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Is there anyone who thinks that Silent Hill 1 is better than 2 or 3?
- Thread starter AuthenticM
- Start date
OP
OP
Yes, all three games are worth playing in 2019. Go for it.
I think Silent Hill 1 is better than 2, but 3 is the best. 2 is of course great, but it has by far the worst pacing and most dull gameplay out of the initial trilogy. 1 and 3 both have a wonderful collection of inspired environments, some memorable (and threatening!) enemies, and keep you moving from location to location at a relatively brisk pace to keep the variety and excitement up (3 is especially great at this). Plus, the countless ways that 3 connects back to 1 is just incredible, and it's visual design hasn't aged a day even though the game is 16 years old.
Yes, me. 1 is my favorite in the series. 2 was actually a huge disappointment to me. 3 was decent but was missing the magic of 1.
I would probably rank the series 1 > 4 > Homecoming > 3 > Shattered Memories > Downpour > 2 > Origins.
I would probably rank the series 1 > 4 > Homecoming > 3 > Shattered Memories > Downpour > 2 > Origins.
It's possible. I played 1-3 after 4 and played 4 at release I haven't played any of them since.
Yes to it being worth playing, no to on your lunch break. Settle yourself down and play at night.
I don't think Silent Hill is better than Silent Hill 2, but I definitely like it more for a number of reasons.
Silent Hill 2 is a masterpiece, but its emotionally exhausting on a level that few games can really compare to. James suffers over the course of the game on a profoundly human level, while Harry kind of pushes through via raw dad strength. Given the choice, I'd much rather replay Silent Hill.
I like that Silent Hill is the weirder and more obtuse game. I like the retro graphics and think it has actually gained a ton of ambiance with age. I like how experimental the soundtrack is, and think its rough edges give it an atmosphere nothing else can touch.
It has better monsters, weapons, bosses, and even better endings. The only edge Silent Hill 2 has is Pyramid Head.
Silent Hill 2 is a masterpiece, but its emotionally exhausting on a level that few games can really compare to. James suffers over the course of the game on a profoundly human level, while Harry kind of pushes through via raw dad strength. Given the choice, I'd much rather replay Silent Hill.
I like that Silent Hill is the weirder and more obtuse game. I like the retro graphics and think it has actually gained a ton of ambiance with age. I like how experimental the soundtrack is, and think its rough edges give it an atmosphere nothing else can touch.
It has better monsters, weapons, bosses, and even better endings. The only edge Silent Hill 2 has is Pyramid Head.
:🤷:
2 didn't have much going for it other than it's story. And then 3 was just like a less good version of 1. See the below quote.
This person sums it up pretty well.
I love 1 and have gone back to it on the Vita. I played 2 when it first came out and haven't played it again. I don't remember anything about it. I wish there was a way to easily play it and I've definitely considered the HD collection. I'll also say that I played Silent Hill Origins on the PSP and loved it. Again, I wish there was an easy way to replay that. Konami is sitting on a gold mine IP.
I don't think the first Silent Hill is a better game than 2 or 3, no, but it's definitely scarier and more often out-and-out terrifying than 2, and more or less comparable to 3 in that department.
Silent Hill 2 is obviously a classic for reasons I don't need to bring up for the billionth time, but it's more disturbing and creepy in a passive way as you piece the (really fucked up) story together, and the way it tells that story is brilliant.
Silent Hill 3 is my favorite in the series. It nails the atmosphere; the story is a compelling, meaningful follow-up to the first game's; it's both scary as hell and genuinely disturbing; it's got incredible sound design and music; Heather is the series' best protagonist... etc., etc.
Silent Hill 2 is obviously a classic for reasons I don't need to bring up for the billionth time, but it's more disturbing and creepy in a passive way as you piece the (really fucked up) story together, and the way it tells that story is brilliant.
Silent Hill 3 is my favorite in the series. It nails the atmosphere; the story is a compelling, meaningful follow-up to the first game's; it's both scary as hell and genuinely disturbing; it's got incredible sound design and music; Heather is the series' best protagonist... etc., etc.
We don't talk about the rest, except for 4, which was just kind of all right.
Silent Hill 1 is my absolute favorite horror game. I feel like it managed to capture the perfect balance between tense, terrifying atmosphere and slow quiet moments. In contrast, I feel that Silent Hill 2's atmosphere was too slow and quiet that I can't say that I ever really felt scared when playing it, especially since SH2 gives you boatloads of ammo and health items to the point that by the time you reach the end it feels like you're playing on God Mode. Silent Hill 3 is the exact opposite, you always feel vulnerable and stressed, and honestly that starts to get old after a while. They're all great games and I like that they all go for different moods in regards to their horror elements, but I prefer 1's style.
Also, after having seen all the Western developed games shittly try to copy the "protagonist with a dark and troubled past who faces his inner demons" plot of SH2, Harry Mason in Silent Hill 1 feels like a breath of fresh air.
Also, after having seen all the Western developed games shittly try to copy the "protagonist with a dark and troubled past who faces his inner demons" plot of SH2, Harry Mason in Silent Hill 1 feels like a breath of fresh air.
SH1 was also a new game, rendered completely in 3D (super rare for its time), using an obviously much more limited hardware than 2 and 3.
