Is Downpour scary?

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Silent Fantasy
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Re: Is Downpour scary?

Post by Silent Fantasy »

^ It stays that way, I can assure you. The horror aspect of Downpour is actually one thing nobodys really complaining about.
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bratpack
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Re: Is Downpour scary?

Post by bratpack »

for me its been the scariest game this gen

this and dead space 1 have definatly been the best of the whole lot IMO
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Mr.FLOOT
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Re: Is Downpour scary?

Post by Mr.FLOOT »

I'm not that far into this game but It has scared me quite a bit so far!!! The music is brilliant, the atmosphere is fantastic! And the sense of worry it gives you when the rain starts to fall is just spot on!
It's like playing classic Silent Hill! And I love it!
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Tabris
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Re: Is Downpour scary?

Post by Tabris »

Can't say I found it scary. Though I love the hell out of the game.

There was a few parts that put me on edge and a few that I considered pretty creepy. But scary? Nope.

A Silent Hill game hasn't really scared me since SH3. With Downpour, I just kept wanting to see what was around the corner or what was going to happen. I never felt the old school "I REALLY don't want to open that door" or "FUCK going around that corner" feeling.
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Yuki
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Re: Is Downpour scary?

Post by Yuki »

Tabris wrote:Can't say I found it scary. Though I love the hell out of the game.

There was a few parts that put me on edge and a few that I considered pretty creepy. But scary? Nope.

A Silent Hill game hasn't really scared me since SH3. With Downpour, I just kept wanting to see what was around the corner or what was going to happen. I never felt the old school "I REALLY don't want to open that door" or "FUCK going around that corner" feeling.
Out of curiosity--and I'm not trying to pick on you or insult your opinions or anything--how long ago did you first play SH3? I kind of wonder if a lot of this sort of thing is because we're more easily scared when we're younger.
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Tabris
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Re: Is Downpour scary?

Post by Tabris »

No worries.

I played it the day before it was supposed to be released back in 2003. I was 18. It was definitely easier to 'scare' me then but I already played the hell out of SH1 and 2 as well. SH3 still scared the hell out of me.

I'm fairly sure if I only played SH3 now (at 26, almost 27) it'd still freak the hell out of me. Maybe not as much but I'm sure it would. Like, despite owning Fatal Frame for friggin ever, I just beat it last year. That game freaks me out and I find it extremely creepy (not as much as say, SH1-3 though).

I just think it's a lot more ruthless, surreal, bizarre and cruel with its atmosphere. Downpour still has that but it just doesn't incite any real fear in me. It's a fair criticism for me for a game series that's meant to be scary as hell. But that doesn't change that I do LOVE the hell out of the atmosphere, otherworlds in it etc.

I just wish I felt the feeling the older games had where I SERIOUSLY did not want to go around the next corner, possibly find out what those fucked up noises are (and often never finding out) or even thinking of going through the next door, whether it was the otherworld or foggy world. The older games felt borderline masochistic just by pushing yourself to keep going. That's just me though~
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Re: Is Downpour scary?

Post by Kawwah85 »

I am on my second playthrough atm, on hard. And its not as scary now as it was the first time. Closing doors still shock the hell out of me at times though, but I have pretty much gotten used to the enemies, and actually manage to make some pretty hilarious KO's, such as throwing a fire extinguisher in the face of a Screamer, who is in the middle of a scream, and seeing her fall on her ass, or breaking my weapon on a Weeping Bat, only to knock him out with my bare hands, or a beer bottle.

But ya, I still love the game a lot, and I will deffinetly say, that SHD has a great deal of replay value. At least for me. :)
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DistantJ
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Re: Is Downpour scary?

Post by DistantJ »

I think it's the scariest in the series since SH3. Though I agree with Tabris that the 'oh god I don't want to go in that door/round that corner' isn't as prominent here (mainly due to the "hundreds of locked doors" thing being thankfully absent) but there is a feeling of dread for a lot of the events in the game. The storms outdoors are a brilliant 'oh shit' moment, where the enemies become more numerous and hostile, almost makes me want to say "what a horrible night to have a curse..." (lol), and sort of reflects the fog world/otherworld transition in a way.

I also love that they've captured the INTENSE peril moments from Shattered Memories without sacrificing the dread and fear elsewhere. The red mist/void might not be as scary as pursuing monsters but it's a great way to differentiate between what you can fight and what you have to helplessly run from. Best of both worlds! I love that the 'fog world' is classic SH while the Otherworld is more of a Shattered Memories-style intense, perilous ghost-train ride.

Also, the ATMOSPHERE in some places is amazing. Obviously the otherworld triumphantly blends the freaky otherworlds from SH3 and the mind-bending labyrinth chases from SM, but some of the buildings etc. have an amazing atmosphere with the lighting and Dan Licht's music. I especially loved the movie-worlds in the theatre, with the grain and such.

God this game was amazing.
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clips
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Re: Is Downpour scary?

