Silent Hill: Downpour

 Xbox 360
User Score
7.2

Mixed or average reviews- based on 346 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 207 out of 346
  2. Mixed: 86 out of 346
  3. Negative: 53 out of 346
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  1. Stevesitz
    Feb 17, 2015
    7
    Although having several issues with frame rate, freezing and clunky combat it is very easy to look over them and get drawn into the great and eerie story which is the first in a long time for the Silent Hill franchise.
  2. wesker2012
    May 27, 2012
    7
    I like the new direction they went with this game. The open world structure is what ive always wanted in this game. the beg. to middle of the game was really cool. It ended a bit too quickly, the ending was wtf. My fav. silent hill game, but still could improve a lot
  3. huss2215
    Nov 14, 2013
    7
    Graphics: Character models don’t look that great, the environments/atmosphere I thought was great and felt like a Silent Hill game. The creatures looked okay but in no way were they Silent Hill creatures. 8.5.
    Sound: It felt like Silent Hill, creepy, nice themes, annoying creatures. 10.
    Gameplay: The combat sucks it’s completely retarded and it just doesn’t work well. You get    Graphics: Character models don’t look that great, the environments/atmosphere I thought was great and felt like a Silent Hill game. The creatures looked okay but in no way were they Silent Hill creatures. 8.5.
    Sound: It felt like Silent Hill, creepy, nice themes, annoying creatures. 10.
    Gameplay: The combat sucks it’s completely retarded and it just doesn’t work well. You get mobbed up with enemies and your only choice is to run. The gun mechanics are also terrible, and sometimes you shoot a creature and there’s no hit detection. Exploring and puzzles are the only gameplay aspects that work in this title. 6.5.
    Story: The story is decent but the way it’s told or the direction it plays out is absolutely terrible. There are scenes where you end up falling through a long hole and the scene skips where your fine. It would be okay to do this once, but it is done multiple times. A scene where you’re attacked along with the 2 others in the same room was by far the worst cut scene I have ever witnessed in a Silent Hill game. The overall execution of the story depends on the dull choices you make throughout the game, as well as how many side missions you complete (if I remember correctly). No thought put into the boss battles, and the chasing black hole is what I consider laziness by the developers. 5.5.
    Lasting Appeal: This is a disgrace to all the other Silent Hill games, but it can still be enjoyed. I would only recommend it as a rental. 6.0.
    Overall Score: 7.3 out of 10.    … Expand
  4. zaucha
    Nov 25, 2019
    5
    Downpour starts out pretty good it gets you asking what might happen in the game however a quarter of the game doesn't take place in silent hill but just outside it you make your into silent hill though and if you want the games story to be like the old silent hill games you will not find it here there is no cult or anything like that its just about the main character which is okay but itDownpour starts out pretty good it gets you asking what might happen in the game however a quarter of the game doesn't take place in silent hill but just outside it you make your into silent hill though and if you want the games story to be like the old silent hill games you will not find it here there is no cult or anything like that its just about the main character which is okay but it doesn't go very far like silent hill 2. overall the story is just bland its a "been there done that" story which is a shame.… Expand
  5. klaaz
    Jan 26, 2023
    7
    Although it is a huge improvement over Homecoming, it still doesn't reach the level of the originals and presents problems at a narrative level that end up weighing it down at the end of the story.
  6. Xborn74
    Mar 13, 2012
    7
    "Silent Hill: Downpur" is the 8th incarnation of the game franchise, this time it focus is on the "natural" scenery, and with rain in place of the well known radio static sound. You're playing as a convict who, during a prison transfer, has an bus accident and ends up falling in Silent Hill during your escape.

    The game's graphics are very good: in some parts, and especially some textures,    "Silent Hill: Downpur" is the 8th incarnation of the game franchise, this time it focus is on the "natural" scenery, and with rain in place of the well known radio static sound. You're playing as a convict who, during a prison transfer, has an bus accident and ends up falling in Silent Hill during your escape.

