Support NeoGAF

[Red Crayon Aristocrat]

Silent Hill 1-3 are some of my all time favorite games, heck Silent Hill 2 is a good candidate for number 1 favorite game overall.

These games speak to my soul, especially Silent Hill 2 and 3, which are more than just games, more than just horror, they are deep dives into the human soul and weighty concepts like faith and religion, as much as I love video games there's very few I would call art, Silent Hill 2 and 3 are one of the few (1 is good, but is showing it's age the most and also feels like a rough draft, 2 and 3 are where the series really knocked it out of the park)

But well, since Silent Hill 3, almost 15 years ago now, it's been tough to be a Silent Hill fan, first there was Silent Hill 4 The Room which was a disappointment, but I figured was just something to tide us over until a PS3 Silent Hill 5 blew me away again, oh how wrong I was.

I really don't like The Room too much, but at least it was still developed by Team Silent, almost everything after that point is pure garbage, I despise Silent Hill Homecoming, one of the worst games I've ever played to completion, I couldn't even bring myself to finish Downpour and Origins is wholly mediocre and mucks with the story, although I will say that Climax's follow up Silent Hill Shattered Memories is a pretty solid game all things considered.

But as for that core series, I've gotten myself used to the idea of thinking of Silent Hill as a "trilogy" since the first 3 games offer a pretty complete experience, Silent Hill 1 sets up the story, 2 explores it from a different angle and 3 brings the story to a conclusion. I've thought about it a lot over the years and I've come to the conclusion that 3 has a pretty definitive ending, which is why they went in such a different direction for 4.

So end of story, right? And yet, and yet, and yet... I still find myself with a deep yearning for a return of Team Silent and Silent Hill from time to time, especially when listing the game's soundtracks.

But beyond Silent Hill itself, I guess my big question is, where are the masterminds behind it? What happened to them? Do they even still work for Konami? Why have they yet to get together a Kickstarter in order to make a Silent Hill spiritual successor ala Bloodstained? It seems like such an obvious thing to me, I guess the mysteriousness of what became of most of Team Silent is part of what's so frustrating as a fan.

Anyway was just wondering if anyone else was a fan and was maybe willing to wax nostalgic about the series.

 

[wipeout364]

Nice post. I agree that the first three were pretty special games. I did not mind the other studios takes on silent hill but I agree they were unable to capture what made the trilogy so special.
If you gave me a game studio I am not sure I could recreate what was so amazing about those games and I think that’s why the follow ups have struggled. Even the original designers didn’t know where to go with it as can be seen by silent hill 4.
I think a lot of it comes down to timing, first impressions, and how we remember things. It’s not necessarily a silent hill issue but a problem with a lot of media in general. Sequels are hard; despite money time and even the original creators involvement they don’t hit the mark I would say 95% of the time.

 

[Masatshi]

check this out: https://www.neogaf.com/threads/im-still-devastated-silent-hill-needs-to-come-back.1461941/

 

[radewagon]

In my restless dreams, I see that town.

 

[sublimit]

Silent Hill 1-3 are some of my favourite games of all time. But no i don't miss the series. Especially if they are going to change it into another First Person corridor jump-scare fest.

I think this series completed its cycle with Silent Hill 2 and that should have been the last one (even though i love SH3).

 

[cucuchu]

If Konami would just sell the IP to someone who gives a damn and we get some creative talent on the project, it could be revived and brought back to its full glory. Horror games are rare enough as it is, but Silent Hill really had its own place in a nitche that does not even really exist anymore which is psychological horror. Playing through Silent Hill 2 and 3, and to an extent 1 and 4 (the room), its like you are in a fever dream of insanity that no matter what the games happen to throw at you, it always catches you flat-footed because you always have this sense of something being off and you are never really truly in a sense of comfort or safe space.

I know Kojima/Del Toro will never happen now but imagine a Silent Hill game with a solid development team like Naughty Dog and the creative mind of David Lynch collaborating to make a solid, mind-fuck of a game. This series has such high potential, its outright maddening to see it pissed away and not realized.

 

[Red Crayon Aristocrat]

In my restless dreams, I see that town.

The whole opening of Silent Hill 2 never ceases to give me goosebumps.

I think what makes it hard for me to let go is the wasted potential, I wish we could have gotten one last great one from Team Silent in the series after 3 and maybe one that had another "side story" ala 2 and maybe even potentially on the PS3, considering how incredible Silent Hill 2 and 3 look even to this day, what could they have done with the PS3 hardware?

Then I think I could be satisfied.

