Author Topic: 52 Games Challenge 2022  (Read 43752 times)

dhaabi

Re: 52 Games Challenge 2022
« Reply #345 on: December 12, 2022, 06:24:52 pm »
14. Eastward || Nintendo Switch || 11.29.22

I don't remember when or how I initially came across Eastward, but once I saw that a physical copy was releasing, I knew that it was a game I'd like to add to my collection and play soon after. Unfortunately, my time playing was one of the rare instances of taking an extended break throughout my playthrough, while only finishing the game many months later after starting. Nevertheless, I finished the story and was glad to have experienced.

Throughout the story, players take control of both the silent protagonist John and his adoptive daughter Sam. While John has his rare moments of emotion, Sam is one of the best characters I've encountered in some time. As a young child, Sam was written so well as the sense of a lighthearted character full of charisma and energy while radiating wonder and a childlike innocence is achieved so perfectly. With a plot focusing on Sam's origin, what purpose she serves, and how the world's events came to be, Eastward introduces a compelling narrative that is elevated by its characters. There are deeper truths to be explored, but some of the simpler--and more crucial--objectives are overcome while traveling east to overcome the threat of miasma which is rapidly destroying the world. Throughout this journey, the father-daughter dynamic is conveyed extremely well.

While Sam shines as a character, the collective cast of characters are so full of personality. Along these lines, the character design itself excels, and it reminds me of Love-de-Lic and its branching studios. The subtle animations bring just enough life to the cast which is only deepened by their robust dialogue as characters are written full of personality that allows for the world to truly embody livelihood. Even NPCs who simply exist to flesh out the world are given a lot of characterized dialogue for the player to interact with that, while generally unimportant to the main plot, are fun to experience. One set of characters--if you argue that they are characters at all--are refrigerators which serve as save points. While exploring, refrigerators will recount some philosophical thought often regarding the complexities of memory. Visiting these spots for the first time was something I always enjoyed.

Upon beginning Eastward, players are welcomed to a world that desires attention given how detailed and characteristic each screen looks. In a post-apocalyptic setting, it is obvious that the survivors make due with what remnants they could salvage no matter how broken, non-functioning, or obsolete they may be. Buildings are carved out from the cliffside, while architecture begins to crumble to pieces. All around, remnants of the old world pervade as old advertising billboards and engines litter the environment, while decayed wood, rusted metal, and broken train cars create makeshift homes. While the story moves forward from the immediate area, this sense of living continues throughout each new locale visited. Technology is outdated by modern standards, and the sense that people utilize tools from the past becomes clear, as well as simply repurposing items to fulfill other basic means such as a wooden crate serving as a chair. A chief example of this principle if John's default and go-to weapon--his frying pan. Not only is this item his weapon of choice, but it doubles as his actual tool for cooking.

Continuing with this idea, the each and every locale throughout Eastward is so full of life even despite how the world surrounding is so devoid of it. However, when I say this, it is not in the sense of liveliness. While that is certainly contradictory, what I mean is that each area seems so inhabited by a human presence. Buildings are full of junk, but the items give a sense of individuality and feel purposeful. Dripping faucets. TV monitors displaying nothing but the sound of static. Wilted houseplants. There is such a sense of brokenness that people simply ignore and live with.

As a whole, the plot is enjoyable. While playing, I could understand the general story well, although some of the finer details, such as characters' motives or backstories, sometimes alluded me. More or less, I enjoyed the game for its general atmosphere and ambiance conveyed through environment and cast moreso than reaching a full understanding of the narrative. I am not trying to discredit the narrative as it does maintain player interest overall, but I found myself more personally invested in the world at large than the problems at hand.

