Silent Hill: Homecoming

 Xbox 360
User Score
6.8

Mixed or average reviews- based on 219 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 112 out of 219
  2. Mixed: 70 out of 219
  3. Negative: 37 out of 219
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  1. CharlesB
    Dec 7, 2009
    8
    Genuinely scary in several parts. One of the most beautiful games I've seen on the XBOX and a whole lotta' fun!
  2. JuanC.
    Oct 7, 2008
    8
    this is a great game,much better than the room,and its perfect for the new generetion of consoles,because the riddles are easier than the previous games
  3. JaredS.
    Sep 30, 2008
    9
    I just got my copy and hey, it's way better than part 4. Silent Hill Homecoming brings back the feel of the first 2 games but with great next gen graphics and great fighting. The series is finally back and much more true to it's roots than the recent Resident Evil entries (although 4 was great and 5 is looking even better!).
  4. SILENT_harrison
    Aug 14, 2012
    8
    This game is like marmite for silent hill fans some love it, some hate it, while i hate marmite i love this game but tbh i love every silent hill game and if i compared every one this would be the weakest to save rambling on i will just write a list of pros and cons
    PROS:
    it's silent hill for next gen the graphics are good coupled vit physics the enemy AI was good and liked that if you    This game is like marmite for silent hill fans some love it, some hate it, while i hate marmite i love this game but tbh i love every silent hill game and if i compared every one this would be the weakest to save rambling on i will just write a list of pros and cons
    PROS:
    it's silent hill for next gen
    the graphics are good coupled vit physics
    the enemy AI was good and liked that if you accidently knocked somthing over it would alert them
    story was good in my opinion
    combat was nice and understandable as the protagonist is not a everyman but was in the army
    the schisms and siams @ times scared the S**t out of me
    multiple endings as usual and some of them are decent

    CONS:
    puzzles felt weak in my opinion
    scares felt cheap at times and there were rarely moments of panic apart from the a couple of locations and this would of been partly contributed by select in the hard difficulty
    soon enimies are easily dispatched and exploitable apart from the schism
    also the schism was quite unfair to fight because of a ceartin attack it has

