A horror masterpiece and shining example of video games as art. After playing through it multiple times it's still so scary and fascinating to me.

SH3 is a non-stop ride of terror that moves from area to area quickly. I can point to so many memorable haunting setpieces in each but they're best discovered for yourself. The puzzles are less cryptic and the gameplay is generally much improved from previous installments. For a 2003 release taking a realistic style, the visuals have aged miraculously - character models still look lifelike and the environments are striking and rich with details. This version of the otherworld has a uniquely horrifying appearance that's unlike anything else I've seen, which the PS2 lofi aesthetic compliments well. That's not to mention the incredible sound design - every playthrough I hear new mysterious distant noises I've never heard before. A lot is left to your imagination like that making every location even scarier. I also think Akira Yamaoka's finest work is found here.

It gets overshadowed by 2 in all discussions regarding horror games today and I think that's sad. Both are very special but I think 3 actually did so many things better. It may not have 2's personal tragic story but for me it's balanced out by having one of the best gaming protagonists, and it still has all the symbolism and depth if you're looking for it. This is one of my favorite pieces of media ever and I'm sure I'll keep discovering things in it for years.