In regards to gameplay, Eastward is often likened by fans to EarthBound and other quirky RPGs. While the developers Chucklefish are also on record stating the former is a strong inspiration for for their project, it is only in regards to themes and general atmosphere which I believe is apparent. Aside from these similarities, though, Eastward is comprised of top-down action-adventure gameplay accompanied by environmental puzzle-solving that routinely consists of performing actions with each character as they're separated from another. While playing, players have free control to switch between playing as either John or Sam to defeat enemies. Often, both characters are needed to easily overcome such encounters, so the balance between utilizing both characters is well achieved, as John's role focuses on brute strength whereas Sam's role serves as support. While John slowly accrues has a small collection of weapon choices while Sam develops a few unique abilities, these elements can be upgraded, although this is the extent of RPG mechanics. I largely relied on John's frying pan for general combat. But, with that said, both John's weapons and some of Sam's abilities are required for proper exploration, which I found to be a great choice for incorporating new mechanics to the gameplay, no matter the player's preferred style of combat.

Generally, I found the game to not be difficult. As long as a full inventory is maintained of consumables, players should be able to overcome each dungeon boss segments. In the event that players do perish, the game is forgiving with its auto-saving. Unfortunately, though, the only major fault I have on this topic is the game's pattern of crashing. Over the course of playing, my game crashed roughly 10 times which mainly occurred when moving to a new map screen. So, while the game offers an approachable amount of difficulty, bugs are the player's biggest concern.

Finally, I think that many will agree that Eastward's visual style is commendable. Alongside the non-gameplay element, the game's music is also an aspect I highly praise. The music greatly reflects each area while exploring, in addition to high-tension moments comprised of action.

Overall, Eastward's detailed environment and lively characters are the game's strongest attributes and are the elements which I enjoyed the most. Other aspects are also certainly achieved to a fine degree, as they complement an already interest project. Should Chucklefish pursue a similar project, I'm sure my interest would be caught.

dhaabi

Re: 52 Games Challenge 2022
« Reply #346 on: December 16, 2022, 07:22:37 pm »
15. Silent Hill 2 || PlayStation 2 || 12.11.22

Before playing Silent Hill, I had already decided that I was strongly wanting to finally play through as many of the series entries as I could relatively soon. So, not long after finishing the first entry, I began Silent Hill 2.

While Silent Hill offered a loose plot without many details, Silent Hill 2 instead thrives on being a story-driven game. Unlike its predecessor, Silent Hill 2 provides a much more fleshed out narrative full of details and story segments, with the need for players to think critically about the game's symbolism and psychological happenings present. Similar to Silent Hill, the sequel focuses on a man drawn to the town of Silent Hill, although this time in search of his life wife Mary as players assume the role of James Sunderland. Shortly after arriving, James encounters an unknown woman Maria who James describes as someone who could be Mary's twin.

Even for first-time players, it is obvious from James' comments that there is some connection between the mysterious Maria and Mary. When introduced to Maria, James encounters her at the park which he believes Mary is waiting for him, even. However, who Maria actually is and the connections and parallels between her and Mary are unknown at this time, which is only exasperated by the fact that little is known about Mary at this part of the story.

Throughout James' search, it becomes apparent that Silent Hill 2 focuses on the consequences of one's actions and the aftermath of loss which, for James, devolves into grief, self-blame, and delusion. That being said, James is not the only person visiting Silent Hill. Throughout his search, James meets Angela and Eddie who are on their own individual journeys as they've been drawn to town. Like James, these characters are written with major baggage which has resulted in their own psychological issues as they come face to face with their own realities as their personal traumas are forced to be confronted.

After learning about the events of James and his late wife Mary, I couldn't view James as a likable character despite any in-game actions or motives possibly redeeming his actions prior to the game's events; however, I'm not sure if players are intended to finish the game with James being held in high regards. I do not wish to disclose the specifics regarding the relationship he and Mary shared or the time spent together during her terminal illness over her last few years alive, but it is clear to me that James is called to Silent Hill for his past actions, whether he's led to believe so or not. Throughout the game, nearly every character at some point criticizes James for his role as a a husband while Mary suffered through sickness, and James often responds in opposition.

While I'm generally not one to search extensively for deeper meanings on my own, I do regularly pursue the efforts of others, with Silent Hill 2 being no exception. With a game full of symbolism and events which rely on player interpretation, the sheer amount of detail and interconnectivity of James' imaginings of Silent Hill and its otherworld that the powers of the town force him to tackle in full force are something to applaud. Although, I will admit that the contextualization of the series established thus far were nerfed slightly, although the changes introduced are for the better and allow for the series to evolve in new ways. With that said, I did view all of the game's endings including the later-added Born From a Wish gameplay segment which has players assume the rule of Maria. In short, I appreciated the new perspective and character depth Maria is given, as the details provide even more questions to ponder over.