Post by clips »

I agree the game has tons of creepy atmosphere...even when going into buildings where you think it's safe, it's still incredibly unsettling...the St Mary's section and the Movie theatre section had amazing atmosphere and some scenarios even had traces of dread....Vatra really knows how to create a very un-settling experience.
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Re: Is Downpour scary?

Post by Soulless-Shadow »

Tabris wrote:With Downpour, I just kept wanting to see what was around the corner or what was going to happen.
While I have found some parts of Downpour nerve-wracking, I also want to keep going to see what's "around the corner" etc as well. For example (no spoilers), I just finished one side quest and while there were no enemies in the area I was still a little worried going from room to room and doing what I needed to do (well, ok, it's been like that for many of the side quests >_> ). And yet, I couldn't put the controller down because I wanted to see what was next. :D
clips wrote:I agree the game has tons of creepy atmosphere...even when going into buildings where you think it's safe, it's still incredibly unsettling...the St Mary's section and the Movie theatre section had amazing atmosphere and some scenarios even had traces of dread....Vatra really knows how to create a very un-settling experience.
I agree; they have indeed done a very good job with the atmosphere. :D
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Re: Is Downpour scary?

Post by Pleasant Sinner »

For the majority of the game I didn't find Downpour scary really, but what surprises me is that Vatra was still able to create such an engrossing atmosphere. Like stated above, places such as the movie theater, St Mary's and the otherworlds themselves were executed really well to the point where I felt tension.

Though I will admit there were a few sections where I felt dread and a reluctance to move forward, just like SH2 and 3.
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Re: Is Downpour scary?

Post by B5160-R »

Even though I usually find those classic "cheap scares" boring, they kind of work in the long run with keeping you always expecting shit to jump at you. At least it worked on my nerves. :)

The atmosphere is erie and it sometimes even manages to surpass the previous games, in my opinion. Of course it falls dead to the ground, whenever one of those ridiculous monsters show up...
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Re: Is Downpour scary?

Post by acet19 »

I think I read this on here, but is it true 90% of the otherworld is just some 'void' chasing you trying to kill you, does that mean there's no chance of exploration in the otherworld sequences??
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Tabris
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Re: Is Downpour scary?

Post by Tabris »

acet19 wrote:I think I read this on here, but is it true 90% of the otherworld is just some 'void' chasing you trying to kill you, does that mean there's no chance of exploration in the otherworld sequences??
It's sure as hell not 90%. But there's a reasonable chunk of the otherworlds that has the void chasing you. I didn't mind it at all and found it pretty tense until towards the end where it got somewhat annoying.

For me though it was more having to do a certain part over and over again and then watch an FMV over and over again that irritated me, rather than the void chasing you itself.

There's plenty of parts where you can explore but it's a lot more linear than the other games I found.

Some people hate the void but I'm among those who thought it was pretty cool.
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Aerith Gainsborough
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Re: Is Downpour scary?

Post by Aerith Gainsborough »

Like Tabris said, the void is in the Otherworld (particularly early on in the game) for a reasonable chunk, but there is definitely exploration in it. I found the farther in the game I was, the longer the Otherworld sequence lasted, which lead to more exploration. It gives you a nice balance of both. I, too, liked the void, so I didn't mind. It's personal preference, honestly.
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Re: Is Downpour scary?

Post by Scarlet »

To be honest I'm not finding the game scary (scary enough to make me do what someone in this thread was saying "I don't want to open that door").
But I agree with Mike... the atmosphere is fantastic and when the rain and thunder starts... I believe the effect is quite creepy.
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Re: Is Downpour scary?

Post by LuLu »

Yes. I actually got screaming scared a couple of times. Honestly, I think it's the most scared I've ever been with a Silent Hill game since the first game.
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Re: Is Downpour scary?

Post by acet19 »

But is it the same twisted, disturbing and eerie scary as the previous ones, or just booo scary. I know people on here said it had a creepy atmosphere, but so did homecoming imho....
AnywaysI'm renting the game tonight so hopefully I'll find out. Yes I'm a cheap ass and can't afford to buy itunfortunately!:(
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Re: Is Downpour scary?

Post by fudgestix »

I think Downpour manages to have its own unique atmosphere. Its different from the other games, but that doesn't mean it isn't scary.

It didn't quite have the same atmosphere at previous titles, but that doesn't mean I enjoyed the atmosphere of Downpour any less. Some areas really unsettled me, and certain moments of the game had me shouting at the TV in fear! xD

When I first got to Silent Hill
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and I found the basement with the crying, I was so freaked out. I nearly left the area right away, but ended up exploring. The doll ended up attacking me after I'd been upstairs, and I ended up panicking so much that I flung the axe I was holding and fled. I didn't even realise I'd lost it until I got outside, and I was holding a gun instead. No way was I going back in there for the axe!

After that I was on edge every time I went in an area, thinking something terrible was going to come after me! :C
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Re: Is Downpour scary?

Post by Mephisto »

Tabris wrote:For me though it was more having to do a certain part over and over again and then watch an FMV over and over again that irritated me, rather than the void chasing you itself.
Wait, you can't skip cut-scenes?
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