If you're like me, you probably got this game because you heard how great Silent Hill 2 is and wanted to give it a try, and if you're like me, you're probably walking away with a somewhat sour taste in your mouth. Even though this collection is decent, it doesn't make up for all of the drawbacks that both Silent Hill 2 and 3 come with.
First is Silent Hill 2 which is often considered toIf you're like me, you probably got this game because you heard how great Silent Hill 2 is and wanted to give it a try, and if you're like me, you're probably walking away with a somewhat sour taste in your mouth. Even though this collection is decent, it doesn't make up for all of the drawbacks that both Silent Hill 2 and 3 come with.
First is Silent Hill 2 which is often considered to be the high point of the franchise. Right off the bat, Silent Hill 2 hits all the right chords to be a truly good survival horror experience. The game is legitimately creepy, with a fantastic atmosphere, creepy sound effects and freaky monsters. If that isn't enough, the game also has a really well done story, with more than enough cutscenes and story elements to make it feel consistent. Couple the great story which has multiple endings and great horror elements, and Silent Hill 2 does make for a satisfying horror experience.
The new voice actors were a controversial decision, given that all the voice actors were replaced. Luckily, the original voices are still in the game, and you have the option to choose between the old and new ones. However, the old voices dialogue isn't very well acted. The new voices are not only better acted, but they fit the characters better, even if they don't always match the lip movements.
The gameplay itself is a little different. First off, there's no tutorial, and combat isn't easy to figure out. Luckily once you get the hang of it, it's simple, if not that great. Combat consists of you going into a combat stance to use your equipped weapon. This roots you to the spot, meaning that while fighting, you can't avoid attacks. Also, the tank controls make your character slow, and with enemy attacks usually being really quick or having a good range, there is no sure fire way to dodge them. You will take damage, no matter how good you are. What makes this worse is the camera, which is terrible. The camera is fixed and more dynamic, but does a terrible job of keeping enemies in view. This means you'll suffer a ridiculous amount of cheap hits from enemies you can't see.
One good element is the map. The map is easy to understand and marks doors you can enter and can't. However, leaving the map or pause menu puts you into gameplay without the lighting up the screen quick enough. So, if you enter the pause menu while in combat, you won't be able to see your enemies for a second or two, which I actually died from.
Speaking of dying, the checkpoint system is terrible. There is no auto save and the save points aren't consistent enough to make up for it. Dying could easily man losing thirty minutes of gameplay.
The story and atmosphere of Silent Hill 2 are great, but the flawed gameplay ultimately makes Silent Hill 2 frustrating. Unfortunately, Silent Hill 3 doesn't fair much better.
Silent Hill 3 does a couple of things right. The graphics are improved, there's more weapon variety, and combat is more fluid, but the game still has a slew of problems.
Combat may be improved, allowing you to move while attacking, but the game in turn throws more enemies at you at a time, and there's still no way to fight multiple enemies effectively. The camera is still terrible, and most enemies still have attacks you can't effectively strategize around. The map itself has downgraded, failing to mark down all doors, which left me wondering where to go at certain points.
The creepy atmosphere has been toned down too. The game still has it's moments, but it's not scary anymore. The story is also practically non existent in the first half of the game. After that, it does pick up, but the weird religious/paranormal based story is a strange turn in comparison to Silent Hill 2's more psychological jarring tone. The story is a direct sequel to Silent Hill 1, and without the game on here, you end up being lost through most of it.
The checkpoint system is improved, with checkpoints being tied to cutscenes, but with the cutscenes being scarce in the first half of the game and the save points still remaining inconsistent, this system is hardly better. Luckily, their are checkpoints for every boss fight.
With a weaker story and atmosphere, and hardly improved gameplay, Silent Hill 3 takes more steps back then forward.
What's also disappointing is the lack of games. Silent Hill 4, Shattered Memories, and Origins are all PS2 titles missing from this collection. Even Silent Hill 1 is missing from here, which doesn't help, considering Silent Hill 3 is a direct sequel. I wasn't expecting all these games, but I still expected more than what's here.
Ultimately, this game is hard to recommend. The gameplay stops this collection from appealing to the modern gamer, and even old fans say the collection is disappointing. Plus, unlike other collections which help you catch up to popular franchises, Silent Hill has largely been forgotten. I'd only recommend playing this if you're a hardcore survival horror. If not, steer clear.… Expand
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