Silent Hill f and Townfall’s Greatest Obstacle is Made Obvious

by

As a seasoned connoisseur of horror games who has traversed through the twisted landscapes of Silent Hill and survived the nightmarish creatures that dwell within, I must say the remake of Silent Hill 2 is a masterful blend of the franchise’s origins and its darker chapters. The combat mechanics, while not the centerpiece of these games, have been refined to perfection in this remake, offering an engaging and simple experience that feels right at home in a game designed for encounters with the eerie denizens of Silent Hill.

The Silent Hill series has never leaned as heavily on action like a Resident Evil game, and attempts to do so have often received negative feedback. However, this hasn’t stopped Silent Hill from finding effective ways to incorporate combat. In fact, combat has always been an essential part of the Silent Hill experience, even though it may not be the primary focus or the series’ most powerful themes. To claim that combat is absent in the original Silent Hill games would be unreasonable given the abundance of firearms and melee weapons available within them.

In the remake of Bloober’s “Silent Hill 2”, there is significantly more combat compared to the original game, which may not always be optional. However, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing considering how immersive and straightforward the action sequences are in a game primarily designed for enemy interactions. In the new version, players can no longer rotate or maneuver easily around nurses or other figures using tank controls, and the combat has been subtly improved compared to the original’s basic and often comical exchange of blows. This was one of the most difficult and contentious decisions during the remake’s development, and it will likely play a crucial role in shaping future “Silent Hill” games as well.

Silent Hill 2’s Remake is the Best of Origins and Homecoming Rolled into One

It’s still uncertain how the upcoming games “Silent Hill f” and “Silent Hill: Townfall” will pan out, but if they indeed include combat, the design approach should be thoughtfully planned. Meanwhile, it’s evident where the design ideas for the Silent Hill 2 remake were drawn from, with The Last of Us Part 2 appearing to have significantly impacted its overall structure. Moreover, the remake seems to borrow and refine some combat mechanics from earlier Silent Hill games such as Origins and Homecoming.

  • Origins’ button-mashing grapple mechanic and the red HUD border that appears when Travis Grady is at critical health.
  • Homecoming’s dodge mechanic, without the leashed, fighting game-esque camera when squaring up against an enemy in melee encounters.

Silent Hill Games Must Embrace Their Past and Look Optimistically to the Future

As a cinephile, I’d say both “Origins” and “Homecoming” share some common elements, and as you delve deeper into the Silent Hill saga, starting with “Silent Hill: Origins,” it becomes evident how the intense combat escalated to the horrific level seen in “Downpour.” One unique aspect that sets “Origins” apart within the franchise is its vast array of absurdly amusing items that can be used as weapons – everything from drip stands to portable TVs.

Instead of saying that Homecoming’s combat is a disgrace because it confines players to enemies in tight battles and has them exchange staggering attacks with awkward dodges, similar to what The Callisto Protocol attempted unsuccessfully 14 years later, let me rephrase it as: Homecoming’s combat leaves much to be desired due to the forced engagement with enemies during close-quarters fights, where players take turns exchanging stunlocking blows using jerky dodges, a problem that The Callisto Protocol struggled with in its own flawed combat system 14 years down the line. Fortunately, in the Silent Hill 2 remake, players have the option to keep the red HUD border on or off, the dodge mechanic is not tethered to enemies, and the camera doesn’t reposition itself when players are struck.

In various approaches, upcoming “Silent Hill” games could innovate their combat systems based on their chosen perspective within the psychological horror genre. Gaining insights from previous games in the series is likely to be beneficial, as it can help them steer clear of similar errors and traps.

It’s possible that neither the game f nor Townfall may include traditional combat mechanics as they seem to focus more on other gameplay aspects, but it remains unclear if they will incorporate combat in the future. Mimicking the approach of the Silent Hill 2 remake might not be beneficial, especially if these games are not released soon. Offering something fresh and unique would certainly be a welcome change.

Read More

2024-12-24 14:33