Finally got my hands on this one, renting it first to check it out.
Played about an hour and a half only , but here are my impressions so far:
By far the best looking PSP game I have played so far (I even prefered it over the God of War demo personally in this category), the grainy filter effect, shadows, lights and mist all enhance the look of the game and fit perfectly because it is supposed to be an atmospheric, suspenseful game.
My suggestion to anyone playing this game is turn off all the lights in a room, sit in the dark, plug in a good pair of headphones to your psp and play it like that because it will be a lot more enjoyable. A horror game on a hand held seems like an impossible fit but so far I think they've done a fairly good job if you let yourself be immersed in the experience (headphones are essential).
This isn't being done by either of the usual two teams that do Silent Hill games at Konami but by a western team and whoever is worried that they went experimental or the way of action over mood should not be worried. This game reminds me a lot more of the first two games than the last two so it's actually a return to older Silent Hill games.
Combat is still not too great (it never was in the series) but it's doable and ads to the whole survival type of game that it is trying to be. Silent Hill Origins makes one distinct departure from the series in that you can switch between the normal world and the other world by the use of mirrors at any time. Doing this, lets you go into the other world and solve puzzles that unlock doors that were previously closed in the 'normal' world.
This is the kind of game where inspecting everything is useful, facts, weapons and hints are sometimes where you don't expect them at first. The good thing is that they employ the Zelda tecnique where your character turns their head and looks at something when you pass it by if it's something of interest. This will help you a lot to not miss stuff in the game.
Before you begin the game, check the tips at the start menu because that will be your only tutorial, if you just go into the game without reading this it will not tell you anything about controls, fighting or inspecting stuff.
Although the game is made by a western developer, the music and ambience is left entirely in the hands of series' staple Akira Yamaoka. If you are familiar with the series, you know just how good of an atmosphere is created by the music and sound in Silent Hill games and this game is no exception.
The audio is definitely the best quality of the game, the music a mix of post industrial, trip hop and moody piano tunes. The sounds employed as part of the music are the most interesting thing about it all, you hear sounds constantly thumping and banging and grinding at times but it's actually part of the music, employing this really creates the immersive, creepy mood of the game. It would be hard to compare the sound of Silent Hill to any other game, even ones in the same genre, it's just a very distinct and brooding affair can transport you instantly from a relaxed, normal walk to a feeling of impending dread. Much more than the actual visuals, the audio change when you go to the other world is what sets the much bleaker feel.
The game also has one of the most interesting starts to any game recently, proving that sometimes you can do a lot more with subtlety than with lots of flash. You start on a dark, foggy road in the middle of nowhere and you walk for a couple of minutes with your flashlight with almost nothing going on except the music playing, and the track is an actual song (not just music) that's both moody but also quite relaxing. You don't know what to expect really, you just walk for some time, slowly on this road where you can't see much and you assume something really bad will happen really soon, but that's not what Silent Hill is like.
Will have more impressions as I go.
Thanks to Blacksaber for the sig!