Hmm that's tough. Silent Hill 1 was the first one I played of course, and I remember being absolutely horrified the entire experience. But when SH 2 released, it blew me away with its presentation and atmosphere compared to the original. I think if SH1 has the benefit of the visual upgrade 2 experienced, I may think it's better.
I'm torn, personally. I think both are fantastic. I think 3 is as well, but 1 and 2 tapped into my fear in a way that 3 didn't (although 3 scared the shit out of me too). There are aspects of 1 I like more than 2, in particular the opening, but I think the narrative in 2 keeps it as my fave SH. I could take 1 or 3 in the number two spot, because I love them both and can't decide between the two runner ups.
I'd have loved to have seen a proper remaster/remake of the entire trilogy, but we know that's never gonna happen.
I'm torn, personally. I think both are fantastic. I think 3 is as well, but 1 and 2 tapped into my fear in a way that 3 didn't (although 3 scared the shit out of me too). There are aspects of 1 I like more than 2, in particular the opening, but I think the narrative in 2 keeps it as my fave SH. I could take 1 or 3 in the number two spot, because I love them both and can't decide between the two runner ups.
I'd have loved to have seen a proper remaster/remake of the entire trilogy, but we know that's never gonna happen.
2 is probably "objectively" better/improved, but I always preferred 1, because I played it first and more often whereas I only ever played 2 once.
There's just something about the original SH that really stuck with me that SH2 failed to do.
There's just something about the original SH that really stuck with me that SH2 failed to do.
I have always appreciated the contiguous story between 1+3, as opposed to 2. For me, it's 3 > 1 > 2. All are great, but I personally enjoy the occult + Christian mythology stuff than James amnesiac murder adventure.
I'm going through SH1 now (almost done) and it's certainly a "rough draft" but still good and has some great moments, especially in regards to it's fixed camera angles.
I can respect liking 1 the most but 2 is such a masterpiece of horror. I don't even like horror games all that much and I think about that game a lot. It's just incredible.
I definitely liked SH1 more but that's the only one I've really played through.
I think I fucked up by trying SH2 on Hard difficulty. Just roamed the streets, killing stupid amounts of silly-walk zombies with a club until I entered a house and carried on with the same. I remember that there was some key item in a bike basket that I could clearly see but not pick up. Pyramid Head seemed hilarious to me, which.. I'm not sure that was the intended response. When I couldn't solve the obtuse safe lock puzzle, (being with a hair of death and in desperate need of the health), that's when I threw my hands up.
Should I give it another go?
I think I fucked up by trying SH2 on Hard difficulty. Just roamed the streets, killing stupid amounts of silly-walk zombies with a club until I entered a house and carried on with the same. I remember that there was some key item in a bike basket that I could clearly see but not pick up. Pyramid Head seemed hilarious to me, which.. I'm not sure that was the intended response. When I couldn't solve the obtuse safe lock puzzle, (being with a hair of death and in desperate need of the health), that's when I threw my hands up.
Should I give it another go?
Since I feel like it after reading all the replies in the thread, here's my personal take on each of the eight mainline Silent Hill games, and my (of course) subjective opinion. I hold a few controversial opinions, including that how "bad" the later four Silent Hill games not by Team Silent are not nearly as bad as many make them out to be. In fact I'd even say my least favorite Silent Hill game is still an above average horror game, but they do lose the artistic identity and some special aspects the first four games do have, though I think at least two of them replace that with something still pretty interesting.
Excuse any typos, I'm sorta' writing all of this without proofreading it.
Silent Hill 1 is the darkest feeling game in the series. Despite Silent Hill 3 directly dealing with the cult, there's a stronger occult feeling to Silent Hill 1. Silent Hill 1 has this feeling despite everything after that gives it this more... illusive mysterious feel. Like there's an underlying madness to the town and what's happening, that a darkness is overtaking it. I don't think there was anything in the later games that really matched for example the strange scenes you experience with Lisa that seem detached from everything else, or feel as outright evil as Dahlia's character story wise. Midwich Elementary and Alchemilla Hospital have a certain obtuse kinda' style to them and design I also feel later entries never really recaptured. Or even exploring the town I think is more fleshed out than it is in the other Team Silent games. The Otherworld feels darker and more oppressive in this game as well. I think that's how I'd describe Silent Hill 1 to the rest of the series; It feels darker, more oppressive, more twisted and mysterious, more in-line with the occult and has a stronger feeling that something very wrong is going on. I do think SH1 suffers in a few areas, like both final bosses are interesting in design but not execution, the puzzles are a bit uneven in difficulty (I actually think the puzzles in the middle of the game are far easier than the one's at the start of the game), and I feel there's a stretch of the game that could've benefited from being a bit more designed (the Sewers kinda' are the "Third" main location in the game, but the whole second half of the game is kinda' muddled, there's some benefits to that but it also feels lacking in focus as you go from point to point just kinda' for the sake of going there), plus I feel a number of the monster designs end up goofier than not (I'm not afraid of a giant moth though it is beautiful, though the first Pterodactyl scare with the radio is brilliant, the actual enemies throughout the game are kinda' goofy), but I feel it surprisingly holds up, and actually the blocky SH1 look contributes to it's dark and mysterious atmosphere.
