Developer: Team Silent Publisher: Konami Released: 01/31/99 Genre: Survival Horror
Resident Evil did not make an immediate splash but when it caught on it basically established the framework of the survival horror genre. Legions of titles would follow but few tried to do their own thing. Konami’s Silent Hill not only went in its own direction some would say it surpassed its inspiration. Silent Hill is a truly frightening and incredible game and one of the best reasons to own a PS One in my opinion.
Harry Mason is on his way to Silent Hill for a vacation with his daughter Cheryl. On the way however they swerve to avoid hitting a girl in the road and crash. When he comes to Harry is alone in a nearly deserted city and must find her. Things won’t be easy though as it is snowing out of season and the city is covered in fog.
In terms of atmosphere Silent Hill has it in spades. The titular town is genuinely creepy as it is nearly devoid of any life and full of fog. The fog is to get around the PS One’s limitations but also works in its favor as it makes the game eerie all around. Most of the time you will only hear your footsteps until the radio signals when an enemy is approaching. The general tone is unsettling. Even when you meet the few people that are still in the city there is a feeling of uneasiness; why would any sane human being willingly stay in this hellhole? The answer in each case is surprising as the plot goes to some extremely dark places.
The excellent sound design aids in setting the tone. Silent Hill does not rely on jump scares but instead keeping you on edge. I have already mentioned the overall silence in most cases. You radio begins to lightly give off white noise that grows in intensity as enemies get closer. It is nerve wracking to enter a room and immediately hear it but can’t see the source. Because the game does not rely on jump scares when the do occur it is genuinely scary. When music does appear it is all around excellent. It is somber when Harry finally comes across someone else as they will usually drop story related bombshells. It is spine-chilling to enter a large pitch black room and hear a track that sounds like rusty nails on a chalkboard that grows in intensity. The game even does it when nothing is around to mess with you!
Harry is not an action hero and controls like an average Joe thrust in an overwhelming situation. He is awkward in his movements and slow to react. While it uses tank controls the full 3d environment makes them easier to manage. In addition to the radio Harry also has a flashlight. You can toggle the light which is useful as enemies will follow its source. With no light they can’t see you although if you are using a gun it is less accurate.
Speaking of guns, Silent Hill is not as stingy with ammo as Resident Evil. I would say you are still better off using a melee weapon. The auto aim is not very good and on the city streets you will waste plenty of ammo trying to kill off screen enemies. Melee weapons conserve ammo and some like the hammer deal insane damage. There is a visceral feeling to beating a demon to death; doubly so since you need to deal a death blow when they are down to truly finish them off.
Unlike Resident Evil Silent Hill is in full 3d rather than polygonal characters on pre-rendered backgrounds. You have free reign to explore Silent Hill at your leisure. The game marks your destination on the map but how and when you get there is up to you. Most buildings and streets are blocked off but there is plenty to find if you explore. Another convenient feature is that your map updates as you explore. Locked doors, points of interest and such are marked making the game faster paced. Most of the key areas you explore (school, hospital, amusement park) are not that large and with the filled in map backtracking is minimal. The game pulls a trick on you with alternate Silent Hill.
In every area Harry will eventually explore an alternate version of that location. Alternate Silent Hill is a nightmare version of an already frightening game that ratchets the creepiness to eleven. Everything is covered in rust, blood, dead bodies and barb wire. The pervasive fog gives way to all-encompassing darkness. While you might be in the same location new areas open up and old ones are inaccessible. Alternate Silent Hill is a cool twist but I am of two minds. I liked it the first time it happened as it is genuinely terrifying. The question of whether it is real or Harry losing his mind is a cool bit of psychological torture. But exploring every key area twice grows old. To the game’s credit it isn’t that long but it still grates on the nerves.
Silent Hill is about medium in length. Once you realize the majority of the open world is empty you will make a bee line to the next objective. Each area may seem large but the majority of the rooms in each locale are permanently locked. What may take up your time is the back tracking through two worlds and the at times obtuse puzzles. There are multiple endings but without a guide you will never find most of them on your own. I will say that even though I don’t like trekking through each area twice the game is about the right length. It does not wear out its welcome which you can’t say for most games.
In Closing
Silent Hill is still a fantastic survival horror experience even today. It uses its limitations to create an experience unlike anything at the time and is still terrifying today. If not for Resident Evil 2 this would be the defining survival horror experience of that era.
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