Posts Tagged ‘Climax Studios’

Since Silent Hill 2 Konami’s psychological survival horror series has been following something of a downward trend. Now new developer to the series, Climax Studios, buck this trend by making one of the most interesting, but flawed, installments since Silent Hill 2.

It is unusual to see me play through a game that doesn’t grab me immediately. It is even more rare I finish a game that at points actively discourages me from playing, and yet this is exactly what Silent Hill: Shattered Memoires does.

Short and flawed Shattered Memories is none the less is deserving of a play through, maybe even two if you want to see how the game change to reflect your in-game psychological profile.

Shattered Memories creates an incredible world. Moving away from the black rusted ‘dark world’ of past Silent Hills the new ‘dark world’ is one of blue ice that plays perfectly with the games narrative. Add to this the games promise that it was to actively psychoanalyzing me as I played and the hooks were there, but it kept fighting its own accomplishments.

Completely separating the puzzle element of the game from the action sections sees long sections of atmospheric exploration punctuated with horrific (as in bad not scary) chase sections. When I heard that combat had been removed from the game I initially rejoiced as it was always a failing point of the series, but the reality of the change made me less exuberant.

Being hunted with no recourse through Shattered Memories icy dark world was scary, but the tension was constantly undermined by the ineffectually Wii remote flailing I was reduced to every time I was caught by the shambling female figures that pursued me. It was a problem I could have forgiven if stealth was a viable tactic; unfortunately ‘sneaking’ hinted at by the game amounted to turning off the flashlight and doing exactly the same in the dark as I did in the light.

Shattered Memories flaws are redeemed in the last few hours of its six-hour story. Mounting psychological elements are slowly woven in to the story to create an awesome crescendo to events. Shattered Memories is so much better in retrospect that if you are ever fortunate enough to play it you owe it to yourself to finish it. Go on, it’s not that long!