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Great Value In Terror

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: November 06, 2003
Author: Amazon User

The Silent Hill series has always stood toe-to-toe with the Resident Evil series. Both do a good job of entertaining players with realistic environments, monstrous adversaries and compelling storylines. But Silent Hill takes the creepiness factor to a much higher level. Unless you're an incredibly desensitized individual Silent Hill 3 will certainly freak you out.

SH3's storyline has strong ties to the first game; a fact which should thrill fans of the series. The plot starts out a little sparse but fleshes out toward the end. Compared to Silent Hill 2's story SH3's is easily understood. But remember, this is the world of Silent Hill...expect to devote some brain power to comprehend everything.

Sound effects and ambiance are where the Silent Hill series shine and this installment is the best yet. The audio does exactly what it needs to do with eerie effectiveness. You'll hear things in the distance, unearthly noises will appear unexpectedly, and the sound of inhuman creatures (whether they're killing or being killed) is...gruesome.

The only thing I would have preferred, and this might sound strange, is more horror. With all the sights and sounds encountered throughout SH3 there are precious few occurrences where something actually appears to justify the tension! I think the developers missed a lot of opportunities to maximize the game's potential and really frighten the wits out of players. The first two Silent Hills had the same problem so I doubt Konami will improve this factor in future installments. Oh well, I suppose perfection is too much to ask for.

There are many reasons to play through Silent Hill 3 multiple times, such as unlocking more selectable options, equipping alternate outfits for the main character Heather, using fantastic new weapons, and viewing different endings.

The game's entire soundtrack is included on a nifty bonus CD totally free! Some of the music on the disk is really good, adding value to an already worthwhile package.

SECOND TO NONE!!!!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: December 31, 2003
Author: Amazon User

I can't really enphasize how good the graphics in this game are...absolutely beautiful...that's the first thing you'll notice when you begin playing in that creepy amusement park, it gives you a feeling of coldness and you feel actually scared. Hats off to Konami for giving us the option to turn the noise effect on and off, this lets us see more of the WELL DONE details throughout the whole game when off, but if you want to feel like you're IN a horror movie (BLAIR WITCH PROJECT for example) then turn it on. I turn it off and on depending on the scenery I am at the moment...Now, don't get frustrated at the begining with the controls, you'll get used to them...trust me. I've only played this game for a couple of days and I am already in love with it, it's that good..in fact this game was the reason I got me a PS2 , too bad it's not out for XBOX, I believe the graphics would look even better (if that's possible). I was sick of the same old games where you're this hero and all you have to do is walk or run shooting and blowing things up...this is a game where you are this REGULAR person who has to figure things out, some may feel that this girl should be more skilled at fighting monsters back but that's exactly the point of this game you are a REGULAR peron...a lifelike game. MOMS: Definitely not for children (unless you're willing to wake up in the middle of the night to calm them down because of a nightmare). Instead this game is for individuals who like to think and figure stuff out and of course kick some monster's butt from time to time. So do not hesitate to buy, rent, steal or borrow this game, you won't be dissapointed....Turn the lights off, shut the door, crank up those speakers and play, play, play till your fingers are numb (quote by Roger Waters taken from "what do you want from me?").

great game, but...

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: September 05, 2004
Author: Amazon User

Hello, I would like to say that I am a huge Silent Hill fan. I reserved a copy of this game and was the first to the store to pick it up. Later that same day, I beat this game. I think it took me around 6 to 7 hours to beat it. Not long, but around the same time as the second game. Now, if I'm gonna spend 50 bucks on a title, I think I should get 50 bucks worth of gameplay.

And you know what, that's exactly what I got.

This game is great, even though it may be a bit short. What it lacks in quantity, it makes up for in quality. The graphics are amazing (i'm glad people are finally noticing) and the characters are some of the most realistic looking ever seen by the gaming eye. But the storyline, again, comes out on top.

The story is the real meat and potatoes of any Silent Hill game. It is the driving force behind anything good. Because it certainly isn't the atmosphere that keeps people going around that dark corner or walking blindly into the next room. Mainly because the atmosphere in any Silent Hill game attempts to make you wet your pants and stare at your character on the screen, hoping they'll make their way through the nightmare hospital on their own while you just watch, so you don't have to control them. I'm not saying the control is bad, it's just I found myself stuck in the middle of a dark hallway, not wanting to move in either direction because of the noises coming from both sides.