    other than those minor points there is plenty to love even though i wish team silent would reform as i prefer the originals    … Expand
  5. MikeR.
    Oct 2, 2008
    10
    From the minute I turned on my XBOX360, this game FELT like a Silent Hill game. I spent over 4 hours last night playing this before I realized I should probably go to bed. Running around the town I actually 'felt' like I was truly alone. Hearing the enemies before seeing them, the many 'puzzles' I encountered and the oddities (like missing pictures, ME missing from From the minute I turned on my XBOX360, this game FELT like a Silent Hill game. I spent over 4 hours last night playing this before I realized I should probably go to bed. Running around the town I actually 'felt' like I was truly alone. Hearing the enemies before seeing them, the many 'puzzles' I encountered and the oddities (like missing pictures, ME missing from pictures, etc) added to the strange and haunting feel. It felt as this could have been, and maybe should have been, the sequel to Silent Hill 2.… Expand
  6. Lambo442
    Jan 20, 2012
    9
    So far I'm absolutely loving this game. It got below par reviews and I have no idea why. It's the closest to the original so far - in the way that it feels less 'linear' as you run around town looking for clues etc. The graphics are excellent and the story is pretty decent too. The only thing that niggles me slightly is the fact that now and again the music becomes noticably 'un-scary.'
  7. AlexanderH.
    Oct 1, 2008
    10
    It is silent hill! I know we are in the next gen but still i do not understand why people are upset that it feels "dated". It is a well developed game that should not be among the ranks of Alone in the Dark
  8. Catraven
    Oct 2, 2008
    9
    Finally, a Silent Hill game for Xbox 360! I am pleased to say that this game is a winner-it stays true to the the formula which makes Silent Hill a success! Very remeniescent of Silent Hill 2- a definite purchase for any fan of the series.
  9. ArtV.
    Oct 5, 2008
    9
    After playing through this game many times (I have just gotten all 1000 achievement points) I must say that this game is a great effort by Double Helix and deserves at least an 8 out of 10. I am not new to this franchise at all (I still have every single SIlent Hill game!) and this game is a great addition to the series. It does not have the best story or endings out of the games (Silent After playing through this game many times (I have just gotten all 1000 achievement points) I must say that this game is a great effort by Double Helix and deserves at least an 8 out of 10. I am not new to this franchise at all (I still have every single SIlent Hill game!) and this game is a great addition to the series. It does not have the best story or endings out of the games (Silent Hill 2 does for sure) but it is still a awesome story with some good twists. Several reviews state that the combat is too easy and that is not the case. I died about 4 times through the game on normal difficulty and I never died in any of the other games. The combat can be quite challenging. The puzzles are well done also. Most people think that the puzzles are just there, but if you look around there are clues for every single one. Overall this is my third favorite in the series. Buy this game if you are a Silent Hill fan!!!! Best to Worst: Silent Hill 2 Silent Hill Silent Hill: Homecoming Silent Hill 3 Silent Hill: Origins Silent Hill 4: The Room… Expand
  10. AnthonyA.
    Nov 4, 2008
    8
    As a huge fan of Silent Hill, I was expecting a lot from this game. The tone, music and horror elements live up to what Silent Hill is supposed to be. The game holds your hand through the story and the enemies this time around are crazy unforgiving. My one gripe about the game is the distances between save points. If you are a fan of the series, don't pass it up. It's better As a huge fan of Silent Hill, I was expecting a lot from this game. The tone, music and horror elements live up to what Silent Hill is supposed to be. The game holds your hand through the story and the enemies this time around are crazy unforgiving. My one gripe about the game is the distances between save points. If you are a fan of the series, don't pass it up. It's better than "The Room" and "Origins", because it feels like a real Silent Hill game.… Expand
  11. JoshS
    Oct 22, 2008
    10
    This is the first Silent Hill I actually enjoyed playing rather than watching! The camera is an improvment and I only seen it mess up once. The health drinks and save points are far away but can you really complain about that? Challenge is what the Silent Hill games need. 2,3, & 4 were WAY too easy.
  12. TheQuietGamer
    Jan 6, 2018
    8
    While not the first Silent Hill to come from a Western developer (that would be Origins), it is the one that was under the most scrutiny. What with it being the next full-fledged sequel on home consoles and all. Homecoming stays true to many elements of the series, but also carves it's own path in order to make a name for itself. The most notable changes are the ones to the gameplay. InWhile not the first Silent Hill to come from a Western developer (that would be Origins), it is the one that was under the most scrutiny. What with it being the next full-fledged sequel on home consoles and all. Homecoming stays true to many elements of the series, but also carves it's own path in order to make a name for itself. The most notable changes are the ones to the gameplay. In fact, the visuals and atmosphere are identical to that of the first four games from Team Silent. They even got Akira Yamaoka back to deliver another fantastic soundtrack which might possibly be the series best.

    The game pulls you in with it's dark story. There are still those moments of rich symbolism and the twists are incredible. The voice is a step up from other Silent Hill games and I really enjoyed the various characters I met along the way. The protagonist is incredibly sympathetic. The story hits a few beats that you can tell are borrowed from the movie. In fact the film adaptation even affected the designs of certain enemies as well as their behaviors. This is something that might irritate purists, but I felt it was all used to good effect and shed more light on "The Order" and their beliefs. I liked how the different endings were more a result of certain decisions you make across the story as opposed to finding and using certain items and specific locations or times like in previous Silent Hill games. The dialog system does seem underdeveloped most of the time though.

    The combat system has been revamped in Homecoming. No longer taking the "everyman" approach of previous Silent Hill games, developer Double Helix put us in the role of a protagonist that's had some combat training. The fact that you're given access to combos and have the ability to dodge at the touch of the button gives off more of an action game feel. Even aiming a gun is much more reliable than previous entries. Don't cry foul yet though. The challenge and fear hasn't been removed from this side of the game. While you feel more capable at fighting for your life, the enemies are still tough and supplies are limited. So you may still want to run when you can when face to face with foes. Especially since there are some minor issues with dodging and one or two unbalanced parts in the game.

    Everything else just feels like a more refined version of the mechanics one would expect to find in a Silent Hill game. The inventory system is more streamlined and the flow of the game is a little more linear, eliminating the aimless wandering and tedious backtracking the series has been known for. The game is still pretty open though. Expect to see alternate paths that may lead to more secrets. Longtime Silent Hill fans might balk at these changes to their (and my) beloved series, but I personally found the more accessible nature to be a plus.

