Topic: Silent Hill: Homecoming - Update: Euro version delayed until Feb 2009

[Xessive]

I can't imagine playing an SH game with a kb/m at all.

It's not worth it. I wouldn't recommend the PC editions of the SH games unless you have a PC gamepad.

The one game I expected so much more out of is Resident Evil 4. They did a shit job of porting it and their excuse was bullshit "It would make the game too easy." People shouldn't make games that rely on players having difficulty with the controls. Imagine if Scrabble depended on the players being dyslexic!

[gpw11]

Yeah, I was playing with a gamepad.  This just reminded me that I never played SH3.  Is it worth it if one didn't play SH1 either?

[scottws]

It's hard to say.  I played SH3 and thought it was ok, but not as good as SH2.  I never played much of SH, I believe I died on the first boss and never played again (I didn't have a PSX memory card for my PS2, so I had no ability to save).

I remember Que and I had a big argument about not being able to judge SH3 without playing SH.  It's hard to say one way or the other.  Clearly, SH3 was more satisfying for him.

If you decide to skip the original and go play SH3, read President Evil's SH plot analysis first.  It's very detailed.

[Quemaqua]

Scott: I still say you should play SH1.  You can get a torrented "PC version" (basically just ePSXe with a nice little frontend for the game), and it's probably the next best one down from 2.  As for SH3, it's a direct continuation of the story from 1, so I honestly can't see enjoying it too well without the prior experience, though it was an enjoyable enough game anyway... just not as concise as 2, which is probably why 2 is the strongest of them all in terms of story.  Origins is out on PS2 now as well, so if you never had a PSP and wanted to play it you could (though it's not really so amazing plot-wise... just a fun SH romp).

[MysterD]

Scott: I still say you should play SH1.  You can get a torrented "PC version" (basically just ePSXe with a nice little frontend for the game), and it's probably the next best one down from 2.

I'd agree w/ Que -- SH1 and 2 are the best ones in the series by far.

As for SH3, it's a direct continuation of the story from 1, so I honestly can't see enjoying it too well without the prior experience, though it was an enjoyable enough game anyway...

I did think SH3 was good on its own, but yeah -- to really enjoy it, SH1 is definitely needed to play, since they really don't recap in SH3 any events from SH1 in like flashbacks or anything.

just not as concise as 2, which is probably why 2 is the strongest of them all in terms of story.  Origins is out on PS2 now as well, so if you never had a PSP and wanted to play it you could (though it's not really so amazing plot-wise... just a fun SH romp).

I think SH2 was probably the most personal of the SH stories, too.
SH1 and 3 seemed to focus more on the plot than the actual characters, when compared to SH2.

[MysterD]

In addition to the PS3 and X360 version, the PC version of SH: Homecoming will be available digitally via Steam in September 2008.

No word on a retail packaged version for the PC, though....

[idolminds]

Well, now we have word on retail PC version. Sadly, the word is "None." Steam exclusive on PC it seems.

[MysterD]

Looks like Euro will get it on DVD.
If the Euro English-language version is on DVD, maybe we can Import that from Gogamer...?

[idolminds]

Yeah, probably. Go go, GoGamer FTW!

[MysterD]

Yeah, probably. Go go, GoGamer FTW!

As long as Valve ain't publishing the DVD Edition over there....
Or else, regardless, you'd be still stuck with needing the online connection and agreeing to the SSA...

[scottws]

Eh.  Silent Hill is one game I just can't play on the PC.  I tried several times to get into The Room on PC, and it just isn't happening.

[Quemaqua]

Unfortunately, that one had a pretty lousy port.  Something just felt... wrong about it.  Silent Hill 3 got a much better treatment.  There was one graphical effect which didn't come through very well, unfortunately, but that was about the only thing I saw that was "wrong" with it, and it was just during one short part in the game later on.  Mostly it was just fine.  I don't know why, but for some reason I have that one on PS2 and PC.

[gpw11]

I played SH2 exclusively on the PC (with a pad) and loved it.  I found the higher resolution really brought me into the game more and the atmosphere was much better.  That's totally just me though.

