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    Silent Hill is a survival horror game franchise that revolves around the tourist town of Silent Hill; its dark link with the occult and its co-existence with its two other-dimensional forms, "Otherworld" and "Nowhere".

    Best Silent Hill game to play now?

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    igotebola

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    Hey duders, after watching the QL of Darkness Assault it made me think about how I've never played a Silent Hill game and I started jonesing to play one. Which do you guys think is the best/ hasn't aged to the point of barely playable. Thanks!

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    cloudymusic

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    I'd say 2 is still definitely the best overall. There's an option to turn off the tank controls if you don't like them.

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    Make_Me_Mad

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    Most people will go with 2. Personally, I prefer 3, and think the PC version of SH3 is absolutely fantastic; the one thing I'd definitely say is to avoid the HD Collection, as it has a number of problems that make the games worse overall.

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    alistercat

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    2 & 3 still hold up really well, though terrible combat has always been terrible. Some people think it adds to the tension though. Just don't get the 'HD' versions if you can help it, there are some broken and very questionable things.

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    plasticstars

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    2 is generally thought of as the best in the series, though I prefer 3. Either of those would be what I would recommend. 4 has a really interesting story but its kind of a pain in the ass to play, and anything in the series past that isn't really worth your time (with the possible exception of Shattered Memories).

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    igotebola

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    Interesting, well it sounds like I'm going to end up playing 2 and 3 non-HD! Thanks guys! There's not a story through-line is there between games?

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    fattony12000

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    #7  Edited By fattony12000
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    VierasTalo

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    1, 2 and 4. 1 is still fairly scary and plays about as well as you could expect, 2 is a modern classic and if you can stand the tank controls it's still an incredible story, 4 because it is unlike anything you'll find out there today with a compelling, surrealist story.

    Shattered Memories is also really good if you don't feel like playing 1.

    Story-wise 3 is a direct sequel to 1, 4 is kind of a sequel to 2, referencing occasional small things. I'd argue playing 1 is really helpful towards understanding 3 but the story is kinda dumb anyhow.

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    Corevi

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    @igotebola: There's references here and there but no.

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    Jeust

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    #10  Edited By Jeust

    Silent Hill Downpour > Silent Hill 2 > Silent Hill 4

    Silent Hill Downpour because it's the one that plays better, has the best encarnation of the town of Silent Hill, has interesting sidequests, and a lot of cool secrets. Plus it has a poignant story, not at the level of 2 or 4, but it is the best of the post Silent Hill 4 games. The graphics are also the better ones, and so is the gameplay.

    But if played for the story 2 is definitively the best. Then 4 and Downpour.

    For an alternative experience in the world of Silent Hill, I recomend Silent Hill: Shattered Memories.

    I have played all Silent Hill games and finished all but 1 and Homecomming, but 1 I played just the beginning. So you can subtract that to my view of the games.

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    ZolRoyce

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    Interesting, well it sounds like I'm going to end up playing 2 and 3 non-HD! Thanks guys! There's not a story through-line is there between games?

    I would recommend finding a recap on the story of SH1 before going into 3 as there are absolute story and character points holding those two together, though I came into the series at 3 and managed to figure enough of it out without knowing anything about 1.

    2 has a stand alone story, the only thing that relates it to the others is minor references and being located within the same spooky ass town.

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    Jeust

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    #12  Edited By Jeust

    @zolroyce said:

    @igotebola said:

    Interesting, well it sounds like I'm going to end up playing 2 and 3 non-HD! Thanks guys! There's not a story through-line is there between games?

    I would recommend finding a recap on the story of SH1 before going into 3 as there are absolute story and character points holding those two together, though I came into the series at 3 and managed to figure enough of it out without knowing anything about 1.

    2 has a stand alone story, the only thing that relates it to the others is minor references and being located within the same spooky ass town.

    I recomend going to 3 without any information about Silent Hill 1, as the story of 3 is very straightforward, and knowing the story of SH1, the plot of SH3 becomes very basic and predictable, with few surprises.

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    ShadowConqueror

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    Silent Hill 2, Silent Hill 3, and Silent Hill: Shattered Memories are the only ones worth playing at this point.

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    kaos_cracker

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    #14  Edited By kaos_cracker

    Well. The only one I ever played was Downpour. That game was bad. But I really liked it. I am also terrible. However, P.T. was pretty good.

    However, I do own Homecoming and Shattered Memories.

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    ViciousReiven

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    1-4 and that's it, 2 and 4 are independent enough to be played on their own, but I feel anyone should play 1 before 3.

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    Zippedbinders

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    Interesting, well it sounds like I'm going to end up playing 2 and 3 non-HD! Thanks guys! There's not a story through-line is there between games?