    While it may not have the benefit of the Team Silent touch, and you can definitely feel the Western influence in quite a few areas, Homecoming may still surprise you by just how similar it is to the original trilogy. It looks and feels like the Silent Hill you remember. Only now it plays better than ever. Honestly, the thing that's going to be the hardest to deal with is the fact that it's not as scary as it's predecessors. Still, it's a dark, twisted ride. One well worth returning to Silent Hill for. It's even good for a first trip.    … Expand
  13. Jarbas6
    Aug 14, 2012
    8
    A great game overall and very underrated. Gives you a great sense of horror, you feel alone and in danger. Combat is not so great, but after all, it was meant not to be as this is a survival horror. The game can be scary, but there are scarier ones out there. Graphics are good, but there are some glitches here and there. Soundtrack is amazing and sounds are great. Finally, the story isA great game overall and very underrated. Gives you a great sense of horror, you feel alone and in danger. Combat is not so great, but after all, it was meant not to be as this is a survival horror. The game can be scary, but there are scarier ones out there. Graphics are good, but there are some glitches here and there. Soundtrack is amazing and sounds are great. Finally, the story is very good and disturbing. I've played this on normal and found the game to be a bit easy, though; I saved a LOT of ammo for the final boss and took him out in a minute. But this game is still worth picking up, with multiple endings to keep you coming back and a price tag that's very attractive in these days. If you like survival horror games, make sure to give this one a try.… Expand
  14. OzZyBoi86
    May 4, 2014
    8
    As a huge SH fan i loved this game, the storyline is very good and easy to follow. Only flaw is its to easy. I mastered the combat system and finished on hard without dying.
  15. zeromanGEO
    Jun 23, 2013
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I can't understand why that game has such score. that is one of my favorite games, which made me almost cry when i finish it. that game is for a bit clever people guys and if you are dumb, don't say that the game is "awful"… Expand
  16. Signas501
    Mar 22, 2015
    9
    Silent Hill - Homecoming gives the player a new protagonist to the silent hill franchise, Alex Shepard, an amnesiac who wakes up in a hospital apparently after a war. Upon starting into the world of silent hill, you come to a dead end after chasing your brother, face to face with the real silent hill, attacked by nurses (its unknown why they are here, Alex has no sign of lust) andSilent Hill - Homecoming gives the player a new protagonist to the silent hill franchise, Alex Shepard, an amnesiac who wakes up in a hospital apparently after a war. Upon starting into the world of silent hill, you come to a dead end after chasing your brother, face to face with the real silent hill, attacked by nurses (its unknown why they are here, Alex has no sign of lust) and eventually makes it towards the elevator out of Alkimila hospital. Only to be attacked again.… Expand
  17. Panchogul
    Jul 17, 2020
    8
    Este es el último Silent Hill que realmente se siente como tal. La historia es muy buena, los personajes en general estuvieron bien pero les falta carisma y entusiasmo, todos parecen muertos en vida, en especial Alex Sheperd cuyo diseño es bastante horrendo, la calidad gráfica es de las mejores de la saga pero el efecto de ruido no me gustó, el sistema de combate resulta muy tosco alEste es el último Silent Hill que realmente se siente como tal. La historia es muy buena, los personajes en general estuvieron bien pero les falta carisma y entusiasmo, todos parecen muertos en vida, en especial Alex Sheperd cuyo diseño es bastante horrendo, la calidad gráfica es de las mejores de la saga pero el efecto de ruido no me gustó, el sistema de combate resulta muy tosco al principio, lo que dificulta bastante los combates, pero es cosa de costumbre, lo mejor de todo son los jefes, cuyas peleas y diseños son las mejores de toda la saga, en especial Scarlet y Asphyxia.… Expand
  18. DeepakM.
    Oct 1, 2008
    9
    This game has a really spooky soundtrack{the best} and the game is really well polished.though there are a few let down like a predictable story.SO,its a nine for this one.
  19. Nightfall121
    Oct 2, 2008
    8
    This is a great game that while not as scary as Silent Hill 2 or 3, is definitely more enjoyable to play. The graphics and sound are amazing and the changes to the battle system as well as the environments make for a fun, interactive experience. Rather than walking into a pre rendered room and wildly swinging a pipe or sword or what have you and hope that it makes contact with something, This is a great game that while not as scary as Silent Hill 2 or 3, is definitely more enjoyable to play. The graphics and sound are amazing and the changes to the battle system as well as the environments make for a fun, interactive experience. Rather than walking into a pre rendered room and wildly swinging a pipe or sword or what have you and hope that it makes contact with something, the battle system's doge then strike and combo mechanics make fighting sequences fun and challenging since different enemies have different tactics. Though different from the previous installments of the series, Silent Hill Homecoming is worth checking out.… Expand
  20. CollinL.
    Oct 5, 2008
    8