[MysterD]

Unfortunately, that one had a pretty lousy port.  Something just felt... wrong about it.  Silent Hill 3 got a much better treatment.  There was one graphical effect which didn't come through very well, unfortunately, but that was about the only thing I saw that was "wrong" with it, and it was just during one short part in the game later on.  Mostly it was just fine.  I don't know why, but for some reason I have that one on PS2 and PC.

I liked SH4: The Room -- but yeah, I do wish the keyboard would get a better treatment. It did get a little better w/ SH3 with the mouselook support, but eh -- I still found the controller the way to go for the SH games.

If you got a control pad for your PC, you really can't go wrong with SH. I mean, the controls for SH been pretty much the same since SH1, on the gamepad. So, if you're used to SH1's control-pad controls, stick a control-pad in your PC and play away.

Plus, yeah -- like GPW said, the SH games just look so good in tricked-out high-res on the PC. I don't know, but Konami really pumps the hell out of the graphics on the PC versions every time. Can't complain with that at all.

I still think SH1 and SH2 were the best ones in the SH series, by far.

[MysterD]

New preview on IGN for SH: Homecoming

[Quemaqua]

Nice preview, and the video was pretty sweet.  It sounds like a winner.

[MysterD]

This sounds pretty good to me from the IGN preview.

Finally, I also managed to take a little time to explore a feature that I only recently discovered within the E3 demo: the dialogue trees that are included in the game. At specific plot moments, Alex is presented with two or three dialogue choices that he can use in conversation with different characters -- some are mean, some are indifferent and some are friendly. Each one evokes a completely different response from the listener, and while I reloaded a few times to see how each path would turn out, it appeared to always lead towards the same general direction. My guess is that specific conversation strings will contribute to the specific ending that you receive (on top of other factors), but I could be wrong.

[MysterD]

SH: Homecoming preview from 1Up.
There's a video there of Alex fighting a nurse with a knife, too

[MysterD]

Banned in Australia.
The OFLC refuses to rate the SH: Homecoming.

[MysterD]

1Up Review
1Up Review for X360 version of SH: Homecoming.
Grade = B

From what I'm reading, I'm even more psyched for this.
Sounds like this could be the best one since SH2.

By Anthony Gallegos   09/30/2008
> Reviewer's Blog > Review Crew Profile

Ever since my first encounter with Silent Hill 2, something about this survival-horror franchise really got to me. Not that running from zombies wasn't terrifying when I played the original Resident Evil -- it's just that Silent Hill's themes of sin, punishment, and forgiveness (not to mention the nightmarish abominations) drew me in on a deeper level. While I'll always associate earlier series games with clunky combat, hard-to-follow stories, crappy camera positions, and load times between every room, those imperfections became synonymous with the franchise for me -- even endearing. What can I say? We love games for their flaws and their strengths alike.

With Silent Hill: Homecoming, everything's changed. So many of my associations with the franchise simply aren't applicable anymore: The clunky controls are now streamlined, combat's much more intense (at times, a little too intense), and the storyline -- for once -- makes clear-cut sense. None of this is bad, just...different. Very different.

For starters, combat's now a dance of sorts, with a dodge (yes, a dodge!) mechanic available to narrowly avoid enemy attacks. Sure, you can still swing away at enemies, but this often results in taking too much damage yourself. And while you might feel empowered by the new battle system at first, it's also incredibly frustrating when fighting more than one monster at once. I simply could not effectively dodge multiple enemy attacks, and even when running, I had to chug an unacceptable amount of health drinks (due to aggressors' parting swipes). Granted, I could circumvent this once I armed myself with a gun, but with bullets so scarce, I often wound up using firearms as a desperate last measure. I'm not saying combat should consist of simple 1-on-1 encounters, but part of a great survival-horror experience is the ability to safely run when things get too hairy.

While Homecoming's combat system has its growing pains, I wholeheartedly endorse the new camera and movement controls. You move with one analog stick and control the camera with the other, which enables you to manipulate the view with far more precision than ever before. Moreover, your character can now strafe, which really helps cement the more action-centric focus. I'm sure some Silent Hill fans will miss the cinematic angles when entering an unknown area, but this should pass -- the new camera and controls do little to detract from the atmosphere in the long run.

