Silent H

Ever a cryptic series, this game begins with protagonist Alex Shepard waking up strapped to a hospital gurney, being wheeled through a dilapidated hospital, where patients are being tortured. It's a pretty grim opening, even for a Silent Hill title, but from the moment you gain control of Alex, the tension wears off.

Part of the problem is how clunky the controls are. Since the PSOne original, characters have always moved around slowly and combat has often been clumsy. However, as you fumble around the dark building, there are some genuine scares - a wheelchair comes crashing down a set of stairs, a door will mysteriously fly shut as you approach it. Some of these are pretty textbook, but others actually catch you off guard.

 

For the best part the attack and dodge system works, except the dodging and counter mechanic is difficult to pull off, with no clear indication of when you are about to be attacked. Firearm combat also uses a new over-the-shoulder system that works rather well. Kudos must go to the developer for making the game's combat slightly more dynamic than what has gone before.

The only problem is that Alex feels too powerful for enemies to put the frighteners on you after a few encounters. Some puzzles also require a bit of backtracking and fumbling about in the dark for a specific item. Some sections lack effective signposting, meaning you are unsure where to go next.

While not a bad game by a long shot, veterans will not help but feel they are treading over familiar ground, while newcomers may be put off by how clunky it all feels next to slicker action games out there. If you are a fan, this is definitely worth a playtest.