OK, I'm not very far in. Overall I think Downpour has been decent so far, even if the part during the mines was kinda lackluster. Just started finally exploring Silent Hill and already things are improving. But what motivated me to start a thread here was when I entered this house... pretty early on, so I'm sure most people already know what I'm on about. It's the place with the crying... and I think I'll just leave it there.

I shan't go into spoilers, but I just have to say, this game got me good. I genuinely let out a ''holyfuckshitgodhelpme'', I started to panic and I was just mashing on the square button. It's no surprise that a Silent Hill game is scary, but for me personally it still takes a fair bit to actually force me to instinctively say something out loud. Suffice to say, no matter how the overall product is, it's at least got some great tension building and pay off scares in here. Which, on its own, already places Downpour on an upward slope to surpassing Homecoming. The production values are really rough, though, which is a damn shame. The cutscenes are probably one of the worst aspects of the game thus far, and the voice acting is a step down from Homecoming too. But... that one segment I just been through gives me hope that maybe... just maybe, Silent Hill can stand to hold just a little more relevance. I can't say for sure if Vatra are definitely the guys for the job to carry the series forward since I'm still only about 2 hours in, but they at least know how to do a good scare.

I know the part you are talking about, sadly that didn't get me at all because I already had seen someone playing that part. But I will say Downpour has a few jump scares, that if you are playing all by yourself in the dark they are probably going to scare you. I don't think the voice acting is that bad, Murphy's voice is pretty okay I think what I like the most is his screams and "oh shit" moments, they feel real and hilarious at the same time because he's actually reacting to what's happening. Downpour is a good game, I wish people would just give it a try instead of shitting on it because it's not made by it's original developers.

I definitely think this is the scariest Silent Hill since 3.

Watching a Youtube walkthrough of this, even made me jump a few times.

Edit - I also like the fact that the main protagonist screams like a little girl.

Reasons to get it: +1

After reading that I'm sure I will never get it.

@Abyssfull: Do you recommend I get this or the HD collection considering I have never played a Silent Hill game before.

@Abyssfull: Do you recommend I get this or the HD collection considering I have never played a Silent Hill game before.

@Hizang: The HD Collection. This is kinda nice in a throwback nostalgic way, but the originals are simply superb. Please get the HD collections, not this. If you've got a PS3, it's definitely worth picking up Silent Hill (the first one) from the Playstation store. If you're a Plus subscriber, it's free next week (or the week after, I can't remember).

That place scared me more than any game in a while. The fact it didn't do it through a jump scare was even better. As I was heading for the door a goddamn chill went down my spine, I didn't think a game could still do that to me.
 
What is the purpose of that place, other than to scare the shit out of you? It has a blue ? on it, which from what I can see implies that it's a side quest. But I can't find an activation.

Agreed, that place was terrifying. 

Wait until you guys do the quest with the heart. You'll know what one.

Gramaphone and movie theater also creeped me out real bad.

I love the Gramophone one, that was probably the best one IMO, it was done so well!

@GentlemanlyGentleman: Curious about that myself. I've revisited a few times just to see if anything changes (once it sounded like something fell...) but yeah, no prompt besides the ''examine'' with the milk carton. I'm always so reluctant to return too...

@Coafi: Gramophone has been one of the highlights thus far, though I felt like it didn't go far enough. The painting is still burning so have i missed an extra step? I don't think I got any first-aid kits or ammo like from every other side-quest either, so I'm iffy as to whether I've actually finished that one despite getting the trophy.

@TentPole: Oh definitely, the movie-theatre (CAMERA ANGLES!!) along with the gramophone are two of the best (from what I can tell, I think I've completed all of the side-quests besides that annoying shadow one and finding Homer something to eat). The little girl one was a bit disappointing. It built that one up so much for so long, and while entering her apartment was plenty unnerving (the door instantly closing behind you when you enter was a great touch), I expected a little more all the same

@Brodehouse: Goddamnit, that one lit my ass on fire. Never looked back.

@Hizang: Honestly, I'd say track down the originals if you have a way to. The HD remake toned down the fog and darkness due to new filters or something and it both crushes the atmosphere and revels shortcuts the developers too that were previously hidden by fog (they designed the fog, so without it, you'll see ropes running to nothing and texture maps just stopping and creating "edges" to the world). It's a bummer, and apparently the original art director for them was bummed that they would be the impressions of the game people got.

I mean, they still play fine and for other games it wouldn't be such a big deal, but the atmosphere is such a huge deal for Silent Hill that it's pretty disappointing.

Goddamn it, what are you doing?!

The part in the hospital with the monsters got me.

I went back there last night and I still couldn't find anything. The residents got the business end of a sledgehammer, so I was able to freely look around, still nothing. 
 
Place is still damn creepy though.

I really didnt want to buy this game but this thread is gonna make me do it.

@laserbolts said:

I really didnt want to buy this game but this thread is gonna make me do it.

If you have any fond memories of the older SH's, then I definitely think Downpour is worth it. What's a shame is how poor the technical aspects are--especially the framerate--but all the weird tricks the game plays on you (a lot of great psychological illusions and overall weirdness to be sure), the outstanding atmosphere and rewarding exploration negate a lot of the faults I'd say. I haven't completed it yet, but I've played enough to know that Downpour is going to stick as something special for me across the year. They really don't make many games like this anymore and it's heart warming to see how adamant Downpour is to sticking to what SH is known for.

