Silent Hill: Homecoming: PlayStation 3

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Silent Hill: Homecoming: PlayStation 3

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mystery, no creeping fear, no unresolved questions.

The graphics are, in many details, far worse than in every PS2 installment, even when running at 720p. Textures are dull, facial models for some characters are incredibly unnatural, many 'organic' shapes are distinctly low polygon count. Some graphical elements, especially paintings on the walls and the child's drawings you frequently pick up, are so pixellated they wouldn't look out of place in the PS1 original. Water doesn't move as you wade through it. The noise filter even makes the fog look pixellated. Random gory bodies are similarly badly textured, and frequently show up in the exact same pose. Consider these concrete examples, and bear them in mind whenever people say 'the graphics look amazing!' without offering any further explanation.

As for the monsters, they nearly look right for the series, but their behavior is worlds apart. Instead of being willful and mysterious, they're just like the posturing, aggressive beasts you'll find in any other game. That's more a matter of taste, but fighting them is definitely more simplistic than before. When you engage an enemy, you can practically feel the scripting pop into gear; the whole process is nothing but a timing game. Block, button mash, the end. Or, if the monster gets a hit in, enjoy being hit again and again and again as you try to either get back up or get out of the way. It's cheap and nothing but cheap, and not remotely enjoyable. Compounding this fact is that you have only 3 melee weapons that differ in speed and attack pattern, and these qualities stay the same even when you get 'new' weapons (which just replace one of these 3, and play exactly the same).

The puzzles are shockingly simple. The solutions are frequently completely obvious, sometimes even without reading the 'hint' (which is usually posted immediately near the puzzle, and barely obscures the solution if at all). In two cases, object interaction puzzles are actually repeated; one is only slightly different the second time around, but the other one is literally the exact same puzzle with the exact same method of solution! Overall, the puzzles come off like an afterthought, and add nothing to the experience.

The environments are some of the worst designed I've ever seen, let alone in the SH series. All they are is a series of run-down, gray buildings (look at the screenshots on any gaming site to see just how overwhelmingly, monochromatically gray they really are). They're frequently small and always completely linear, allowing for no substantive exploration whatsoever, and occasionally feature completely baffling design choices (one section, clearly meant to be a maze, nevertheless has the dead ends easily in view from every junction). The Otherworld segments are (visually, at least) more engaging, but rare; only a tiny, tiny fraction of game play takes place there. It usually only comes into play in the room where a boss fight takes place. With one or two exceptions, the longer Otherworld segments involve virtually no combat, puzzles, or even fetch quests: they're simply runs to the exit. Even in the last section of the game, you don't see the it until you face the boss. The Otherworld has always been the trademark of the series, and arguably its most distinct and compelling aspect. In Homecoming, it's effectively been stripped away.

You don't have the option of reversing the Y axis except when aiming a gun. In my play through at least, there was a glitch that frequently jumbled the controls during a load, requiring me to repeatedly reset them to the defaults.

Everything about this title exhibits an astonishing lack of attention to detail, not to mention a lack of competent design. It's not good by any reasonable standard, let alone as the latest in a well-established and unique series like Silent Hill. It would be a rip-off at $5, and it's not worth your time.

Silent Hill: Homecoming: PlayStation 3

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that it takes to bring down these enemies. Each creature has its own weaknesses and strength and these are reflected in the combat as not only are you required to dodge attacks but also to come up with specific strategies to deal with the creatures. (some may require fast attack melee weapons, some may require stronger attacks and some may only be weak against firearms.) The environments are as creepy and disturbing as any other game in the series but at times lacks real horror. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of encounters that left me jumping in the back of my seat, but I never really felt unprepared for a fight. The camera work keeps the grainy feel of the other games while also texturing the environment much further than other games. (you can actually make out buildings in the distance, unlike the previous titles.) The score is of course amazing and helps with the overall horror and despair of both Shepards Glenn and Silent Hill itself. The NPC's are well done and the voice acting is superb. (think the opposite of the original Resident Evil for PS1.) Overall I would have to say this is a strong entry into the survival horror library for the 360 and is worth picking up even if you have already preordered RE5 and Dead Space. Silent Hill: Homecoming brings a familiar yet refreshing feel to the 360 library and brings back the type of survival horror that we used to all know and love.