Silent Hill Homecoming: Final Launch Thoughts

So tomorrow, the first western developed entry in my favorite gaming franchise EVER hits retail. Silent Hill is something that is truly special to me no matter how much Brad hates on its less than stellar combat and its strange, obscure puzzles. The game has always had this charm to it that other horror games have lacked. I merely stumbled upon the first Silent Hill in a used game store years back and picked it up because I needed a new game to play. Little did I know what I was getting myself into. From their, the series spawned several sequels that secured the franchise in gaming history as one of the most disturbing yet beautiful games in the industry. The games feature superb art direction, excellent (yet confusing) plots, and beautiful music that come together to make an experience that really doesn't compare to anything else out there. So it's been 4 years since the release of Silent Hill 4 and I have been starving for a new game. Silent Hill Origins was good but it merely calmed my yearning temporarily. Before the game hits shelves, there are a few things I want to address.

The first reviews of this game have started to flood in and they have been all over the board. With most other Silent Hill's, reviewers typically agreed on a general score but this game has scores as low as "6/10" and as promising as an "A". This is probably for varying reasons but here is what I think. First of all, Silent Hill is a game that is hard to grasp. If you don't pick up on the game's charm, you are probably very confused as to what is so great about it. I have read several reviews already that have mentioned many of the same qualities to the game but the funny thing is that some people treat them as faults and some treat them as positives. Many reviewers have mentioned that the games combat has been dramatically improved but the lower scores tend to refer to this as a feature that removes some of the fear from the game and makes it a little too easy. Others refer to it as a much welcomed improvement to the series. They see it was something the game has needed for years. Also, many have mentioned the games story as being a bit more straight forward than any of the previous games even though it shares similar themes. Once again, reviewers seem to be split on this element as well. To make a long story short, I think it comes down to how much you identify with the older entries in the series. Some don't like change because they thing it takes away from what made the earlier games so good. Others welcome it as an improvement and an evolution to the series. Despite this difference in opinion, I seem to think that most people agree that "Double Helix", the new western developer, has captured the spirit of the franchise and delivered an acceptable entry in the franchise.

As for my predictions concerning my own reactions to the game. I expect that I will like the game and respect the developers for trying to take the franchise in a new direction. Of course, I will be playing the game live on the feed and talking about the game on this weeks podcast. The only question that remains is: "How will Brad receive the game?" Expect my full impressions on the podcast this week and my full review sometime next week after I finish the game. Be sure to tune in on Thursday night at 10:00 pm central time to get a look at the game in action.

P.S.- Did I mention that I really can't wait to get my hands on the games soundtrack? Akira Yamaoka... you are a genius.

-Nick