Silent Hill 2 is often the darling of the series and it's not hard to see why. A fun thing I don't see mentioned very often is that every other Team Silent game starts with a nightmare sequence that ends with a death, but Silent Hill 2 starts off with a hike into the town with a few story scenes only to break-up the pure atmosphere. Silent Hill 2 more than any other game in the series is a slow-burn descent, and this was definitely intentional as you spend so many sequences in this game going downward as things get more and more twisted. Silent Hill 2 holds a strong almost mystical kinda' feel, I feel SH2 has a stronger focus on a sorta' cold and decaying feeling town. In Silent Hill 1 the town still felt pretty lived in, just the people were absent and things were wrong, but in SH2 it feels more like you're exploring an abandoned town that's been left to rot and decay. Of course the real meat and potatoes of this experience is all the very subtle story telling the game does, in actuality the story of SH2 is pretty simple, but the way they execute it honestly is masterclass. Silent Hill 2's soundtrack is beautiful, far "prettier" than any other OST in the series. The game's also maybe the easiest Silent Hill game difficulty wise, but I think that actually works to the title's benefit as it's so much more focused on the atmosphere and story telling it employs. Despite the fact there's other characters in the game, and you're even directly accompanied by one of them through a section of the game, it gives off the most isolated feeling in the series. Silent Hill 1 I always thought most embraced the feeling of darkness through all the entries, I think SH2 embraces the motif of it's "fog" the most, both featuring the fog more prominently than any other entry and the way everything in the town looks water damaged and the more ethereal mystical feeling the game gives off. I could say more, but so many already have said so much on SH2.
Silent Hill 3 meanwhile gives off a very fleshy and hot feeling, a much more intense experience than SH1 or SH2. It opens up right from the get-go with the opening showing a very strange visual with an intense song, quickly breaking into a rock song opening with vocals, the first time in the series. Silent Hill 3 focuse on sorta' amplifying elements that SH2 left behind, the combat and enemy threat see's a big increase in presence and ability, you're handed a lot more unique and different items and weapons for more varied play style (such as given weapons like maces, flamethrowers, or items like a vest that increases your defense but decreases your speed, or beef jerky as a mean to distract certain enemies as a gameplay option you also never have to use). I think though SH3's actual story is really, really simple (half the game you're just trying to get home, the other half of the game you're out for vengeance), it's helped by quirkier very flawed cast of characters and a deeper dive into the cult of the town than any of the other entries. I think Claudia is actually the second most interesting villain in the series (I'll get to the first in the next entry), Heather is a moodier and more outlandish but also still grounded protagonist who shows more personality than literally all of her peers and gives the game more colorful flavor text than the other entries, and Vincent is just an absolute loser asshole with a terrible sense of humor that's easy to hate-love through the whole game. SH3's cast has direct parallels to SH1's cast (Heather vs Harry, Claudia vs Dahlia, Vincent vs Kauffman, Douglas vs Cybil, Leonard vs Lisa), but it's like the more colorful loser versions of each of these characters that are a lot more flawed and what's leftover from everything that's happened since the first game (as literally every character mentioned is dead/missing at this point in the series), but I find them more fascinating as a result. Aside from story, SH3 has some masterfully crafted sequences (from the mirror room and the entirety of the hospital otherworld, to the Gluttony monster and how you deal with it, to the Borely Haunted Mansion, to the creepy newspapers/optional scene in the subway system). I think SH3 has the best puzzles in the series, and how it handles its puzzle difficulty option (something SH2 has but not used as creatively as SH3's) is fantastic. I feel the actual level design in SH3 is also fantastic, none of the locations feel like each other and each has a pretty distinct flavor to it. SH3 also intensifies on the "artistry" that was present in the other two entries, there's just really beautifully morbid visuals in this game, and fantastic art direction all throughout the title. SH3 may lack SH2's narrative depth and atmosphere, and SH1's dark ominous feel, but I feel it makes up for it with it's more varied and interesting gameplay, masterful level and horror set-piece design, and compelling characters and artistry. Silent Hill 3 also by far has the best secrets in the series, a second New Game+ playthrough adds a lot of quirky but interesting secrets to the game.