    The game's graphics are very good: in some parts, and especially some textures, it misses some specific detail or better final polishing (as in the background animations, or the fire in the lighter), and lack some interactivity with the environment elements, such as trees, which are static, and do not move when you touch them. But the general work in the scenarios are really a very good job: all of the game's environment are detailed and you can enter in most of the structures that exist, with a wide number of hidden collectibles and objects in them (in the Hard difficulty you not to see them soo easily: many objects end up unnoticed).

    The overall ambiance of the game, between the mists, darkness and rain is quite sinister and oppressive ... the game is above the level of the previous games in the series (recent ones), in that respect. Regarding the enemies, there is no news or something memorable in their design.

    The soundtrack, sound effects and voice acting is perfect for the style of play, and that's a thing that the Silent Hill series has always excelled, and with this game, this is no exception.

    The gameplay involves much exploration (with scenarios and large or complex environments, which require some care to not lose yourself), with some segments of fighting (or escaping - that depends on how you want to play), Puzzles (very smart ones in this version of the game ) and some other parts of faster action - meaning escaping (when you enter occasionally the "Otherworld" of Silent Hill, fleeing the "Void").

    The combat has the classic scheme of the other games, and when you are injured, your clothes will become bloody, and your attitudes show the physical weakness you feel. A variety of objects can be used as weapons (for melee ou throwing), but all of them are subject to wear off by use.

    The game also has a screen of statistics, with many interesting facts about what you did or not in the game, like mysteries, distance walked, sidequests done, etc..

    My criticism: I thought the combat it's a little clumsy: it is a little impractical to fight enemies, even with the simplified layout of controls, but they can be avoided most of the time (there is an achievement to finish the game without killing enemies). The "Downpour" in the title refers to the rain, which measures the degree of aggressiveness and the presence of enemies around, entering in the the place of the classic radio static sound.

    The same flaw applies to the character's movement: I wanted to see at this point (2012), instead of the classic movement style of the franchise, a well developed and more natural or fluid type of movement in general... yes, this would be an evolution in the game franchise.

    A specific critique, on the Xbox 360 (I do not consider this for my score): playing by DVD and USB flash memory drive, the game has a lot of lags - I recommend you to install the game in the Hard Drive.

    Overall, the game retains its essence, is a Silent Hill, our classic game of horror and psychological suspense, in this version with more exploration in the game, but with action and clever puzzles segments in the gameplay - it have some problems, like the movements (of the character and combat) and in some specific graphic features, but is great graphically in the environments and in the general "mood". With some extra work the game would be a lot better.

