Silent Hill: Shattered Memories Review for PlayStation 2 (PS2)

System: Wii, PS2, PSP	Review Rating Legend
Dev: Climax Group	1.0 - 1.9 = Avoid	4.0 - 4.4 = Great
Pub: Konami	2.0 - 2.4 = Poor	4.5 - 4.9 = Must Buy
Release: Jan. 19, 2010	2.5 - 2.9 = Average	5.0 = The Best
Players: 1	3.0 - 3.4 = Fair
ESRB Rating: Mature	3.5 - 3.9 = Good

However, if we take out the sprint-heavy nightmares, there is actually quite a bit to explore in Silent Hill. While the game's world is far from open, each stage has a fair amount of things to explore, and the ambitious player can go around photographing ghosts, gathering echo recordings, and finding mementos littered around the landscape. While these collection quests are certainly interesting, it really is a shame that the nightmare portions of the game aren't as fun as the collection quests. Although you are supposed to be scared by the game psychologically profiling you, if the worst that happens is a picture on a wall changes, then the game isn't really living up to its potential.

Silent Hill: Shattered Memories screenshot

As far as control is concerned, this game is much better on the Wii. There are plenty of "puzzle" elements in the game where you can tell that motion control should be used, but instead the game gives you a cursor that you can place over certain elements and you can then use the alternate thumbstick to focus on something or the X button to interact. The puzzle elements are not exactly the strongest point in the game, and the tedious cursor controls just make them feel tacked on.

Even though the gameplay and plot are disappointing, one area of the game that is completely faithful to the original series is the audio. The music and sound effects in Silent Hill titles have a history of being top-notch, and this entry is no different. Music is eerie and foreboding and sound effects are subtle and menacing. The echo recordings are also masterfully done, and the voice over performances are wonderfully creepy.

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I really had high hopes for Silent Hill: Shattered Memories. The idea of a game that adapts to your psychological profile is certainly intriguing, but the problem with Silent Hill is that they just didn't push this feature far enough. Though the choices you make will influence the setting of the action in the game (and predictably, the ending as well), not enough was done to make the experience feel like it was customized to scare you. In fact, the only truly scary thing about the game is how terrible the nightmare sequences are. If you are a survival horror fan, prepare to be disappointed by Silent Hill: Shattered Memories.

By Amanda L. Kondolojy
CCC Staff Contributor

RATING OUT OF 5

RATING DESCRIPTION

3.0

Graphics
Looks blurry, even for a last-gen port, and shadow flickering can become a problem in the game's dark landscape.

3.2

Control
They work for the most part, as you'll mostly just be holding L2 and the control stick for running. Still, puzzle elements with the on-screen cursor feel clunky.

4.3

Music / Sound FX / Voice Acting
Music is pitch perfect, and vocal performances sound convincing.

3.5

Play Value
The collection quests and bonus UFO ending make this one you'll have to play through several times to get the full experience; ss long as you don't mind lots of running.

3.4

Overall Rating - Fair
Not an average. See Rating legend above for a final score breakdown.

Game Features:

Silent Hill: Shattered Memories begins much like the beloved original. The game opens to the scene following a car accident where the central character, Harry Mason, wakes to find his daughter Cheryl missing.

Harry sets out into the snowy streets of the haunted town of Silent Hill to find her, and that's where his living nightmare begins as he not only discovers the truth about his daughter, but also about himself.

The PlayStation 2 and PSP versions include an all-new user interface featuring a cell phone which acts as a storytelling device, map and camera as well as an all-new psych profiling system that plays upon the player's innermost fears.

The game constantly watches the player's every move and adapts to their actions, offering a customized intense horror experience each time.

Featuring an all-new soundtrack by series composer Akira Yamaoka, a streaming engine that eliminates load times, and intuitive exploration controls that immerse players in Silent Hill like never before, Silent Hill: Shattered Memories offers the most terrifying survival horror game to date!