Begining Silent Hill 1, Alley and kids

[overachiever547]

I hadn't played SH1 before watching the SH movie, so playing this scene was like playing the scene from the movie, and I was pleasantly surprised. I kept making excited little remarks about how well the movie had taken the camera angles and things that he saw an interpreted them perfectly. Makes me appreciate the movie 200% more now.

And though I knew something like it had to happen, I still yelped like a puppy when I turned away from the crucified form and saw the, uh, yeah...

[Xerophan]

and I'm glad we get to skip it on Next Fear games.

I'm the opposite. It angers me that I have to miss the whole beginning to the game when I play off a previous save. Sometimes I do an entire new, normal game because of that, or play a normal one just for the beginning before loading a Next Fear.

I agree. This is by far one of the scariest moments of the game for me. Possibly even THE scariest part. I don't start completely new games just to see it again, though. But damn, every time I load a Next Fear game I feel like a part of me is missing. Life in Silent Hill just isn't the same without getting mauled by demonic children in a creepy alley.

[krakalackin]

Damn, I miss my ps1 gameshark! There were so many different things you could do with that thing! The one I had plugged into the right rear port(parallel port I think) of my ps1, you put the codes in and you could walk through walls, skip to different parts of the game, and get all the special items and weapons. Of course I would do this only after beating the games several times. For someone that was low on dough at the time, it gave me more bang for the buck, i was just 13/14yo and my parents wouldn't buy any games. In fact, I bought my ps1 by cutting grass and doing chores for the three month summer break of 1998. Good times, good times.

[KageReneko]

That creepy alley is SIlent Hill in a nutshell... The silent and narrow path under the snow falling and weird camera angles, the suddenly darkness that falls over you... The weird objects that shouldn't be there (A wheel chair, a bloody patient bed), a mutilated and bizarre corpse hanging over you, strange children-like creatures that appear from nowhere for kill you and a door that is closed when you just walked through it less than 5 minutes ago!!

That's why Silent Hill 1 still being my favorite!!

[simeonalo]

Anybody tried the two gates leading from the alley? They are locked of course, but I originally thought we would be returning there, with a key for them...


What is the use of them? Just to confuse the gamer? Or they were originally intended to be a part of the game later?


I always thought it rather unconvicing the way the alley is "caved in" when you return there... Seems like a last minute game change to me, although the alley was already caved in many months before release, in a first contact game review in PSM 43...

You're probably not on this forum anymore, but the sequence foreshadows the following events in most SH games involving the cults (SH3 had a dream, so did Homecoming and Origins)

[Mr. Domino]

Had a game done this kind of thing before?
I don't remember encountering such a scenario before I played the original SH (where the protagonist MUST die in order to advance). Just added to the confusing nature of the game I suppose and, like Arthemesic said, definitely a perfect hook.

Well, while I can't remember any that did it quite so early on, I can think of 2 off the top of my head that had employed this tactic.

In Super Metroid on the SNES, you have to "die" during the final boss fight before you can win it.

And in Chrono Trigger, also on the SNES, there's a sequence roughly two-thirds(ish) of the way through the game where you're suddenly thrust into battle with the final boss, who promptly kills you, thus progressing the storyline.

[alone in the town]

Examples!

[46n2]

Weren't the kids replaced in the PAL version? If so, what attacks you in the alley??

In my version thy look like badgers with knifelong claws

And toadstool, I know, I've played the game prolly 10 times and more

IIRC Japan censored the Grey Children as well. I also recall reading an interview with an original Team Silent member who said that looking back, he considered the Grey Children tasteless and that they wouldn't do any monsters in that vein again. He had obviously left by the time The Room rolled around. I happened to love them.

[PyrmidHeadPwner]

There's anoth Gray Child back the way you came down the alley, but I didn't get farther than that. If you say it's blocked off, then I guess it's blocked off.

[Ravager]

I remember the first time I played the game and came to this point. I was still new to the controls and when they attacked me I got all frustrated and started smashing buttons, lol. "Isn't this the attack button?! What the hell am I supposed to do?!!!"

One of the best parts in the series.

[theREALmgo]

Well, if the alley isn't in the Next Fear mode, then what is???

[Mephisto]

^That bar/restaurant where you get the kitchen knife, etc.

[Doctor Eggnog]

Though I love SH2 even more than this game, I find it's not quite as compelling, especially in the early going, and this part is one big reason why. SH1 really opens with a bang and gets you into things right away. SH3 also kindof tries to do this but I don't feel it does near as good of a job. None of the games really succeeded with opening with a great "nightmare" sequence like the first game did. It's because in the first game things start out somewhat okay and manageable and then get far, far worse, while SH3 just throws you right into the Otherworld Amusment Park, and SH4 . . . just isn't scary. (Shrug.)

[Tabris]

Yea, I love the beginning of SH1. I can play it over and over again.

The graphics might be dated but honestly, I think it gives the game such a unique and cool atmosphere that hasn't really been replicated since.

I love the soothing surreal ambiance right after the car crash. I especially love how things start to deteriorate and the snow turns to rain.

It was probably one of the most brilliant game openings ever.

[Doctor Eggnog]

I know, I wish they'd make another Silent Hill game with the first game's style graphics. They wouldn't have to spend near as much money making the game and it could be like over 20 hours long and have the best story and voice acting!

[Uyrikeustek]

I was wondering what would happen if you try to go back. NOT FAIR.

[Brahms]

It was brilliant and it was shocking because it showed us a new path for survival horrors. Until then, the enemy was lurking in narrow and dark corridors. From then, the enemy lurks our mind.

[MariaRising]

@theREALmgo: The alley we're talking about is the one in the beginning of the game, in the very first playthrough/game clear you do with a new save. The alley is still there after that but you don't do the nightmare sequence with it again after the first playthrough/game clear, meaning it's normal, and it's not extended anymore.

[clips]

Ha...that alleyway nightmare sequence caught me completely off guard on my first playthrough....back then i think RE2 was still on the scene, and even tho graphically back then RE2 was better than SH (no diss to RE2, as i loved the 2 disk story system which i thought was done brilliantly), this game was decades better in terms of disturbing and creepy atmosphere,....i still remember having sweaty palms from trying to endure the madness of that game late at night....

[Dutchman]

Although I knew what I could expect, it was still very scary and frustrating to me. I agree with everyone that the atmosphere, imagery and the panic that consumes you is top-notch...