And there were still some hanging threads, like the Little Baroness (NO, the arcade game does not count, I'm talking about if the actual Team Silent had followed that up on) and that mysterious church in the middle of lake Toluca, glimpsed during 2's Rebirth ending, what was up with that place?

 

[radewagon]

Especially if they are going to change it into another First Person corridor jump-scare fest.

I hope that's not a sly dig at P.T.'s expense. Though PT does have a very pronounced jump scare mechanic, it did SO much more than just use jump scares. There was a specific moment during my playthrough that I was sure I was playing a game made by a horror genius. To heck with spoiler tags, cause you can't even get the game anymore.

So, you are walking down the game's hallway and when you turn the corner, you see a scary ghost lady about 10 feet in front of you. It's not a jump scare. She's not close enough to do you any harm. At any point, you're thinking she's coming at you. She doesn't. She doesn't move. She just stands there motionless. And then it hits you. She's NOT going to move. She's not going to attack, but she's not going to leave either. And since you are in such a closed loop, it becomes clear that the only way forward, is, well, forward. It's no comfort that she's not attacking you, because in a Stanley's Parable sort of way, you are still being forced to confront her. So you muster up your courage and start walking in her direction.... and boom. She totally vanishes. Like, not runs, but just straight blinks out of existence. You timidly walk to the end of the corridor to close the loop and you come to the realization that you are not in control and that the person who IS in control of this experience, knows way more about game design and tension building than you ever will.

Honestly, it's poetry. So, yeah, I hope it wasn't a sly dig at P.T.

 

[makaveli60]

I really miss it. I like almost all the games, but SH2 is truly one of a kind, a masterpiece of art.

 

[Ensoul]

I do miss the series. While the quality has dipped I did enjoy homecoming and downpour. What I like about the SH series is they always do a great job with the atmosphere.

 

[-MD-]

I'm still sitting here waiting to play 2 & 3 on a modern platform.

 

[Northeastmonk]

I really miss it. I like almost all the games, but SH2 is truly one of a kind, a masterpiece of art.

The soundtrack is brilliant. The OST after it had vocal tracks, but Silent Hill 2 Is enjoyable from beginning to end. I've never listened to a soundtrack so many times.

The game itself is a testament to what video games are capable of. I reserved my copy and got it the day it came out. I was a sophomore in high school. I still remember playing it and completing it. I finished that awful HD edition years ago because I didn't have a working copy of SH2 and then years later my wife got me a working copy of the PS2 version.

It's a shame that we don't have those kinds of memories with modern day psychological horror. Sure there's The Evil Within, but that's not Silent Hill.

 

[Virex]

Silent Hill 1 to 3 are game experiences I'll never forget. I own all the games including Homecoming, Downpour and Origins. Homecoming and Downpour weren't that great but weren't that bad either. Homecoming was pretty decent. But Origins I thought was awesome because it had the Silent Hill 1-3 atmosphere and Travis was a great character and I really liked the story. I'd kill for a new Japanese developed Silent Hill game

 

[kunonabi]

I love the first three games dearly but I'm completely soured on wanting any more games.

 

[Dr. Claus]

I greatly enjoyed my time with Silent Hill 1-4, Shattered Memories, and Downpour. I thought they all did very well (even if the latter two weren't as good as the first four). Would love to see the series return, proper - but I don't think Konami can pull that off, given the last few releases they had.

 

[Revolutionary]

Much like Suikoden, I lamented the loss for quite some time but I'm over it now. Konami doesn't care, why should I?

 

[Alexander DeLarge]

I don't miss Silent Hill. I made my peace with it being dead the first time around. I miss Siren.

 

[zeorhymer]

Not I. The last one I played that I liked was Homecoming. Even that title, I could see that it was time to retire the franchise. The game turned stale and the feeling of uneasiness was gone. I still play the first 4 games from time to time and could only imagine what would have P.T. become.

 

[ExpandKong]

I dunno if I really miss Silent Hill so much as I miss that time in my life, when those first four games came out. When developers could crank out hit after hit, and when I actually had the time to play them.

Man, Rockstar put out three GTA games that generation, plus Bully and the Warriors and two Manhunt games...three Silent Hills on the PS2 (plus the two that were done by outside companies)...man. HD game development has really done a number on the industry.

 

[Rhazer Fusion]

I definitely miss them. A lot of these go hide and seek, no combat horror games are getting repetitious, stale and just aren’t doing it for me.

 

[MiguelItUp]

Most definitely. Just last week I was thinking about Silent Hill 2 really hard, and how much I loved the game and the series. How much I wish that there was another solid series that could take its place, and then some.

