Forum > Gaming Discussion > Silent Hill Shattered Memories: 9.5 Destructoid, 9/10 Eurogamer, 9/10 Nintendo Life
Silent Hill Shattered Memories: 9.5 Destructoid, 9/10 Eurogamer, 9/10 Nintendo Life
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Sun, 31 Jan 2010 04:30:06
This interested me
G4: How different can the game get? I know it influences the ending, obviously...Hulett: There's a lot of really subtle things. If you meet a character and we want you to like that character, if you're sort of outgoing, then we can make that character outgoing, as well. If you're more introverted and that character was outgoing, you might not like them as much, so we can make them introverted instead. There's that aspect of it. And then if we want a phone message to creep you out, we can do the same sort of thing. Most of the phone numbers that you see in the game that you can call will have different answers based on your psych profile.

I'm curious to see how much of this is just pr talk. I have been calling all the numbers and stuff.

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Sun, 31 Jan 2010 12:33:40
Calling numbers scrawled on bathroom walls eh? Nyaa

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Sun, 31 Jan 2010 23:58:00

gamingeek said:
Calling numbers scrawled on bathroom walls eh? Nyaa

Hah - boys locker room actually. And a strip club. Suicide hotline, nature preserve. Lotsa numbers.

I like using the remote as a phone in silent hill and fatal frame - it's low quality works well for atmospheric distorted garbled messages.

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Mon, 01 Feb 2010 12:31:17
Suicide hotline? WTH?

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Mon, 01 Feb 2010 18:58:46
There's death and abuse everywhere in this game. the numbers tie into some of that. I like that the horror is all sort of everyday human experience crap and not horror scare - hunk of twitching meat in a cage with writing in blood kind of thing. Although that stuff can be cool. I like that this is different.
I'm still liking it, played around 6 hrs so far  taking my time looking at stuff not running all the time.Finished the 3rd or fourth chase - found the correct path fairly quickly. You will always have to replay a handful of times to get the path figured out.  The only part that bugs me is that I have a hard time shaking off anything on my left shoulder. Not sure why the chase stuff gets all the hate, I
Plot changed a little and I don't know what the hell is going on anymore. But that's good. Some entertaining puzzles.
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Tue, 02 Feb 2010 03:55:30
Great impressions monkey, keep 'em coming!

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Tue, 02 Feb 2010 10:29:24

Maybe your nunchuk needs changing?

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Tue, 02 Feb 2010 18:59:44
gamingeek said:

Maybe your nunchuk needs changing?

That's not  a bad idea. Thanks, I'll try swapping it out.




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Tue, 02 Feb 2010 19:06:53
Sometimes I find my chuk wigs out. Its a lot less acurate then the wii remote. I would give it a bash and a good shake.

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Tue, 09 Feb 2010 07:53:28
Finished my playthrough, thought I would bump this. A little bit of promo for a good niche game.

First off, length wise no one could have done more than I did. I looked and read everything and called all the phone numbers. I also walked a lot when I could have run everywhere just cause I thought it enhanced the atmosphere. Also a couple of the early creature runs I had to play for a bit before I got through them - especially the second or third one since it was so long and I had trouble shaking off a creature here and there. It took me about 14 hours. I would think a second playthrough would take me maybe 4. I know a lot of people say its around 6 hours - which is totally doable. I just took it real slow.

There is only one maybe two puzzles that would give anyone any trouble and mostly just for not being observant. The puzzles are not difficult by any stretch. I didn't think they were bad, but they are at most minor hurdles or just quick distractions. Not something to look forward to if you want tough puzzles. They are usually connected to the story or environment except for one I can think of which seemed too much like just an arbitrary puzzle thrown at you that you need to  solve to continue.

The chases were good. They didn't really bother me except for some trouble tossing creatures in one direction - still don't know if that's my fault or not. They are the only source of tension in the game. Once you realize they aren't in the real world, you aren't jumpy or apprehensive. But I wouldn't want creatures breaking through after you into the real world - maybe if they just tried to make the real world scarier or more threatening. They try to do this with messages and things you see, which are effective - I'm not actually sure how they could solve this problem.

Story is very good. Makes me think of the quality of old style adventure games. I tried not to figure out the story too much but I had a couple of ideas which were sort of right and sort of not. I definitely didn't finish it and groan or go - "I knew it!". It's not a long epic story like the longest journey or grim fandango - it's more like a short story. In fact, if anyone would have made a Twilight Zone game, this would have been the perfect one.(thinking of the original b+w shows). Huge reliance on the story and characters, not so much for action or effects. The protagonist is confused and powerless in many of the stories. And endings that made you go  - oh, ok.  I don't want to make out too much out of it like it's some amazing story, or a great twisty turny narrative - but it's good. I think it works and I like that it's understated.