    Get the Greatest Hits version of SH2 for the PS2 if at all possible. It comes with an extra side story and a handful of extra content and features. In addition to SH3, I'd recommend SH4: The Room and Shattered Memories for Wii if you find yourself wanting more, they aren't quite as stellar but still offer a lot of interesting ideas.

    Avoid Downpour, Homecoming, and Origins. Though watching 2 Best Friends rip into Downpour and Homecoming is quite good.

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    spankingaddict

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    Id assume 2 .. still

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    BrittonPeele

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    SH2 is still considered a masterpiece, but you know, Silent Hill: Shattered Memories on the Wii is an underrated gem that holds up really well. So I'd say go with either of those.

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    FrostyRyan

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    The best Silent Hill to play is and always will be Silent Hill 2. After that, feel free to go onto 3, 4, and even Shattered Memories if you have time. SH2 is a masterpiece of video game themes, story, subtlety though.

    Downpour and Homecoming are terrible games. Don't play them.

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    soldierg654342

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    #20  Edited By soldierg654342

    it bums me out every time someone brings up Silent Hill and all anyone talks about is 2. I like 2 a whole lot, and it showed how videogames and incorporate non-binary player agency into their narratives well before most games were even doing binary. But when it comes to actually playing it, it's not very good. 3 is a much better game overall, and there's a lot more going on with its story than peopel give it credit for because all they care bout is 2.

    Also, the first one is really good too! Sure the voice acting is bad, but so was Resident Evil's and people still liked it.

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    poobumbutt

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    @fattony12000: I agree with this whole post. All of it. That playthrough's rad.

    Yeah, two is still the best. I literally bought that game from Ebay less than a week ago, even though I owned the HD Collection. That's the other thing: if at all possible, play one of the the original SH2s on PS2 or Xbox. HD Collection managed to screw up multiple things including the mist... in a Silent Hill game. The MIST in a -- okay, you get the point, but seriously.

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    Moztacular

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    1-3 are fantastic, unless I missed it I don't think anyone's commented on 2 having a fantastic soundtrack (subjectively one of my fave game soundtracks of all time). SH1 actually has a dark, more violent tone and story in my opinion and is very scary because of how dark and sprawling the world is. SH2 just looks amazing and still holds up so well visually, gameplay just a bit bleh. I think you need to play SH1 to truly appreciate the story of SH3; it's a great game too but the story is perhaps more convoluted than 1 and 2 while also not being particularly interesting to me. Also, SH3 marked the beginning of them trying to add more "combat" to the series and so you end up fighting alot more enemies in 3 which is very much not the strong suit of the series; this makes for a more laborious play through experience if you ask me compared to 1-2.

    I'm happy to join the chorus of folks saying to play 1-3, with SH2 taking the cake for a variety of reasons personally.

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    Fitzgerald

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    4, The Room gets a lot of crap, but I dunno! I sure thought it was scary!

    "Don't go out!"

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    JBG4

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    The first 4 are great but Silent Hill 2 has always been my favorite and it is totally playable if you can stand the controls which I never found to be much of an issue.

    4, The Room gets a lot of crap, but I dunno! I sure thought it was scary!

    "Don't go out!"

    I completely agree with you about 4. So many people talk about how they didn't like it but I thought the concept and story was great. Also, yes... it was extremely scary.

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    awesomeusername

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    PT. I never played a Silent Hill game so if Silent Hills is as scary as PT, it will be my first SH game.

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    handlas

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    I thought I'd come here and be the only one to say... Silent Hill 4: The Room. Once you get past the main character's voice actor being horrible, the game is super creepy and atmospheric. I want to spoil it but I won't... I think it's probably the creepiest premise for a game I've ever played. For those who have played it and maybe don't remember... a serial killer's body is inside your apartment's wall in a hidden room and the serial killer's ghost is a small child looking for his mother which he thinks is the apartment itself.

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    KillEm_Dafoe

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    #27  Edited By KillEm_Dafoe

    SH1 is still far and away the best game of the series. Yeah, 2 has a fantastic story that still holds up to this day, but after going back and playing it not too long ago, it's kind of a pain in the ass. Awesome game, but not as awesome as the original. SH1 has such specific mood and the atmosphere is so oppressive, and the soundtrack so unsettling, that it still gives me the chills. It's one of the rare cases where the old grungy PS1 graphics actually add to what the game is going for.

    SH3 is alright. By the time it came out, it felt like very textbook survival horror. It plays better than 2, and some of the monster designs are incredible, but doesn't necessarily offer the same quality of experience as 1 or 2. Definitely a good game, but not one of the benchmarks for the series or genre.