Silent Hill 4 is when we begin to enter the "black sheep" territory for most in the series, but I think way too many people sleep on SH4. Silent Hill 4 is in my opinion by far the scariest most surreal entry in the series. Let me get this out of the way, it's more flawed than SH1-3, and there's more annoyances and things that may get pull down some's enjoyment. But I think SH4 took a darting approach to put it's narrative ahead of it's gameplay, putting in mechanics that actively are a detriment to the gameplay to enhance the story and atmospheric experience. Now this doesn't always work in it's favor, and I feel there's really bizarre ways the game sometimes misses it's mark; like some of the monsters have stock or weirdly used sound effects, or some weird general goofiness like the wheelchair monsters, the pop-goes-the-weasel wall monsters, things like that. Still, Silent Hill 4's narrative is so different than every other entries and actually genuinely gripping. Instead of more of a focus on the protagonist like SH2 and SH4 provided, or the invading nightmares of a tortured little girl like SH1, we explore more the mind of a killer through the form of Walter Sullivan, who is by far the most complex and interesting villain in the series. He's on a quest to perform a ritual known as the 21 Sacraments, involving murdering 21 people under different circumstances to fulfill the ritual. I won't spoil the rest of his deal here, but despite almost never talking through the whole game you learn so much about him just by the experience of the game itself. The game has some really engaging locations, some breaking the mold of the series before it (the forest is the most open spaced set location in any of the games and also has a very interesting history to it), or puts new and fascinating twists on the formula (the apartments are similar in theme to some of the other entries, but how they subtlety and sometimes directly hint at the personalities and people who live in each apartment, their inter-mingling and dark secrets that you get to learn about as you solve puzzles directly connected to events that have happened in the apartments previously, is actually fascinating and interesting). Maybe the top three creepiest enemies in the whole series exist in this game, as with a few of the monsters they got very creative to do stuff they haven't done before to some pretty good results. And of course, instead of exploring a town (though that element was subdued in SH3) we explore a room in first-person that slowly gets haunted, which I think is excellently done. You return to your room multiple times by crawling through holes, where you can manage your inventory (which is also the only entry in the series to do this), save your game, and peep on your neighbors (and later, deal with hauntings). There's so much more I could say about this entry, it's probably less "fun" than the other entries but I think it makes up for it with it's atmosphere, surrealism, narrative and creepiness. I also see a lot of people complain about the returning locations, but really I think the concept seems worse than the execution. You the first time through spend only maybe 20-40 minutes in each location before moving on, and when you return they mix it up a lot and more works as the second "half" of a location I felt. The escort mission in the later parts of the game I can understand more of an annoyance with, but the person your escorting also literally cannot die and if you give her one of her weapons she's surprisingly capable at taking down monsters on her own. Her limp and having to wait for her as she sometimes gets caught on things is an annoyance though, though once you learn how you can heal her with holy candles how she affects your ending becomes negligible. I think Silent Hill 4 is the strangest entry in the series, but also one of the most interesting who dares to try new things, doesn't succeed at all of them but where it does I feel it really does well.
Silent Hill Origins is the first non-Team Silent game, and it shows in some ways. My two major gripes with this game has to do with how it introduces and handles QTEs (which are not a welcome addition here and badly handled I feel) and some finicky/strange design decisions with the combat, having to completely stop moving to stomp on a downed enemy or how they handle weapon durability and carrying several dozen weapons in your inventory. I also feel certain mechanics the game is focused on, such as the mirror switching worlds mechanic, is underutilized. A final critique I have for Origins is the story has two halves to it, the story of Travis and the prequel story to Alessa. I find Travis' story to be fine, even well done at points, though doesn't come close to the other entries. Still I would've enjoyed it well enough, but the shoehorned SH1 characters and elements feel unneeded, and honestly more forced than anything. Outside of this, I actually like Origins, even though it's my second to least favorite entry. Some of the monsters are pretty unique and cool, the puzzles are pretty good, and I personally felt Origins gets better and better as it goes up until the final slice of the game. You start off in a firey house saving a girl, which is so-so, and then go to Alchemilla Hospital (from SH1), which is kinda' just a worse version of that location. From there things begin to fair better and better though. The Sanitarium is good, but waaaaaaay too long. I'm not kidding, this is like the longest and largest location in any SH game that long outstays it's welcome, but outside of length is fine and even does some interesting things. I actually love the movie theater location. And the final motel I actually liked a lot too. I like the Town exploration in Origins, and the sorta' mini-locations you explore (I actually feel the town exploration in Origins is better than SH1's or SH2's) and I like them introducing certain boss monsters into the streets over time. The Butcher in the game, the Pyramid Head wannabe, I actually was okay with but he has a disappointing boss battle unfortunately. I also feel the first boss is terrible, and the final boss is just kinda' dull. Still, I think Origins is sprinkled with interesting moments, scenes and locations, I do like it less than all of the Team Silent efforts, but I think it's still a pretty decent game.
Homecoming is my least favorite mainline Silent Hill game, but I still enjoy it well enough. I'm actually for Homecoming just going to paraphrase a review I wrote for it some years ago as my thoughts are pretty much the same as they were then:
Silent Hill: Shattered Memories is the second Silent Hill title by Climax Studios, the Origins devs, who seem cursed to making games directly connected to Silent Hill 1 (Origins wasn't originally going to be connected to SH1 that heavily before Konami's interception, and Shattered Memories was pitched as an entirely different game known as Cold Heart, which got turned into a SH1 reimagining). And as I just said, it's a sorta' pseudo reimagining of Silent Hill 1, though I think it's best to just take it as it's own game rather than a replacement to playing SH1 as they're dramatically different and without spoiling too much, Shattered Memories is not made to replace SH1 but to go in a very different direction with it. This game is almost more of a "Thriller Walking Simulator", but I mean that in the best possible way. The horror aspects are played down a lot for something more like a surreal horror-ish psychological thriller, and the gameplay takes a lot of steps down to play more like a Walking Simulator experience type of game (though there are chase sequences, no combat though, and puzzles to be had). The funny thing is this game predates the walking simulator boom that came with Dear Esther, but I also feel solved some of the genres early problems; giving the player plenty of interactivity and using certain coined systems, such as it's "Psychological Profiling" system, to give more intrigue to the experience (basically the game changes story moments and visuals based on what you look at and therapist sessions). The Therapy sessions are actually quite engaging and Kauffman's dialogue and personality in these sequences adds a lot. I also find the phone is well utilized in the game, having the map, customizating ring tones, how you get text and phone calls, and how you can spot phone numbers in the game and call them for more background depth on locations you're exploring as a creative way to sorta' sprinkle optional world building. Shattered Memories biggest accomplishments is probably the fact it's a game about exploration primarily that actually has a world that's fun to explore, and is pushed forward by a narrative that's actually well executed (written by Sam Barlow, who went on to make Her Story and Telling Lies). Moreso, the narrative is one that could have only worked in a video game, and is an excellent case study and example for how video game narratives I feel can be well executed using the tools of their field. Add to this the game is maybe one of the better third party showcases of the Wii Motion controls if you ever play this on Wii, being mostly responsive and actually adding to the experience rather than taking away. Not all may like the gameplay in Shattered Memories being "watered down" to the other entries, but Shattered Memories is actually an excellent walking simulator styled game with excellent exploration and story.