Some critiques about things that should have been done to make it more of a silent hill game seem off the mark to me now that I've finished it. This isn't a game that is trying to be like other silent hills - it has a different tone. Combat and more grotesque horrors would make it more action horror oriented and would I think compromise the feelings of sadness and loss that is in the story. Of course that is looking back - playing it at the time and expecting a silent hill story I can see why people would be frustrated at the way everything unfolds. But looking at it now, I think it works pretty well. This game would probably have been received better critically if it didn't have the silent hill name but I doubt it would have gotten any of the attention. Would have been the cult game that nobody played.

I think the wii controls helped the experience as well. A little bit for immersion and also for injecting a bit of novelty and play in the experience. Otherwise manipulating objects would be more tedious and puzzles even less interesting.

I also liked that there are no standard game elements - no health meters, no med packs, no boss fights, no scrounging through the environment for loot and weapons and not really an inventory either. Again, it's more like the old point and click  games  except those would have you hauling around a lot of shit to solve more complicated puzzles. That's one thing I think they could have done without wrecking the tone, but too much of that and it turns into a puzzle game.

I like the approach they took with this. Fairly gutsy in the economic uncertainty and safe sequel environment we're in now- I don't think it would have flown on the other consoles. I think on the wii they were unsure enough of the audience that it got approved. Plus the recent SH games not doing so well must have contributed. I'd say play it if you can get past any silent hill expectations and don't mind the no combat and are ok with  a creepy mystery/suspense story rather than a full blown freak out horror story. Definitely if you have a love of point and click adventure games.


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Tue, 09 Feb 2010 10:35:46
Do want!

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Tue, 09 Feb 2010 11:11:00

Sounds like my kind of game. I take my time with games so I will try this out 3 times with variations to see what's different. It sounds like eternal darkness which was short-ish but I played through multiple times.

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Tue, 09 Feb 2010 20:51:00

angrymonkey said:
Finished my playthrough, thought I would bump this. A little bit of promo for a good niche game.

First off, length wise no one could have done more than I did. I looked and read everything and called all the phone numbers. I also walked a lot when I could have run everywhere just cause I thought it enhanced the atmosphere. Also a couple of the early creature runs I had to play for a bit before I got through them - especially the second or third one since it was so long and I had trouble shaking off a creature here and there. It took me about 14 hours. I would think a second playthrough would take me maybe 4. I know a lot of people say its around 6 hours - which is totally doable. I just took it real slow.

There is only one maybe two puzzles that would give anyone any trouble and mostly just for not being observant. The puzzles are not difficult by any stretch. I didn't think they were bad, but they are at most minor hurdles or just quick distractions. Not something to look forward to if you want tough puzzles. They are usually connected to the story or environment except for one I can think of which seemed too much like just an arbitrary puzzle thrown at you that you need to  solve to continue.

The chases were good. They didn't really bother me except for some trouble tossing creatures in one direction - still don't know if that's my fault or not. They are the only source of tension in the game. Once you realize they aren't in the real world, you aren't jumpy or apprehensive. But I wouldn't want creatures breaking through after you into the real world - maybe if they just tried to make the real world scarier or more threatening. They try to do this with messages and things you see, which are effective - I'm not actually sure how they could solve this problem.

Story is very good. Makes me think of the quality of old style adventure games. I tried not to figure out the story too much but I had a couple of ideas which were sort of right and sort of not. I definitely didn't finish it and groan or go - "I knew it!". It's not a long epic story like the longest journey or grim fandango - it's more like a short story. In fact, if anyone would have made a Twilight Zone game, this would have been the perfect one.(thinking of the original b+w shows). Huge reliance on the story and characters, not so much for action or effects. The protagonist is confused and powerless in many of the stories. And endings that made you go  - oh, ok.  I don't want to make out too much out of it like it's some amazing story, or a great twisty turny narrative - but it's good. I think it works and I like that it's understated.

Some critiques about things that should have been done to make it more of a silent hill game seem off the mark to me now that I've finished it. This isn't a game that is trying to be like other silent hills - it has a different tone. Combat and more grotesque horrors would make it more action horror oriented and would I think compromise the feelings of sadness and loss that is in the story. Of course that is looking back - playing it at the time and expecting a silent hill story I can see why people would be frustrated at the way everything unfolds. But looking at it now, I think it works pretty well. This game would probably have been received better critically if it didn't have the silent hill name but I doubt it would have gotten any of the attention. Would have been the cult game that nobody played.

I think the wii controls helped the experience as well. A little bit for immersion and also for injecting a bit of novelty and play in the experience. Otherwise manipulating objects would be more tedious and puzzles even less interesting.

I also liked that there are no standard game elements - no health meters, no med packs, no boss fights, no scrounging through the environment for loot and weapons and not really an inventory either. Again, it's more like the old point and click  games  except those would have you hauling around a lot of shit to solve more complicated puzzles. That's one thing I think they could have done without wrecking the tone, but too much of that and it turns into a puzzle game.

