February 1, 2010 - Meet Harry Mason. He's crashed his car in the middle of a blizzard on the outskirts of a small town called Silent Hill. He's confused -- his memory is iffy, but he's painfully aware that his little girl is no longer in the vehicle. So with flashlight in hand, he braves the cold, the snow and inevitably the terror as he searches blindly for her. This is the setup for Shattered Memories, which is not a remake but a full-blown re-imagining of Konami's classic horror adventure game.
While devoted franchise fans will find some familiar gameplay elements, characters and story arcs, the Climax Studiossequel is simultaneously distinguished by some altogether new mechanics and concepts that represent bold and refreshing departures from the conventions that some purists hold dear. Backlash is therefore inevitable, but whether you choose to define the experience as Silent Hill-esque or not, it is undeniably well-executed, eerily atmospheric and at times downright chilling -- literally, as I'll explain.
Shattered Memories is an adventure game riddled with a host of disturbing themes, not least of which is the fact that the town is caught in the grip of a snow storm, most of its inhabitants are missing, and dreadful monsters periodically scream from icy formations. The nightmarish and disorienting storyline is surrounded by high production values, from detailed character models whose bodies and faces animate fluidly to strong voice acting and a moody as well as dynamic soundtrack by series composer Akira Yamaoka. The PlayStation 2 iteration of the game is identical to the Wii but with a new dual-analog control scheme and slightly inferior visuals.
Silent Hill proved to be a standout experience on Nintendo's console for two reasons: excellent pointer controls and a fantastic and moody flashlight tethered to the device. The PS2 iteration handles noticeably slower and more sluggishly when compared to the Wii remote -- not poorly, though. Indeed, Mason's flashlight is adequately aimed by the right analog stick. If you can afford to choose between the control schemes, however, go with Nintendo's system on this one; it seems a clear winner where speed and accuracy are concerned. Shattered Memories for PS2 very closely resembles its console counterpart. A robust particle system allows for heavy snowfall. The beam illuminates the icy intersections and darkened corridors Harry explores believably, even casting and projecting lifelike shadows on walls. Like in the Wii game, you will believe that Silent Hill is a real town as Harry makes his way through fully modeled bars and diners, bathrooms and bedrooms, hotels and malls, amusement parks and fishing docks, woods and underground passageways -- each location meticulously rendered with the little details like framed pictures, posters and papers.
The expansive world is completely streamed and you therefore won't encounter any exorbitant load times, which is a great feat. The minor drawback to this, however, is that you must deal with a quick but noticeable lag as Harry bursts through doorways during monster-intensive situations. The PlayStation 2 version drops some of the details present in the Wii build. For example, the beautiful ice effects are replaced by less natural and convincing ice, which lacks the transparency and refraction in the Wii version. The game also chugs more, especially when monsters give chase.
Shattered Memories effectively maintains an air of unease and the element of surprise. In one moment, Harry is trudging through heavy snow and in the next you discover yourself inexplicably seated in an armchair and interfacing with a psychologist, who asks all sorts of sordid questions about your morality and sexuality. From this point forward, Silent Hill profiles you. Every answer you give and every move you make in the game world is considered and the experience altered based on those replies and actions. And as you advance, the psychologist interrupts your adventure repeatedly with more questions and mental tests. It's an ambitious concept that affects some intriguing scenarios and also enhances replay value. Characters change and behave differently. Areas locked in one playthrough are opened up in the next. The world itself is modified. Even the gruesome monsters evolve based on your preferences.
Author By: Matt Casamassina
While devoted franchise fans will find some familiar gameplay elements, characters and story arcs, the Climax Studiossequel is simultaneously distinguished by some altogether new mechanics and concepts that represent bold and refreshing departures from the conventions that some purists hold dear. Backlash is therefore inevitable, but whether you choose to define the experience as Silent Hill-esque or not, it is undeniably well-executed, eerily atmospheric and at times downright chilling -- literally, as I'll explain.
Shattered Memories is an adventure game riddled with a host of disturbing themes, not least of which is the fact that the town is caught in the grip of a snow storm, most of its inhabitants are missing, and dreadful monsters periodically scream from icy formations. The nightmarish and disorienting storyline is surrounded by high production values, from detailed character models whose bodies and faces animate fluidly to strong voice acting and a moody as well as dynamic soundtrack by series composer Akira Yamaoka. The PlayStation 2 iteration of the game is identical to the Wii but with a new dual-analog control scheme and slightly inferior visuals.
Freeze, monster.
Hey, sailor.
Shattered Memories effectively maintains an air of unease and the element of surprise. In one moment, Harry is trudging through heavy snow and in the next you discover yourself inexplicably seated in an armchair and interfacing with a psychologist, who asks all sorts of sordid questions about your morality and sexuality. From this point forward, Silent Hill profiles you. Every answer you give and every move you make in the game world is considered and the experience altered based on those replies and actions. And as you advance, the psychologist interrupts your adventure repeatedly with more questions and mental tests. It's an ambitious concept that affects some intriguing scenarios and also enhances replay value. Characters change and behave differently. Areas locked in one playthrough are opened up in the next. The world itself is modified. Even the gruesome monsters evolve based on your preferences.
Author By: Matt Casamassina