Downpour was the worst reviewed SH game and has many detractors, and there's plenty of criticisms that are more than fair to throw at it. However I find myself fond of this title despite it's faults. It's got mostly lackluster monster design, technical problems and performance hitches, as two of the more serious flaws I think most would agree with. I see many dislike the combat, but I actually am fine with it. I feel Shattered Memories lacking combat and Downpour's finicky combat were done in response to Homecoming's overt focus on combat, and I feel how Downpour gives you an unstable system to work with, but one you can also practice and get better at yet never gives you too much power, to be designed well with the game (plus literally every encounter in combat with the game is avoidable, there's even an achievement in the game for beating it without killing any enemies). Downpour's single biggest strength is within it's town exploration. Now town exploration was only really ever more heavily features in Silent Hill 1, 2, Origins and Homecoming (Shattered Memories as well, but that's a very different kind of experience). But I feel Downpour goes much further with its town exploration and makes it a genuinely interesting space to explore full of lots of weird little mysteries and conditions. Downpour features side-quest, which several of them are maybe the highlight of the whole experience for me. Some of them are genuinely well done, creepy and interesting, and there's a natural flow to how you may stumble upon them while exploring the town. I won't spoil them too much, but some of my favorites included the movie theater, the gramophone, the card playing one, the house of mirrors, and the apartment side-quest. This love of exploration also extends to a few of the game's locations, I actually think the game is pretty good with it's primary locations up until the final Prison location. The opening and the Diner I actually enjoyed going through. The Mines are actually pretty creepy, and the Orphanage I think is another series highlight of the game with several stand out moments. The Radio Tower I had some back-and-forth with, but I overall enjoyed it. Now three areas Downpour does suffer in my opinion is the Otherworld sequences are just not as interesting as these sequences in other games, with only the Orphanage Otherworld sequence being an exception. The chasing red light is just not scary nor interesting and the "Amusement Park Ride" feel they go for (sometimes very literally) more often than not doesn't work that well, except for the after-mentioned Orphanage sequence and maybe a few scenes of the Radio Tower. The Prison location has a few decent moments, but it's also the lowpoint of the game. I like Downpour's multiple endings more than Homecoming's, but they're still not great. The story is fine, it's not some amazing experience but I actually liked Murphy as a character and thought certain story cutscenes were interesting enough, though nothing comes close to the best stories in this series. Overall I can definitely see why so any aren't on-board with this game, but for me exploring the town, the side-quests, half of the main locales in the game, and the puzzles (which I forgot to mention but I think Downpour is tied in third place with the first SH game for puzzles for me in the series) makes me enjoy my time with it whenever I have played it.
Very long series of opinions and thoughts, and I might've gotten a bit off-track (and I apologize again for any typos, I did not proofread any of this), but my quick and dirty thoughts on each of the mainline entries in the series.
My personal ranking of the series:
Silent Hill 3 > Silent Hill 2 > Silent Hill 4 > Silent Hill 1 = Silent Hill Downpour > Shattered Memories > Silent Hill Origins > Silent Hill Homecoming
But even Homecoming I think is a slightly above average horror game. I think it's a good series, and though the post Team Silent games are weaker there's still plenty to enjoy about them.
Excuse any typos, I'm sorta' writing all of this without proofreading it.
Silent Hill 1 is the darkest feeling game in the series. Despite Silent Hill 3 directly dealing with the cult, there's a stronger occult feeling to Silent Hill 1. Silent Hill 1 has this feeling despite everything after that gives it this more... illusive mysterious feel. Like there's an underlying madness to the town and what's happening, that a darkness is overtaking it. I don't think there was anything in the later games that really matched for example the strange scenes you experience with Lisa that seem detached from everything else, or feel as outright evil as Dahlia's character story wise. Midwich Elementary and Alchemilla Hospital have a certain obtuse kinda' style to them and design I also feel later entries never really recaptured. Or even exploring the town I think is more fleshed out than it is in the other Team Silent games. The Otherworld feels darker and more oppressive in this game as well. I think that's how I'd describe Silent Hill 1 to the rest of the series; It feels darker, more oppressive, more twisted and mysterious, more in-line with the occult and has a stronger feeling that something very wrong is going on. I do think SH1 suffers in a few areas, like both final bosses are interesting in design but not execution, the puzzles are a bit uneven in difficulty (I actually think the puzzles in the middle of the game are far easier than the one's at the start of the game), and I feel there's a stretch of the game that could've benefited from being a bit more designed (the Sewers kinda' are the "Third" main location in the game, but the whole second half of the game is kinda' muddled, there's some benefits to that but it also feels lacking in focus as you go from point to point just kinda' for the sake of going there), plus I feel a number of the monster designs end up goofier than not (I'm not afraid of a giant moth though it is beautiful, though the first Pterodactyl scare with the radio is brilliant, the actual enemies throughout the game are kinda' goofy), but I feel it surprisingly holds up, and actually the blocky SH1 look contributes to it's dark and mysterious atmosphere.
