Is Downpour scary?

[Tillerman]

There's nothing wrong with jump scares. They're only bad if a story relies on them too heavily.

It's important that the monsters pose some kind of threat. That's an important source of tension that horror games can utilize, which when combined with other types of tension and atmosphere is what makes a horror game effective.

[sh#1fan]

4. even on hard mode it takes like 20 hits for them to finally kill you (but with the crap ass-ass crap save system you dont have to wory about dying because you'll just start right there)

Is this true? I've been hearing some things about the save system that really have me concerned. If you die, do you really just respawn on the spot? Is there any sort of penalty for dying in this game?

lol not right on the spot >.> but you never start more 5 mins back.

[NanayaShiki]

There's nothing wrong with jump scares. They're only bad if a story relies on them too heavily.

I don't like them.

[Yuki]

Nanaya, what are your thoughts on the original few games, then...? I know SH1 and SH3 both used them at some points. Do you think Downpour overuses them?

Honestly, I kind of like them, provided they're not the only scare present (and they're not, in Downpour). I'm trying to figure out a way to describe it that's less vulgar, but the only thing coming to mind is "orgasm"; you build up the tension and horror with the atmosphere, and then JUMP SCARE and you come down and rebuild it.

[Doctor Eggnog]

I liked the jump scares in the first game. They were used infrequently with lots of tension built up behind them. The corpse falling out of the locker was genuis.

"but you never start more than 5 mins back"

I pretty much always save like every 5 minutes in SH games anyway.

[Harlequin]

Honestly, this game scared me quite a bit. The atmosphere was my favorite part in this whole game. When I played it I'd be messaging a friend of mine who's also a Silent Hill fan who was playing at the same time and we both gushed about the atmosphere and how we spent a pretty good portion of our time running between rooms going "Runrunrunrunrun" for fear of an enemy.

That being said, you do get used to it a little. The last portion of the game, in the prison, is a little more full of enemies so it's not as surprising when one jumps out. And the prison atmosphere is a little bland; it's not as tense as some of the other areas. The Screamers get old fast (in my point of view) and so do all the Prison enemies. The Dolls though... those things scared the hell out of me. Every time I saw the mannequin, before it started attacking me, I would just stop moving and go "No. No. Oh no. No." Mannequins are so terrifying to me in video games. And children. The orphanage almost made me pee my pants just from the sheer idea of it. Children and horror movies/games/books/anything never mix well.

All that being said, I feel like I should mention that I don't scare easily and this game succeeded in it.

[acet19]

Looking at the gameplay it does look like a creepy game, but it just doesn't seem to have that mind fuck feel the previous games had. Just feels like something is missing and it's relying more on conventional scares. What do you think? I can't play it yet!

[NanayaShiki]

Nanaya, what are your thoughts on the original few games, then...? I know SH1 and SH3 both used them at some points. Do you think Downpour overuses them?

I didn't like them in SH1. The only one I can think of in SH3 was a joke.
I said there were like 2-3 in Downpour, so of course I don't think it overused them.
I just don't like jump scares.

[Tillerman]

I think it'd be interesting if there were randomized jump scares... jump scares that happen in different places based on random factors. That would make replays of the game very interesting. The only game I can think of off the top of my head that does that is Clock Tower.

[Yuki]

Thanks for your opinion, Nanaya; I find it quite interesting. I do remember SH3 having the mannequin's head drop down, though, which I count as a jump scare personally.

@Tillerman: man, Clock Tower may not have a lot of atmosphere besides darkness, but it's damn good at scaring players (at least the SNES and first PSX ones; I haven't played CT3).

[omahapunk]

I didn't really find Downpour to be scary at all. The environments and atmosphere were great but they just didn't hold the same sense of dread. I didn't really find the otherworld to be all that captivating either, especially the parts with the void.

I think a big part of not being scared was the shitty enemy design. I didn't really like how an enemy would come at you and started blocking and dodging like a boxer. Sure, i understand they're probably a metaphor for inmates or whatever, but they just weren't creepy. That, and I just found the other enemy designs to be lacking. The barbie's sounded like Jigsaw and the screamers just looked like repeat versions of the Grudge.