Homecoming stays true to the macabre Silent Hill atmosphere without feeling stagnant. Exploration's perfectly in line with previous games, complete with tons of locked doors, decaying structures, and doubling back between the real world and its hellish counterpart -- but some little nuances intrigue. In the older games, you either went through a door, or it was too damaged to bother with (or simply locked). Now, though, you might have to hack through a wood-blocked door or find a damaged wall where your character can slip through into an adjacent area. Doors are also no longer bound to loading screens; most allow you (and enemies) to pass through in real time. All this goes a long way toward establishing a feeling of actually exploring a decaying environment, and it makes much more sense than exploration restrained via broken locks.

While Homecoming's look and feel are in line with Silent Hill, the narrative's much clearer. It still deals with familiar series themes (love, forgiveness, sin, redemption), but it's also the most straightforward story to date. By the time I reached one of the game's multiple endings, I had a clear understanding of exactly what happened, and why -- leaving little for me to think about afterward -- whereas previous games were incredibly nuanced and downright confusing, no matter which ending you received.

Homecoming developer Double Helix has stayed true to the series' foundation while also taking steps in a brave new direction; they've crafted a tale that stands well within franchise lore, and they've produced horrifically beautiful environments, occasional framerate drops aside. If Double Helix learns from their mistakes here -- combat balance being the most glaring issue -- their future work could rival the series' best. Homecoming definitely fits well within the franchise, but it also left me eager to see what's next, as this is clearly only the first step in Silent Hill's next evolution.

G4TV
4 stars from G4TV (out of 5).
They also note this is the best that combat's ever been for SH.

The original Silent Hill was, upon its PSOne release, the finest example of gaming horror to date. It was far more innovative, emotionally charged, and spooky than Resident Evil and its innumerable clones. For many gamers, the game brought the precepts of Japanese horror to light for the first time. Now, of course, all those fatalistic clichés of J-horror are played out, and the series has never managed to reach the heights of its start. So, Konami should be commended for handing the reigns of the series off to a fresh, non-Japanese developer.

Soldiering On Through Horror

In this case, the developer is Double Helix, an offshoot of the Collective, whose pedigree unfortunately consists mostly of licensed third-person action adventure games like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the DaVinci Code, and other similarly middling money makers. Thankfully, however, their first title under the new name is a satisfying addition to the Silent Hill franchise, and easily one of the best in the series.

...

Combat-Able

Where Homecoming deters from the previous game is both in its protagonist and its combat mechanics. Alex is, unlike any other Silent Hill victim, a fighter. He's proficient with melee and fire arms. It's here that the biggest arguments over Homecoming will come in. For the most part, Alex manages to be more imposing in a fight than most of the monsters, which is a radical change for the series and twists the horror to focus less on creatures and more on the story and mood.

Alex has a strong and weak attack, and can (finally) target, dodge and counterattack. This means that if you're quick enough, you can take out the ghoulies without them laying a claw/razor/scalpel on you. The controls are tighter and combat is no longer the clumsy and muddled affair it's always been.

The design is also more focused. Whether as a direct result of the Room's insistence on obscurely going back and forth between locations, or merely the result of an American developer trying to hit a wider market, Homecoming is much more linear. While you can explore the levels for hidden goodies, health, and extra ammo, there are few spots where you'll be wandering aimlessly wondering what to do next.

The puzzles are generally pretty straight forward as well. With a couple exceptions, most of the brain teasers are surprisingly simplistic. Even the boss fights on the normal difficulty level should be manageable to most gamers.

Welcome Home

Thankfully, the game manages to be worth more than the sum of its parts. The controls are the best they've ever been, and combat is actually tolerable this time. That said, you're still better off avoiding fights whenever possible, especially during the few annoying sections that continually respawn creatures. Gun play is viable now, and Alex makes a refreshingly different hero for the series. It's not particularly scary, but the atmosphere of Silent Hill is still firmly intact, and this is easily the best horror-themed game we've seen lately.