Silent Hill 2 is often the darling of the series and it's not hard to see why. A fun thing I don't see mentioned very often is that every other Team Silent game starts with a nightmare sequence that ends with a death, but Silent Hill 2 starts off with a hike into the town with a few story scenes only to break-up the pure atmosphere. Silent Hill 2 more than any other game in the series is a slow-burn descent, and this was definitely intentional as you spend so many sequences in this game going downward as things get more and more twisted. Silent Hill 2 holds a strong almost mystical kinda' feel, I feel SH2 has a stronger focus on a sorta' cold and decaying feeling town. In Silent Hill 1 the town still felt pretty lived in, just the people were absent and things were wrong, but in SH2 it feels more like you're exploring an abandoned town that's been left to rot and decay. Of course the real meat and potatoes of this experience is all the very subtle story telling the game does, in actuality the story of SH2 is pretty simple, but the way they execute it honestly is masterclass. Silent Hill 2's soundtrack is beautiful, far "prettier" than any other OST in the series. The game's also maybe the easiest Silent Hill game difficulty wise, but I think that actually works to the title's benefit as it's so much more focused on the atmosphere and story telling it employs. Despite the fact there's other characters in the game, and you're even directly accompanied by one of them through a section of the game, it gives off the most isolated feeling in the series. Silent Hill 1 I always thought most embraced the feeling of darkness through all the entries, I think SH2 embraces the motif of it's "fog" the most, both featuring the fog more prominently than any other entry and the way everything in the town looks water damaged and the more ethereal mystical feeling the game gives off. I could say more, but so many already have said so much on SH2.
Silent Hill 3 meanwhile gives off a very fleshy and hot feeling, a much more intense experience than SH1 or SH2. It opens up right from the get-go with the opening showing a very strange visual with an intense song, quickly breaking into a rock song opening with vocals, the first time in the series. Silent Hill 3 focuse on sorta' amplifying elements that SH2 left behind, the combat and enemy threat see's a big increase in presence and ability, you're handed a lot more unique and different items and weapons for more varied play style (such as given weapons like maces, flamethrowers, or items like a vest that increases your defense but decreases your speed, or beef jerky as a mean to distract certain enemies as a gameplay option you also never have to use). I think though SH3's actual story is really, really simple (half the game you're just trying to get home, the other half of the game you're out for vengeance), it's helped by quirkier very flawed cast of characters and a deeper dive into the cult of the town than any of the other entries. I think Claudia is actually the second most interesting villain in the series (I'll get to the first in the next entry), Heather is a moodier and more outlandish but also still grounded protagonist who shows more personality than literally all of her peers and gives the game more colorful flavor text than the other entries, and Vincent is just an absolute loser asshole with a terrible sense of humor that's easy to hate-love through the whole game. SH3's cast has direct parallels to SH1's cast (Heather vs Harry, Claudia vs Dahlia, Vincent vs Kauffman, Douglas vs Cybil, Leonard vs Lisa), but it's like the more colorful loser versions of each of these characters that are a lot more flawed and what's leftover from everything that's happened since the first game (as literally every character mentioned is dead/missing at this point in the series), but I find them more fascinating as a result. Aside from story, SH3 has some masterfully crafted sequences (from the mirror room and the entirety of the hospital otherworld, to the Gluttony monster and how you deal with it, to the Borely Haunted Mansion, to the creepy newspapers/optional scene in the subway system). I think SH3 has the best puzzles in the series, and how it handles its puzzle difficulty option (something SH2 has but not used as creatively as SH3's) is fantastic. I feel the actual level design in SH3 is also fantastic, none of the locations feel like each other and each has a pretty distinct flavor to it. SH3 also intensifies on the "artistry" that was present in the other two entries, there's just really beautifully morbid visuals in this game, and fantastic art direction all throughout the title. SH3 may lack SH2's narrative depth and atmosphere, and SH1's dark ominous feel, but I feel it makes up for it with it's more varied and interesting gameplay, masterful level and horror set-piece design, and compelling characters and artistry. Silent Hill 3 also by far has the best secrets in the series, a second New Game+ playthrough adds a lot of quirky but interesting secrets to the game.
