Developer: Konami/Hexadrive Publisher: Konami Reviewed on PlayStation 5
During yesterday’s State of Play event, Konami revealed a sneak peek at an upcoming Silent Hill game for the PlayStation 5 titled “The Short Message“. Returning to the first-person view introduced in Konami’s 2014 cult classic P.T., The Short Message looked like a terrifying and claustrophobic horror adventure with an intriguing narrative centered around social media, smartphones, and the pain and suffering modern technology adds to bullying. The trailer was quickly followed by the announcement that the game would be released for free shortly after the show, so naturally, I downloaded it as soon as it hit the PlayStation Store. I have now played through The Short Message in its entirety, and while I think some of the older fans of the franchise might have a few bones to pick with it, it’s also the most exciting thing to happen to Silent Hill in years.
Developer: Hijinx Studios Publisher: Konami Available On: PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 Reviewed on PlayStation 3
I started off this year by reviewing the first Silent Hill, followed that up with its sequel, and then reviewed a book about it. It was a great experience that I don’t regret, but it left me feeling a little burnt out and needing a break from the series. Now that we’ve hit October and Halloween is right around the corner, I decided it would be the perfect time to immerse myself in the horror-fueled nightmare world of Silent Hill once again by playing through the next entry in the franchise, Silent Hill 3. While I was able to look past some of the issues in the first two games and appreciate them for what they were, I sadly can’t say the same for this one.
Reviewed On PlayStation 3 Also Available on Xbox 360
Silent Hill 2 is a video game that’s often spoken of in reverential tones. From it’s dark and taboo subject matter, to its oppressively thick atmosphere and iconic enemy design, Silent Hill 2 is cited as one of the most influential survival horror titles of all-time. With a game of this pedigree, it would be easy to listen to all of the praise and adoration it’s garnered over the years and let that outside influence become a larger focus than the game itself, but that’s thankfully not the case here. While Silent Hill 2 may be beginning to show its age, there’s enough here to prove that, even after 20 years, it’s still worth diving into.
First off, I want to say thank you to Boss Fight Books for giving me an advanced copy of this title for review. This is my first time receiving this sort of opportunity for my blog, so I’m extremely grateful. I also want to say thank you to the author, Mike Drucker, for making me play Silent Hill 2. He begins the book with an introduction that recommends buying and playing through a copy of the game before reading any further, so I did. Sadly, the $80-100 for a used PS2 copy was steeper than I was willing to pay, so I had to go against his wishes and settle on the weaker (but much more affordable) version via the HD Collection on PS3. Sorry, Mike. While I was still able to enjoy my time and experience a game full of weird-ass monsters, WTF moments, and a great soundtrack, I had issues with the visual jank of this version and found the storyline to be rather confusing. However, like a creature hiding in the fog, Mike Drucker appeared (not literally) with a book that answered the questions I had, made me look at the game in a different light, and appreciate it on a whole new level. Thanks, Mike!
Silent Hill 2 tells the story of a man named James Sunderland who receives a letter from his dead wife beckoning him to come find her in the town of Silent Hill. If that sounds weird to you, just wait until you see what else this game has in store for you. James meets a complex cast of broken people, a pyramid headed monster with an unhealthy sexual attraction to mannequins, and discovers a town full of dark secrets. It’s a game full of weird and vague plot points, dialogue, and visual design and to be completely honest, I felt lost through the majority of my playthrough. Some elements made sense, but I found myself thinking “Man, I really hope Drucker’s book explains this” multiple times. Thankfully, Drucker’s book explains… pretty much everything?
Seriously, God bless Mike Drucker. His ability to dive into the deep emotional and mental themes of this game while maintaining a fun sense of humor enriched my own experience with it. Silent Hill 2 is the type of game where few things are simply as they first appear and everything has a double, or even triple, meaning. While this book is full of funny little quips about things such as Florida strip clubs, or the comparisons between a character and a Dateline suspect, Drucker also has a smart and profound way of explaining symbolism and covering some of the more taboo subjects of the story in a respectful manner. He also takes things a step further by opening up about personal experiences of his own that helped him connect to and understand some of the characters in the game. His ability to weave between humor, insightful analysis, and personal experience makes for a highly memorable and powerful read.
There’s also some really fun historical information about the franchise that’s fascinating to read about. Everything from the nonsensical marketing strategies, how the game was received in its time, and even how it went on to influence other titles in the genre can be found within these pages. As someone who is endlessly intrigued by video game history, I found these elements of the book to be wonderfully insightful and I could honestly read an entire book about the philosophical differences between Japanese and American horror.
It’s a fairly short read, but that’s by no means a bad thing. It comes in at 176 pages and was the perfect length for me to read through in a single afternoon. Drucker is a concise writer who knows how to say what needs to be said without cranking out bloated and pretentious drivel. It also helps that he’s really damn funny and makes reading his work so fun. Whether you’re playing Silent Hill 2 for the first time or returning to it after many years, Mike Drucker’s book feels like an essential companion piece to the game and shouldn’t be missed.
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