 

[Alebrije]

Silent Hill Pachinko machine and no more from Konami

 

[deriks]

I'm still sitting here waiting to play 2 & 3 on a modern platform.

and with the depth that the developers wanted - those HD PS360 are shit

 

[pixelperfect]

I dont think homecomimg is as bad as you act. It may not be as go but complete garbage ?

I have actually never played one except about twenty minutes but really liked 2 and 3.

Never played the room as well but want to get to it.

 

[Arimer]

I definitely miss Silent HIll. Especially 1-3. To me it was just hte amount o effort put into the game and the element sof it. How the enemies, story, etc all tied together. Too many things these days are just in your face jump scares. We need a new Silent Hill that takes us back to the days of the situational horror.

 

[LordPezix]

No. It was scary.

 

[Lilseb93]

I absolutely miss Silent Hill and it's one of the biggest reasons I hate Konami. They haven't made a good SH in a long time and now they've just outright given up on the series. It's in limbo with a terrible company.

 

[Doom85]

The first one is great, and Silent Hill 2 and 3 are in my top 20 games of all time (Shatter Memories is fairly good, 4 and Origins are okay, Downpour could have been good but was just wasted potential, and Homecoming is just pure creative bankruptcy that just left me miserable after playing it).

I really hope someday Konami sells all its IPs to a more trustworthy company and some talented people make a new SH game. But I doubt it will be happening anytime soon.

And to answer the OP's question, Team Silent is no longer there, Konami disbanded them because they felt western developers should make the future Silent Hill games. Because.....KONAMI. Sigh. As for why we haven't seen a Bloodstained-style Kickstarter, they may just be focused on other things. Last I heard, a few were working with Kojima, one is now with Grasshopper, etc. so they may not have the time to do something like that right now.

 

[DonJimbo]

I miss the old ones that came out on the ps1 and 2

 

[Danjin44]

Of course I miss Silent Hill but my biggest fear is that because P.T. Is popular and if they do plan on bringing back Silent Hill, they will turn it in to another first person horror and I'm sooooooo FUCKING sick of it. I rather see SH series completely die than seeing turn in to a game for Youtubers reaction videos. Fuck that!!!

 

[Rhazer Fusion]

I definitely miss them. A lot of these go hide and seek, no combat horror games are getting repetitious, stale and just ate it going it for me.

Of course I miss Silent Hill but my biggest fear is that because P.T. Is popular and if they do plan on bringing back Silent Hill, they will turn it in to another first person horror and I'm sooooooo FUCKING sick of it. I rather see SH series completely die than seeing turn in to a game for Youtubers reaction videos. Fuck that!!!

I agree with this so much. I’m also tired of first person horror and have a bad feeling that we would see some generic first person horror game masquerading as silent hill with it’s name slapped on the cover to try to sell copies.

 

[Alebrije]

Yep , my favorite game series. Konami should sell the IP to Sony or Square Enix because do not se them doing a new game unless is another Pachinko machine

 

[Red Crayon Aristocrat]

Of course I miss Silent Hill but my biggest fear is that because P.T. Is popular and if they do plan on bringing back Silent Hill, they will turn it in to another first person horror and I'm sooooooo FUCKING sick of it. I rather see SH series completely die than seeing turn in to a game for Youtubers reaction videos. Fuck that!!!

Personally I could see a first person Silent Hill working well, I mean I would prefer it stick to the style of the first 3 games, but it could definitely work in first person.

Yep , my favorite game series. Konami should sell the IP to Sony or Square Enix because do not se them doing a new game unless is another Pachinko machine

Sony would be my pick, they could absolutely work wonders with the series.

 

[PsyEd]

I love SH games to death. Plus no matter who says what...SH: Downpour is my third favourite in the series after 1 and 2. On X it looks amazing with cleaned up gfx. And I have P.T. copied in multiple external drives...just for safe keeping. This series needs a revival...my wallet is ready.

 

[Danjin44]

Personally I could see a first person Silent Hill working well, I mean I would prefer it stick to the style of the first 3 games, but it could definitely work in first person.

NO!!! Fuck That!!! We have bunch of first person horror games already. Also I don't know about anybody else but to me SH is about well established characters on that world experiencing their fears and nightmares in Silent Hill. I don't want it to be about "us" on that world.

 

[edgelife]

Although it was a polarising release I quite enjoyed the Room and remembered it evoking a similar feeling when I played PT, something that can conjure that type of unsettling vibe is what I am after.

 

[Dacon]

Yes, Silent Hill 3 was one of my fav games ever.

 

[grizzlywhisker]

it's too bad the whole PT demo and silent hills thing fell apart, but i'm actually more excited for the bizarre sci-fi death stranding. i just wish we could have gotten both games.