Silent Hill 4 is when we begin to enter the "black sheep" territory for most in the series, but I think way too many people sleep on SH4. Silent Hill 4 is in my opinion by far the scariest most surreal entry in the series. Let me get this out of the way, it's more flawed than SH1-3, and there's more annoyances and things that may get pull down some's enjoyment. But I think SH4 took a darting approach to put it's narrative ahead of it's gameplay, putting in mechanics that actively are a detriment to the gameplay to enhance the story and atmospheric experience. Now this doesn't always work in it's favor, and I feel there's really bizarre ways the game sometimes misses it's mark; like some of the monsters have stock or weirdly used sound effects, or some weird general goofiness like the wheelchair monsters, the pop-goes-the-weasel wall monsters, things like that. Still, Silent Hill 4's narrative is so different than every other entries and actually genuinely gripping. Instead of more of a focus on the protagonist like SH2 and SH4 provided, or the invading nightmares of a tortured little girl like SH1, we explore more the mind of a killer through the form of Walter Sullivan, who is by far the most complex and interesting villain in the series. He's on a quest to perform a ritual known as the 21 Sacraments, involving murdering 21 people under different circumstances to fulfill the ritual. I won't spoil the rest of his deal here, but despite almost never talking through the whole game you learn so much about him just by the experience of the game itself. The game has some really engaging locations, some breaking the mold of the series before it (the forest is the most open spaced set location in any of the games and also has a very interesting history to it), or puts new and fascinating twists on the formula (the apartments are similar in theme to some of the other entries, but how they subtlety and sometimes directly hint at the personalities and people who live in each apartment, their inter-mingling and dark secrets that you get to learn about as you solve puzzles directly connected to events that have happened in the apartments previously, is actually fascinating and interesting). Maybe the top three creepiest enemies in the whole series exist in this game, as with a few of the monsters they got very creative to do stuff they haven't done before to some pretty good results. And of course, instead of exploring a town (though that element was subdued in SH3) we explore a room in first-person that slowly gets haunted, which I think is excellently done. You return to your room multiple times by crawling through holes, where you can manage your inventory (which is also the only entry in the series to do this), save your game, and peep on your neighbors (and later, deal with hauntings). There's so much more I could say about this entry, it's probably less "fun" than the other entries but I think it makes up for it with it's atmosphere, surrealism, narrative and creepiness. I also see a lot of people complain about the returning locations, but really I think the concept seems worse than the execution. You the first time through spend only maybe 20-40 minutes in each location before moving on, and when you return they mix it up a lot and more works as the second "half" of a location I felt. The escort mission in the later parts of the game I can understand more of an annoyance with, but the person your escorting also literally cannot die and if you give her one of her weapons she's surprisingly capable at taking down monsters on her own. Her limp and having to wait for her as she sometimes gets caught on things is an annoyance though, though once you learn how you can heal her with holy candles how she affects your ending becomes negligible. I think Silent Hill 4 is the strangest entry in the series, but also one of the most interesting who dares to try new things, doesn't succeed at all of them but where it does I feel it really does well.
Silent Hill Origins is the first non-Team Silent game, and it shows in some ways. My two major gripes with this game has to do with how it introduces and handles QTEs (which are not a welcome addition here and badly handled I feel) and some finicky/strange design decisions with the combat, having to completely stop moving to stomp on a downed enemy or how they handle weapon durability and carrying several dozen weapons in your inventory. I also feel certain mechanics the game is focused on, such as the mirror switching worlds mechanic, is underutilized. A final critique I have for Origins is the story has two halves to it, the story of Travis and the prequel story to Alessa. I find Travis' story to be fine, even well done at points, though doesn't come close to the other entries. Still I would've enjoyed it well enough, but the shoehorned SH1 characters and elements feel unneeded, and honestly more forced than anything. Outside of this, I actually like Origins, even though it's my second to least favorite entry. Some of the monsters are pretty unique and cool, the puzzles are pretty good, and I personally felt Origins gets better and better as it goes up until the final slice of the game. You start off in a firey house saving a girl, which is so-so, and then go to Alchemilla Hospital (from SH1), which is kinda' just a worse version of that location. From there things begin to fair better and better though. The Sanitarium is good, but waaaaaaay too long. I'm not kidding, this is like the longest and largest location in any SH game that long outstays it's welcome, but outside of length is fine and even does some interesting things. I actually love the movie theater location. And the final motel I actually liked a lot too. I like the Town exploration in Origins, and the sorta' mini-locations you explore (I actually feel the town exploration in Origins is better than SH1's or SH2's) and I like them introducing certain boss monsters into the streets over time. The Butcher in the game, the Pyramid Head wannabe, I actually was okay with but he has a disappointing boss battle unfortunately. I also feel the first boss is terrible, and the final boss is just kinda' dull. Still, I think Origins is sprinkled with interesting moments, scenes and locations, I do like it less than all of the Team Silent efforts, but I think it's still a pretty decent game.
