The Characters
Murphy shrugs. “I never hurt anyone who didn’t deserve it.”
Silent Hill has chosen Murphy Pendleton for a good old fashioned “scare the crap out of you to show you the truth” session. As is tradition, those who are called to Silent Hill have forgotten something important (and often tragic) in their lives that warrants remembrance.
Murphy is an inmate haunted by memories of his childhood. We get brief flashes, along with some voice over quotes from a father figure, but what Murphy did to land himself in jail remains a mystery for you to find out. He’s no innocent push over, however – your very first combat tutorial is a classic shower-shankin’. On top of all his troubles, there is some hidden connection between Murphy and Anne, a prison guard who would really like to blow his head off – but Murphy doesn’t understand why. His “reputation” lands him a transfer to Wayside Maximum Security Penitentiary, located on an island on Toluca Lake. (Hmmm… from Silent Hill 2?)
When Murphy’s prison bus meets the business end of one of Silent Hill’s famous “instant cliffs,” he wakes up without his cuffs and seemingly alone. It’s his one chance at freedom…and the beginning of his personal hell.
The story in Downpour is original and unlike any of its Silent Hill predecessors. You won’t find any references to Alessa here (at least in the story), but it remains true to the history of the town and the traditional way in which we learn about it. For example, you will be able to piece together stories from newspaper clippings, journals, brochures and even police reports. The familiar shadow of tragedy will always linger in this town and you will get a healthy dose of it the more you explore.
You’ll meet other intriguing characters along the way, including a VERY interesting post man named Howard. He knows more than he’s saying…the rest of the characters I’ll let you meet for yourself. I will point out, however, that Vatra really got me excited about how the characters interact with the town and how they’re all being messed with. Each character is going through their own personal hell – not just the main character, so that confirms that Vatra GETS how Silent Hill works.
Murphy’s “shocking” Silent Hill revelation isn’t all that shocking, but with multiple endings, you can at least get different outcomes.
The World
Dancing alone again, again, your rain falling…
In case you haven’t noticed, the major theme at work in Downpour is water. Thanks to the Unreal Engine 3 (same one used for Gears of War 3), the water effects in this game are incredible. From water ripples all the way up to how Murphy’s shirt looks when it gets wet, the design team met and far exceeded any expectations on graphics. If this game had come out a few years earlier, it just wouldn’t have looked as good.
The rain doesn’t just soak Murphy to the skin – it brings the monsters out to play and the heavier the storm, the more trouble! The weather has always played a part in the Silent Hill franchise, but never before have you been able to use it to your advantage or even escape from it.
The locations you explore are classic Silent Hill-creepy, but once again are blessedly original. One such location, Devil’s Pit, is so similar to a place I visited once that it was even MORE creepy! The lighting and textures couldn’t have been done better. I am thoroughly impressed.
Unlike all its seven predecessors, Silent Hill: Downpour introduces a quasi-open world; which is what fans have been daydreaming about for over a decade! You are not limited to your main goal, but rather can explore several of the buildings on the way to your objective. Here you’ll find a number of side quests and even a nasty surprise or two.
What’s new:
Ravens – never before have we seen “normal” animals in the Silent Hill franchise.
Voice overs – no more walking up to something and observing unless it’s scripted. Murphy will mutter whatever you need to know.
Disposable Flashlights – usually you get one flashlight and that will last you the whole game. Now you’ve gotta search for new ones just like your weapons.
Side Quests – now you can free roam the town and actually unlock new areas and content by being your usual, nosy self.
Radio – oh, sure you get one, but it doesn’t act like you’d expect.
Play in 3D – compatible with 3D TVs.
Dan Licht takes the reins on the soundtrack – no more Akira Yamaoka, although we do hear some Mary Elizabeth McGlynn in a few haunting tracks.
A bad guy as the good guy – never before have we had a protagonist who was an anti-hero from moment one. We usually find out later that they did something wrong, but in Downpour we already know; an interesting twist.
What’s Familiar:
Fog – check
Otherworld – check
Running around screaming and/or cursing – double check
Controls – Although slightly different, they’re pretty much the same. You are able to look over Murphy’s shoulder as in Silent Hill: Shattered Memories.
Toluca Lake! An old friend returns, but that’s about all that’s familiar on this side of town.
Some red light thing tries to kill you Silent Hill 3 style. Only it’s WAY worse.
Disposable weapons all over the place like in Silent Hill: Origins.
Creepy surroundings, rusted metal and an Otherworld similar but not identical to the movie and Homecoming in that it transforms around you in real time.
The Monsters
I shut my eyes, I go to sleep, he’s always there – I start to weep.
