Anyone else wish this followed the same style as SM?

[Hexagram]

I don't know if you'll all agree with me but IMO I think Shattered Memories breathed new life into the SH series. It was something new and exciting and an interesting take on Silent Hill.

I would like to see this new game follow the same style that deals much more on exploration, puzzles, and choice. No combat and more hide and seek.

Wouldn't it be great if the game expanded on the choice so that each time you play it, it is a completely different experience? Such as settings and characters. It would be nice to play-through a second time and encounter characters and areas of Silent Hill that you didn't even come across the first time through. And the more you play through it, the more the story makes sense.


What do you guys think, should this go back to SH5, or should it stick to the new style from SM and expand on it's choice/exploration themes.

[Catch22]

Both. Bring back the combat and a more polished version of the older gameplay style, while still retaining a focus on exploration, puzzles and choice. You could even be encouraged to run and hide from monsters as opposed to always fighting them, as seen to an extent in the older SH titles. I think it could be an excellent mix--it doesn't necessarily have to be one or the other.

[Soulless-Shadow]

Both. Bring back the combat and a more polished version of the older gameplay style, while still retaining a focus on exploration, puzzles and choice. You could even be encouraged to run and hide from monsters as opposed to always fighting them, as seen to an extent in the older SH titles. I think it could be an excellent mix--it doesn't necessarily have to be one or the other.

I agree. A mix of combat and running/hiding would be best. Too much emphasis on fighting makes it too much like an action game, while not having the choice of fighting back if needed makes it a little more frustrating. I would've liked to explore the icy Otherworld a little more in SM, but couldn't because I couldn't kill off the enemies in each area.

[Hexagram]

I agree that the chase scenes in the icy world were a bit frustrating and repetitive. It's one of the things I didn't like about SM. But I still enjoyed the idea of no combat, it made the game feel VERY tense because you couldn't fight back. Perhaps add a stealth element to the game so it's more about hiding from the enemies as opposed to running wild in the dark completely clueless of where you're going.

I just really loved the "psychological profiling". It could be greatly expanded on this title to allow completely different scenarios and story-lines.

[jdnation]

I'd say no, because I wouldn't want them to simply tack it on and rinse and repeat the formula of Shattered Memories. If they find some mroe clever way of achieving the same thing through radically diffrent means then I'd love it. And I'm referring to the psyche profiling here.

As for the chases, those ought to be scrapped in favor of more traditional combat which was better, or perhaps some other new mechanic. I think stealth ought to be incorporated more alongside hiding.

[Ben Trovato]

Personally, I'd love it to be a one-shot deal.

I wasn't all thrilled about SHSM, yet at the same time it's really not the worst IMO. As far as I'm concerned, what was good was pretty good and what was bad was pretty bad.

For me to get excited it'd have to get a few changes, including some sort of combat or something. Plain running around and dashing though chase sequence got old for me while I was playing my first SHSM game.
I agree with jdnation, some sort of stealth could also help create a thrilling experience in SH.

I think the game would probably stand better if alone in it's genre in the series, making it sort of unique.


Although I wouldn't be against new directions like SHSM. I'm not necessarily stuck in the old SH ways. Hell, I'd even take a FP Silent Hill game if it's done really properly.
And I don't even like FP games.

[Hexagram]

How about the ability to switch from Third Person to First Person like in Fatal Frame?

[jdnation]

How about the ability to switch from Third Person to First Person like in Fatal Frame?

Well most of us are scared about it turning into too much of an FPS, but a first person view is not completely out of the question. It was awesome in SH4 in my opinion, and was also there in Homecoming which could be great for exploration and to simply enjoy the graphical presentation of certain areas. They could do some cool things with it.

[SPRINGS02]

No, i agree homecoming did seem more combat oriented but the chase sequences in shattered memories were garbage.

[AuraTwilight]

I liked the chase sequences, but they were pretty poorly received, so I would think "Shattered Memories + Combat = GREAT GAEM"

[EmilietheStrange]

I disagree about having another no combat game. I think it would be best if there were some instances where fighting was recommended, and others where it would be easier to run. An even mix of both would be good. Think more 'forced' combat than Silent Hill 2, but less than Homecoming.

I know many people liked Shattered Memories, and while it does have some interesting features, the whole no combat thing turns me off. Although, I wouldn't object to being able to hide from one certain monster in the game. Maybe like if it catches you, you're dead no matter how much health you have? Of course, that could only happen a maximum of three times in the game, otherwise it would get very annoying and frustrating.