    For anyone who is a fan of the series and likes games with this particular style, it's recommended: my score is 7,3 .    … Expand
  7. nayerr
    Mar 13, 2012
    7
    I've been playing this for about 3 hours. Decent graphics. I liked the character/story introduction. Some cheesy "scares" that made me jump lol. IGN was right about the combat, it stinks (better to just run away if you can), but a 4.5 was way harsh. This game is a 7 at best. I'll tell you what, it's a whole lot better that mass effect 3...
  8. MegWhiteley
    Mar 21, 2012
    5
    Uff, difficult, this new title of the silent hill saga is one of the worst titles of Silent, and what is the principal problem?, is like a copy of the amazing Alan Wake, is not fresh, is boring, have good ideas, but is zzz... Silent Hill Downpour can be better.
  9. crazydangerous
    Jun 6, 2012
    5
    The appeal to this silent hill title is the engrossing story which should be experienced once by any silent hill fan but there are many issues with this title. The bugs in this game for me included auto saves not saving, enemy's slipping through walls (had to restart "the bank" side story 4 times) and things just not working ("mirror mirror" side quest would not "complete" even with use ofThe appeal to this silent hill title is the engrossing story which should be experienced once by any silent hill fan but there are many issues with this title. The bugs in this game for me included auto saves not saving, enemy's slipping through walls (had to restart "the bank" side story 4 times) and things just not working ("mirror mirror" side quest would not "complete" even with use of guides). The enemy's were disappointing and really weren't varied(5 types excluding crate monsters and "the void"), and combat was clunky leading me to button mash to victory. I honestly prefer SH:homecoming too this game which surprises even me, this should only be played by silent hill fans exclusively. With this I've played every current title made available in North America, I still enjoy silent hill 1 the most if you can deal with ps1 graphics this game is a real treat, otherwise play through Silent hill 2 my second favourite well worth your time.… Expand
  10. OzZyBoi86
    Jul 28, 2014
    5
    The storyline in downpour is OK but because of the GTA free roam style and all the mini side quests and collectables theres a risk of you loosing the plot or even loosing intrest in the story all together..of course all the bugs dont help and the monsters can be very annoying..im a huge silent hill fan and i really didnt enjoy this one.. the series either needs a mass overall or needs toThe storyline in downpour is OK but because of the GTA free roam style and all the mini side quests and collectables theres a risk of you loosing the plot or even loosing intrest in the story all together..of course all the bugs dont help and the monsters can be very annoying..im a huge silent hill fan and i really didnt enjoy this one.. the series either needs a mass overall or needs to just die sadly.… Expand
  11. domak
    Mar 5, 2013
    7
    At long last a title worthy of it's late precedessors, Silent Hill Downpour gives you everything that a SH game should, a good(not brilliant) story, the creepy setting of a haunted city and challenging puzzles(on hard difficulty) where you have to actually use your brain instead of mashing buttons randomly.
    To sum it up:
    +good story +horror feel +good puzzles    At long last a title worthy of it's late precedessors, Silent Hill Downpour gives you everything that a SH game should, a good(not brilliant) story, the creepy setting of a haunted city and challenging puzzles(on hard difficulty) where you have to actually use your brain instead of mashing buttons randomly.
    To sum it up:
    +good story
    +horror feel
    +good puzzles
    -----------------------------------
    -framerate at times
    -long loading screens
    -monster design is lacking

    7/10 overall, a must play for any silent hill fan, for others not so much    … Expand
  12. buddyacker
    Apr 3, 2012
