Silent Hill 3 - Review
The Silent Hill franchise has always stood alone in the Survival Horror sub-genre - it features a very real sense of scariness and atmosphere rather than focus on the B-movie-esque horror in other series. Silent Hill 3 is no exception, and in terms of quality it's right up there with the first two game in the frnachise.
The game is a direct sequel to the first Silent Hill, and takes place seventeen years later following Harry Mason's escape from the town in the original. You take control of Heather, a seventeen year-old who is suddenly swept into a series of dark, shadowy and surreal events. The whole thing kicks off quickly. Heather is shopping at a mall, and as she is leaving she is confronted by Douglas, a detective and another important character in the game, who appears to know something about her mysterious past. In order to avoid him, she climbs out of a public restroom window. When she slips back into the mall, she soon discovers everyone has disappeared, and that monsters are strolling about.
Her journey eventually takes her and Douglas to Silent Hill, where she attempts to discover the truth behind the mysterious events.
Anyway, playing through Silent Hill 3 is a very enjoyable, if a tad scary, experience. The plot, even if it felt a little silly at times (but then again, most Silent Hill games do), was very good and it's difficult to stop playing until it's over. Heather is a very likable character and the supporting cast are great. The graphics are excellent for a game that came out on the PS2 in 2003, and, as always, Akira Yamaoka's score contributes to the overall feeling of horror (with some great music added, too). The puzzles can be brain bending, although some of them on the 'Hard' riddle setting are a bit over-the-top.
The game is genuinely scary, too. It's scarier than Silent Hill 2 and even comes close to the first game. Note - this game is NOT for the faint-hearted.
Perhaps the only real issue with the game is the gameplay itself. For experienced survival horror veterans, or basically anyone who has genuine experience playing such games, the controls won't be much of a problem. However, newcomers be warned, as the controls WILL take a little time getting used to. Thankfully, it's not that much of a problem. Another minor issue is that it's difficult to completely follow the entire plot without having played through the original Silent Hill, as Silent Hill 3 is a direct sequel, although the game does produce a good effort at explaining what happened in the first.
Overall, Silent Hill 3 is a very good game. It ranks as highly as the first Silent Hill, although some may argue that it falls slightly short of Silent Hill 2. A strong recommendation for all survival horror fans, and anyone looking for a scare or just something a bit different. Just avoid it if you're faint of heart or are looking for a mindless action-fest involving you blowing things to bits for six hours.Read full review
