So what really worked for you/didn't about Downpour?

[Charles Phipps]

A retrospective for those of us who have finished the game.

Here's mine:

Pros

* Murphy's moral journey through Silent Hill is the best one since Silent Hill 2. It captures the essence of James' struggle with sin and redemption so I'm going to say props to the team for that.

* The themes of fathers/children was in all of the previous games I liked (and some of the ones I didn't) so it worked here.

* "Ribbons" was like a gut punch.

* I liked the nods to the Fugitive.

* I really enjoyed Murphy's personality.

* Anne is, hands down, my favorite Silent Hill female. The one I like visually the most too. Realistic AND pretty!

* The visuals of Silent Hill as a foggy-ghost town plus the Devil's Pit were great.

* The "Miners who move when the lights go out" scared the beejus out of me.

* I really liked the Bogeyman.

* The game opening with Napier was brutal and cold, good job!

* Excellent storytelling.

* JP's suicide worked for me.

Cons

* Monster design wasn't terribly disturbing. I could have gone for disgusting blob monsters (Napier), faceless prison guards, and other more obvious stuff.

* The Waterslide and Devil's Pit Diner Otherworld weren't scary, they were actually pretty awesome. Ditto the Mine Cart ride. I would have paid money to go on it.

* I think a lot of us sympathize with Murphy's murder of Napier a bit more than we do James' actions with his wife, hence it's less affecting.

Nitpicks

* What happened to the Little Girl at the monastery?

* Ditto the DJ?

[emma]

first off all i wanna say you got a good points there about all
second the little girl was Anne that's what i think as she was a little girl ...murphy can only see that ... she wanted him to suffer more maybe that's why murphy did seen her like that way when she was a kid ...
and about DJ bobby ricks ...hmm we all wondering that too but he did suddenly gone with the wind xD we all talked about him in this subject ..
viewtopic.php?f=3304&t=433684
go and see^_^~

[OneFreeMan]

Pros
Atmosphere
Story
Characters
Side quests
Weapons

Cons
Monsters design

[emma]

i do also in looove with the Atmosphere o.o..

[Matt S]

Pros - ability to have decent exploration and side quests

Cons: monster design = not scary, at all

[clips7]

Pro's

Atmosphere - Amazing...Vatra managed to craft a stunningly creepy and terrifying experience even when there were no monsters around...there was a feeling of not really wanting to press forward, even tho you knew you had to.... a small feeling of dread and that's a good thing.
Story
Characters
Sidequests

Con's

Monster Design and Mannerisms- These monsters should not have been blocking and dodging my attacks...the prisoners were even worse with their attacks that seemed like i was in a boxing match...all of the creatures weren't disturbing at all and they should have been trying to savagely tear us apart.

Sidequests - I'm just going to complain about the quests that involved traversing both maps. For me these quests made me lose track of the main story and it was kinda annoying trying to solve a sidequest going between two maps dealing with re-spawning monsters and then getting back on the main storyline....i ended up not finishing the quest because it was a bit too bothersome. The quests that you solved in the immediate area(house/apt bldg) were structured more appropriately and allowed you to jump right back into the story line.

Otherworld Segments- I hated that they brought back the chase sequences...even tho these were structured better than what was seen in SM, these sequences were not scary and just were at times borderline annoying, which is a shame because some of the otherworld levels looked interesting and would have been far more entertaining to explore rather than running thru them. Lastly, i thought the boobytraps felt out of place...i know they were trying something new there and trying to mix things up, but something just didn't feel right having those mechanics in place.

I like the game tho and it's actually one of the better SH games...

[DamienS]

A retrospective for those of us who have finished the game.

Here's mine:

Pros

* Murphy's moral journey through Silent Hill is the best one since Silent Hill 2. It captures the essence of James' struggle with sin and redemption so I'm going to say props to the team for that.

* The themes of fathers/children was in all of the previous games I liked (and some of the ones I didn't) so it worked here.

* "Ribbons" was like a gut punch.

* I liked the nods to the Fugitive.

* I really enjoyed Murphy's personality.

* Anne is, hands down, my favorite Silent Hill female. The one I like visually the most too. Realistic AND pretty!

* The visuals of Silent Hill as a foggy-ghost town plus the Devil's Pit were great.

* The "Miners who move when the lights go out" scared the beejus out of me.

* I really liked the Bogeyman.

* The game opening with Napier was brutal and cold, good job!

* Excellent storytelling.