From a gameplay standpoint, I felt as if this element is lessened to an extent. Normal enemy encounters were simple to overcome, as there are no real strategies to form or weaknesses to exploit, with boss fights particular in mind. Unlike with the first game, I found myself able to rely on melee combat much more, with only certain situations and boss segments needing to utilize ranged attacks. Overall, there seem to be a lot more ammo to collect. Nevertheless, I realized while collecting my thoughts after finishing that, with Silent Hill 2, at the very least, Silent Hill 2 does not exhibit the typical survival horror genre characteristics. So many other aspects of the game install fear and uncertainty without the need of the more extreme survival mechanics which often require players to micromanage their supplies and strategically choose which enemies to overcome. Personally, I think I prefer this design choice, although it may leave some survival horror purists viewing Silent Hill 2 firmly outside of the survival horror genre. As a final detail regarding gameplay, I will note that James' health felt much less than Harry's from Silent Hill. Honestly, it seemed as if James just can't take a hit.

Much to my surprise, I found myself becoming a little desensitized to the atmosphere and overall gameplay experience after a short while. Although, "desensitized" may not be the best word, but I certainly felt more comfortable playing while still remaining on full alert. I think that a fair degree of this happening relates to the game controlling much more smoothly alongside less sporadic enemy movement.

As far as other non-gameplay elements, I was pleased with the final area's layout and progression, as it deviates from the standard explore fog world side, then explore otherworld side. Considering the game's map system, I greatly appreciated its updates and is actually legible. Unlike the first game's map, players can zoom and access all locale maps at any time. I'll also quickly note that the FMVs are spectacular for the game's time of release, as they truly bring a lot of depth to the characters on screen and events unfolding.

Now, in terms of Silent Hill 2's music and sound design, it is perhaps the most successful implementation across every game I've experienced. Nearly every room has its own sounds with some unsettling noises being heard outside the area they originate from. So many of these noises are genuinely creepy, and I often found myself afraid upon entering some areas. When wandering, all sorts of sounds pervade the environment, but they are not always the sounds of monsters, which is a design choice I applaud as I regularly was left on guard with unease and apprehension for some unknown, impending encounter. Just the implication that some thing could be out to attack, regardless if whether something was or wasn't really there, is achieved so well. On another note, when viewing voice acting at a surface level, some audiences may find most performances lacking. However, when analyzing performances with characters' mental instability in mind, some characters' wavering and somewhat confused tones and connotations are strongly implemented, which is only proven more when comparing their lines to mentally stable characters or even at times when the mentally unstable are stable, such as James when past events unfold.

Obviously, my experience playing Silent Hill 2 left me with so many impressions, and I easily understand why it's held with such high opinion. It is not a perfect game, but it is one I greatly enjoyed. I've already started playing Silent Hill 3, so it should be quite apparent that I'm eager to continue with the franchise.
« Last Edit: December 16, 2022, 07:27:55 pm by dhaabi »

Re: 52 Games Challenge 2022
« Reply #347 on: December 17, 2022, 03:55:30 pm »
10. Zero Escape: Time Dilemma (Xbox)--I admit when I first played this game on the Vita, I was disappointed in the storyline and how it was told. However, by playing this game a second time, I actually enjoyed it better. I recommend it, but only if you have played the previous two games. The story does not make much sense otherwise.

11. TMNT: The Cowabunga Collection (PS5)--This was a fun collection. It really brought me back to my childhood. I actually found it fun to play the Gameboy Turtle games as I have never played them before. Also, I finished the NES version of TMNT for the first time. Of course, I have never attempted to complete it since I was a kid. I had a great time with this collection!
Currently Playing: Game & Wario

 

Re: 52 Games Challenge 2022
« Reply #348 on: December 18, 2022, 12:06:21 am »
I went too long without writing up info on games played so now I'm trying to play catch up.


telly

Re: 52 Games Challenge 2022
« Reply #349 on: December 19, 2022, 09:48:21 am »
15. Silent Hill 2 || PlayStation 2 || 12.11.22

I'm happy that you enjoyed the game! It's one of my faves.  :) Although I do agree, it is pretty easy even on normal. I found that putting the game on hard at least makes a little challenging.

