at first, the combination of the general futuristic vibe and the shamelessly-reused survival horror mechanics made this game feel like it wanted to play like sh2 without really feeling like sh2

by the end of the game, i realized i had been tricked as its influences coalesced to tell a really novel and charming story

outside of minor pacing issues, this game was extremely memorable and this rating will almost certainly increase over time

a more conventional ice-pick lodge game that doesn't line up as neatly with the rest of their catalogue, but also has some of their trademark dread hiding under the surface. this game has a message that it wants to convey and mostly gets there, but it is let down a little by a lack of tonal self-awareness that leads to some eye-rollingly cheesy moments. it also seems to rely on inspirations from a particular film that may seem obvious by the end of the game to others.

all in all, there's still something unique here that definitely deserves more attention than it got. in that sense, i guess it is a typical ice-pick lodge game.

has some neat modern ideas, like the effects of constant art discourse on self-worth, but doesn't do anything more than state an issue when it's brought up. there was an opportunity here to discuss the overlap of old-school silent hill issues (eg. generational trauma) with what it seems the decision-makers are more familiar with, but the issues the game tackles are entirely isolated from one another - that's the bullying room, this is the 'i-hate-my-art' room, etc.

as for whether it's a "Silent Hill" game - sure it is. the franchise of 25 years ago doesn't exist anymore. AAA media today is designed by committee to capture the public's attention with nostalgia, UHD graphics, and streamlined gameplay loops. that's not inherently bad, but it's not really conducive to slow-burning meditative stories like the original games. you'll have to look beyond konami (hint: indies) to find anything resembling classic silent hill

a huge improvement over the original game in just about every way. the five campaigns add tons of new context for the already interesting world in a way that seems completely novel (individual characters experiencing changes in the world as they exist in their own slices of the timeline). however, like the original, rain world feels at odds with itself, never knowing whether it wants to be a lush ecosystem in a unique landscape or a masocore platformer designed to frustrate players. this does not enhance the experience of being a vulnerable slugcat as many fans of the game will jump to explain, and instead feels more like a conflict of goals in the game's core creative direction. despite this issue, the DLC's new focus on narrative and worldbuilding is so well-done that the game is easy to recommend - just use the new accessibility/cheats menu if things get frustrating and skip the 5-minute corpse walking.

manages to integrate sekiro into soulsborne combat in a way that fromsoft either hasn't figured out or wanted to. the game gives the player so many tools for comebacks that most of my boss fights were just barely won by the end of the game.

there are typical smaller-studio complaints like some rough difficulty spikes or enemy re-use by the end of the game, but the fact that this game feels as good as it does while telling a self-contained, thoughtful story in the pinocchio universe is way more important than any of the game's issues. genuinely excited for the dlc/sequel, and i hope fromsoft is taking notes

a game that combines source engine bunny hopping, first-person melee combat, and mason lindroth-inspired top-down adventure gameplay. things quickly get fun once you figure out how the game wants to be played, but the fun dries up once a few "real" rounds have been played. main issues:
- not enough content yet
- kiting gameplay gets old quickly and needs more depth or something to pull the rug out from under the player

my personal opinion is that the game would be more interesting with a smaller scope and with more curated, tighter experiences in smaller spaces. the game is already fun, it just needs more depth. i hope development continues, as i get excited with every new set of patch notes.