Homecoming in comparison...

[Ondine]

Thanks for the advice everyone! I finally played it a few days ago and it's not bad (especially considering all the criticism it's received). Anyways, there was an interview with the new devs where they kept stressing how they wanted the series to reach a wider audience, and well I think that pretty much summarizes all the cons of the game. There were a lot of 'Hollywood' moments and situations, it was pretty fast paced for being so-called survival horror, and it felt more like a typical zombie movie than a psychological thriller. So tbh, as a Silent Hill game it was kinda a let down. I'm not sure about the other endings, but the only one I've gotten so far sorta saved the somewhat cheesy story (

PRIME_BBCODE_SPOILER_SHOW PRIME_BBCODE_SPOILER:

where Alex wakes up back in the beginning and everything was just a dream

). So, I'd probably give it an..... 8? I could go on and on about all the pros and cons but in the end it's a definite good.

[DistantJ]

Nice post, Ondine! I agree with pretty much everything you said - Homecoming represents Silent Hill moving to America and expanding to try and reach a wider audience, but an unpleasant side effect is that it loses the hearts of some of the original audience in the process - 'selling out' if you will.

I love it though, I think it's a great recreation of the world from the original games in a much more accessible place (due to it being so 'Hollywood', while the first time around didn't have the profound SH2 effect, I've played it through more times than the others, like a Hollywood summer blockbuster it's just so much easier to absorb) - and I don't think Silent Hill is going 'back' any time soon - expect all of the games to be much more 'western' from now on, but that doesn't necessarily mean they'll be as predictable as Homecoming.

[Doctor Eggnog]

In comparison:

SH1: 9.5/10
SH2: 9.6/10
SH3: 8.7/10
SH4: 7.8/10
SHO: 8.2/10
SHH: 7.0/10

I hoped I'd never find a SH game where I cared about the story less than 4, but I found it. By the end I was just beating the game to have beaten the game. Still, I hadn't had high expectations in the first place, but the first hour of the game raised my expectations, only to destroy them. Schisms were fun to kill though.

[SPRINGS02]

In comparison for me:

SH2: 9/10
SH3: 9.5/10
SH4: 8.6/10
SHO: 7.2/10
SHH: 6/10

[Ondine]

In comparison:

SH1: 9.5/10
SH2: 9.6/10
SH3: 8.7/10
SH4: 7.8/10
SHO: 8.2/10
SHH: 7.0/10

I hoped I'd never find a SH game where I cared about the story less than 4, but I found it. By the end I was just beating the game to have beaten the game. Still, I hadn't had high expectations in the first place, but the first hour of the game raised my expectations, only to destroy them. Schisms were fun to kill though.

The fighting mechanics really piss me off sometimes. Schisms are definitely the most fun (only because their attacks are so predictable), but a lot of enemies--intentionally or not--throw a ton of fakes, and half the time stupid Alex will miss completely! I'll be like a foot away and he'll swing in the opposite direction. Especially with shorter enemies...

[Zeraylph]

Homecoming is really combat based.

I thought it was fun, although the bugs and glitches range from being stuck. or your camera being screwed up, and being stuck, you have to reload the game all over again.

It's not fun losing 15 minutes of progress cause of a glitch that causes you to get stuck in the ground.

but overall it's pretty fun, and pretty sweet that Alex can roll, and dodge and stuff.

There is a terrible ammo limit in game. That is ridiculous, Alex can hold so much other stuff, yet he can't hold more than 12 shotgun rounds.

[clips]

Homecoming had it's moments....the otherworld house level and the helldescent levels were great....the combat was lacking tho...it was awkward and choppy..it wasn't smooth at all...and don't get me started on the big-ass arcade-like crossfire target for the weapons....and the last level felt nothing like a SH game...I liked all of the concept art for the creatures, but in-game their animation and some textures were severly lacking...

My comparison for homecoming?...it's at the bottom of the pile in terms of from greatest to least...but it's not a bad game at all...it's just not a great SH game. Between this and SM...i gotta give the edge to SM....because even tho SM is a re-imaging...the story is structured better, the pysche profile(tho gimmicky) was a refreshing take on the series, and the animation of Harry was decades better than Alex....Harry's walking animation was super smooth and there was literally zero loading times when walking thru doors compared to homecoming's loading screens.The twist in SM at the end was great compared to homecoming's which you could see coming a mile away...

