Keep in mind my classification. *Writes down "Best in Series" and underlines it until his pencil breaks.
That's why I'm happy to say on this occasion that in the case of Silent Hill 3, that I could only imagine had to hold up to some high expectations, wasn't only the best game in the series, but in my honest opinion, one of the best games ever.
Why you may ask? The answer is simple. It just did everything the first two couldn't. It told a coherent and gripping story. It was beautifully detailed and managed to give the Survival Horror genre a bit of its dignity back. The only way I can really sum up what Silent Hill 3 is, is using the example of Goldilocks and the three bears. While the other two bowls of porridge were too hot or cold, this one was just right. Plus, someone probably put reefer into the mix.
The story begins in an amusement park. You're playing as a girl named Heather who finds herself alone with monsters. Traversing the amusement park, something happens, then boom! You wake up from the horrible nightmare. You're now safe in a shopping mall, but things aren't quite what they seem. You'll be hooked by the introduction not only because it's awesome, but because unlike other games in the series, it throws you right into the action. It may seem confusing at first, because nothing is really explained right away. You're just as lost as Heather is.
The game play is similar to many other Survival Horror games. You move the character with the left analog stick, interact with the X button, run by holding square, aim with R1, etc. Luckily, movements are much more fluid than in previous games and melee weapons actually work when you use them.
Puzzles are back and challenging as they are weird (although nothing can be weirder and more absurd than having to attach a strand of hair to a nail and using it hook onto a key stuck in a drain), that is, if you want them to be. There's a difficulty setting for the action and separate setting for the puzzle difficulty. This allows for one to maybe decide that if they want enemies punishingly hard and not be slowed down by brain sizzling puzzles, or vice versa, they can regulate this before starting the game.
The fog is back, the monsters are back and strangely enough…the exact same map from the second game. You actually revisit some places like the hospital. But don't fear, because events are shockingly different and much more interesting than before. Some of the boss fights are spectacular, although I felt they weren't challenging just so long as there's sufficient ammo.
All of this isn't such a big deal, it's not all that new really. What is refreshing though, are the visuals. The lighting effects, the TRULY disturbing imagery. This isn't disturbing in a PSone Resident Evil kind of way. This game will make you cringe and jump out of your skin. That and the creepy ambient music on top of the buzzing static from Heather's radio is all very overwhelming (in a good way of course).
Silent Hill 3 is just a great step ahead from its predecessors. In fact, I find it to be embarrassingly much better than the sequels that came after it.