    7
    I may be extremely biased, but as a huge fan of past Silent Hill games I enjoyed Silent Hill: Downpour. I bought the game the day it was released and instantly regretted my decision in doing so. I completed it on normal difficulty in less than three days and still regretted paying $60 for it. I agree with most of what every critic has said about the game, but I still found myself havingI may be extremely biased, but as a huge fan of past Silent Hill games I enjoyed Silent Hill: Downpour. I bought the game the day it was released and instantly regretted my decision in doing so. I completed it on normal difficulty in less than three days and still regretted paying $60 for it. I agree with most of what every critic has said about the game, but I still found myself having fun, and I'm not sure that I can explain why. Stay tuned for my attempt. Downpour follows the story of a man named Murphy Pendleton who engaged in some reckless behavior and wound up in prison. The violent opening scene sets up the rest of the game's plot. Murphy is set to be transferred to a different prison, but the bus carrying him and other inmates to the prison crashes. It's no coincidence that it crashes in the town of Silent Hill. As Murphy, you must find a way to escape Silent Hill. You'll find out about Murphy's past as the game progresses. You'll discover that revenge is a long, treacherous road. Perhaps it is this story that kept me glued to my TV screen despite the game's numerous flaws. I certainly found it very interesting. Besides Silent Hill 2, Downpour probably features the best story of any game in the franchise. It's predictable after a certain point, but it plays out nicely. The ending depends on how the game is played and the choices made by the player; however, there aren't many choices to be made, which is disappointing. I made "good" choices, but I chose to keep on the offense throughout the game, resulting in a bittersweet sort of closure. Why I chose to fight instead of flee is still a mystery to me because the combat is awful. I will never in a million years be convinced that a crowbar can break as easily as a piece of wood. I hate the block-and-then-swing-like-crazy approach. I'm also now convinced that Murphy has a severe case of Parkinson's disease because he cannot hold a gun straight. I finally gave up on aiming with any gun in the game and just hammered on the right trigger the entire time. It worked. The Otherworld chase sequences were kind of cool the first couple of times but I got very wore out on them as the game went along. Vatra should have made the Otherworld explorable as in the older Silent Hill games. In Downpour, it's mostly just run from point A to point B and try not to die. As disappointing as this may be I applaud Vatra for taking the risk and trying something new. I just wish that they had been even riskier with their efforts. Exploring Silent Hill in Downpour is a blast because the town has never looked this good. I got so much enjoyment out of simply exploring to see what I could find. There is one easter egg in particular that made me giddy with joy. That being said, the game could have looked a lot better. Downpour runs on the Unreal Engine, which has been used in games such as Batman: Arkham City, Mass Effect 3 and Gears of War 3, all of which are visually superior to Downpour. The game has some serious frame rate issues and some really annoying bugs. I know that it has problems, most of which I have pointed out, but I liked Silent Hill: Downpour. So sue me. It's not a great or even particularly good game. I would suggest not spending $60 on it. Wait a couple of months and buy it used at GameStop or something (by "something" I mean don't buy it at GameStop). It is as average as average can be. If I ranked the Silent Hill games it would be toward the bottom of my list. I liked it, though. I really did.… Expand
  13. DarkKnightG4
    Mar 7, 2014
    6
    Silent Hill: downpour shows that there's still some gas in the tank, but it might be a little too diluted and not firing on all cylinders.

