scarier with or without the radio?

[shadowvalentine]

So i've been thinking lately. I was recently playing sh2 with some friends who had never played it. in order to scare them more i turned off the radio so they wouldn't know there were monsters near. but i was just thinking, isn't it scarier to have the radio on and know there's a monster near but not see it? or is it scarier to leave the radio off and not know a monsters there till you see it? opinion anyone?

[Falconv1.0]

The radio kinda let me detect enemies earlier than normal, which made me really uneasy. Same with SH3, I remember in some parts where I wasn't quite sure what was going on *like when you first find an insane cancer*, I'd kinda wait with my gun pointed at the nearest exit worried a monster would come through, making me far more reluctant to explore the area. If my radio was off I would've just walked out, seen it and said "ohai"

[angelofROOM302]

Definitely more scary with the radio off!
Because the enemies just creep up on you since you can't hear anything.
But for me, playing either way is equally scary. Lol, I'm a scardie cat.

[Falconv1.0]

You couldn't hear the enemies walking around, really? I mean, mannequins don't make noise til they move, but aside from that, I could pretty tell if a hallway was empty or not just by listening for those footsteps.

[cascade88]

Personally, I find the thought of having the radio on to be scarier, because you get an added sense of 'Oh god, there's a monster nearby' sense of dread, which in turn makes you more anxious by the time you actually encounter said fiend(s).

Contrary-wise, if you were merely going for a more "Ah!"' startled type of a scare, then radio off would be the better way to go.

[shadowvalentine]

i agree with falcon. with the radio is scarier to me now because you can hear the enemies wayyy before you could see them. Especially when you're outside and all you see is fog. so you know it's there, but you dont see it. ^.^ creepy creepy

[Ryoshockwave]

You can usually hear the monsters without the radio, so I guess it might be similar either way. I think the sound of the radio can be a bit intimidating itself. You just know danger is coming, lol.
One time I was playing with the sound off entirely (I think someone was on the phone, so I muted it for a moment), I ran right into a monster and it startled me. Of course I wouldn't recommend doing that, no sound makes it boring.

I say just leave it on, it's one of the things that makes it Silent Hill.

[Falconv1.0]

Another way of thinking about it is that the radio doesn't define what exactly is out there, it creates a fear of the unknown. The enemies themselves have tell tale signs and generally if I could see one, it was about to get some caps busted in its ass. That prison monster scared me more than any other enemy first time and that wasn't even a real 'enemy'. Fear of the unknown is strong.

[shadowvalentine]

good points everyone. i'm still going with the radio on. but i suppose it all depends on what kind of scare you're going for. ^.^

[Kaiza Killa]

So i've been thinking lately. I was recently playing sh2 with some friends who had never played it. in order to scare them more i turned off the radio so they wouldn't know there were monsters near. but i was just thinking, isn't it scarier to have the radio on and know there's a monster near but not see it? or is it scarier to leave the radio off and not know a monsters there till you see it? opinion anyone?

I feel that the game is scarier with the radio "on" being that your senses are heigtened by the radio making you aware that there are creatures near ...but you do not know where?

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[adm1r]

It's scarrier with radio on because i hear it but don't see monster immidiately and then i get all panic and nervous .

[Deathbywoodenplank]

I think it's scarier with the radio on. It makes certain situations a little more nerve-wracking. For instance, I was one of the people that fell for the fake/invisible monster in the prison cell... The radio was going off and James was looking at something but I couldn't find it!! It freaked me out so much....

[BloodyFanGirl]

^Exactly. That scenario is a prime example of why I believe keeping the radio on is way scarier than turning it off.

By turning it off you are guaranteed a few shock scares, yes, but by leaving it on fear is prolonged and looking for the monsters really gets the adrenaline pumping.

I believe that what you can't see and the unknown is a whole lot scarier than what you can see.

[Dante]

I haven´t tried it yet with the radio off. It may be scarier.

[Silent One]

The radio gives you more security because it tells you dangers near, but also adds a sense of dread because it doesn't tell you WHERE danger is.

[Ravager]

Definitely scarier with the radio on. Sometimes there isn't even an enemy around (or in your path) and it still goes crazy.
It just gives you the feeling that there's something out there. "But where, oh god, where is it?!"

Besides, if you turn it off it's easier to hear the enemy's footsteps so it's easier to avoid them and that's less scary.

[Kaiza Killa]

It seems that the verdict is that the game is scarier with the radio "on".

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[SpaceProg]

Indeed, at least to me. I've always been more scared of what I know is out there, but can't see, than just walking up onto something. My imagination takes over when I can't see what I'm going to be facing, but know there's SOMETHING there.

[CursedxDoom]

Most of the time, I find the game to be more unsettling with the radio turned on. While it alerts you to a monster's presence, as soon as I hear an increase in static, I turn off the flashlight and quietly move about. This is why I prefer playing on Normal and Hard difficulties: the enemies will almost certainly make a mad rush at you if your flashlight is on. I like the tension of carefully sneaking around a completely dark, enclosed room, knowing that a monster is there somewhere.

However, I also like to play with the radio off. Sometimes, there's nothing like anticipating something from dead silence. It's a completely different experience from knowing for sure that a monster is around.

[Kaiza Killa]

It is kind of like in a horror film when someone stares into a dark abyss that you know is full of monsters or somesuch and you are waiting for something to leap out at them.

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