Video Game Review: Silent Hill 3

This is the second Silent Hill game I've played, and it could be my last.  The reason being that both SH2 and 3 represent the scariest and most unnerving games I've played; they are fear incarnate.  Both games represent the most effective and sublime combination of atmosphere, sound design, music, tone, and storytelling.  They have a way of getting under the skin, driving you mad psychologically as you're forced to maneuver through darkness and deep into the most oppressive environments possible.  The threat of unnatural monsters and violent cultists is palpable off the screen.  I found it hard to progress through these, because I became afraid of having to venture into the darkness and face whatever creatures and challenges the game throws out.  It is a harrowing experience, and for a horror game, it is perfectly effective.  Maybe even too effective.

To be fair, if you do manage to take those first few steps into the darkness, the game can be engaging.  Monster fighting is never the big emphasis here; it may actually be better to avoid them whenever possible.  If you do have to face them, you can pick up a few useful weapons - a handgun, shotgun, machine gun, knife, pole, sword, stun gun - but combat mechanics are rather clunky and rough.  Some great weapons can be unlocked after beating the game (such as the unlimited machine gun or the beam saber, which could make the New Game + a little more bearable).  What matters the most though is the experience, so the emphasis is in traversing the environments, solving puzzles, and making your way to the town of Silent Hill for the finale.  The whole time, you pass through some incredibly oppressive environments, which really make you feel like you are there, experiencing the same terror that Heather experiences.  In the end, it's horror survival at its finest and most visceral.

This game directly follows the first game (and if you're like me and never played it, the dialogue towards the end recaps things pretty well so you can understand what's going on well enough).  The plot gets pretty twisty, especially considering that some of the characters (including your character, Heather) are not who they seem.  After some gut-wrenching turns, the plot inevitably reaches its conclusion with the threat of a "god" being reborn (followed by a major boss fight, which is not as hard as it sounds).  In the end, the game shows good attention to the characters, and the plot is pretty decent.  Combined with the horror elements and style, the game stands out above most other games as a decent storytelling experience.

The game sports okay graphics; it would have been pretty impressive for the PS2 age, but upscaled in HD the game shows its limitations (especially during cut scenes).  However, it does hold up pretty well; textures are really gritty, the resolution is sharp, and most character effects are alright.  Gameplay is simple, using just a few buttons and no display options.  Movements tend to be rather clunky and slow, but for a horror game, that's probably intentional.  Designs for all the settings, monsters, props, costumes, and everything else are great.  Sound design is incredibly creepy and effective.  Akira Yamaoka's music score is really fantastic.

If you're a fan of survival horror, this game (and probably the last couple as well) are must-plays.  Do be warned though:  it is a seriously nightmarish experience that will take a lot of constitution.

4.5/5 (Experience:  Extreme | Story:  Good | Game:  Good)