8000+ Reviews Since 1998!
 |
Silent Hill HD Collection reviewGame: Silent Hill HD CollectionPlatform: Xbox 360 Genre: Action Adventure (Horror) Developer: Konami |
Staff review by Marc Golding
April 09, 2012
Finally, Silent Hill fans have something to be excited about. In fact, this disc, plus the HD remastering of Resident Evil 4 represent the first reasons for survival horror fans in general to be excited since… well, since Resident Evil 4 first came out. That being said, Silent Hill HD Collection isn’t without its issues.
I am not enamoured of any two old games slapped together (just Silent Hill 2 and 3 in this case) being called a “collection” in the first place, especially given how easily Silent Hill 4: The Room (of the same ‘era’) could have been included for more value if not quality. Moreover, the third instalment isn't a great game anyway; certainly not on par with the second – but this is still the best release for the series in ages.
For relative newcomers to the series, who may have cut their teeth on Silent Hill: Homecoming or something equally visually impressive and emotionally underwhelming, recognize that Silent Hill 2 is the seminal, haunting experience from which modern developers draw inspiration for their comparatively lifeless sequels.
You will recognize too, the reason why the story of the guilt-ridden, brooding protagonist worked so well here and not so well hereafter; James Sunderland’s tale is told well, and it is one that stays with you well after the experience has come to a close.
It seems that James’s dead wife has invited him to meet her at the titular, near-deserted resort town; whether he finds her or not, he will find what he’s looking for (whether he is prepared for it or not). The way the decidedly mature material is handled is deeply affecting.
This is not to say that the game is perfect; it never was, and it certainly isn’t now. There are long stretches (most notably at the beginning) of running and running and running, and of ceaselessly and uselessly trying locked doors, and of hokey CGI sequences. Only the latter has been addressed, and much has been made of the new voice acting.
Given that we are provided a choice between old and new voices in Silent Hill 2, the difference between the two is remarkably clear. The new voices are much, much better, as the new actors make the sometimes cringe-worthy script seem natural and believable.
When combined with the now-sharp HD visuals, this is the best possible version of one of the best survival horror games ever made, notwithstanding its deliberate pacing which may seem a little on the slow side, especially for today’s gamers. The dynamic between James and Pyramid Head atop a compelling framework of pain and suffering, and guilt and atonement, manifests as one of the most meaningful, melancholy and terrifying experiences in horror gaming.
Silent Hill 3 is a different story. It has nothing to do with the second game, and is generally viewed as a direct sequel to the first game. Its protagonist, Heather, is the most celebrated character in the series, and for good reason: she’s young, her dialogue and reactions to the insanity around her rings true, and the actress who voiced her did a wonderful job bringing her to life.
Which begs the question: why was her work completely omitted from this re-release? This is not to say that the new actress’ interpretation isn’t adequate; it’s quite good, if a bit mature, but contrary to the case with James, Heather never needed the redo (and I’m sure some purists will find it in themselves to be perturbed).
In any case, what struck me most in revisiting Silent Hill 3 was that Akira Yamaoka’s work was probably never better than it is here. The stirring intro music, for instance, is in stark contrast to the horribly out-of-place Korn track that blares to open the newest iteration, Silent Hill: Downpour.
The perfect, mood-setting score, along with Heather being the most likable protagonist in the series is the good news; the bad news is that Silent Hill 3 marks the first time the series abandoned the hanging carrot. The first time we no longer felt like proper detectives of the supernatural, and investigators into evil.
No longer are we on the trail of something both fragile and critical--a child gone like a wisp of smoke, the spectre of a ghostly spouse--now we are bumblers plunked directly into nastiness where we must rattle around we come out the other end having 'learned' the story by accident, by virtue of hanging around for long enough.
It’s a testament to Team Silent’s passion and intimate knowledge of their creation that the game is a still a worthwhile experience on the back of everything else it does right.
Silent Hill 3’s faults aside, it’s still worth your time to play it to learn more about the canon’s backstory in general, the first game’s backstory in particular. Besides, having a well-acted, HD version of Silent Hill 2 in your collection is nearly worth the price of admission on its own.
|
|
|
|
More Reviews by Marc Golding
|
|
 |
My Hero (Sega Master System)
You play the role of The Hero, but you look like Edward Carnby, specifically from Alone in the Dark 2, right down to the blue leisure suit and pitiful de... |
 |
Silent Hill: Downpour (Xbox 360)
Some might argue that the canon was lost once it left the hands of its original developers; since that time it has been passed from studio to studio, each with ... |
 |
Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City (PlayStation 3)
My team went through a checkpoint door and encountered enemy resistance. I noticed one teammate was absent on the front lines, and looked for her. Naturally, sh... |
If you enjoyed this Silent Hill HD Collection review, you're encouraged to leave feedback and talk about it with members of the site's community. You don't even need an HonestGamers account to get involved in the discussion. Please remember to keep your comments respectful and on-topic or they may be deleted by a moderator. Thank you for your understanding!
comments powered by Disqus
Info | Help | Privacy Policy | Contact | Advertise | Links
© 1998-2013 HonestGamers
None of the material contained within this site may be reproduced in any conceivable fashion without permission from the author(s) of said material. This site is not sponsored or endorsed by Nintendo, Sega, Sony, Microsoft, or any other such party. Silent Hill HD Collection is a registered trademark of its copyright holder. This site makes no claim to Silent Hill HD Collection, its characters, screenshots, artwork, music, or any intellectual property contained within. Opinions expressed on this site do not necessarily represent the opinion of site staff or sponsors.
None of the material contained within this site may be reproduced in any conceivable fashion without permission from the author(s) of said material. This site is not sponsored or endorsed by Nintendo, Sega, Sony, Microsoft, or any other such party. Silent Hill HD Collection is a registered trademark of its copyright holder. This site makes no claim to Silent Hill HD Collection, its characters, screenshots, artwork, music, or any intellectual property contained within. Opinions expressed on this site do not necessarily represent the opinion of site staff or sponsors.