Now this didn't happen so much in Silent Hill 3 as it did in 2. In 2, I was scared to death to do anything in the dark. But in 3, I felt a little more confident about my actions. And I think I know why. Now, after I played and beat 3 and unlocked all of the cool extra stuff, I immediately sat down with the two games and compared the heck out of them. And I've come to the conclusion, that as wierd as Heather (the heroin of the third game) may seem, she is nothing compared to the craziness of James (the hero of the second game). And my main proof is this.

When you find a deep dark hole, or some nasty crap that looks like it may need investigating, James has no problems. He just jumps right on in the hole, not even checking to see how deep it is. And when he finds a hole in the wall with a strange noise coming from it, he just sticks his arm right in there. Now Heather on the other hand, as much as I love her, is kind of a wuss. She doesn't want to jump down the dark hole unless there's a ladder involved, which is smart, but that means you'll be walking around alot of area to get to the other side. Now I know they couldn't have the two character match personality wise, but I kind of miss the psychotic side of James. And in no way am I demeritting this game, which is excellent and totally different from any of the other games in the series, for not being as crazy as the second game. In fact it's a little bit more crazy at the end, but I don't want to ruin anything so...

Anyway, if you love to be scared crapless, go out and purchase this game, which is now in the 20 dollar price range. So sit back, be scared, and enjoy the new entry to a wonderfully sick series.

Graphics-5
Sound-5
Control-4.5
Overall-5

Thank God For Little Heather

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: November 27, 2005
Author: Amazon User

I want to apologize in advance to Konami. I am so sorry I spent such a long time ignoring the Silent Hill series in favor of the Resident Evil series. While Silent Hill was fast paced, though somewhat lacking on stunning visual effects, the intriguing Another World had me gripped. Silent Hill II told a beautiful, if gloomy, tale of forgiveness and redemption. Silent Hill III is a shocking and mesmerizing synthesis of the past two styles, involving characters that grew from the wake of Silent Hill.

Graphics: Stunning and attractive; however, there are scenes with poor character lip articulation and sync. One note, the lighting is much better than the previous two; also, visually, you sense that you are walking into the darkness or into the fog, rather than toward it. This pulls you into the action. A final note: This game's scenes are far more disturbing than anything else I've witnessed in video game history, and the tension it creates is much higher. I advise those of you who are easily perturbed by gore to STAY AWAY, and this goes for even some of you who are not as easily shaken. For those of you sick nuts out there as delusional as your humble reviewer, dig in.

Sound: Oh, baby! CREEPY. Again, a great mix of Silent Hill I & II themes, and enough mutts howling and growling to shake you to your core. Bravo.

Gameplay: Awesome battles, lots of unique items to use and unlock; very fun to beat up monsters and run around as the lovely Heather. There are some difficult puzzles, namely because I didn't want to spend a long time searching for the VISE, the ROPE, and a few other hard to find items, so if you're lazy or feel you have better things to do like me, start searching for a strategy guide online.

Story and direction: All right, here I have good and bad news. I like the religious sort of cult idea, although admit it's a little worn, but I have to say this game far exceeds even the highly touted Xenosaga game by Namco. Sorry to pit the two against each other, but I cannot recount how many times I have heard Xenosaga praised, basically because it was no more an RPG and kept you playing for hours and hours of wasted time, fighting the same monsters over and over...anyway. This story is much better. The only real problem is the script is mediocre at times, and quite often terrible. I BEG KONAMI AND NAMCO TO WORK OUT THEIR SCRIPT/PLOT ISSUES. THIS IS MY OFFICIAL PETITION. THANK YOU. Again...the lip articulation is forced, awkward, and the characters blurt out bland, overused dialogue that does nothing to propel either character or plot a good amount of time. As their body communication is either weak or exaggerated, there seems little room for the sense of realism to take hold. I pray that Silent Hill IV has addressed these issues, and that it will disturb my dreams even more than this one has.