    For a Silent Hill fan this game is more than a fleeting nightmare of carnage. But for everyone else this is a frightening experience that involves a frustrating battle system and a smart array of puzzles.
  21. MatthewC.
    Oct 7, 2008
    8
    Retains enough of the origins of both the American and japanese sensibilities to make it an interesting evolution, and a minor departure. Silent Hill will always been the reviewers underdog, because it lacks a wide enough appeal to establish itself as pushing gameplay boundaries. Simply updating an existing formula does not mean innovating the genre. That said, the base originality and Retains enough of the origins of both the American and japanese sensibilities to make it an interesting evolution, and a minor departure. Silent Hill will always been the reviewers underdog, because it lacks a wide enough appeal to establish itself as pushing gameplay boundaries. Simply updating an existing formula does not mean innovating the genre. That said, the base originality and background to the silent hill story is something that appeals to a lot of people. It's just not something a reviewer can justify score on without seeming bias. So once again we have a small injustice in the way a consensus is judged, and it's source. However, all the reviews are not innacurate. The faults are true. Personally - from a biased user perspective, not taking the de-evolution of the setting into direct consideration, I would say this is one of the stronger silent hill games. As much as I liked the film, this film does follow in it's footsteps a little too closely. Yet at the same time it remains true to itself. A solid silent hill entry, but rather than innovating the gameplay, I would hope a sequel will actually innovate the GAME and STORY. Which relies on mystery, but never progresses. I know each story is seperate. But imagine being able to make a progression while keeping the mystery intact. Something like the popular show lost does (in terms of structure, http://www.metacritic.com/_images/button_votenow.gifnot actual story). Regardless, good game.… Expand
  22. GaryMac
    Mar 10, 2009
    8
    This game is a must for horror lovers. If I were to say this game had faults it would be the terrible torch alex has through the whole story, i had to check a couple of times to actually see if it was on in some dark places. Secondly would be the lack of ammo which is kinda annoying but more realistic and challenging to the gamer. Thirdly would be the lack of achievements, I havent This game is a must for horror lovers. If I were to say this game had faults it would be the terrible torch alex has through the whole story, i had to check a couple of times to actually see if it was on in some dark places. Secondly would be the lack of ammo which is kinda annoying but more realistic and challenging to the gamer. Thirdly would be the lack of achievements, I havent finished the game yet but I got around 20 something from 39. but getting the moaning out of the way, I think this game deserves much more from some of the critics reviews. I HATE resident Evil 4 and now resident 5 style of play. Action /adventure?? it's ment to be a bloody horror game where the hells horror. There is enough shoot em ups out there. Please Silent hill makers dont change.… Expand
  23. PatrickR
    Nov 16, 2008
    9
    First let me just say that i love me some silent hill. the atmosphere, the creature design, the sound effects and scares that dont simply rely on "pop-out" scenes. Double Helix should be proud of themselves for capturing all of this, but most of all for capturing the real star (for me) of the silent hill games: the story. Silent hill is all about the troubled past of the protagonists First let me just say that i love me some silent hill. the atmosphere, the creature design, the sound effects and scares that dont simply rely on "pop-out" scenes. Double Helix should be proud of themselves for capturing all of this, but most of all for capturing the real star (for me) of the silent hill games: the story. Silent hill is all about the troubled past of the protagonists either through personal pennance for forgotten sins or simply finding out what dark connection they share with silent hill. The story and endings are just what a silent hill fan would want. It's right up there with silent hill 2 (the best plot twist in a video game ever in my opinion). Just like in the sixth sense playing this game a second time through you'll notice the nice hints towards the ending you thought you may have peiced together. If you love silent hill games, dont fret, because this is certainly a silent hill game, more so than "the room".… Expand
  24. Andyman
    Oct 1, 2008
    8
    Exceptional sound and great attention to detail make this the creepiest game I've played since Condemned. Clearly, Konami giving it to Double Helix was a very good call. A huge rebound from the disappointing Silent Hill 4.
  25. nic
    Oct 3, 2008
    10
    A great addition to the silent hill franchise...creepy, eerie, and remember to bring your banky if you're playing in the dark alone!
  26. RandalS.
    Oct 3, 2008
    8
    The graphics and presentation are amazing. The story line, though linear, is interesting. Besides from a few flaws with lighting and the camera angle, this game is a large improvement over past entries in the series.
  27. MikeC.
    Oct 4, 2008
    8
