A creepy, stylish and thrilling experience that dives head-first into the darkest parts of human nightmares...
Go get Silent Hill: Shattered Memories instead. Its as if someone trapped their worst fears into one UMD (then made it available for purchase).
From the very moment the main menu appears, which is oddly unsettling as old video footage plays and you know something scary is going to happen, you'll find yourself creeped out.
After a quick meeting with your therapist, where he asks you some personal questions that affect how the game plays (and how it scares you according to your personality) your whisked back through your own memories and find yourself at the scene of a car accident.
Turns out its yours, and it also appears your beloved little girl isn't in the passenger's seat. She's no where to be found, in fact, and it's unusually dark outside. Armed with only a flashlight you set out into the dim, snowy abyss that is Silent Hill.
The game has just begun and you find yourself on-edge, your pulse rises slightly. It's quiet outside, and there's a creepy doll resting on the snow. Is it covered in...blood? You glance ahead, climb a fence, and find yourself behind an old building. It's snowing outside, so you should probably go in.
From here on out you will go through a dark, dreary, but ever so stylish journey to find your daughter. As you play you'll meet interesting characters (among other things), shadows will screech and move across the walls, and things are never as they seem.
It is a leap into the fear of the human mind.
Afraid of the dark? There's plenty of it to stumble through.
Empty schools creep you out? Go hang out in one.
Scared of forests? Yep, you'll be chased through a couple.
Speaking of being chased, you'll often find yourself trapped in an icy nightmare where unknown evils lurk. But dont' worry, you can look behind your shoulder if you get too freaked out. Just remember to turn off your flashlight, because they seem to find you faster if you have it on.
Okay, enough fluff talk.
Pros:
-Actually scary. I've played many horror games, but never has my heart beat so rapidly. Play in the dark and with headphones to get the best experience.
-Superb graphics. Some of the best on the psp. Excellent lighting effects.
-Best music in the series yet.
-Nearly everything is voiced, and the voice acting is actually quite good.
-Presentation is neat and realistic.
-You can explore at your own pace.
-Great controls, especially while being chased.
-Phone is unique and easy to use.
-Several different endings, depending on what kind of person you are.
-No more silly combat. You only have a flashlight, which makes those twisted encounters all the more terrifying.
Cons:
-Challenging. Puzzles are sometimes a bit tricky, but experienced Silent Hill players will have no trouble moving along. Newcomers, however, will have to get a feel for the series' mechanics. Just remember to examine anything and everything that looks odd, and pay attention to the cellphone's voice mails. Also, if you find something scary lurking around (or hot on your tail) you might want to turn off that flashlight. It might help you escape them easier...
Go get the game. Put in those headphones, turn off the light, and get comfortable. You'll get scared, I promise.