High Calibre, But Nothing New

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 12 / 27
Date: June 18, 2003
Author: Amazon User

When I finished playing Silent Hill 2, I was disappointed that it hadn't made any great developments over the original game, and was hoping for new things with part 3, but I'm sorry to say that the same applies with this new instalment.
Silent Hill 3 is a great looking game. It outclasses so many other current PS2 titles on the merits of it's graphics alone, that its hard to be critical of it, but I am! I can't understand why, yet again, the producers haven't managed to come up with any standout new locations. The shopping mall, office block and subway station are new, but all three are ugly and drab looking (and not in a scary way!). Plus we have repeats of the sewers and amusement park (SH1) and the north section of the town including the club and the whole of the hospital from SH2. Getting Heather to explore the very same locations as James did in the previous game seemed pointless and boring to me.
Plus, the other characters in the story make practically no impact on the gameplay at all, they just seem to crop up for a spot of conversation. And there seem to be far fewer ending options than previously seen, so there is not a lot of replay value here.
OK, thats all pretty harsh, so lets get to the positives. The monsters are, once again, pretty repulsive, and can be quite challenging to fight. And although its not really new, the amusement park is a great section of the game (check out the Haunted Mansion!) and it ends with a very challenging boss fight-full marks for that. Heather is a good character, and well voice-acted. Her reactions to the unfolding plot around her make up some of the games strongest aspects. Interestingly, the plot is actually written as the "real" sequel to the first game, which gives some continuity, but even though the events of the second are completely ignored, the locations are lifted directly from it-Huh?
But really, the first game did it all so much better, I lost count of the times I jumped or felt the chills run down my spine while playing it, something that seldom happens here.
If you fancy a polished and bloody horror game to while away a few hours, you will certainly get it here, but its only a retread of the original. For real scares, I would go for "Fatal Frame".

Welcome Home

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: August 20, 2003
Author: Amazon User

Heather, your average 17-year-old American teen girl, leads a fairly normal life. She's a tad rebellious and has an independent streak, but at heart she's a brave but kind soul. Nothing spectacular has ever really happened to her, and the only really remarkable thing about her -- besides the expensive (but impressive) dye-job haircut -- is the nightmares she's prone to having. This may stem from her vague past, but for quite some time she's managed to ignore the implications a smoky history and an oddly concerned father bring to bear. Of course, it's only a matter of time before your past catches up to you...

So starts the third installment of Konami's groundbreaking horror series, Silent Hill. It's both a departure and a return for the series, in that it ties in very closely to the first game in the series both for fear factor and plot, but eschews that game's penchant for wildly incoherent narrative in favor of the more straightforward storytelling of the second game.

Translation: Not as weird as part one, but scarier than part two.

And, after playing through all three installments all over again, I can only say that the series continues to outdo itself. Silent Hill 3 is arguably the best in an excellent line, and any fans who felt a little burned by the thoughtful but slower pace of Silent Hill 2 should be jumping for joy; part 3 actually surpasses the original for raw fear factor.

In addition, it tightens and clarifies what was built upon in part 1, and acts as far more of a true "sequel" than Silent Hill 2. Along with this comes one caveat, however: To get the most out of Silent Hill 3, it's absolutely critical that you've played (and finished) the first game. Silent Hill 1 is the groundwork for Silent Hill 3, and if you try to tackle part 3 without part 1, several scenes will leave you scratching your head.

On the other hand, vets of the first game will be in fan heaven (or hell, I guess) as not only are the events from the first game directly addressed and concluded, but there are numerous clarifications, expansions, and further explanations on some of the more shady and surreal aspects from Silent Hill 1. Ever wonder why the cult from Silent Hill 1 had odd Christian overtones (the church, the "bible") but obviously had nothing to do with real Christianity? How about the real purpose of the purple goop found from the first game? Just what did "White Claudia" really mean, and what was up with the ending, anyway? All these and a few more questions are finally answered, and coherently at that.

As for the more technical aspects of the game, it's obvious Konami put tons of effort into this title, and it shows. Graphics are, hands down, the best on the PS2 so far. These are comparable to some of the best Xbox graphics, and the Konami development team has pushed the PS2 into doing things you would have sworn were impossible. Lighting is fantastic, detail is immaculate, and the framerate is a rock-solid 60 fps. The sound, as well, is tip-top, with the series' trademark guitar track theme song mixed with some truly hellish ambience and sound effects. In a game where atmosphere is everything, Konami nailed it. Again.

Now we get to the real question: Is it scary?

Short answer. YES. Very.