    I love the Silent HIll series and it was with great anticipation that I popped this into my 360. I was both thrilled and disappointed at the same time, as much of what I loved about Silent Hill games was omitted (absurd and disturbing puzzles, psychological terror, etc) and was replaced with more American horror (scary art design, fast monsters, etc). However, when viewed in the light of I love the Silent HIll series and it was with great anticipation that I popped this into my 360. I was both thrilled and disappointed at the same time, as much of what I loved about Silent Hill games was omitted (absurd and disturbing puzzles, psychological terror, etc) and was replaced with more American horror (scary art design, fast monsters, etc). However, when viewed in the light of action horror games like Resident Evil 4 and Doom 3, it still manages to thrill and terrorize in it's own way (just not in the way that SH fans are expecting). While the gameplay has been altered dramatically with mixed results depending on your likings of the SH series (good: free-camera, bad: action-oriented gameplay), the story is still haunting and incredibly disturbing mind-trip, and the first few hours in particular are amazing at rendering the kind of mind-numbing "WTF?!!" moments that SH is known for. This is a completely different kind of SH. It plays wildly different, controls wildly different, but at it's core, it still delivers the same shocking horror that SH fans want. A few bugs and "hunt the switch" design errors aside (which only mar up the experience once or twice during multiple playthroughs) this is well worth the purchase price of $60 if you're into horror games or especially if youre into the SH series in particular.… Expand
  28. DavidH.
    Oct 6, 2008
    8
    "Silent Hill: Homecoming" is the next entry in the Survival Horror genre for this current generation of video game systems, which is pretty scarce. Immediately, fans of the series and the feature film will be able to experience pure horror in the tradition of the original "Silent Hill". The pacing is slow, but the atmosphere is creepy. The presentation is great. Monster designs are a mix "Silent Hill: Homecoming" is the next entry in the Survival Horror genre for this current generation of video game systems, which is pretty scarce. Immediately, fans of the series and the feature film will be able to experience pure horror in the tradition of the original "Silent Hill". The pacing is slow, but the atmosphere is creepy. The presentation is great. Monster designs are a mix of Clive Barker type stuff and updates to the classic returning creatures, such as the faceless nurses. The nurses' aren't all that scary, I was more fascinated at them since now they are so hot and voluptuous, including bouncing breasts like the DOA girls. The film grain, dark atmosphere, limited visibility with the fog, nice ambient sound effects....it's all here to bring the player into a wonderfully nightmarish experience. Sadly, Double Helix really did drop the ball in making this a true gem due to the controls. Generally, everything works great, from the newly implemented combat system, and moving the camera around freely. Unfortunately, players CAN NOT invert the axis of the look/camera controls....which if very basic stuff! So, if you like to press UP to look DOWN and DOWN to look UP, you won't be able to....not until Double Helix and Konami release a hopefully in the near future downloadable patch/update. Also, they should have included a 180 degree quick turn! So, Alex Shepherd, the war veteran you'll control can't do an "About face!", which would have been easier to run away from the monsters. I guess he'll need to go back to boot camp! The puzzles are good, some areas of missing sound effects (probably due to a rushed production), all the textures are really low resolution and blown out, which could have been better. Some lip syncing is off in the cut scenes. Lack of health bottles and very few save points, keeps your anxiety up and makes every encounter a high stakes experience. All of these are rookie decisions by a company that hopefully will learn from their mistakes when they create the next sequel. If you love horror games, pick it up, turn off the lights and turn up the sound. Fun, exciting, scary, challenging, rough around the edges...just like the original "Silent Hill"! It's nice to be home!… Expand

Awards & Rankings

95
#95 Best Xbox 360 Game of 2008
31
#31 Most Discussed Xbox 360 Game of 2008
43
#43 Most Shared Xbox 360 Game of 2008

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
70

Mixed or average reviews - based on 54 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 23 out of 54
  2. Mixed: 30 out of 54
  3. Negative: 1 out of 54
  1. Official Xbox Magazine
    65
    From its leaden, cheap-shots-aplenty combat to its wild-goose chase through gray, same-y hallways filled with useless, placebo doorways to a story that takes much too long to get off the ground, its entire first half feels like a death march through a clunky hot mess. [Nov 2008, p.73]
    Read full review
  2. GamePro
    60
    If survival horror is your bread and butter, then Homecoming is right up your alley; otherwise, you might be better served waiting for Resident Evil 5.
    Read full review
  3. 1UP
    75
    Double Helix has stayed true to the series' foundation while also taking steps in a brave new direction; they've crafted a tale that stands well within franchise lore, and they've produced horrifically beautiful environments, occasional framerate drops aside. If Double Helix learns from their mistakes here -- combat balance being the most glaring issue -- their future work could rival the series' best.
    Read full review
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