I'm curious what you think of SH 3. I felt like 3 was in many ways the pinnacle of the series for me in terms of pure horror gameplay and music, but not so much the story.
Currently Playing:
Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes (PS4), Resident Evil 5 (PS4)

My music collection | My Backloggery

Re: 52 Games Challenge 2022
« Reply #350 on: December 22, 2022, 11:08:56 pm »
40 - Lil Gator Game (PC 2022) - BEAT - Very cute, chill, game that is a nice nod to classic 3D platformers while being more of just a nice little non-actiony romp.  You are a lil gator fella wanting to play a game with your big sister, who is too busy with college work to do so, but you think if you play the big game you always use to and show how cool it is, she'll want to play again, so you get to run around an island, making friends, fighting cardboard cutouts, and just having a silly time.  It's just all around a very cute game, very short, I think I ended up beating the story in less than 3 hours, probably 3 to 5 to complete everything I'm guessing, but there's just a lot of fun to it as you get a nice little story about childhood and growing up.  Lots of fun references and items you earn and it's never not charming.

kashell

Re: 52 Games Challenge 2022
« Reply #351 on: December 24, 2022, 06:27:57 pm »
67. The DioField Chronicle

Merry Christmas. I knocked out one more great RPG before the year comes to a close. This was one of the games I got from this year's Secret Santa. It was an all around solid tactical RPG that didn't do anything remarkable, but what it did do was good. The story and characters were excellent. Battles were quick and to the point. There were a lot of ways to customize your team. The list goes on. I started 2022 with a bang with Demon Gaze and I'm ending it with one with DioField.
« Last Edit: December 31, 2022, 11:37:45 am by kashell »

Re: 52 Games Challenge 2022
« Reply #352 on: December 26, 2022, 04:38:35 pm »
62. Super Mario Galaxy (Wii)

It's hard to believe how radically different your life can be at one point compared to another. Case in point, in 2007 when Super Mario Galaxy first came out and I originally beat it I was living in Louisiana at the time which I absolutely hated, I was in a dying relationship, and I was probably the least happy overall I'd been since I was about 13 or so. I remember playing Super Mario Galaxy at the time and enjoying it, however the game never really stuck with me like many others have over time. I decided to replay it for the first time in over 15-years and after doing so it made me realize how utterly miserable I must have been at that time if Super Mario Galaxy didn't instantly become one of the best games I'd ever played, because it certainly did after beating it in 2022.


Super Mario Galaxy is the sequel to Super Mario 64 I always wanted as a kid. And while I've never beat Super Mario Sunshine, I've at least played enough of it to know it's a pretty different game than 64. However, Galaxy feels like everything 64 did cranked all the way up and done in a way that I never knew I wanted. I love the creativity of every world and galaxy you visit, and how aside from certain standard enemies, there are very few recycled elements in this game. Everything just feels so perfectly crafted and special in this game that I never found myself getting board or thinking "oh boy, here we go again!" None of the gameplay elements are overused either making everything feel very novel when you come across it. My only real issue with the gameplay was the camera being a bit annoying at times, but this is a relatively small gripe to what is otherwise pure platforming perfection. The visuals are stunning to and you can tell the amount of time and love that went into making every world and galaxy feel distinct from the others. Perhaps the only part of Galaxy I didn't like as much as 64 was the soundtrack and audio, which was by no means bad or even mediocre. The soundtrack is magical and the various sound effects are all memorable and great too. Still, after beating Super Mario Galaxy I just couldn't say I liked it more than 64, even though my preference for 64 is marginal at best. I will fully concede that Mario Galaxy's gameplay and visuals are superior, and that's judging these games against the standards of when they were released. I am so, so happy I decided to replay Super Mario Galaxy and that I finally acknowledge it for being the incredible game it always was. (12/26/22) [45/50]