    PROS: Great atmosphere throughout, Interesting story that shows the potential of tying seemingly random incidences to Silent Hill, Creepy sounds and music, some multiple endings that fit well. CONS: Lackluster combat, frequent frame-rate drops,    Silent Hill: downpour shows that there's still some gas in the tank, but it might be a little too diluted and not firing on all cylinders.

    PROS: Great atmosphere throughout, Interesting story that shows the potential of tying seemingly random incidences to Silent Hill, Creepy sounds and music, some multiple endings that fit well.

    CONS: Lackluster combat, frequent frame-rate drops, frequent and long loading screens, some unimaginative creature designs, some pointless characters, some multiple endings that do not fit well.

    If you're a fan of Silent Hill, then this game is more than enough to satisfy. However, if you're looking for some straight up horror, there are better options out there. 6/10    … Expand
  14. SilverWolf60
    May 2, 2012
    7
    While not the Silent Hill many of us were hoping for, it is a step in the correct direction. The game itself gets right some of the main aspects of a good survival horror game should have. The object is actually to survive, rather than to be an overpowered human with militaristic backgrounds.....So yes combat is bad, playable, works, but when a group of enemies are surrounding you, yourWhile not the Silent Hill many of us were hoping for, it is a step in the correct direction. The game itself gets right some of the main aspects of a good survival horror game should have. The object is actually to survive, rather than to be an overpowered human with militaristic backgrounds.....So yes combat is bad, playable, works, but when a group of enemies are surrounding you, your best bet is to get out of the area. The graphics, personally I thought they were great, they werent glossy but still detailed giving the game back another aspect of horror games, it was kind of ugly, yet retained that feel that it was still next-gen. The story, well it works, it keeps you guessing, but does run into the occasional confusion seeing as the game seems to try juggling two stories. Otherwise, the story I found great, and left openness to ideas and fill in the blanks of your ideas on symbolism. Now, with that said here comes the bad, and the main thing is....Its just not scary. Like out of all the cool monsters that could've come out of a prison inmates head, they produced (in the words of The Escapists Yahtzee) "dudes". She-Dudes and He-Dudes, that literally dont look twisted or frightning at all. Because we know what they look like, we know why they are part of Murphy's psyche etc. It just wasn't frightning and that left me with such a desired to be taste in my mouth that I couldn't stop thinking about it all the time, I kept thinking, "Oh this is setting me up for something really freaky and then nothing. Just room after room. The other problem I had was the subtlety, also absent, what made Silent Hill 2 what it was, was figuring out after long hours of thinking and wiki blogs, we still have no idea to this day, what some of the symbolism in that game was. Downpour just pushes it on you, and its completely obvious what it symbolizes. Anyway as a closing thought the game is great and a worthy entrance to the series.… Expand
  15. Samotslayer
    Sep 6, 2012
    7
    Silent Hill Downpour is a good game. No matter how much hate it gets or how it does not compare to the SH games back in the day. SH:D is roughly about a 6 hour game but the amount of Easter Eggs, Side Quests and other things will make a Single Playthrough last more than 10 hours. The most important thing about the SH saga is story, something Downpour does well BUT combat (Or lack of) isSilent Hill Downpour is a good game. No matter how much hate it gets or how it does not compare to the SH games back in the day. SH:D is roughly about a 6 hour game but the amount of Easter Eggs, Side Quests and other things will make a Single Playthrough last more than 10 hours. The most important thing about the SH saga is story, something Downpour does well BUT combat (Or lack of) is also very important this is my Favorite part of Downpour it's sticky, hard to pull off and MOST IMPORTANTLY AVOIDABLE. When exploring the Town you will find that most parts of the game are set in an open-world setting, the town is very confusing making it hard to get around (Plus, Not a minus) You might even get lost. Overall SH:Downpour is not a scary game BUT it pulls off other elements of Survival Horror quite nicely.… Expand
  16. houyi111
    May 9, 2013
    6
    I was like in high school when silent hill 2 came out. I tried to play the game but felt too depressed and suffocated which made me realize this type of game is not my cup of tea, so I gave it up. Almost 10 years later, I became quite dark and can take all kinks of depressed so I give this game a try. The gameplay is old-school fashion, which felt too slow and clumpy at the beginning, butI was like in high school when silent hill 2 came out. I tried to play the game but felt too depressed and suffocated which made me realize this type of game is not my cup of tea, so I gave it up. Almost 10 years later, I became quite dark and can take all kinks of depressed so I give this game a try. The gameplay is old-school fashion, which felt too slow and clumpy at the beginning, but you will get to it. I only felt uneasy at the first 2 hours, but overall this game is not that scary, but enough to give you a silent hill experience. My only complain is that the game feels too short.… Expand
  17. strick
    Sep 9, 2013
    7
    Silent hill downpour is a good game. Period. Is it flawless? No. Of course not. I liked the entire visual presentation and creepy atmosphere. The side quests were a nice touch and encourage at least a second play through but what i liked the most was the storyline. It wasn't the most awe inspiring writing in all of video games, yet murphy's tale of redemption kept me wanting to pressSilent hill downpour is a good game. Period. Is it flawless? No. Of course not. I liked the entire visual presentation and creepy atmosphere. The side quests were a nice touch and encourage at least a second play through but what i liked the most was the storyline. It wasn't the most awe inspiring writing in all of video games, yet murphy's tale of redemption kept me wanting to press forward to find out about his mysterious and troubled past. There were some loose ends story wise that never got resolved and left me disappointed. Some frame rate issues and lack of the signature soundtrack were minor issues for me. It would have been nice to have greater variety in enemies and not the same four types through out the entire game, also boss fights would have been nice in my opinion. In my opinion this game doesn't deserve alot of the lack luster reviews it received. The things it gets right far exceed the things it gets wrong. It's not perfect, not by a long shot, but if you're a fan of survival horror at least give it a chance. I don't think you'll be disappointed..… Expand
  18. Steeliosis
    Mar 21, 2014
    7
    What may generally be seen as a potential downfall to the Silent Hill series may also be considered a resurrection and a reprieve from all the previous Silent Hill BS that hardcore fans of the series will argue they have been fed for a long time now.

    Whilst many may not enjoy Silent Hill Downpour, it is a pretty solid game, and definitely has it's roots in the original games, even if    What may generally be seen as a potential downfall to the Silent Hill series may also be considered a resurrection and a reprieve from all the previous Silent Hill BS that hardcore fans of the series will argue they have been fed for a long time now.