Most importantly, the "dark world" from Silent Hill 1 makes a much (un)welcome return. We only caught glimpses of this macabre hell in Silent Hill 2, but with the third game, the plane of terror makes it's next-gen debut in stomach churning style, and it's every bit as god-awful as you could have hoped for. Walls bleed. Screaming abounds. Grotesque monsters stalk you. The very atmosphere kills, sometimes literally (be careful of the bloody mirror in the hospital, kids. It's mesmerizing to watch, but for God's sake, RUN!). In short, it's perfect.

Tack onto this a boat-load of extras (including, happily, the requisite "joke ending" for those tenacious enough to play through the game a few times) and you've got a keeper. Fans will have this DVD spinning in the PS2 for quite some time, and they'll love every sick minute of it.

There's one important thing to note with this game. I said it in my Silent Hill 2 review, and I'll say it here; the game is only as scary as you allow it to be. For the full effect, play this game ALONE, with the lights OUT and the sound up very LOUD. If you're actually unwilling to go into the next room for fear of whatever awaits there, then the settings are right where they should be and you're enjoying the game the way it's meant to be experienced. Needless to say, this isn't for the faint of heart (or stomach.) The game is both viscerally and psychologically disturbing, and is absolutely not for everyone.

It's been argued in more than one review that, while the game is certainly compelling, it can't really be described as "fun" because it's such a task to even force yourself to proceed. I guess this can apply to certain people, but by this point Silent Hill should be a name common enough that anyone who buys the product has a good idea of what they're in for. If you've never heard of the game but want to see what it's all about, I'd suggest picking up Silent Hill 1 first. If you make it through that game and liked it, then Silent Hill 3 is right up your alley and then some, with Silent Hill 2 in between to give you a fresh, deeper perspective on the genre.

For fans, however, this is it, folks. We can't ask for much better.

Not perfect--but great nevertheless

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: September 29, 2003
Author: Amazon User

The high points unique to this game are the twisted religious storyline, the fabulous graphics, and the very creepy Claudia character. I also liked the end boss.

Although good enough to merit five stars, there are a few features that need improvement. First, controlling the camera can drive you absolutely crazy as it spins around into the most inconvenient locations. It has the annoying habit of facing toward your character, which is very unhelpful when fighting the horrific things found in the game. Second, the game needs more ambient sound. Silent Hill 2 was filled with gut-twisting ambient sounds--whether they be a low hum, a constant whine, or random clanks in the background. Silent Hill 3 is too often silent, which simply makes it less scary than the second game. Third, the levity of some of your character's comments during the game make the game less scary. It is hard to take the horror so seriously when your character muses about things around her as if she really isn't all that scared.

The game is well worth the money, however, because the plot is ingenious and just unfinished enough for you to fill in the details the way you like. Konami has created nothing less than a horror empire with the Silent Hill titles. They now set the standard in this genre.

For real horror enthusiasts I would also recommend the Electronic Arts game "Clive Barker's Undying."

Silent Hill 3 rocks my socks.

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: December 15, 2003
Author: Amazon User

Hey! Here comes a review from a berserk, deranged, 14-year old girl.

I'd just like to say that Silent Hill 3 is one of the best things that's ever happened to me. It's disturbing, gory scenery and creatures lured me in after only a few minutes of game-play. This game is my addiction; and so is the main character. Not a lot of players love Heather as much as I do. You have to get used to her. She might even start to annoy you after her first few lines in the game. But you've got to envy her courage. You might even build up a lot of courage playing this yourself. I know I did- yet it may leave a lot of players paranoid, so you've got to make sure you can handle this kind of stuff. It's not rated Mature for nothing... This is your warning.

Religion plays a big part in this also. Heather must fight off the demonic creatures and solve what had happened in the past. The only way to stop the rebirth of the suffering world into Paradise...is to kill the one who will bring it...God. I know this fact is kind of sad. My mom had me stop playing when she found out about this.

I hope this helped a little bit. I've never really reviewed any other games before. I just wanted to put a few precautions out there before people play this game.

They're Back

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: July 13, 2004
Author: Amazon User

First off, let me warn you that reading some of these reviews gave away the ending (::glare::), so I would be careful which you read if you haven't finished the game.

I'll keep this short and simple. You can get the detailed description from another review below, I'm sure. In short, we return to Silent Hill with a character named Heather, a 17 year old girl who flashes between the hellish nightmare of a world and the "normal" Silent Hill. The monsters are back, and for me, more terrifying than ever.