Re: 52 Games Challenge 2022
« Reply #353 on: December 27, 2022, 09:09:14 am »
I thought about starting to build out my end of year stats post because I was expecting that I was burnt out for the rest of the year and wouldn't be playing anymore games... could be burn out from so much Sonic, could be burn out for just playing so many games, but honestly I think it's just that I've been so sick and so sick of being sick that I just don't want to do anything or think about anything... but I had the urge to finally start playing through the Call of Duty games because I had the idea that I'd play mindless instinctual games and that was the first thing that came to mind.  I started with Call of Duty 2, which in retrospect maybe I should've loaded up an old PS2 game first.  So I might wind up beating a handful more games because I know these shooter games can be pretty short and quick.


Re: 52 Games Challenge 2022
« Reply #354 on: December 27, 2022, 12:34:49 pm »
63. Street Fighter V: Championship Edition (PS4)

I don't think I've yet to play a modern game where the shitty business practices of the modern video game industry actually diminished my enjoyment of that game. That is until I played Street Fighter V: Championship Edition (SFV:CE) which has the dishonor of being the most tainted, compromised game I've ever played. I originally bought vanilla SFV back when it first came out, but was quickly put off by the woeful lack of content in that game, which Capcom wasted no time in rectifying via copious amounts of DLC, session passes, and all kinds of other bullshit over the years. I waited patiently for the "ultimate" complete version to be released with all the content, and with SF6 just around the corner and from what I've read, it sounded like SFV:CE was that version. Except the US release wasn't that ultimate version I wanted, but rather the Japanese version supposedly was. And while the Japanese version does at least have all the characters available in it, there are about 8 stages that are still locked behind DLC for some strange reason. What's even more appalling is that 80% of this game is post release, paid DLC. I'm not even joking. Add in needing to be connected online to access most of the game, literal advertisements for the DLC during the load screen (which are way longer than they should be), and an EULA you have to agree to before even playing the game and I found myself already hating this game and Capcom before I even started one match. Still, once you finally do get to play, the game is actually pretty good overall.


SFV:CE is definitely up there in terms of some of the best gameplay in any fighting game I've ever played. It is insanely fun to play, combos and special moves are intuitive and relatively easy to execute, and the balancing is pretty great overall. There are also a decent amount of modes and unlockables, given you're connected to the internet. Audio and visuals are pretty good, but nothing mind blowing or even a huge leap above SF4. It's a real shame because I would have liked this game far more if not for how Capcom tainted so much about this game with their unapologetic greed. I still managed to like SFV:CE, but what's sad is I would have liked it a fair amount more had the whole experience not left a terrible taste in my mouth. (12/27/22) [36/50]

Re: 52 Games Challenge 2022
« Reply #355 on: December 27, 2022, 09:33:13 pm »
64. Ginga Fukei Densetsu Sapphire (PCE CD)

Unless I'm mistaken, this is my first PC Engine review I've ever done. The TG16 and PC Engine have been a bit of an enigma my entire life, even well into my life as a collector. Up until very recently I never owned a TG16 or a PCE, but over the summer that changed when I found a Core Graphix PC Engine system which I recently coupled with a Super HD System 3 Pro, allowing me access to the entire PC Engine, TG16, Turbo Duo and PC Engine CD library. I've been in retro hog heaven since Christmas with all the amazing games for these systems which I've never played for the most part. One of the games I've been most excited about playing is one of the consoles most acclaimed and famously rare shmups, Ginga Fukei Densetsu Sapphire, which I'll just call Sapphire for short.


Sapphire is probably one of the best looking, most visually impressive console SHMUPs from the mid 90s I've ever seen. It's almost unbelievable that this game is capable of running on a PC Engine, even with the aid of the CD technology. There is an amazing combo of sprite and 3D enemies which all very diverse. The stages are also excellent and varied as well despite there being only 5 of them. The anime cut scenes and transition screens are also cool as hell. The audio is commendable too, however I found it to be more on the generic side, but still a delight to listen to. Finally, Sapphire's gameplay is pretty damn good, especially for a shmup from this era. It has some moderate balancing issues, but the gameplay is fast, varied, and engaging from start to finish; there were very few times where I felt I was ill equipped to handle a certain area of boss regardless of what powerup I had. Overall, this shmup did not disappoint, however I'm glad I didn't have to hunt down a copy of this game given how expensive it is now. If you can play it for cheap (or free) definitely do so! (12/27/22) [36/50]

dhaabi

Re: 52 Games Challenge 2022
« Reply #356 on: December 30, 2022, 06:35:11 pm »
16. Silent Hill 3 || PlayStation 2 || 12.19.22

