Silent Hill: Downpour is out today – and if you haven’t already picked up your copy and are teetering on the edge of making a decision, here’s everything you can expect from the game.
The town of Silent Hill
Silent Hill has a bit of history attached to it – and every game seems to explore a different aspect of that.
The original game showed that the town was home to a cult called “The Order” (aren’t they always called that) which used drugs to enslave and control the minds of the townspeople. The Order’s main objective was to bring back their god, Samael.
Deeper into the town’s history, before the colonization of America, the Native Americans called the Toluca Lake area “The Place of Silent Spirits”, and considered it a holy place tied to mysterious powers.
Post-colonization, settlements in the area were wiped out by an epidemic, until a penal colony settled in the ‘ghost’ town area and named the settlement Silent Hill.
The town also has a history of witch-burning and general craziness.
It was through the Order’s dark sacrifices – which were combinations of the Native American and occult theology – that awakened the ‘darkness’ of the town, which seems to draw in people who hold dark secrets, or darkness in their hearts.
Meet Murphy Pendleton
Murphy Pendleton is the protagonist of Silent Hill: Downpour – and like every other protagonist in the series, he has something to hide.
Murphy enters into Silent Hill as a prisoner from Ryall State Corrections Facility, where he’s serving a sentence for car theft, resisting arrest and evading police.
Not much is known about Murphy or his past, but all will be revealed within Silent Hill. After Murphy’s prison transport bus crashes, he makes his escape, trying to avoid being arrested at the scene.
Unfortunately for him, he runs into Silent Hill – and the town won’t let him go until he’s faced his inner demons.
When it rains, it pours
A key focus in Downpour is obviously the rain.
The game features an active weather and time system, changing winds on the fly and going from day to night as you play.
The biggest player in the meteorological happenings, however, is the rain. Rainfall indicates danger and, much like the radio static series fans are accustomed to, the closer you are to danger, the heavier it starts to rain.
When enemies make their presence known, you can either run away and hide – or stand your ground and fight.
Fight or flight
Downpour has a new combat system – which takes a more realistic approach to tools of destruction.
While Silent Hill: Homecoming allowed you to carry an arsenal around with you – Downpour limits you to one firearm, and one melee weapon, which deteriorate with use and eventually break.
The more you kill, the bloodier you get in appearance – and if the monsters get an upper-hand, Murphy’s stance, stagger and general look of pain indicates how close you are to death.
Aside from the hitty-smashy bits, Downpour also features series favourites like puzzles and seemingly aimless exploration – all draw you in to the creepy world of Silent Hill.
It’s a wide world
Silent Hill Downpour places a great deal of focus in the natural world of the town – taking place in a lot of natural areas and locations surrounding the town.
This is in contrast to the previous games’ town-focused locations – such as streets, hospitals and theme parks. Instead, Murphey will be wandering through forests and more flora-rich areas.
Don’t fret though, because the town does feature – and it’s huge. It might take you up to 8 hours to fully explore the map.
Also, the hellish ‘otherworld’ makes its appearance, so expect the all-too familiar claustraphobic darkness to creep in ever closer.
The game also takes a more open-world approach, presenting you with optional side-quests to take, as well as a degree of choice. You’ll be able to make decisions – some big and some small – throughout the game.
These decisions will have an effect on the final outcome, and influence which of the multiple endings you’ll get.
Features
- Single-player campaign featuring survival horror goodness, puzzles (with difficulty options) and combat;
- Having limited, detructable weapons is sure to make things a little tense;
- Expect water to play a big role throughout the game;
- Huge map to explore – featuring all of Silent Hill;
- Active weather and time system, changing the environment as you play;
- Decision that impact the outcome of the story.
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