Homecoming is my least favorite mainline Silent Hill game, but I still enjoy it well enough. I'm actually for Homecoming just going to paraphrase a review I wrote for it some years ago as my thoughts are pretty much the same as they were then:
Silent Hill: Shattered Memories is the second Silent Hill title by Climax Studios, the Origins devs, who seem cursed to making games directly connected to Silent Hill 1 (Origins wasn't originally going to be connected to SH1 that heavily before Konami's interception, and Shattered Memories was pitched as an entirely different game known as Cold Heart, which got turned into a SH1 reimagining). And as I just said, it's a sorta' pseudo reimagining of Silent Hill 1, though I think it's best to just take it as it's own game rather than a replacement to playing SH1 as they're dramatically different and without spoiling too much, Shattered Memories is not made to replace SH1 but to go in a very different direction with it. This game is almost more of a "Thriller Walking Simulator", but I mean that in the best possible way. The horror aspects are played down a lot for something more like a surreal horror-ish psychological thriller, and the gameplay takes a lot of steps down to play more like a Walking Simulator experience type of game (though there are chase sequences, no combat though, and puzzles to be had). The funny thing is this game predates the walking simulator boom that came with Dear Esther, but I also feel solved some of the genres early problems; giving the player plenty of interactivity and using certain coined systems, such as it's "Psychological Profiling" system, to give more intrigue to the experience (basically the game changes story moments and visuals based on what you look at and therapist sessions). The Therapy sessions are actually quite engaging and Kauffman's dialogue and personality in these sequences adds a lot. I also find the phone is well utilized in the game, having the map, customizating ring tones, how you get text and phone calls, and how you can spot phone numbers in the game and call them for more background depth on locations you're exploring as a creative way to sorta' sprinkle optional world building. Shattered Memories biggest accomplishments is probably the fact it's a game about exploration primarily that actually has a world that's fun to explore, and is pushed forward by a narrative that's actually well executed (written by Sam Barlow, who went on to make Her Story and Telling Lies). Moreso, the narrative is one that could have only worked in a video game, and is an excellent case study and example for how video game narratives I feel can be well executed using the tools of their field. Add to this the game is maybe one of the better third party showcases of the Wii Motion controls if you ever play this on Wii, being mostly responsive and actually adding to the experience rather than taking away. Not all may like the gameplay in Shattered Memories being "watered down" to the other entries, but Shattered Memories is actually an excellent walking simulator styled game with excellent exploration and story.
Downpour was the worst reviewed SH game and has many detractors, and there's plenty of criticisms that are more than fair to throw at it. However I find myself fond of this title despite it's faults. It's got mostly lackluster monster design, technical problems and performance hitches, as two of the more serious flaws I think most would agree with. I see many dislike the combat, but I actually am fine with it. I feel Shattered Memories lacking combat and Downpour's finicky combat were done in response to Homecoming's overt focus on combat, and I feel how Downpour gives you an unstable system to work with, but one you can also practice and get better at yet never gives you too much power, to be designed well with the game (plus literally every encounter in combat with the game is avoidable, there's even an achievement in the game for beating it without killing any enemies). Downpour's single biggest strength is within it's town exploration. Now town exploration was only really ever more heavily features in Silent Hill 1, 2, Origins and Homecoming (Shattered Memories as well, but that's a very different kind of experience). But I feel Downpour goes much further with its town exploration and makes it a genuinely interesting space to explore full of lots of weird little mysteries and conditions. Downpour features side-quest, which several of them are maybe the highlight of the whole experience for me. Some of them are genuinely well done, creepy and interesting, and there's a natural flow to how you may stumble upon them while exploring the town. I won't spoil them too much, but some of my favorites included the movie theater, the gramophone, the card playing one, the house of mirrors, and the apartment side-quest. This love of exploration also extends to a few of the game's locations, I actually think the game is pretty good with it's primary locations up until the final Prison location. The opening and the Diner I actually enjoyed going through. The Mines are actually pretty creepy, and the Orphanage I think is another series highlight of the game with several stand out moments. The Radio Tower I had some back-and-forth with, but I overall enjoyed it. Now three areas Downpour does suffer in my opinion is the Otherworld sequences are just not as interesting as these sequences in other games, with only the Orphanage Otherworld sequence being an exception. The chasing red light is just not scary nor interesting and the "Amusement Park Ride" feel they go for (sometimes very literally) more often than not doesn't work that well, except for the after-mentioned Orphanage sequence and maybe a few scenes of the Radio Tower. The Prison location has a few decent moments, but it's also the lowpoint of the game. I like Downpour's multiple endings more than Homecoming's, but they're still not great. The story is fine, it's not some amazing experience but I actually liked Murphy as a character and thought certain story cutscenes were interesting enough, though nothing comes close to the best stories in this series. Overall I can definitely see why so any aren't on-board with this game, but for me exploring the town, the side-quests, half of the main locales in the game, and the puzzles (which I forgot to mention but I think Downpour is tied in third place with the first SH game for puzzles for me in the series) makes me enjoy my time with it whenever I have played it.
Very long series of opinions and thoughts, and I might've gotten a bit off-track (and I apologize again for any typos, I did not proofread any of this), but my quick and dirty thoughts on each of the mainline entries in the series.
My personal ranking of the series:
Silent Hill 3 > Silent Hill 2 > Silent Hill 4 > Silent Hill 1 = Silent Hill Downpour > Shattered Memories > Silent Hill Origins > Silent Hill Homecoming
But even Homecoming I think is a slightly above average horror game. I think it's a good series, and though the post Team Silent games are weaker there's still plenty to enjoy about them.
Silent Hill 1 is dragged down by the never ending parade of zombie pterodactyls dive bombing your face when you're running through town. It's hard to get spooked or take in the atmosphere when you are just sprinting full speed past everything.
The indoor sections are brilliant though.
The indoor sections are brilliant though.
Having only played 1-4 I think 2 is the best, but i would put 1 right behind it. Having played it in the past few years, i was surprised by how well it holds up with its atmosphere and combat(never playing it when it originally came out mind you).
My order is:
1. Silent Hill 2
2. Silent Hill 1
3. Silent Hill 3
4. Silent Hill 4
My order is:
1. Silent Hill 2
2. Silent Hill 1
3. Silent Hill 3
4. Silent Hill 4