SH: Homecoming reviews on the X360
A from Ugo
B from GameRevolution
4.2 from Cheat Code Central (out of 5)
8.4 from TeamXBox
82% from AtomicGamer, who says this is the best one since SH2
6.7 from IGN, who says basically the horror is missing

[Quemaqua]

Well, shit.  Looks like I'll need to buy this soon.  Oddly enough, Fallout 3 is going to take precedence (unexpected, since I didn't even want it that badly a month ago).  So I'll probably pick this one up in November.

[MysterD]

Well, shit.  Looks like I'll need to buy this soon.  Oddly enough, Fallout 3 is going to take precedence (unexpected, since I didn't even want it that badly a month ago).  So I'll probably pick this one up in November.

I find it funny, that IGN (so far) is the only reviewer that wasn't too fond of SH: Homecoming.

Of course, I've noticed a lot of their scores been a little lower than most (like say GameSpot in the older days) -- yea, especially in recent years and even more so since Jason Ocampo came on board.

And IGN's gripe was the SH: HC game was it was not scary enough and also b/c the hero's too capable in combat b/c of the improvements in combat controls and b/c of his military background, in their opinion.

[Quemaqua]

Which is an understandable gripe depending on how seriously you take your atmosphere, but it's about time somebody made the series actually fun to play.  This is one of my favorite franchises of all time, don't get me wrong, but the games aren't really "fun".  They're laborious and wonky.  I don't want a shooter or something that's all straight-up combat, but better controls and a little more ability to kill shit would ultimately lead to less frustration, if perhaps a little less fear.  The fear loss could be bad depending on how severe it is, but if the games actually become more fun to play I'd say that's a better tradeoff.

[MysterD]

Which is an understandable gripe depending on how seriously you take your atmosphere, but it's about time somebody made the series actually fun to play.  This is one of my favorite franchises of all time, don't get me wrong, but the games aren't really "fun".  They're laborious and wonky. 

I don't want a shooter or something that's all straight-up combat, but better controls and a little more ability to kill shit would ultimately lead to less frustration, if perhaps a little less fear.  The fear loss could be bad depending on how severe it is, but if the games actually become more fun to play I'd say that's a better tradeoff.

I agree with you 100%, Que.

I'm glad there's been some major changes made to the combat system and controls, myself -- as in making the controls less wonky, less tank-like feeling, and less cumbersome (well, at least on the gamepad -- let's see what they do with KB/mouse for PC version). These changes definitely will be for the better, if you ask me.

I guess that definitely was one of the beauties of actually Konami deciding to put the game in much different hands; especially an American game company's hands, in which American game companies usually are pretty good with coming up with good combat schemes around any sort of controls (KB/mouse or control pad). Let's face it -- we Americans love our action controls in game to be done justice!

As much as I liked the SH series (even the not-so-great SH4), I really haven't been this psyched for a Silent Hill game since playing SH2.

[Quemaqua]

I didn't realize that Gametrailers has a preview.  Looks wicked fucking awesome.  That was as good as a review for me.  I love the look of the new combat system, because for me 90% of Silent Hill fear comes from me being a pansy wimp who gets way too into the art, design, and backstory.  I get psychologically broken by these games, and not just because my character is clunky.  This looks amazing.

[Xessive]

I didn't realize that Gametrailers has a preview.  Looks wicked fucking awesome.  That was as good as a review for me.  I love the look of the new combat system, because for me 90% of Silent Hill fear comes from me being a pansy wimp who gets way too into the art, design, and backstory.  I get psychologically broken by these games, and not just because my character is clunky.  This looks amazing.

Wow, that does look pretty good! The new combat system looks very appealing. I think I'll be able to play this one all the way through! The only SH I actually finished (and loved) was SH2. SH4: The Room seemed interesting but it was just tedious trying to get through it.

[Quemaqua]

I've loved all the games, but 4 was very tedious, yeah.  I never got through it.

[MysterD]

I didn't realize that Gametrailers has a preview.  Looks wicked fucking awesome.  That was as good as a review for me.  I love the look of the new combat system, because for me 90% of Silent Hill fear comes from me being a pansy wimp who gets way too into the art, design, and backstory.  I get psychologically broken by these games, and not just because my character is clunky.  This looks amazing.