Beginning my playthrough of Silent Hill 3 (SH3) almost immediately after finishing Silent Hill 2 (SH2), I was greatly anticipating how the series would continue. Although, whether my high expectations were met, I'm unsure.

While the plot of SH was a little disjointed alongside relying a little too much on player investigation, and SH2 being treated opposite with a story-rich experience, SH3 relies upon a more plot-centric focus as a direct sequel to the debut title, although its success pales in comparison to SH2. Whereas the second installment employed the use of stunning FMV sequences, SH3 substitutes this design choice to instead rely directly upon in-engine cutscenes. That being said, the in-game graphics are impressive considering the game released in 2003, with the cutscenes being able to convey authentic emotions and facial and body movements which was probably just not quite achievable with the series predecessor. There is certainly more to be said regarding how effective this game's cutscenes are, though, which I will detail near the end of my thoughts.

Unfortunately, the series's cohesiveness suffers with SH3's introduction. It is not something of large concern as the plot is fine as a standalone title, but for those deeply analyzing the game to understand where it stands given the established lore and rationale of the town of Silent Hill, the narrative becomes a little difficult to make proper sense of. With the debut title, the origins and explanations for the monstrous projections are defined as being caused by Alessa's powers as a result of her trauma, whereas the follow-up entry forgoes that principle by establishing that Silent Hill itself has a mystique regarding it which affects troubled persons who enter it. However, SH3 backpedals to SH rules as the world surrounding Heather transforms into the franchise's iconic environment, with Silent Hill cult member Claudia also perhaps having some control as well, which can be theorized by her steadfast faith in the church's doctrine.

Throughout the game, players control Heather, a teenage girl with some connections to Silent Hill, unbeknownst to her. As the game's events begin, Heather initially avoids the realty she's faced with after meeting a few strangers with unknown motives. The three individuals include the private investigator Douglas who's tasked with tracking Heather, aforementioned Claudia who seeks to finally achieve the birth of their church's god, and Silent Hill cult leader Vincent who acts somewhat of a trickster while guiding Heather to accomplish his own goals while thwarting Claudia's. While Heather's first immediate concern is to simply return home which proves much more difficult than expected, her second goal is to enact revenge upon Claudia after experiencing a personal loss directly caused by Claudia and to prevent her goals from being achieved, as Heather slowly but steadily becomes enlightened about her past and identity.

Following the narrative as Heather, I initially did not find her to be an interesting or even likeable protagonist. Responding to the events unfolding, Heather exhibits a lot of early 2000s edgy teen angst which develops to her being more irritated than horrified. However, I realized after playing that Heather experiences an immense amount of stress and pressure. Beginning her journey afraid, unsure, and angry, she quickly pushes aside these feelings to instead become irritated as Silent Hill's monsters and physical manifestations devolve to simple annoyances. As she encounters one after another obstacle, Heather becomes a little numb to it all. On more than one occasion, Heather will just sigh while saying lines to the affect of "Oh, this again?" Truthfully, I still have a mixed stance regarding Heather, but I think that I can admit that, while the SH3's tone and protagonist choice is effective, this choice didn't quite satisfy what I was wanting from a Silent Hill title and could have perhaps been achieved better. One early instance that can demonstrate my mixed opinions appears as an act of breaking the fourth wall while building a humorous mood as it references SH2. To me, this small and optional moment is just a bit too self-aware, but perhaps it is moments like these which help the player feeling more connected to Heather.

