Working as Intended

Well, okay, not really. But the new trailer for Silent Hill popped up earlier today, and since I did just finish my annoyingly long personal view of the series, I thought I'd share my thoughts and feelings on this trailer.

Now, with it being a trailer and all everything can easily change, but let's see what we have so far!

The biggest change for the series comes through in the music. Akira Yamaoka, who's done the fantastically unsettling score of the series up to this point has left, so they got in.. er.. that guy who does the music for Dexter. Never seen the show, but I rather like the music in the trailer. It's different, but its still very somber and oppressive at points, which is all you need.

As long as the music doesn't go obviously and obnoxiously spastic with fear every time a monster pops up, I'm happy.

Another big change is the design of Silent Hill itself. It could be an entirely different part of the town, of course, but the look and feel of it is rather different. In the past the town was rather bare and empty, while here everything seems much more overgrown and cramped. The amount of litter scattered in the alleyway puts a nice emphasis on the sense of abandonment and isolation. Though exactly how alone you are in the game will obviously be deterined later.

Aside from that, not much else to say that can't be assumed by just watching the trailer. The lighting effects are very impressive, and the transition to the Otherworld (especially where a long hallway appears in real-time where there was originally just a wall) is all sorts of awesome and freaky looking!

I like the design of the new Otherworld. The long rows of bars and very grey aspect of it neatly represents either, uh, Whathisface's life in prison, or fear of it (since he was just on a prison bus). It's much better than Homecoming's, which was just Silent Hill 1's Otherworld, for absolutely no reason.

The idea of having a convict visit Silent Hill is a really cool one, in my opinion. It's an idea I'm surprised hasn't been thought of before in this series. The amount of backstory, and especially symbolism, you can get from something like that is fantastic. I really do hope they go down this storytelling path, instead of the old and tired The Order-related shenanigans.

As far as what else I'd like to see in this new title.. er.. can't think of much. But I'll list down the few I can.


1) Slowly build the anticipation.
As I said in my Homecoming spiel, the best aspect of any Silent Hill title is the long, dreadful build up of anticipation for something to leap out and bite your face off. If you throw people right into the deep-end, they don't feel scared. Make them panic about what's coming next, then throw something entirely different at them. Or nothing. So when you do, they'll be scared shitless.

2) Keep it symbolic.
Doesn't seem like it'll be an issue, especially since its a series staple, but you have to make every monster have a purpose for being. Everything has to have a message, either in how it reflects on an aspect of the character or how it forshadows a future revelation. Or something else entirely. Who cares? It just has to make the player look at the monster's design and go, "Huh!"

Speaking of..

3) Don't reuse monster designs.
Every non-Team Silent game has done this for some extremely baffling reason. It kinda fucks up the symbolism when you start doing that, especially if it's from Silent Hill 2. So, yeah, original designs plz. It's not that bloody hard!

4) And especially no Pyramid Head.
He doesn't need another paycheck going towards a yacht. He can find gigs elsewhere!

Though with Pyramid Head also being something of a creature representing redemption and punishment, this title might actually be the first since SH2 to have it make sense for Pyramid Head to be in it. Assuming of course our convict character actually goes down that path. Even so, an original stalking (and possibly rape-loving) monster would be so much more effective.

5) Puzzles.
Either make them hard or don't put them in at all. Homecoming had the worst puzzles in the series. They were few and far between, annoying when they popped up (due to pacing reasons and placement) and could usually be solved in about 40 seconds. Better yet, put in a Puzzle Difficulty option when starting the game, like the old Silent Hill titles had.

6) Just make it good.
I want a fantastic Silent Hill title again. Origins was average and Homecoming had a nice story, but the symbolism kinda floundered in areas and the gameplay was rubbish.


I'm not going to get my hopes up for this new Silent Hill title (unless it turned out Team Silent was making it), but so far it does actually seem very promising. I love the idea of a convict character hitting town, the new Fog/Otherworld designs are good, the lighting effects are even better, and.. well, yeah. I hope we see more of it in the near future.

Just don't fuck it up!