    SH4 is...well, not very good. When you play it, it's very easy to see how it wasn't originally a Silent Hill game. It's not structured the same way and it doesn't play like any of the other games in the series. The first-person segments inside the haunted apartment are really well done from what I remember. The proper levels, however, are very hit or miss. It's got some decent puzzles and great enemy designs, but I remember hating the combat. The game also recycles a lot of the levels by making you play through the exact same areas twice, for reasons I can't recall. I never finished the game so I can't speak to the whole thing, but I wasn't very fond of this game when it came out. I've been thinking about tracking down a copy and trying to play it again for awhile, though.

    Shattered Memories is a retelling of the original Silent Hill, albeit in a very different fashion. The game is very puzzle and exploration-heavy, and there is no combat. That said, it's really fucking cool, and although you know that you are never in any real danger outside of the chase segments, it's still super creepy and effective. I'm honestly kind of sad that I never finished this one, as I really enjoyed it. I would highly recommend it. If you can't play it on the Wii, it's still worth tracking down a PS2 copy.

    Homecoming is an absolutely fine game. Nothing groundbreaking by any means, but certainly nowhere near "horrible" as many would have you believe. Its story heavily borrows from SH2 thematically and kinda dumbs it down, but it's still not bad. The big thing with this game is that it very straightforward and combat-focused, leaving little room for exploration when outdoors. It's the one game in the series that has a real combat system, and once you get the hang of it, it's not half bad. Very timing-based, but totally functional and fun. The game does manage to get the atmosphere down right, and it also has some of the best puzzles, monster designs, and boss fights of the series. It really does feel like an "Americanized" Silent Hill game, but I still think it works well with what it's got.

    Downpour is maybe the game I have the most mixed feelings on in the whole series. It does so many things right. It's the first game to fully realize the town of Silent Hill and turn it into an actual open world, with all kinds of spooky places to explore, secrets to uncover, and mysterious side quests to complete. That stuff is fucking awesome. There are a lot of great puzzles and mini-stories to find through all that stuff. The primary story is also pretty interesting, as is the protagonist. There are some genuinely terrifying moments, and some of the set pieces are fucking brilliant (there's a part involving reconstructing a school play that is incredible).

    However, for as many things as Downpour gets right, it gets just as many important things wrong. Its combat is fucking awful, and not in the same way that old school survival horror games can seem, just generally really shitty. And the game forces you into a lot of it. You can get a grasp on it and it becomes manageable, but it never feels quite right. Downpour also has, by far, the worst enemy design of the series. There are 4 enemy types, and they are all vaguely humanoid creatures. Very boring and uninspired, especially for a series that is known for its twisted and disturbing monsters. I should also mention that the final level in the prison is infuriatingly bad and the ultimate test of one's patience. I still think Downpour is worth playing, though. It is very much its own thing; it has a unique take on the town, a unique take on the otherworld segments, and overall is quite unlike any other SH game. There's some great stuff in there worth seeing.

    I've never played Origins so I can't really offer my take on it. If I had to recommend any of them, though, I would say SH1, 2, and Shattered Memories are the ones that should definitely be played, with maybe Downpour if you're up for it.

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    deactivated-5c4a6d7d37a3f

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    1,2,3 and Shattered memories are awesome, Origins is okay / passable. If you have to choose one to play; It's probably going to end up being Silent Hill 2 on PS2 / the directors cut version on PC or old school Xbox.

    And Origins? It's not bad. It's just not all there. The combat system is weird (All melee weapons break in 2 or 3 swings and have little or no damage) 99% of the enemies in the game can be ran past and there's only one or two actual creepy parts in the game. It's hard to recommend, but it's also hard to condemn it for anything. My feelings are too mixed on it to really lean one way or the other.

    Shattered Memories though? That's a good game. It might be a remake of Silent Hill 1 (Sorta) but it does it's own thing and it's a really good atmospheric, creepy little game. I say little because it's crazy short; 2 or 3 hours long depending how quick you can solve a few puzzles the game throws at you. Pick it up and beat it in an afternoon. I really enjoyed it, it made me think, it creeped me out, got my adrenaline pumping when I was running from the nasty monsters and messed with my head a few times. It's the best silent hill game to be released post Silent Hill 3.

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    Samaritan

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    Silent Hill 2. Everything else can come later, but Silent Hill 2 is the pinnacle of the franchise. And NOT the HD Collection version. The original, Xbox version if you can. The PS2 Greatest Hits version is good too.

    After that, 1 and 3 are great games, as is Shattered Memories. Stay away from anything that came out after Shattered Memories though.