I saw a trailer on actual TV for SH: Homecoming (on Spike TV).
Nice trailer.

[gpw11]

I don't know if this has been covered, but has a PC release been announced? 

I ask because I recently saw a clip from Silent Hill 2, and it brought back memories of the awesomeness.  Specifically it was the staircase fire, and I think I read into it deeper than when I saw it while first playing.

[Quemaqua]

Sadly, it's only available via Steam in North America, though you can order a DVD from Europe if you're so inclined.  I'll likely grab it for PS3, though there's a chance I'll import a DVD if at some point it seems right.

EDIT - Shacknews

[gpw11]

I'm going to be very blunt here:  It better be cheap or I'm going to motherfucking steal it.  They sure as fuck aren't getting me to pay full price without getting anything physical in return.  The option is fine, and it some cases this is totally excusable (distribution can be an issue for indies and small developers/publishers), but this is fucking Konami. No way, no how.

[Quemaqua]

Well, I imagine their PC releases don't do that well in the US, so I absolutely see their reasoning for this.  Why stock stores and deal with all that when so few will be purchasing that version of the product?  There's no reason not to have it online, but a dozen not to bother with retail.  I don't like it, certainly, as not only do I generally avoid digital distribution but I fucking hate Steam... but still, it makes sense.  Europeans are the big PC gamers of our age, and they're the ones who'll actually go to the store to buy it.

[gpw11]

Wow.  When did you get hired by VALVE motherfucker.  JOIN ME.

[Quemaqua]

YEAH FUCK VALVE +1

[gpw11]

YEAH.  PORTAL IS HIGHLY OVERRATED.


DoD still rocks though.

[Quemaqua]

I was actually coming around to Portal until I realized the free map pack of the flash version requires Half-life 2 be installed.  Then I /ragequit

[MysterD]

Well, I imagine their PC releases don't do that well in the US, so I absolutely see their reasoning for this.  Why stock stores and deal with all that when so few will be purchasing that version of the product?

There's no reason not to have it online, but a dozen not to bother with retail.  I don't like it, certainly, as not only do I generally avoid digital distribution but I fucking hate Steam... but still, it makes sense.

I actually do agree with this -- I mean, I'm sure it costs designers and publishers a pretty penny to print lots of copies of the game on disc with a game manual; get a case to put it in (if they opt for one); in which likely most of these copies won't sell at full price. People will probably wait on buying this one for the PC -- probably b/c I'm guessing most PC gamers will buy SH: HC on the actual consoles.

Though, if Konami wanted, they could sell a limited amount on DVD to the PC (without Steam) on say their website or on just put on a very limited amount that they think will sell at retail outlets.

Personally, though, in a situation like this, I think the best answer for Konami (and, of course, for me, too) would've been for it to it have came to Impulse -- without DRM. That would've been a very easy no-brainer sale for me. No thought required, I would've ordered it to DL.

I mean, you can always copy your game the files to disc, if you buy from Steam or Impulse. You can always re-download it if necessary, too -- as long as you jump in your account.

Europeans are the big PC gamers of our age, and they're the ones who'll actually go to the store to buy it.

Very true.

[Pugnate]

MysterD totally ruined the first Silent Hill game for me. We had two SH threads... one was with spoilers and one without (and both clearly labeled)... he got confused and posted something with the entire plot in the non spoiler thread back at AOG. When I protested, D said something along the lines of ,"Well that's what you get for going in the spoiler thread!"

I didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

[MysterD]

MysterD totally ruined the first Silent Hill game for me. We had two SH threads... one was with spoilers and one without (and both clearly labeled)... he got confused and posted something with the entire plot in the non spoiler thread back at AOG. When I protested, D said something along the lines of ,"Well that's what you get for going in the spoiler thread!"

I didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

LOL! I remember that.

It's so much nicer on these boards to have SPOILER Tags, actually. Saves me the trouble of fucking-up like that, like in the older days.

[Quemaqua]

Heh... you should play the game anyway.  The plot is so crazed and confusing it's awfully hard to "spoil".  Really bizarre game.