On the topic of gameplay, SH3 felt quite unlike the previous two entries, as it takes a much firmer approach to survival horror in regards to item management and conserving resources. This shift is not necessarily a bad thing but instead just different. I can assume that the gameplay change relates to some other characteristics—mostly the story—which are lacking, alongside how the horrors of SH2 were largely executed from a psychological standpoint which is not evident of SH3. In this entry, enemies seem much more aggressive with their numbers also feeling higher. Combined with a much more limited resource pool unlikely the previous two entries, players are forced to act more strategically in deciding when to attack and when to avoid. An added strategic element added is the inclusion of beef jerky which distracts some types of enemies so that Heather may better flee. Some areas bombard the player the enemy density, so utilizing this resource is worthwhile. With gameplay in mind, I was much more inclined to avoid enemies when possible, and especially so toward the final hours. Only at the final boss did I encounter some difficulty due to my diminished inventory, though.

In both SH and SH2, the game would move away from high-stress, claustrophobic areas to moments of relative peace as town exploration opened up which allows for players to decompress. However, virtually no exploration is offered in SH3. While I can understand the reasons why this practice wasn't employed, that sense of imbalance felt more as a result of neglect rather than decided upon. At times, the game feels just a little bit more linear than previous entries, as puzzles even felt simple enough as collecting the necessary items to solve are easy to find. As players once again revisit Silent Hill, being forced to navigate throughout its streets would probably feel overdone somewhat, although I believe focusing on another portion of the town or making new exploratory changes would mitigate this problem. Established in SH, the town is quite foggy. This aspect is lessened to a degree in SH2, but, with SH3, the fog density is elevated to such a high degree in an effort to sway players from wandering about.

One aspect which SH3 absolutely accomplishes is its sense of environment that strongly conveys pain and fear. As with a lot of other aspects, there is a wide overlap of characteristics between SH and SH3, given their direct relationship. Just as in SH, the environment in SH3 becomes emboldened with blood and rust which successfully illustrates physical pain. Whether it's in plain view, requires a moment to pause to move the camera around to observe what visuals surround Heather, or even explore optional rooms and fully down dead end hallways, gruesome sights throughout the level design are genuinely horrific to view. Every so often, small details can be found which hint at Heather's origin which steadily become more and more apparent as Heather herself gains this knowledge. Whether it be an environment change or simple observation, discovering these details and the horrors Heather herself is forced to wade through is rewarding. Having released nearly 20 years ago, the graphics and environmental detail are visually striking while still holding up well today.

For some reason, I found myself struggling with camera controls with more regularity than with SH and SH2. It was certainly an issue before, but it really become a bother while playing SH3. Another annoyance which at times related to the camera was the decision for Heather to fall down holes or off the walkway to her death. While this issue may be seen as providing just a degree of more realism to the game, I personally disliked it. Admittedly, I fell to my death more than I'd like to admit; until I reached the final boss, it was the only time in any of the three games that I had even reached a game over. If while playing a player's death in a survival horror game is attributed more to their own struggles in character movement than enemy attacks, I find that to be an issue.

In regards to music and sound design, I was disappointed since I was playing the game directly after finishing SH2. In SH3, it is the first time which lyrics accompany songs, and I just don't find this change to be successful, as a whole. Circling back to SH3's cutscenes, there were certainly emotional moments which were designed to evoke a response from the player, but they were severely weakened by vocals. Compared to SH2's haunting sounds and compelling use of silence which were, at times, even more effective at inducing fear than relying on sound, I wasn't left with any lasting impression of the game's music and sound. To be fair, I think I just prefer for a title like this to rely upon instrumentals, and these design choices were perhaps the biggest complaints I have with SH3.

Overall, SH3 is a quality game. However, does it rival SH2? Perhaps to some, but I think there are certainly more negative aspects to mention with this entry than with its predecessor. I will admit, though, that I think I would have a more positive opinion with the game if playing it again, whenever or if ever that may be. I haven't started playing Silent Hill 4, but that's soon to happen.

dhaabi

Re: 52 Games Challenge 2022
« Reply #357 on: December 30, 2022, 06:44:47 pm »
I'm curious what you think of SH 3. I felt like 3 was in many ways the pinnacle of the series for me in terms of pure horror gameplay and music, but not so much the story.

