rubydotwav
2003
(Played the Enhanced Version) Beautiful game, does everything it needs to do to be a good horror game and does it perfectly. I felt tense and on high alert every second of my playthrough, it's clear the game knows how to make you feel uncomfortable and constantly worried about what you might encounter.
It's a visually dark game, with imagery related to hospitals and many cult-ish and religious references. It also delves into some darker subjects related to the traumas of the characters. The overall design of enemies and points of interest create a visually terrifying world that I don't think I'll ever get over, this alone made me want to replay the game.
Something that caught me by surprise is how absolutely blown away I was by the audio design, there were many occasions where I legitimately wasn't able to tell if the noises I heard came from the game or from outside, add the amazing soundtrack and imagery and you get a truly unforgettable horror experience.
I found the story and characters to be extremely interesting, even though it was my first Silent Hill game. I will admit the story was a little hard to follow for me, but the complexity of it and the way the events unfold got me hooked from the very beginning until the end, and I can say it really helped make the worldbuilding something phenomenal.
The controls are not the best thing in the world, it did take me a bit to get used to them but once I did then it was barely an issue, I'd say it even gives it a unique feel and adds to the experience.
I believe most of my issues with this game come from inexperience with the genre and/or franchise, given that I'm not too familiar with survival horror games. I did get lost quite a few times, and constantly had to look up guides to know where to go (I didn't realize I was supposed to look out for maps until past half my playthrough) or what to do, but I have the feeling that's on me so it didn't really mess with my experience that much.
I didn't have much expectations going in, given that this is a relatively old game, but I was quickly proven wrong since it blew them out the window. It got me interested in the other games, and even the genre itself. Even for a first time experience, this game felt like a masterpiece and I'd suggest anyone that is remotely interested in the genre or the franchise to give it a try!
It's a visually dark game, with imagery related to hospitals and many cult-ish and religious references. It also delves into some darker subjects related to the traumas of the characters. The overall design of enemies and points of interest create a visually terrifying world that I don't think I'll ever get over, this alone made me want to replay the game.
Something that caught me by surprise is how absolutely blown away I was by the audio design, there were many occasions where I legitimately wasn't able to tell if the noises I heard came from the game or from outside, add the amazing soundtrack and imagery and you get a truly unforgettable horror experience.
I found the story and characters to be extremely interesting, even though it was my first Silent Hill game. I will admit the story was a little hard to follow for me, but the complexity of it and the way the events unfold got me hooked from the very beginning until the end, and I can say it really helped make the worldbuilding something phenomenal.
The controls are not the best thing in the world, it did take me a bit to get used to them but once I did then it was barely an issue, I'd say it even gives it a unique feel and adds to the experience.
I believe most of my issues with this game come from inexperience with the genre and/or franchise, given that I'm not too familiar with survival horror games. I did get lost quite a few times, and constantly had to look up guides to know where to go (I didn't realize I was supposed to look out for maps until past half my playthrough) or what to do, but I have the feeling that's on me so it didn't really mess with my experience that much.
I didn't have much expectations going in, given that this is a relatively old game, but I was quickly proven wrong since it blew them out the window. It got me interested in the other games, and even the genre itself. Even for a first time experience, this game felt like a masterpiece and I'd suggest anyone that is remotely interested in the genre or the franchise to give it a try!