@Napalm said:

Goddamn it, what are you doing?!

?

@Abyssfull: well there goes my poker winnings from friday night. Curse you video games and your $60 price tags!

@Abyssfull: Yea, lol one of the scariest parts of the game. The roller coaster could have been better but I liked the idea of it. All in all I loved Downpour. The rain was a great idea. Provides a great psychological aspect to force you to seek shelter and explore the town.

Side quests really brought the town to life imo. Gave the town a real presence of its own. Made the locations feel much more unique and lived in. Felt almost like you were in a strangers home, bit of the voyeuristic quality of being somewhere you shouldnt be.

Vatra did a great job overall, seems like most are overlooking or not appreciating some of the more intelligent updates they have done for freshen up the game. I even really wanted to say WTF is this BS in the woods, but it got to me, the horror aspect and tension, enough where I really had to respect it. Was one of the best parts of the game imo, thou I doubt many would say that.

Man, I really want this game, but no way am I paying 60 bucks for it right now.

Also want to say; there was a certain point, maybe it was dumb luck, but some strange things all combined.

I was near an intersection or something, and got caught by a police car. So three crazy bitches and a juggalo spawned near me. For some reason I hung back, holding block. But they didn't advance. They spread out in a flanking position and stood there. I moved a little to the left and they adjusted, same to the right. I advanced, they fell back, and vice versa. They weren't attacking me, they were corralling me.

It was after that I noticed that it appeared like the only time I was being directly attacked, or sneak attacked was when I was on someone's property or somewhere I shouldn't be. Which really made the events of the game unfold under a cloud of suspicion for me. That Murph would go to a church to seek sanctuary took on a different light.

@bibamatt said:

@Hizang: The HD Collection. This is kinda nice in a throwback nostalgic way, but the originals are simply superb. Please get the HD collections, not this. If you've got a PS3, it's definitely worth picking up Silent Hill (the first one) from the Playstation store. If you're a Plus subscriber, it's free next week (or the week after, I can't remember).

basically what Bibamatt said, however they do not have Silent Hill 4: The room on the disk which a bit of a shame.

However I've been doing whatever I can to keep away from anything major spoilers, however from looking at the Quick Look which Ryan and Patrick did I'm more tempted to get this now, just to see how it plays out.

Someone got a Youtube link to the part the OP is talking about? I'm curious.

@Brodehouse said:

@John1912 To make the roller coaster scarier all they had to do was give you the ability to shift left and right. Even if it ultimately didn't do anything, giving the player the illusion that they'll have to be alert would get them to panic. The best game that did this was Heavy Rain, there was a scene where the player was ultimately helpless, but it gave you just the slightest hint of controls which starts the panic response of "Am I supposed to do something? Oh God, I can't get out!" instead of "This is a cutscene and if something happens it'll have a quick time event."

I agree about the roller coaster. There was a lot of they could have worked with from within the context, but it was kept to the bare minimum unfortunately. Having Murphy sit in the front would have increased the plight of helplessness as well I think, as you watch one of those skinless whatevers clamber towards you from behind. Plus it would have been great if something would randomly spawn next to you in the cart. Maybe Sewell or Murphy's son or even one of the fish wife banshee things... I just would have loved to have the camera turn to having someone sitting next to me. Gives me the jitters just imagining it. The part where the miners are all encroaching towards you amidst the strobe lighting was a neat touch at least, but some added interactivity would have added a lot.

@Brodehouse said:

Also want to say; there was a certain point, maybe it was dumb luck, but some strange things all combined. I was near an intersection or something, and got caught by a police car. So three crazy bitches and a juggalo spawned near me. For some reason I hung back, holding block. But they didn't advance. They spread out in a flanking position and stood there. I moved a little to the left and they adjusted, same to the right. I advanced, they fell back, and vice versa. They weren't attacking me, they were corralling me. It was after that I noticed that it appeared like the only time I was being directly attacked, or sneak attacked was when I was on someone's property or somewhere I shouldn't be. Which really made the events of the game unfold under a cloud of suspicion for me. That Murph would go to a church to seek sanctuary took on a different light.

And... that's happened to me a lot as well, where they'll back off as if they're afraid of me. I never noticed any pattern, though, but who knows. Could be intentional? Vatra have proved that they know how SH games tend to tick, so I wouldn't put it past them to implement variable AI routines based on the circumstances, like how they become aggressive when it rains, even if that one is much more so overt since they list it in the tool tips. Speaking of which, I love the creepy ''tool tips'' they put in there too! I think I remember one briefly showing up say ''it knows you're alone''. Vatra... goddamn godsend they are. I really hope they'll get to chance to do another one with a larger budget so the next one won't be such a technical nightmare.

Very curious to see how the sales will do. Going to be a pity that it at the very least won't match up to the 'success' of ORC, which I think has stayed at the No.1 spot in the UK since it's release.

I really liked this game. I rank it 3/4 on my overall list of Silent Hill games. However a couple parts bugged me and rather than make a new topic I'll add it here:

Which leads me onto this:

For the next Silent Hill game I would like to explore more of the mythos, as the last few with the exception of Origins didn't. (I may be wrong on this, I never got through Origins or Homecoming.)

Now, this would require a character who has ties to the story. Which is why I think Heather should make a return. It would be great.