[Tillerman]

@Tillerman: man, Clock Tower may not have a lot of atmosphere besides darkness, but it's damn good at scaring players (at least the SNES and first PSX ones; I haven't played CT3).

I've only played the original Clock Tower, but I think it has great atmosphere. It has fantastic music, clearly influenced by Goblin. I would love to play more horror games that have a Goblin-esque soundtrack.

[clips]

I didn't really find Downpour to be scary at all. The environments and atmosphere were great but they just didn't hold the same sense of dread. I didn't really find the otherworld to be all that captivating either, especially the parts with the void.

I think a big part of not being scared was the shitty enemy design. I didn't really like how an enemy would come at you and started blocking and dodging like a boxer. Sure, i understand they're probably a metaphor for inmates or whatever, but they just weren't creepy. That, and I just found the other enemy designs to be lacking. The barbie's sounded like Jigsaw and the screamers just looked like repeat versions of the Grudge.

I completely agree with this...the atmosphere and environments are great, but the creatures are extremely lacking. To be fair i haven't finished the game yet, but i too felt like the creatures aren't scary at all and that i'm just fighting humans in monster suits..i was shaking my head when i saw these creatures blocking my attacks and dodging out of the way.

If they can't get the combat or that dread or disturbing element back in terms of the creatures, i say for the next game just have them slow moving with disturbing twitching like in the older games, because the fast moving creatures so far with these newer games just isn't working...seeing the creatures don't give me a sense of fear, they just more or less stand in the way of the story and it shouldn't be or feel that way...

[Tillerman]

Seems like criticism of the monster design is pretty universal, I haven't seen a single person compliment them... it's really disappointing how lazy the designs are. Monsters aren't everything, a lot of different things contribute to atmosphere, but... I feel like good designs really do add to the atmosphere of the game, and bad designs can take away from it.

[Yuki]

I really do like the Weeping Bats and the Doll monster, I'm not going to lie. The Screamers and the boxing men I'm not a huge fan of.

[thy_butcher]

I personally adore the Screamers. I have been intrigued by them ever since I first laid eyes on them. They are very aggressive. I find them very frightening.
The Weeping Bats are really cool Imo. They aren't terrifying, but they are intimidating & their behavior make them overall neat enemies. I welcome them.
I'm probably the only person who likes the Prisoner Minions. I find their design to be disturbing in a "less is more" sense. That thing on their face along with their weird vocalizations make me think they're in pain.
As for the Dolls, they're my least favorite thus far. They can be creepy; but when it comes to actually fighting them, I find that they're irritating and goofy.

[Silent Fantasy]

I'v never been impressed with any monsters in Silent Hill. It's the atmosphere that gave them any power along with the fear of being attacked. So in both senses, Downpour succeded to me.

[Meeks]

let's just say I haven't been so scared in a silent hill game since the third (and fourth) one, downpour really freaked me out, and not in the jump level, more like the "nono, don't want to enter there!" or the "oh crap, did that really just happen?" downpour scared me..A LOT.

[clips]

Hmmm...i've gotten a bit further into the game, and all i can say is...wow. This game started off very slowly for me and i wasn't impressed with devils pit, but the game really opens up when you start exploring the town. Is the game scary?....i gotta admit the game is impressively creepy when you're exploring the town and abandoned buildings.

There are some genuine wtf moments i've experienced with this game and in some instances, like Meeks stated, i kinda dreaded going forward in some areas due to it's extreme creepyness...there's alot of miscellaneous sounds being thrown about and then there are just moments of incredible silence just hearing the patter of your footsteps that set the mood as well. I was more freightened by the atmosphere itself than when the actual monsters showed up tho, and that is a good thing as far as the atmosphere go...not so much for the monster designs or their mannerisms unfortunately.

The positive far outweigh the negatives tho...i'm having a blast with this game so far..Vatra knows how to craft a very compelling and mysterious story with a beautifully crafted eerie atmosphere...so yeah the game is most scary to me when the monsters aren't around...So far this is the best non TS game made out of the bunch..

[thy_butcher]

Exploring the many different optional houses and rooms would be creepier if you couldn't really notice the reuse of props. It isn't horribly common; but it is noticeable. It's one of my few gripes with Downpour. It kind of kills out being able to distinctively differentiate each & every location by their exclusive features.