Silent Hill: Origins

"Every Silent Hill fan must own this game!"

Silent Hill has, for some time, proven that it is one of the best survival horror series a fan could find. Unlike Resident Evil, which shines through its gameplay, Silent Hill is all about it's story and characters, with deep characters that we can relate to, a twisted world that is very much psychological in its terror, and imagery that few games can match. Now, Konami attempts to settle some questions about the origins of the Silent Hill universe.

In the game you play as Travis Grady, a truck driver who plans to drive through Silent Hill to get to neighboring town Brahms. Instead, Grady finds himself trapped in the foggy world of Silent Hill as he rescues Alessa Gillespie from a fire in her home. As Travis searches the town for answers, he is confronted by his own past which he would rather forget. Both his tragedy and the tragedy of Alessa collide as we learn of both stories.

The game takes a turn from the last game of the series, Silent Hill: The Room, and goes back to the earlier game with simpler gameplay and a story that is more psychological and has more in common with James Sunderland than any of the other characters. Travis' story is horrific and a bit depressing, and everything you would come to expect from a terrifying story of Silent Hill's proportions. In fact, it's more interesting than Alessa's story, as what we witness in the game isn't much more than what we already know. On the flip side, the game takes the time to simplify the explanation of what exactly is going on in Silent Hill and how it all began. What it doesn't explain is some of the other stories, like how James or Walter became affected by the town.

The gameplay is reminescent of Silent Hill 1 and 2 and does away with the melee meter from 4. Adding to the gameplay are a ton of melee weapons, some of which are stronger one shot weapons, that are also breakable. The gameplay continues the trend of being fairly unpolished, but it's enough to get through the game, and at the very least, Travis can use his fists to fight, which is something that we haven't seen before. Another note is that, instead of the unexpected entries into the dark world, Travis can use mirrors to travel there at will. This does diminsh the effect of the dark world somewhat, but it's still so viscerally unsettling that it's effects remain for the most part.

Also of note are the grpahics, which are fantastic. The game, even though a handheld, is still unsettling and terrifying and retains much of the Silent Hill effect. The flashlight effects are especially of note, as they are the best we've seen.

Overall, this is a game for the fans and for those wanting an introduction to the series. Although short, it's a great game and should be played by anyone looking for a good, terrifying time.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 11/26/07

Game Release: Silent Hill: Origins (US, 11/06/07)