Why this game is a success! [spoilers]

[gustavopi]

My first title for this topic were "The verdict", asking you for what is your opinion, and of course, explaining mine. But I think we can go direct to the point, since this game got better scores by critics than the tree predecessors: The Room, Origins and Homecoming. It also the best Wii game in 2009 and probably still one of the best today, and is the start point for Downpour. So the game is good, and of course, never will please 100% of gamers, and even less the SH fans (cuz we are a pain in the ass). So if you don't like it, don't worry, you're not alone...

I've ended five times this game, probably not even close of those who made in deep analysis (walkthrough etc.), but two facts were interesting: first, the classic model of ending the story does not work (five times should be enough), only with a limited view of the game. Second, when you stop in the middle of the game and starts to think "what happens to you here, Cheryl?" trying to compose a story with pieces of memories, you experience a unique situation that justify this title. I can say that in the five rounds with me there was more different memories than repetitions. The game is short, but has a lot of stuff. The personalities of Cheryl are in a range of a simple disturbed girl to a mad and even evil girl, formed by the family and the decisions she tuck.

And the game got it's failures too. In my opinion, the game is still short. Probably because it was a new experience and they made a lot of stuffs not so important and forget something we like more, such more interactivity and extras. I also miss something about the City. Why Silent Hill? The whole story can be in any other city. The game is too realistic and "mechanism", using a well made theoretical basis of psychiatric. I think that a little touch of Silent Hill would be good, without changing the theory. I saw this on movies and it's an interesting combination.

Sorry for the long text, and now the word is with you...

[keeps]

Sin and Punishment 2 was probably the best game released in 2009 for Wii.

[gustavopi]

Sin and Punishment 2 was probably the best game released in 2009 for Wii.

I don't care for SM. I don't like the art design or the story and its presentation. Almost every gameplay mechanic is gimmicky and unrewarding. The psychiatry sequences feel contrived and a sterilizing detraction from any coherent sense of atmosphere that could get rolling. I don't care about any of the characters. Music seems uninspired.

I got very optimistic about the game right before it was released too and was really let down I guess. "So boring it was surreal." is what I keep feeling. I've played through it a few times and I still hope I'm missing something that will allow me to enjoy it. Where's the real mystery? Maybe I'm misunderstanding some sort of metaphysical departure. It makes me nervous trying to figure it out. It's where I keep finding myself in what I keep feeling about it.

The first few games are much more psychologically immersive and enthralling than one that outright tells you it's gonna do something like "profile" you. :s

Yeah! That's the spirit! I don't have a Wii, so I'll have to trust public opinion on it. I agree that there is noting more annoying than didn't find yourself inside the game. The first time, I was searching for a shotgun or at list a pipe to beat those beast! In fact, they was trying to help me! But you don't have to like it anyway.

I just do not agree that isn't immersive - it's pure immersion: there is no other goal. Sometimes I think if it can be considered a game, or just an interactive e-book. It's the opposite or SH1 that it's horror survival with not much to analyze in the characters profile.

[keeps]

blah blee bloop

[what]

I've never seen you write so much in one post before!

[devil hunter]

The first time, I was searching for a shotgun or at list a pipe to beat those beast! In fact, they was trying to help me! But you don't have to like it anyway.

I'm not sure if you're talking about Raw Shocks, but if you are, they weren't trying to help you. They're created by Cheryl to prevent her from going deeper into her own memories.

[gustavopi]

The first time, I was searching for a shotgun or at list a pipe to beat those beast! In fact, they was trying to help me! But you don't have to like it anyway.

I'm not sure if you're talking about Raw Shocks, but if you are, they weren't trying to help you. They're created by Cheryl to prevent her from going deeper into her own memories.

They seams like deformed nurses, so my interpretation was that they was just trying to calm down Cheryl. But your interpretation make more sense, they are trying to stop her to go ahead and find the truth. Humm, now I'll have to play it again...

[captain crowbar]

Not much replayability. Great for a 1-time runthrough.

[gustavopi]

Not much replayability. Great for a 1-time runthrough.

You're saying by playing it once, or after the second time? I didn't like much my first one, and you have to know the truth before you can "rebuild" the story by running again, unless you got such elephant memory. Some people already know by reading docs, but is not the same as actually playing it, IMO.