[SilentWren]

I think Shattered memories would've been better if the endings weren't based on what you did for the ENTIRE game. (Just think of 4-to get all the endings, you only technically have to play through twice.) But, the 'hard core' Shattered Memories fans loved this part, so it's passable. No biggy. having it the 4 way makes it oversimplified--The Psyche Profiler was meant to give the game great replay value, and I guess it did, so kudos to them. It just sucks that the player's 'honest' answers only give them one ending. And it ain't even right a lot-How in the fudge did I get 'drunk dad?!'

The lack of combat (I'm sorry) just pissed me off. I don't like to run. It makes me feel weak. 'Acquiring weapons' to 'overcome your struggles' is to embedded in the central theme of the series to just toss it out.

The ice world was interesting. To see the 'otherworld' frozen instead of on fire was cool. (Crap, I made a bad pun. Meh.) At least it was symbolically appropriate to the story line.

So, in short, I'm saying it would be ok with me...only if done correctly and WITH combat.

[jdnation]

An 'Avoid Fighting' philosophy by using stealth is a better option than no fighting. There's no reason why they can't implement a bit of stealth/run away/combat. People can choose their approach, when stealth fails, try running; when running fails, then fight. Those who so wish to can choose to fight right away and that'd make for an interesting psyche profile evaluation... In any case, that's teh best way to go about it, and pretty much what we've been doing in all the games anyway sans SM. They just need a better system to cater to all 3 options. Of course, boss encounters are unavoidable and must be fought and I can see moments where you've no choice but to fight your way through to serve a story moment, provide a scary situation, change the pace etc.

[SPRINGS02]

^That's how siren blood curse was, i wouldn't mind if they made it more like siren.

[saevitia]

The chase sequences were terrifying, because I was totally incompetent at them.

Then again, I'm totally incompetent at fighting too. .. :/

[Hexagram]

I think the chase scenes would've been warmly received if you had the chance to go straight to your map without stopping. I understand they were trying to make it as realistic as possible and in real life you don't just freeze and check your map to see where you're going, but alas this is not real life, it's a video game.

Also, what really pissed me off is you couldn't check your map when you were hiding. How hard is it to look at your phone while hiding under a bed or in a locker?

So ironically, the chase scenes became less about realism, and more about trial and error, lol. Despite all this though, I feel the idea could be greatly improved upon and I still give kudos to climax for trying something new.

[jdnation]

Actually the chase sequences would've worked better if...
1) The Wii controls were more responsive (I don't know how it was on the PS2/PSP), but this was my largest issue with the Wii. You have to make your movements slower and more precise in order to throw enemies off or just to toss obstacles down or pick up flares, which is completely counter intuitive to the feeling the were going for where you are panicked and frightened. It took me awhile to figure this out after flailing around like an idiot trying to get the Wii to know what the hell I'm doing.
2) Also there was nothing to clue us in as to the clues of the maze, where certain doors are distinct. This wasn't very obvious and our problems playing through the chase sequences would've been lessened if we understood what we were going for and they clued us into this more clearly, but if you didnt know this the entire game became a trial and error thing. I understand that this was something they wanted us to figure out on our own as an Eureka moment, but many of us didn't and it soured out taste of the experience. Some sort of clue, message, phone call, anything would've been handy.

The chase sequences were the biggest problem with the game as were the Wii controls during them, which I guess adds to the tension as you don't know if your Wii motions will work or not in time . But after awhile when you have to keep restarting from the same point over and over and over again, the scare factor wears off and the irritating factor sets in. I pretty much stopped playing the game for a month after failing to get through the second chase for the 30th time, and only bothered to go back once good word of mouth started spreading about it.

[AuraTwilight]

I think Shattered memories would've been better if the endings weren't based on what you did for the ENTIRE game. (Just think of 4-to get all the endings, you only technically have to play through twice.) But, the 'hard core' Shattered Memories fans loved this part, so it's passable.

Silent Hill 2 did the same thing, you know.

'Acquiring weapons' to 'overcome your struggles' is to embedded in the central theme of the series to just toss it out.

How is it a theme, much less a central one?

2) Also there was nothing to clue us in as to the clues of the maze, where certain doors are distinct. This wasn't very obvious and our problems playing through the chase sequences would've been lessened if we understood what we were going for and they clued us into this more clearly, but if you didnt know this the entire game became a trial and error thing. I understand that this was something they wanted us to figure out on our own as an Eureka moment, but many of us didn't and it soured out taste of the experience. Some sort of clue, message, phone call, anything would've been handy.

Actually, there are clues. In the Nowhere segment, the right doors have lamps above them or are partly frozen. In the forest level, there are lights making a path you need to run to, etc.

[SHF]

i want a smooth blend of sm and shh

[Fevered Dream]

IMO I'd rather see it return to the roots of the series. I think they mentioned they were anyway so I'm down with that. Besides, SM should remain a unique entry in the series with it's own style.