    Whilst many may not enjoy Silent Hill Downpour, it is a pretty solid game, and definitely has it's roots in the original games, even if just a little. The transition to the other world has it's charms, and the hellish place itself is well designed and more than a little disturbing. The story itself is relatively strong, with an unexpected (yet, some may argue, cliche) plot twist.

    The gameplay is a lot more like survival horror than Silent Hill Homecoming, the closest Silent Hill game I can relate this one to. Weapons can at times be overpowered, and medkits are practically thrown at you, but it has a little bit of challenge that doesn't seem to be achieved in survival horror any more. The incredibly counter intuitive concept of having to check your health via the pause screen, however, is simply ridiculous.

    Overall, this game seems to be what fans of the series deserve, even if it isn't quite what they fully want. Strong story, relatively strong, if a little dull, characters, disturbing atmosphere, though pretty poor enemy design and slightly repetitive mechanics. It works, but it's far from perfect.    … Expand
  19. lukechristiansc
    Apr 5, 2014
    6
    silent hill is a good game . expect one thing the missions are confusing and hard to get . i will not play this game . Grade B ......................................
  20. Rahsmoove
    Jul 24, 2014
    5
    This game could of been a lot better. The combat was a complete down grade from Silent hill homecoming, the puzzle seemed impossible to get passed, the visuals were buggy, and the enemies were overpowering. I enjoyed the story, but that's about it. The gameplay and the replay value is bad however.
  21. MrStealth141
    Jun 1, 2014
    6
    Here is the factors that justify my score:

    Positive factors:
    - Good storyline
    - Over the top endings
    - Good combat system

    Negative factors:
    - It's too repetitive
    - The map is huge, but half of the streets are blocked
    - Side quests
    - It's not a good Silent Hill game
  22. Silent_evil
    Oct 4, 2020
    7
    Silent Hill Downpour game has some obvious cons:

    - serious technical issues: framerate drops, lags, freezes - combat system is problematic - mediocre design of the monsters However, still a very atmospheric game, with dark places and locations. The Otherworld is very trippy and absorbing. Also, it is kind of open world. You can wander and explore a lot, do various side quests    Silent Hill Downpour game has some obvious cons:

    - serious technical issues: framerate drops, lags, freezes
    - combat system is problematic
    - mediocre design of the monsters

    However, still a very atmospheric game, with dark places and locations. The Otherworld is very trippy and absorbing.

    Also, it is kind of open world. You can wander and explore a lot, do various side quests and solve puzzles, but this often tends to be boring and tiring.

    Overall, a mediocre SH game compared to the other of the series, but still worth of playing.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

26
#26 Most Discussed Xbox 360 Game of 2012
98
#98 Most Shared Xbox 360 Game of 2012

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
68

Mixed or average reviews - based on 38 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 14 out of 38
  2. Mixed: 23 out of 38
  3. Negative: 1 out of 38
  1. Polygon
    Jun 15, 2012
    50
    Silent Hill fans desperate to find any good left in the series will be relieved to know that Silent Hill: Downpour is a step up from 2008's forgettable Homecoming, but Konami seems to be trapped in some horrifying nightmare of its own design.
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  2. GameCritics
    May 15, 2012
    65
    Developer Vatra clearly has a fondness for the material and they've tried to address some of the series' more nagging issues with varying degrees of success. There are moments in Downpour that genuinely work and showcase what this franchise could be with a little more TLC. Unfortunately, there are still rough patches to be smoothed over and kinks to be worked out in subsequent sequels-but here's to hoping Vatra gets another crack at it.
    Read full review
  3. Pelit (Finland)
    May 11, 2012
    80
    Even despite its flaws, Silent Hill: Downpour manages to scare and entertain the living hell out of me. Change isn't always bad, especially for a town so devoted to change its visitors as Silent Hill. [May 2012]
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