Anyway, my proposition here is an evaluation before all those years in the market and a deep experience. Of course if you dislike it so much, you'll not play it again - and you're right, the proposition is not a masochism. But, as most of thinks in life, you know, there is no way getting immersive experience without immersion.

[Kivi]

What? Shattered memories is a success? Your joking right?

[gustavopi]

What? Shattered memories is a success? Your joking right?

I made this preposition based in facts discribeds in my first post, and I write "success", not "perfect" or even "the best".

Usually the game creators consider the reception as the best indicator. I'd look in wikipedia and some game websites. Of course, you can use another indicators as sales, refunding of cost, some quality standard, etc.

[nur_ein_tier]

I agree that it was a success.

My main complaints:
*nightmare sequences got tedious after a while
*psych stuff felt gimmicky
*puzzles sucked for the most part

Despite all this, I thought it was a very interesting game. I like all the hidden crap like the phone numbers and the way things change from one playthrough to the next. I liked the characters.

[gustavopi]

Yeah, success is a complicated "state of things". A singer can reach success and still full of defects and a few bad songs, sometimes is complicated to explain how he did it.

I have my complains too, but to me they didn't defined the game because it is kind "experimentally", so I give it a "discount". For the record:
*Yes, nightmares are limited
*Some of the puzzles sucks
*Cannot mess with thinks, and cannot drive the car... :-/

When I'd buy it, I saw many playthroughs of other SH, and I'd chose SM because it aroused my curiosity.

[samael21walter]

I absolutely adored Shattered Memories on it's own. I think it is a fine example of how Wii games should be done (and motion-controlled games in general). My biggest complaint with the game is the length. It was way too short (we're talking around 4 hours first playthrough, even less in repeat playthroughs). Another complaint is the puzzles in the game. While the flashlight mechanic felt so natural, the puzzles took me away from the experience because they were put there "just to have motion controls". They took little to no effort and you figured them out within a minute or two of encountering them. They were mostly things like shaking a can to see if a key was in there or just pulling a lock on a door (really, guys, this is how hard they are). Here is the biggest flaw in general, and it's not with the game, but it's my biggest personal flaw: The game isn't Silent Hill, and shouldn't have been titled Silent Hill.

Here is why:
-Characters could have come off as completely different people if given different names.
-Town had nothing to do with the original layout really, and could have been called something different.
-The gameplay in the game was more of an adventure title than a survival horror title.
-The storyline has nothing to do with Silent Hill, and could have been passed as something else.
-The game doesn't have the atmosphere of a Silent Hill game. If it would have been simply Shattered Memories, I would have never even guessed it was supposed to be a Silent Hill game.

So why give this game a Silent Hill title? If it would have simply been called Shattered Memories, it could have been on it's own and have it's own reputation (if they would have just changed character names and place names). There is only one reason this has the Silent Hill title...it's to bring in money. Let's face it, this game wouldn't have had much of a chance if it didn't have a Silent Hill title. It would have been "just another Wii game". I love the game to death, and think it is a great, great game, but a Silent Hill game it isn't. That doesn't mean it's worse than the other games, it just isn't Silent Hill.

[Augophthalmoses]

Well, of course the name brings in money but it really isn't a big deal. One spinoff won't hurt anything and the majority of the SH games are independent stories anyway.

[gustavopi]

I got a theory that soon will be tested: SHSM was a test for Downpour development. This games takes years of work and they may use some engine and also some ideas used before to cut the way, and it's very rare putting all new in a game. I just don't know why Wii is not included in Downpour release. RE6 it's coming, and will be something!

They also could make a SM2 using SH2, uhn... Mary think is James, but James die in a car accident into the lake when she's driving (what a cliché). Maria is Mary in school times and Laura is Mary when a child. Course, Edie is the doc...

[keeps]

well im coming around yay

[samael21walter]

Downpour might be on a different engine, but it's using the same mechanic in Shattered Memories for the chase sequences. I honestly saw Shattered Memories as a pretty tech demo just to see if it would work. That way they could keep developing similar games.

[keeps]

that's pretty boring

[samael21walter]

I honestly would love another series for Shattered Memories alone. I think it would do well reimagining all the past games with the gameplay, but then again, I'm a big fan of the adventure genre in general.