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    gaminghooligan

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    Would've loved to see a poll on this.

    I'd say 1 or 2. Don't play the HD Collection version of 2 it isn't worth the money.

    I'd also say if you want something a little more strange, try Silent Hill 4: The Room. Don't let that stupid trailer in the latest Demo Derby throw you off. I personally hold 4 in high regard.

    Silent Hill 3 is okay, play Silent Hill 1 first though.

    Avoid all others.

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    deactivated-582d227526464

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    SH2 is one of the most memorable experiences i've ever had playing a game, and i first played it two years ago. it holds up remarkably well, although the combat is something of a chore.

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    xerseslives

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    1, 2 and then 3 are really in perfect playing order. 2 gives a good breather and helps with the time jump between 1 and 3. Silent Hill gets classified as a horror game almost universally, but it's really more about lore than anything. That's kind of what worries me about the new one. Everyone's focusing on how scary it's supposedly going to be when I honestly never came to the series for that. It's about the crazy cult and the atmosphere and the common themes throughout. Once you get past 4, which is underrated (though has annoying gameplay bits), that lore becomes convoluted and often flat out ignored.

    Origins is awful. No reason to play it and the story is a giant retcon that doesn't make sense.

    Shattered Memories is a good game, but should have been titled something else. It has nothing to do with the series outside of some character names.

    Homecoming gets a bad rap, but it's not that bad. In terms of story, it at least tries to tie things back to the cult and the roots of the series and had great boss design. The part where you play it isn't great.

    Downpour is an embarrassment created by people that seemed to actively hate the series the were making a game in.

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    Dussck

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    2 and 3 are really good. I never played 1 and I think 2 is one of the best games ever. Silent Hill 4 is not that bad either. It's different for sure, but still pretty creepy and has a great story. In the weekends I'm often watching a livestream of AnEternalEnigma , who tries to get the speedrun World Record on SH4. It's quite funny, because the game has some random elements and the biggest part of the game is escorting a dumb AI through hazardous environments. :)

    I've only played Homecoming from the 'new games' and it tried really hard to be a Silent Hill game, but failed. The combat is the worst of all games, the story is a bunch of bullshit and the graphics are below par. The environments kind of look like a SH game, but that's about it.

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    obcdexter

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    For the music and sound design alone it is worth to play 1 through 5, as well as Shattered Memories.
    1 and 2 are reeeally good, 3 and 4 still good.

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    Haruko

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    #35  Edited By Haruko

    2 hands down the peak of the series it stayed good for a little while with 3 and 4 and even origins is actually good but homecoming is garbage and it just went down from there. Shattered Memories is the outlier in that its good but its really just a spooky adventure game. Also look up an LPer named Voidburger if you want to see whats up with the ones you don't play. She's hands down the best Silent Hill LPer out there.

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    Humanity

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    #36  Edited By Humanity

    They all aged super poorly and while 2 is the cult classic, jumping into that gameplay in 2015 will be a nightmare all on its own.

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    yakov456

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    The answer is always 2. I do want to go back and give The Room a try again. Started out really liking that one but gave up on it.

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    Jeust

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    #38  Edited By Jeust

    @soldierg654342 said:

    it bums me out every time someone brings up Silent Hill and all anyone talks about is 2. I like 2 a whole lot, and it showed how videogames and incorporate non-binary player agency into their narratives well before most games were even doing binary. But when it comes to actually playing it, it's not very good. 3 is a much better game overall, and there's a lot more going on with its story than peopel give it credit for because all they care bout is 2.

    Also, the first one is really good too! Sure the voice acting is bad, but so was Resident Evil's and people still liked it.

    I agree with this. People give Silent Hill 2 too much praise. Its story, story development and soundtrack are phenomenal, but that's it. The gameplay is simplistic and the pacing is generaly monotonous. But if a person gets invested in the story, it can be a heartfelt experience by the end of it, but it's not a game that aged too well.

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    Lelcar

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    Homecoming gets a bad rap, but it's not that bad. In terms of story, it at least tries to tie things back to the cult and the roots of the series and had great boss design.

    Downpour is an embarrassment created by people that seemed to actively hate the series the were making a game in.

    I agree with both of these assessments. In fact, I actually like Homecoming quite a bit, but yeah, Downpour is absurdly awful.

    I haven't gone back to the first four games since each was released, but I do like my memory of them. The Room is odd, but it has a House of Leaves vibe that I can really get behind.

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    fattony12000

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    @fattony12000:

    HD Collection managed to screw up multiple things including the mist... in a Silent Hill game. The MIST in a -- okay, you get the point, but seriously.

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