Homecoming's otherworld levels and creatures were better than SM tho...

[Mephisto]

There is a terrible ammo limit in game. That is ridiculous, Alex can hold so much other stuff, yet he can't hold more than 12 shotgun rounds.

Double Helix did that on purpose. They wanted the player to focus on melee combat more than anything else. That's why they made the monsters with the same strength as Alex. They wanted to give us a challenge.

[ww_andi]

i liked homecoming

i mean sure there were a couple things wrong with it but i still liked it alot

[Mustang]

I played Homecoming and i enjoyed it . It wasn't as good as SH 1 - 3 mostly because of the "Hollywood" feel , and To me it borrowed to much from the movie and the storyline was very similar to SH2 (if you haven't played SH2 I highly suggest playing that first) . But i took it how it was and accepted how it's a different style than the previous titles and it was fun and enjoyable enough for me to essentially 100% it (all endings and extras unlocked) . It doesn't have the "magic" of SH 1 - 3 but it still is enjoyable for atleast one playthrough .

[krakalackin]

I like Homecoming as a game, but it's nothing like 3. Homecoming has a good, short, easy to follow story......once......it........starts.......to....be.......told.

Something like this: Nothing happens.Nothing happens.Nothing happens. Something happens.Nothing happens.Nothing happens.Nothing happens.Nothing happens.Nothing happens.Nothing happens.Everthing happens. End.

ie: The pace is just awful

And don't go in guns blazing or as many of us can tell you, you'll have to restart the game. One word: knife

[Greenkai3000]

Here's my two cents...

I am a huge fan of Silent Hill. Love the Sountracks, the Games, and movie (soon to become movieS) I always log on to SHH to check out the latest on SH, and play the games over and over because they're extremely entertaining.

Home Coming however was extremely frustrating for me to play. The needlers, Schisms, and stupid Scarlett boss made me just give up on trying to finish the game altogether...something I'd never done with any game of any sort before. If I wanted to play on a game that focuses on combat, I'd play War themed video games. Yes, change is good, but not when it becomes fastidious play. Here's hoping that Downpour will go back to SH's roots.

Silent Hill 2 Forever!

[46n2]

In comparison:

SH1: 9.0/10
SH2: 9.5/10
SH3: 9.2/10
SH4: 7.0/10
SHO: 7.5/10
SHH: 8.5/10

Fix'd to suit my preference. And also,
SHSM: 8.0/10

[Mr. E. Nygma]

I hate Wheeler, I think he's one of the reasons SH H gets bad reviews.

[Skele]

Yes, it was.

no, it wasn't. just because the developers focused on improving the combat, doesn't mean that the game forced you to fight more. there were a crapload of monsters to fight/evade in SH1, 3 and 4. also, it's just as easy to evade monsters in Homecoming as it is in the past SH games (excluding SH2). all you need to do is simply run past them, turn off your flashlight, or *gasps* learn how to roll.

to add on... i love the game. i agree it's not really the best game in the series, but it ties SH1 & 3 as my faves. as far as the story goes, i enjoyed it, even though it doesn't come close to SH2 or 4's. IMO, the whole Alex and Josh thing isn't really the twist, so much as the things you learn about the Order, and the founding families of SG.

combat is def improved (imo) but as i mentioned, you can choose to fight or run. it's just that if you do choose to fight, you better make sure you have a pretty good handle on the controls. I like that it's not as mindless as SH1-3's combat, where if you get the first hit in, 95% of monsters are somehow paralyzed and you simply mash one button till they die.

as far as the atmosphere goes, i liked it. i'll admit, i dont find the game very scary (tbh, i only find SH1 and SH3 scary) i still enjoyed the art direction. it borrows a good deal visuallyfrom the film, but that was one of things i loved about the film, so it didn't bother me.

anyhow TC, glad you got to play it and that you somewhat enjoyed it.