When analyzing Silent Hill 3 with the survival horror genre in mind, I definitely agree with the three entries I've played so far. However,  I wasn't left with a positive impression with the third entry's music and sound design; that being said, I am on record with my Silent Hill 2 thoughts that I believed that game's use of sound is perhaps unrivaled to any other game I've played before it. It's hard to compete with that opinion, and especially so when I started playing Silent Hill 3 about a day after finishing Silent Hill 2. Be that as it may, the noises which the Pendulum monsters make are absolutely terrifying, and I never once stopped to fight them because of it, so I consider its sound design to be quite accomplishing.
« Last Edit: December 30, 2022, 09:12:21 pm by dhaabi »

telly

Re: 52 Games Challenge 2022
« Reply #358 on: December 31, 2022, 12:29:31 pm »
I'm curious what you think of SH 3. I felt like 3 was in many ways the pinnacle of the series for me in terms of pure horror gameplay and music, but not so much the story.

When analyzing Silent Hill 3 with the survival horror genre in mind, I definitely agree with the three entries I've played so far. However,  I wasn't left with a positive impression with the third entry's music and sound design; that being said, I am on record with my Silent Hill 2 thoughts that I believed that game's use of sound is perhaps unrivaled to any other game I've played before it. It's hard to compete with that opinion, and especially so when I started playing Silent Hill 3 about a day after finishing Silent Hill 2. Be that as it may, the noises which the Pendulum monsters make are absolutely terrifying, and I never once stopped to fight them because of it, so I consider its sound design to be quite accomplishing.

Oh yeah absolutely, those monsters were downright terrifying to hear! The other sound aspect that gave me a lot of anxiety personally was the hyperventilating during certain nightmare segments of the game that don't go away even when you enter the pause menu  :o
Currently Playing:
Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes (PS4), Resident Evil 5 (PS4)

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telly

Re: 52 Games Challenge 2022
« Reply #359 on: December 31, 2022, 12:55:13 pm »
Game 17 - Hades (Switch) - 29 Hours

I finished this game a while ago but am just now getting around to writing a review for it! This will likely be my final game finished in 2022, and what a game to go out on.

My experience with rouge likes/lites is pretty anemic. However, I do believe that Hades stands out as one of the best in the genre because of several key design elements that elevate this game above most of its competition. Many games of this type have very little story/no story at all, or provide a randomly generated story as a tradeoff to support the randomly generated gameplay, neither of which really provide much substance. That isn't bad per se, but Hades shows that you can indeed both have randomly generated endless gameplay in combination with a touching and well-developed narrative and characters.

This game's story centers around the relationship between Zagreus's struggles to escape from the underworld, in an attempt to rid himself of his cold, cruel and unforgiving father, Hades. The relationship between Zagreus and Hades is really well done, and proves to be very touching and emotional the more you progress in the story. The setting of Greek mythology provides a brilliant foundation for a rouge-like. The Underworld provides an ever changing maze of monsters to fight and always pulls you back in after you die, perfectly capturing an endless gameplay loop. Upgrades that you find during gameplay are provided by a colorful cast of gods and goddesses who are trying to help you escape, which allows for a lot of variety in each run while also staying very tight thematically and with the source material (of course the other gods would want you to thwart Hades!). The game has an endless supply of contextual dialogue that provides additional backstory and depth to all the characters in the game. This marriage of gameplay and story is honestly brilliant, and is my favorite aspect of the game.

Other things about the gameplay that I enjoyed were the carryover of different resources after each run that can be used to permanently upgrade Zagreus, which made failed runs feel less like a waste of time. The variety of weapons available felt just as fun to experiment with as it did in Bastion, and the sheer wealth of customization options for each makes each run feel different. The one thing that I didn't like about the gameplay was that you have to beat the game 10 times in order to finish the story. Once I beat the game a couple times, the remaining 8 runs felt a lot more tedious, particularly since you fight the same enemies and bosses each and every time. There are additional challenges and restrictions you can add to increase the difficulty, but they only went so far to really jazz up what became a little monotonous toward the end. That's really the only bad thing I have to say about this game, it was really really good, and definitely my favorite game played this year!
Currently Playing:
Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes (PS4), Resident Evil 5 (PS4)

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