A departure from previous entries on the form, but not at its core. Spoiler-free review.
But after SH2 and FFX i sold my PS2 to buy a Gamecube (to play Resident Evil games).
But a couple of years ago i got Shattered Memories on Wii, which was really excellent, and it wasn't until last year that i finally decided to buy a PS2 and all the games i had missed, now that they sell for so cheap in bargain bins.
I have to admit, reading reviews gave me a bad impression of this game. I almost didn't want to play it because i was pretty sure i was going to be disappointed. IN fact that's the reason why i waited 10 years ! Well, i was wrong, what they say is true but i really like the game nonetheless.
Silent Hill 4 tries to do different things. That's why it is often described as a spin-off, a side project. It is not, this is Silent Hill, but with a new and fresh approach. That doesn't make it wrong : in fact he idea of the room is pretty good, at first i was lost wondering what was going on, not being able to rely on classic silent hill codes such as the flashlight or the radio. It makes things fresh and feels like a different game, true. However soon enough you'll find silent hill references everywhere. In fact, this game is based on the letter you find in Silent Hill 3 in the bar, and expands on the creepy letters with a toy doll you find in the hospital. Just to get you hooked.
The gameplay is really annoying at first. Silent Hill always had "clunky" controls, in fact many gamers think it's a design choice to make you feel helpless and want to run rather than slash countless enemies as in Resident Evil, which is more weapons-oriented.
But soon enough you get used to it. I found weapons that work for me, namely the broken bottle and the axe. You don't get much ammo for the guns so keep it for extreme siuations like being trapped in a room with 3 "Patients" and a girl to protect. Healing items are not exactly scarce but you can heal in the room, so keep it for later, you'll need it soon enough.
The graphics are a strong point. The room and the first level fail to impress, but environments like the forst or the hospital look really stunning, not to mention the prison, which is by far one of the creepiest places i ever visited in silent hill.
Many people described the game as really creepy but not scary. Its partially true, but some parts on the game i was so scared i couldn't breathe, and believe me, after 15 years of watching countless horror movies and survival horror games, that doesn't happen to me that much anymore. The ghosts can follow you and show up unexpectedly, and some of them are really creepy. The enemies are disturbing, especially that "twins" thing.
The sound environment is good, although you don't really notice it but it's there. Akira Yamaoka was still on board for this game so that shouldn't come as a surprise. Although on a side note, he didn't do Shattered Memories and it might be the best of all when it come to sound.
The main problem with the game is a large portion of it is dedicated to accompany a NPC backtracking trough all the previousely visited levels. It's not that bad but it's annoying, the backtracking alone is not really an excitin prospect and having to care about a second character while being followed by ghosts and monsters isn't really my idea of a good time. It's not a bad idea, but they should have at least designed a specific level rather than make you go trough it all again.
All in all, Silent Hill 4 is a very nice game. It tries to bring new ideas to the series and succeeds for the most part, while still keeping the most important thing that really makes silent hill what it is : a good story and a creepy yet addictive environment. If you like Silent Hill, horror movies, ghosts etc, just get the damn game it's worth a try.
NB: i described the game as "hard" but it should say "uneven".