The monsters in Downpour are very much in line with what you’d expect in our favorite foggy town, in that they’re a reflection of Murphy’s inner demons and (thankfully) not just a regurgitation of popular foes in the series. (Sorry, no sexy nurse demons) They, themselves invite you think about their possible origins and connection to Murphy’s mind.
The only monster that looks remotely familiar is the Bogeyman, who can only be described as a combination of Pyramid Head and a miner suit-clad member of the Order from Silent Hill: Homecoming. Again, the mining culture plays a large part in this story, so the design makes perfect sense. Interestingly, Vatra Games said that Pyramid Head would not appear in this game, but technically…he appears different to everyone and he was called Bogey Man in Silent Hill: Homecoming so…that’s up to you to decide. Either way, he is a force to reckon with and a change of pants nearby is recommended.
The combat can be a bit frustrating, as Murphy can aim and shoot or aim and swing – that’s it. Well, technically he can block, too, but when a screamer’s on your back like a psycho ex girlfriend, that’s kinda hard to time. After having my butt handed to me in convenient bite-sized pieces (on Normal Difficulty), I was really missing the ability to roll out of the way like we could in Homecoming. Murphy’s no combat veteran aside from his criminal record, so he doesn’t come armed with any special moves. Much like in Silent Hill: Origins, just about anything can be picked up and used as a weapon; even certain rocks. You can throw weapons, too, and I had fun hucking them at a Weeping Bat that was waiting for me around a corner…on the ceiling. Some weapons can only be used once and others can be used for a long time. Likewise, some may be more powerful like a pick axe vs. a broken bottle. All will break eventually and you can only carry one handgun and one melee weapon at a time.
My advice? Pace yourself – watch for any patterns and don’t let yourself get surrounded. Remember, the wetter it is outside, the nastier and more prevalent your opponents are, so it’s often better to seek shelter from the rain, especially if you’re low on health. Your flashlight is also temporary, so keep an eye out for replacements or use your lighter in dark places…and man, are some places DARK! Murphy is your health meter – look for blood on his skin and clothes as a gauge of how hurt he is.
The Verdict
He would never give in to the Town That Takes All
Vatra Games deserves a hearty and totally non-sarcastic Silent Hill fan slow clap for this one. They really succeeded where some previous developers did not. Although I’m a hardcore fan of the entire series, Downpour is really up there as one of the best. They did their homework but didn’t copy – and that was SO important. Unlike what the movie suggested, Alessa was NOT the cause of the town’s state; hers was just one of thousands of tragic stories that linger. The town reflects your own inner demons and in the case of the first game, those were Alessa’s demons. I, for one, am relieved that we got a fresh story with this game. I’m a little peeved that Vatra had to throw in references to other games just to shut the fans up, though. Seriously, fans, stop whining. Silent Hill is the main character, after all, so get that right and the rest will fall into place. Daniel Licht did a fantastic job on the music and the sound design is great , with few exceptions. (At one point, the room’s reverb changed suddenly, making it really unnatural sounding.) The rest of the time, though, it was really unnerving. I highly recommend playing with headphones!
I am a little sad that I can’t observe anything I want, since in previous installments you were rewarded with little snippets for being extra nosy. The journal is nice, but you have to zoom in on it to read, which gets a little awkward. I DO like having all my notes and maps in one place, though, that’s new. The save points are a bit wonky, in that it will auto-save but if you quit and come back later, you may have to back track a bit. You cannot manually save, which would be nice. You can’t skip cut scenes, either, which is fine for the first time through, but for subsequent play-throughs would be helpful. (Especially for the incredibly long intro.)
Vatra certainly mastered the art of the “Silent Hill Mind F#%k,” that’s for sure. If you can have ME, a seasoned Silent Hill vet getting freaked out by a camera angle, a strange shape in the dark or running up a never ending staircase for ten minutes before turning around to find a door that wasn’t there before, well touche, Vatra. Touche. I really like how they played with camera angles and they did a masterful job of creating this 3-dimensional world. I’m not just talking graphics; I mean, you can look up, behind you, below, etc and you’re really there! There are a few times where you’re sliding down and all you can do is try and steer out of harm’s way. Anywhere you look you’re going to find something new and creepy to freak out about. Frankly, this is already a really long review/guide and I could write a book about the series, seriously. (Maybe I will!) In the meantime, I leave you with this:
Silent Hill isn’t a slasher movie – it’s a fun house of the mind. And if you can master the art of the alluring nightmare, then by jove, we’ve got a winner.
On the sidewalk in the city
On the streets, just a whisper
There are people going no where, they were stuck in the rain
No more passion, nothing matters, my resistance is waning
Like a flower in the basement waiting for a lonely death.
– Your Rain, Silent hill 4