[SPRINGS02]

no, it wasn't. just because the developers focused on improving the combat, doesn't mean that the game forced you to fight more. there were a crapload of monsters to fight/evade in SH1, 3 and 4. also, it's just as easy to evade monsters in Homecoming as it is in the past SH games (excluding SH2). all you need to do is simply run past them, turn off your flashlight, or *gasps* learn how to roll.

Actually i would say that the monsters in homecoming were much more relentless. It's not nearly as easy to evade them because of how much they follow you. I mean i could easily run past any monster in SH 2, 3, and for the most part 4. But homecomings monsters were more persistent. Also i think it's the only silent hill game where you are forced to kill monsters to move on(the part in the sewers where you HAVE to kill the needlers and the siam to move on). So technically yes, the game does force you to fight more. Also rolling can be effective, but it's a pain when there's like 3 needlers attacking you at once.

[SilentWren]

Also rolling can be effective, but it's a pain when there's like 3 needlers attacking you at once.

And it doesn't help that most of the monsters in Homecoming are expert dodgers, either. I wasted so much ammo shooting at the empty space a monster was JUST in instead of in....

[clips]

Fighting the monsters wasn't fun, that was the issue....remembering mindless patterns...and just mashing the knife to kill the nurses was redundant. And who could forget that first wire puzzle?...If you didn't kill those monsters wondering the street, they'll come in right after you.

You can avoid some of the monsters, but for the most part, for you to progress without them bothering you, you have to kill them.

[capillaries]

i found it extremely hard to run past the monsters.. and i really don't want to kill a monster if i don't have to, because i don't enjoy it that much. however, i do love homecomings storyline, in my opinion it's worth playing through the game, and i think it could be great if they didn't reference the movie as much as they did. and some other stuff, but that's what bothered me mostly. i don't want to have to roll away from the monsters, it's too hard. i just want to run away goddamnit D:

[Skele]

no, it wasn't. just because the developers focused on improving the combat, doesn't mean that the game forced you to fight more. there were a crapload of monsters to fight/evade in SH1, 3 and 4. also, it's just as easy to evade monsters in Homecoming as it is in the past SH games (excluding SH2). all you need to do is simply run past them, turn off your flashlight, or *gasps* learn how to roll.

Actually i would say that the monsters in homecoming were much more relentless. It's not nearly as easy to evade them because of how much they follow you. I mean i could easily run past any monster in SH 2, 3, and for the most part 4. But homecomings monsters were more persistent. Also i think it's the only silent hill game where you are forced to kill monsters to move on(the part in the sewers where you HAVE to kill the needlers and the siam to move on). So technically yes, the game does force you to fight more. Also rolling can be effective, but it's a pain when there's like 3 needlers attacking you at once.

That's one single time where you have to kill the monsters (needlers and Siam) to progress. Also, that part is pretty much like a mini boss fight, in the same way you had to elude Pyramid head in order to leave the apartments in SH2.

I disagree about the monsters being more relentless in Homecoming. I think people just view the older games with rose colored glasses. I guess no one remembers the Rompers from SH1? they would literally chase you all around Silent Hill's business district, and if you stopped running for a second, they'd jump on your back and pin you to the ground. you'd then be forced to fight, or run again.

There were also the nigthflutters/airscreamers that flew around town, forcing you to constantly run. i remember Harry's head repeatedly getting pecked by those things. the mumblers in the school were also kind of annoying, because they'd pop up in groups and swarm as you entered through a door. and i know im not the only person who found those green monsters in SH1's sewers kind of a pain?

SH3 has some pretty relentless monsters as well, like the annoying, screeching pendulum. it attacks you from midair and spins as it attacks. the Scraper was also pretty relentless.

As far as Homecoming goes, i haven't had a problem simply running past the monsters. also, Siam is easy as hell to kill, and the needlers are easy if you know their attack patterns. there's really only two instances where you either NEED to kill the needlers (or monsters) to move ahead, or it's just smarter/easier to do so. one is the sewers, when they team up with Siam (which was previously mentioned), and the other is in the prison, when you enter the shower room. there's 2 needlers that drop down from the ceiling, and there's a passage in the back that you have to cut with the knife. if it weren't for that, they'd be easy to avoid.