* JP's suicide worked for me.

Cons

* Monster design wasn't terribly disturbing. I could have gone for disgusting blob monsters (Napier), faceless prison guards, and other more obvious stuff.

* The Waterslide and Devil's Pit Diner Otherworld weren't scary, they were actually pretty awesome. Ditto the Mine Cart ride. I would have paid money to go on it.

* I think a lot of us sympathize with Murphy's murder of Napier a bit more than we do James' actions with his wife, hence it's less affecting.

Nitpicks

* What happened to the Little Girl at the monastery?

* Ditto the DJ?

About the DJ (which you probably already know by now), pretty much the same what happens to murphy in the full circle ending. Stuck in the same loop, just like howard, and murphy etc.

Edit: whoops, i kinda missed the post with the link (also about the DJ); my apologies

[adorablycreepy]

I thought the little girl was Anne, or at least a part of her made manifest. The little girl sees Murphy as the Bogeyman, and Anne states later on that Murphy is her monster. The little girl demands to know why Murphy 'killed him', plus the chasing (which I thought was an interesting play on the Otherworld chases) and last you see, she's with the Wheelman.

Honestly, I think I liked pretty much everything about this game. The combat was a little irritating, but it wasn't awful. The monster design was perhaps a little weak, but I still found them effective when it mattered. I think I like what they represent rather than the monsters themselves (admittedly I may or may not have my own complex headcanon for each and every one of them.) but I think that they worked well for the game and the protagonist. I adored the storytelling and characters, and the music was AMAZING.

I think I'm in the minority in that I really liked the chase sequences. It would've been neat to be able to explore the Otherworld more (maybe have the Void chase you a bit, but not for the whole time?) but the panic of the Void catching up, along with the change of scene was fun...plus the little hidden morality meter. Knocking over the cages to save yourself was neat, especially since it seemed like it didn't actually do anything but slow you down--harming others to help yourself actually hurts yourself.

I liked the side quests, though I saved them for the third play-through, when I wasn't quite so focused on the main storyline. The little easter eggs were cool too.

[Deadalux]

"Ribbons" has got to be one of the best side quests you can do in any of the silent hill games.

[WhiteClaudia]

The little girl is Anne Tomm has confirmed this.

[Deadalux]

The little girl is Anne Tomm has confirmed this.

I'm glad that we actually have Tomm to write back to us here. I wish that the original members of Team Silent were more open with their fans. We have Yamaoka and the artist Ito, but not much else. Ito has been very insightful and he has got great talent. Thank you, Ito!

[rollerfan222]

I found the Diary/Map interface the worst experience in a videogame i've played. It was such a f*ucking chore going through that thing. Really who came up with the idea of cancelling the map button?

[WhiteClaudia]

There were a lot of things that I liked about Downpour!

-Expanding on Silent Hill's history, along with the Order
-Expanding on the town
-the new weather system
-New places and new sections to explore! As well as new kind of buildings to explore as well
-The many references and Easter Eggs from the other games
-The new tunnel system, making it easier to travel around town
-the side quests
-the Void in the Otherworld, and there WERE times in the Otherworld where you COULD explore! The first Otherworld sequence is one that many seem to forget, because the majority of that was exploring
-Murphy's realistic responses to his environment (walking cautiously in new suspicious areas)
-Interacting with the environment, similar to Travis from Origins.
-The radios, music that is heard throughout. Such as the familiar Silent Hill songs that played at certain times
-Howard the mailman I just love him

-There was one point, after the first time Anne dies, where at the gas station the radio can be heard playing the same exact song that plays after Maria dies in the hospital from Silent Hill 2. I actually found this to be interesting and maybe them hinting at Anne playing a similar role to Maria.

Some things I didn't like:
-Some puzzles weren't random. I actually find myself liking the randomness of puzzle solutions and item placement
-the monsters, though I know and understand the meanings behind them

------------------------------

"Ditto the DJ" is DJ Ricks, aka Bobby Ricks A DJ that seems to be in "Full Circle" in the town. Hence why he's at the radio station flipping records http://silenthill.wikia.com/wiki/Bobby_Ricks here's the wiki article about him. Might enlighten you

I'm also going to throw out a theory of mine in here. It's something that I've thought about, and I'm totally sorry if it sounds absolutely absurd to you, but it was my theory about the water themed Otherworld. I know we all pretty much have our theories and knowledge as to why that theme is heavy in the game, but I was thinking... In most of the endings, we find Murphy and Anne waking up in the lake, the same lake they crashed in. Almost as if everything that happened was just a dream. Since this would be the case, maybe water is seen so much because he is actually in the lake. Almost as if the "real world" is calling out to him in a way. I also saw someone mention about how when you look at the sun it almost looks as if you're seeing from under water. I noticed this too, and believe this wasn't a mistake. I think that they used this as another sign in him being in water, thus playing a part in the water theme. *shrugs* Maybe it's just me, but it makes sense in my mind.