There are slow monsters you will want to outrun, and fast monsters you will have to stay and fight. Something I love about this game is it's ability to lower the action or riddle setting. I have my action setting on easy because I'm not so good with a gun =), but I have my puzzles on hard so it can still be fun for me. It's made to be adjustable to fit every person.

I bought the second Silent Hill 2 when I bought my PS2, and I didn't enjoy it at all. But once I started playing this one, I really got into it, and thus got into the second one. I haven't played the first yet, since it's difficult to find (I plan on buying it on ebay), but from what I've read the first is the best. This is not to say that this game doesn't stand on it's own and is enjoyable in it's own ways.

Heather has many dark secrets, and some of them may surprise you. If you're a fan of the series, defiantly buy this game. If you've never played a Silent Hill game- rent it first. I warn you that it can be very, very scary and gruesome. I don't normally enjoy gory games/movies, but this one had thrills of it's own, playing with music and lighting.

Overall, I highly reccomend this game. It is not only fun to play, but enjoyable to watch. You will dread the next corner, but will be too intrigued to turn back. Welcome back to Silent Hill...

Finally a tie in and conclusion to part 1

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: March 17, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Rating--90 out of 100--

Silent Hill has always been a series that tests your ability to handle the psychotic situautions and encounters that it throws at you, as you try to maintain your sanity, while fighting or running from hordes of hellish creatures. This, the third entry into the series, is probably the weakest of the four Silent Hills, but it still trounces over many games in the survival-horror category, as it ties into the original Silent Hill, and closes the book on some of the things that were left hanging at the end of that chapter in the history of Silent Hill. Although the game does not stray much from the original formula or camera angles (that would be left up to part 4) the game still earns high honors for its multilayered and philosophical story of rebirth, although it is not as powerful or as gripping a story as Silent Hill 2, which in my opinion is the best of the series.
As in all the other Silent Hill's, you are thrown into a bizarre world that turns upside down, immediately upon your arrival into the amusement park at the outset of the game. Upon traveling through this area you are greeted by monsters that look like they have giant phallus' for arms, legs, and a head, and it is here where if you were unfamiliar with Silent Hill 2 and its underlying themes of sexuality, that you might be a little surprised. See, SH has always had multifaceted themes to the monsters and characters of the game, as just listening to a characters voice, manner of speaking or their reaction to you has some sort of meaning to it, and is not merely just conversation, for conversations sake. As the lead character Heather comes to soon realize, not everything is as it seems to be, as her world and reality are torn apart at the seams and the psychological effects start taking deep root into her continuing drive to find out the truth about her birth.
It is hard to delve too deeply into the mythos and story of Silent Hill without giving away too much of the plot, as truly the game may be a survival horror game, but it is more about elaborate pacing of the psychological elements that can drive a person to madness; as the town is there for the sole purpose of drawing people back to it so that they can redeem themselves of their past mistakes, as each character involved in the storylines of Silent Hill, are all actually here for a reason, they are not just merely pawns that serve no purpose, whatsoever. By analyzing these characters and what they say to you, Silent Hill is more like a good mystery novel that keeps you guessing until the very end.
The gameplay is almost an exact duplicate of Silent Hill 2, with only slightly changed options, but nothing very drastic. The sound is top notch as well, although it is not up to par with the previous two installments, as it seems to focus more on songs with singing than the other games. Not that this is a bad thing but I personally miss the grating and industrial structure of the original two titles, as the vocal tracks were only used at the end or beginning credits to finish up the game. Graphics are slightly better than part 2, as the monsters are more massive and overpowering, as the emphasis in this game is more faster paced, and you will find yourself picking up automatic weapons that have never been included in a Silent Hill game until now.
Overall the game is a slight step back from part 2, but it still earns points in my book for tying up the loose ends of part 1, and maintaining and evolving the feel of all the Silent Hills. The game is a bit short compared to the other games as I recall that I beat this game in around seven hours the first time through it, but as with all the Silent Hills, the game rewards you for multiple playthroughs, offering 3 different endings (there might be one more in this one I'm not 100% sure). Definitely worth your money, especially at its current price, and worth getting if only for the fact of the progression of the series, and the wrapping up of a chapter in the dark and subliminal world of Silent Hill.

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