 

[Z3M0G]

While 1-3 are masterpieces, id say the rest are individually flawed but still good games. They each have one terrible thing about them, but i would argue that every Silent Hill game was handled by a truely passionate team who tried their best to make a quality Silent Hill game. Homecomming tried to hard to innovate the melee combat... but the rest of the formula was solid. Downpour had fantastic level design, progression, and interesting hidden side-quests/stories, but had horrible enemy design.

I always wanted the franchise to be a series of SH2 clones... non-connected stories where the protagonists go through their own personal hell.

Ill take a moment to drop that my favorite Silent Hill movie is actually Hellraiser Inferno... it is a Silent Hill script through and through.

 

[MultiCore]

Would be a good series to move to VR.

 

[Darhkwing]

I loved the original 3 Silent Hill games. Well, i never did finish the first game but SH2 and SH3 were great fun and i loved playing them years ago. I went back to SH2 a few years back and still enjoyed it even though i found it much easier than i remember. I unfortunatly never finished it - save file currupted near the end.

I shall have to give 2 + 3 a go again sometime.

 

[RokkanStoned]

The 3 first Silent Hill games were amazing. I think it's hard to repeat the formula though and I think Kojima and DelToro's different direction with P.T. (Silent Hills) was a great idea. It seemed like something if done properly in a bigger scope could've been something great.

 

[RubxQub]

I thought PT was pretty great (if not a bit frustrating because there wasn't any obvious way to know what you were doing). I'm sure the argument would be that by not knowing what to do, it added to the confusion and panic of the whole situation...and I'd generally agree that it did. But also even when you KNEW what you were supposed to be doing, the game didn't exactly control in a way that felt like it was really even working.

What appeared to be "designed confusion" just ultimately felt like "shoddy development" when it came to certain interactions.

 

[zeorhymer]

I do. But without Team Silent, I don't think future games of the series will make any impact or cause a revival of it.

 

[thesaunderschild]

We certainly miss it. Unfortunately, when I talk about it now, it really saddens me, so now I rarely cast it up. And you're right about Team Silent. They knew how to make special horror games and would not want to sell-out like Capcom did. The ones after 2004 were all half-baked and boring because not having Team Silent on board any more was all Konami's doing. I'm really sad that they messed up big style back in 2012 with the bad sequel, the bad movie sequel and the dreadful RPG non canon cash grab title. Plus, that HD collection sucked some major ass! And that's why Konami sucks now, among other reasons.

 

[Mr Nash]

Of course. Unfortunately, it's one in a long list of great Konami series that is basically dead due to how badly run that company is now. Most of their games are either dead in the water or doomed to the realm of predatory gacha games or pachinko machines. =\

 

[thesaunderschild]

My horror web show is way cooler than the last 6 or so Silent Hill games - combined!

 

[kischine]

I do, I really miss Silent Hill, especially because my home town resembles Silent Hill so much (except the snow which I interpret as fog). Silent Hill 1 was my first experience with horror games and I remember playing this game with my friends in detail. Silent Hill 2 I played later, after the game came out, but it's still one of my favorite horror games storywise. The soundtrack of the whole series is so fucking good, listening while walking through my town gives me this amazing vibe that's kinda dark kinda beautiful, can't explain it but no other soundtrack can give me these feelings. All of this makes it hard dealing with the end.

No horror game came close to the Silent Hill "trilogy" at the time, and maybe even to this day. I love RE and Dino Crisis but... they weren't "real" horror games to me at least? And horror games with japanese settings doens't do it for me at all (Fatal Frame was laughable). What I mean is that Silent Hill had such a perfect amount of build up to scare ratio, and a perfect amount of powerlessness to "dealing with a problem" that you could really relate to. Nowadays a horror game is basically an action game (and there's nothing wrong with that [I love TEW so much]) OR a jumpscare simulator like Outlast, which is fun but come on, no one is even trying to create something with the Silent Hill "perfect horror atmosphere" formula?

I think everyone misses Silent Hill, a better question would be: Would you prefer a GOOD remake of the originals? A spiritual successor? Changing the gameplay or keeping the basics? Or even maybe a Silent Hill series on Netflix?

I prefer third person, but I wouldn't mind going first person if it meant we had another Silent Hill like game.

 

[xviper]

i miss Silent hill AND Silent hills

at least we got Resident evil back

 

[5secondrulesucks]

i do bud. its one of the greatest series of all time. and ill say it now silent hill 1>2. konami really did kill off all their franchises though but i remember someone saying they can stay afloat with like pinball machines or something. is that even viable? i mean im sure they got some paper with silent hill and mgs they cant just be repairing a pac man machine and call it a day.