a lot of the best elements from the second game, focusing on the demons of the antagonist Walter Sullivan. This character is one of the best from the franchise, a multi-faceted villain whose backstory you understand as the game progresses. What starts as a mystery trying to understand why your apartment door is chained, to a murder story that becomes much darker as the true nature of Sullivan is revealed, the writing keeps you captivated.
Henry Townshend as the main character was duller than previous Silent Hill protagonists. Even some of the minor secondary characters were more interesting. Although it’s not really an issue, since I consider this to be Walter’s game. His motivations and the insanity of his character were impressive, as everything revolves around his terrifying obsession around room 302 and his mission to sacrifice 21 people.
All around, Silent Hill 4 is a must-play for fans of the franchise, but I have to remind players that it took some risks which work about half of the time. Still, it was a good experience. And remember, keep your healing items until the second half, you are going to need them.
Final Score: 80/100
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The world and lore expansion of Silent Hill 4 is fantastic. The new areas you explore are creepy, and there are plenty of small details that make it a rich, dark experience. One example is the backstory of the Twin Victims, who hold one of the creepiest monster designs I’ve seen. The story and mechanics about the room itself are also haunting, getting progressively more cursed as you advance the story.
The design of the monsters and the horrible things you encounter are mesmerizing. Besides the Twin Victims, the ghosts, especially Cynthia are haunting. The game offers plenty of deep lore and symbolism that will disturb you and leave you thinking about its meaning. This is something that I highly appreciate of the franchise as a whole. The rust, blood, and flesh of the environments are so iconic that everyone recognizes a Silent Hill game immediately.
After playing the previous Silent Hill games, the first thing I noticed was that the gameplay aspects were so much different than in the previous installments. 4 takes a more survival horror approach, opposed to more intense action. You don’t have many weapons, dealing with a much smaller inventory. This is a great thing, but it can also be very stressful, so this change of pace might not be attractive to many people.
I have to say that although the first half of the game maintains the pacing of the precious Silent Hills, the second half is nothing short of torture, and not necessarily in a good way. For most of this part, you have to escort Eileen, one of the most annoying characters I’ve had the misfortune of meeting in a videogame. Added to this, the health and saving systems become much more stressful. Seriously, there came a point where I had to repeat whole areas to make sure I had enough health to continue as I struggle to make Eileen follow me. Although some people might praise this as how a survival horror title should make you feel.
SPOILERS AHEAD
Focusing on the story and lore of Silent Hill 4, I think it had a lot to offer. It took a lot of the best elements from the second game, focusing on the demons of the antagonist Walter Sullivan. This character is one of the best from the franchise, a multi-faceted villain whose backstory you understand as the game progresses. What starts as a mystery trying to understand why your apartment door is chained, to a murder story that becomes much darker as the true nature of Sullivan is revealed, the writing keeps you captivated.
Henry Townshend as the main character was duller than previous Silent Hill protagonists. Even some of the minor secondary characters were more interesting. Although it’s not really an issue, since I consider this to be Walter’s game. His motivations and the insanity of his character were impressive, as everything revolves around his terrifying obsession around room 302 and his mission to sacrifice 21 people.
All around, Silent Hill 4 is a must-play for fans of the franchise, but I have to remind players that it took some risks which work about half of the time. Still, it was a good experience. And remember, keep your healing items until the second half, you are going to need them.
Final Score: 80/100
For more reviews and cool content follow me on:
▶️ My Film and Gaming YouTube Channel - https://youtube.com/channel/UCpWCw5dVvb4QUGYHRrx4kmw
👨💻 Twitch - https://twitch.tv/grantnkeegan
Follow Tomorrow Matters for tech, philosophy, and environmentalism content:
▶️ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOKyVx-5zwE_ZwHSJjrjYRQ
📚 My Official Blog - https://grantkeegan.com
🐦 Twitter - https://twitter.com/TomorrowM4tters
📷 Instagram - https://instagram.com/tomorrow_matters_