I like the approach they took with this. Fairly gutsy in the economic uncertainty and safe sequel environment we're in now- I don't think it would have flown on the other consoles. I think on the wii they were unsure enough of the audience that it got approved. Plus the recent SH games not doing so well must have contributed. I'd say play it if you can get past any silent hill expectations and don't mind the no combat and are ok with  a creepy mystery/suspense story rather than a full blown freak out horror story. Definitely if you have a love of point and click adventure games.


Sounds like I would be disappointed. Did you play SH1? How is it comparable.

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Tue, 09 Feb 2010 21:14:30
Dvader said:

Sounds like I would be disappointed. Did you play SH1? How is it comparable.

Silent hill is too far back for me to remember real well - and I never got the chance to finish it. Sad

I think that anyone that really loved the Silent Hill games and is looking for another one is going to be disappointed - and that's still saying that I think this is a good game. It's like I was a lord of the rings fan - read that book several times as a kid. When the movies came out they were great but I still picked them apart because I thought they were all messed up - could have been better. Couldn't totally get over my love of the book to fully enjoy the movies for the entertainment they were. Same thing here.  And it's probably compounded if you don't like the wii controls and really want something to fight back at. So  - not for everyone I guess.




gamingeek said:

Sounds like my kind of game. I take my time with games so I will try this out 3 times with variations to see what's different. It sounds like eternal darkness which was short-ish but I played through multiple times.


I'll let you know pretty quick what the  changes do. I'll give it another run through in a day or two. I do wish the creatures had changed more - that was overblown. I still don't know what the hell mine were supposed to look like or represent.

I liked eternal darkness too. There's a similarity between the two games to me. After I had played ED I had read some critiques about the combat system and problems with gameplay and they were pretty accurate but I didn't really care - I still liked the game.  I think because of the horror story and that you played many characters through history(that meet gruesome ends largely). And for this game I'm like - yeah its not really horror, and the puzzles aren't amazing but I still like it. Maybe this game works for the explorer/collector gamers - I'm not sure.

I don't want to  push it to hard on anybody that's on the fence about it. I know some people like it or hate it on gaf and I'm not quite sure what the dividing point is for people.  I do think with such a different approach that they should have priced it a little lower to get more people to get it. Or a demo, if nintendo only did that kind of thing.

But I'm still kind of impressed that they sold a console game idea with no combat and a story that was unlike other mature adventure games in that it did not need to even have a serial killer or somesuch villain.
Edited: Tue, 09 Feb 2010 21:34:18
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Wed, 10 Feb 2010 03:37:35

gamingeek said:

Sounds like my kind of game. I take my time with games so I will try this out 3 times with variations to see what's different. It sounds like eternal darkness which was short-ish but I played through multiple times.

But that didn't take much longer considering subsequent play throughs took aobut 1-2 hours. LOL

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Wed, 10 Feb 2010 18:56:58

Foolz said:

gamingeek said:

Sounds like my kind of game. I take my time with games so I will try this out 3 times with variations to see what's different. It sounds like eternal darkness which was short-ish but I played through multiple times.

But that didn't take much longer considering subsequent play throughs took aobut 1-2 hours. LOL

WTF?

No.

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Thu, 11 Feb 2010 02:55:23

gamingeek said:

Foolz said:

gamingeek said:

Sounds like my kind of game. I take my time with games so I will try this out 3 times with variations to see what's different. It sounds like eternal darkness which was short-ish but I played through multiple times.

But that didn't take much longer considering subsequent play throughs took aobut 1-2 hours. LOL

WTF?

No.

They did for me. Eternal Darkness was EXTRMELY short when you'd played through it once and knew what to do. (And I didn't skip anything on the subsequent play throughs either.)

Edited: Thu, 11 Feb 2010 02:55:58

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Thu, 11 Feb 2010 10:18:45

Foolz said:

gamingeek said:

Foolz said:

gamingeek said:

Sounds like my kind of game. I take my time with games so I will try this out 3 times with variations to see what's different. It sounds like eternal darkness which was short-ish but I played through multiple times.

But that didn't take much longer considering subsequent play throughs took aobut 1-2 hours. LOL

WTF?

No.

They did for me. Eternal Darkness was EXTRMELY short when you'd played through it once and knew what to do. (And I didn't skip anything on the subsequent play throughs either.)

I dont believe you.

*crosses arms*

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Thu, 11 Feb 2010 18:48:47
Hmmm.
You'd beat the 2:27 speedrun on youtube.
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Fri, 12 Feb 2010 03:16:47

angrymonkey said:
Hmmm.
You'd beat the 2:27 speedrun on youtube.
Damn, I should've filmed it then! Nyaa

Hah, it was a long time ago. Going by that I'll say somewhere between 3-4 hours. The last pray through I don't think could've been over 4 though.

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