[captain crowbar]

Without reading anyone elses so it's super just my opinion:

pros:
The atmosphere in the first half or so of the game was awesome. Basically everything pre-free-roaming city section.
The opening cinematic was a fantastic intro to the game
Some of the new glances into the lore and background of the town were really neat.
DEM CAVES
Anne's hotness. I wish I could have found her another suit of clothes though (coughEileencough)
Dem RAKES
Otherworld art design...actually the art design of the world overall was pretty darn good.

Cons:
Monter designs
Cheap scare attempts
combat randomness
glitchiness
lack of scariness as a whole
lolwtf Napier art design
Those stupid damn chase sequences
Lack of new cool stuff with subsequent playthroughs
NO STAR RATING SYSTEM STILL? Come on guys...you know you miss it too.

[KiramidHead]

Pros:
-The story and characters, especially Murphy, Anne, and Howard.
-The fact that it didn't rely on a plot twist.
-A lot of the level design, like the Centennial Building and the Monastery
-The Dolls, and to a lesser extent, the Screamers and Weeping Bats
-EXPLORATION, semi-open world.
-Most of the side quests

Cons:
-Prisoner Monsters: They could have been cool if tweaked a bit, but as they stand, they're just shirtless guys who make stupid moaning sounds when hit.
-The Prison level: I loved how most of the game de-emphasized combat, but this section had too many places where you were forced to fight monsters in order to progress.
-While I still don't get the hate that chase sequences get, I could have used a better balance between them and exploration in the Otherworld
-The police cars were really annoying, so much so that I immediately head to the police station to get rid of them whenever I play.

[Deadalux]

The best monsters are the more abstract ones, like the caged bodies and the ones trapped in that wheel.
The Barbie dolls are really cool but its hard to understand how they relate to Murphy except when thinking abotu sexual oppression or repression.
I wish the graphics were more darker and scarier. I didn't like the shine. I mean, the graphics were awesome, but it wasn't as dark as Silent Hill 1. It almost looked too polished and less nightmarish.
Haha dude I am so crazy. Here I am on a website demanding more blood and death and oppression and heavy darkness.
I love the insanity.

[WhiteClaudia]

I'm not insane! I'm just crazy! D: *stomps feet and pouts*

Something else I didn't add: Murphy's attractiveness X.X

Something else I don;t like: Not being able to skip through cut-scenes. Get tired of waiting through them on another playthrough.

[Deadalux]

I'm not insane! I'm just crazy! D: *stomps feet and pouts*

Let's get all the monsters in here! Monster-Bash!
"'Here Be Monsters Again" - by Ed Harcourt . I like when that song plays at the secret awesome ending of this game.

REVEAL SPOILER

Pyramid Head cuts the cake! Luckily not the cheese.

Something else I don;t like: Not being able to skip through cut-scenes. Get tired of waiting through them on another playthrough.

I don't mind that here. With Silent Hill, I like being taken away bu the cut-scenes.

[HalfTransition]

Pros

- Fun gameplay

- Exploration is great, there's a lot of places to discover.

- Good soundrack

- Some very good riddles

- Murphy is one of my fav Silent Hill protagonists

- Superb voice acting


Cons

- The town looks like a third world junkyard, and doesn't feels like the real Silent Hill town.

- No grain filter, everything looks too clean

- The otherworlds have no design, they are not scary, dirty or fucked up.

- The main locations are too bright and wide. There's no feeling of claustrophobia, except inside the houses and apts.

- The monsters are bad

- The whole atmosphere doesn't reminds me of silent hill in any way

- Napier's nipples are HORRIBLE



Anyway, I like the game overall, I still play it now and then, but to me it's not a Silent Hill game. It's a good horror game but not what I expect from a Silent Hill game.

[Deadalux]

- Napier's nipples are HORRIBLE

Touche. Olay!

An interesting observation! No less disturbing than my fascination with his eyes just before I visualize his death.