Awesome Music: While composer Akira Yamaoka’s presence is sorely missed after his departure from the series, his successor, Daniel Licht, does a damn good job at continuing where he left off. Intro Perk Walk in particular manages to create a new, atmospheric sound that fits right at home with past tracks. It’s slow and simplistic.
Base-Breaking Character: The Bogeyman. Detractors, most notably The Real Silent Hill Experience feel that he's yet another rip-off of Pyramid Head in the vein of the Butcher from Origins to cash in on Pyramid Head's Wolverine Publicity, with the concept, 'a big monster with a heavy weapon who represents the player's hidden psychosis,' being too similar to Pyramid Head. Other reviewers like Nitro Rad and Dena Natali felt that he was a much more original character with a different meaning in the plot and that while he's similar to Pyramid Head he's not an outright rip-off like The Butcher.
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Best Level Ever: The final moment of gameplay involves Murphy, transformed into the Bogeyman, chasing Anne through the prison. All those Weeping Bats, Juggernauts and other nasties that got in your way? Flatten them.
Big-Lipped Alligator Moment: All the people Murphy meets in the town are either bound there due to their own sins or are a manifestation of Murphy's guilt. Except for the homeless guy found in the subway, who asks for a candy bar, a coat and a fishing rod as part of a sidequest, before opening up the glitchy subway doors and falling asleep/dying as part of a sidequest.
Broken Base: This being a Silent Hill game it was inevitable. But a big sticking point for many is how Murphy's past changes depending on the ending, with fans arguing back and forth if this was an interesting concept or just sloppy writing.
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Contested Sequel: With this being the last official Silent Hill game in the series, it has split the fanbase down on whether or not it’s another bad attempt by an American company to produced a Silent Hill game with too many technical problems and a lousy plot, or a flawed, but satisfying game that brought the series back to survival horror over action horror and had an engaging story comparable to the early Team Silent games, or a So Okay, It's Average survival horror game that doesn’t feel like it belongs in the series.
Critical Dissonance: Critics weren't kind to this game mainly due to technical issues and gameplay frustrations, but it got a rather positive fan reception thanks to putting the emphasis back on survival instead of combat and a storyline that was more remniscient of the older Team Silent entries without feeling rehashed.
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Disappointing Last Level: Overlook Prison increases the focus on combat and One-Hit Kill death traps, eschewing the atmosphere of the former stages rather severely. It also introduces a new enemy type who hits harder than any other enemy in the game and runs faster than Murphy, thwarting attempts to escape from it, which is otherwise a central strategy in the game. Finally, the level starts by removing all the player's items and weapons, which makes many of the sidequest rewards (high-power one-time weapons) feel pointless.
Foe Yay:
So much between Cunningham and Murphy. Especially when she talks about all the sick and disgusting things she debased herself with just to get Pendleton under her thrall...
Murphy and Sewell, to a lesser extent. Largely because of the prison setting.
Goddamn Weeping Bats!: As well as Goddamn Screamers, Goddamn Dolls...half the enemies in the game, really...
It's Short, So It Sucks!: Without the sidequests, the game will only last 4-5 hours. And the sidequests really only pad out the length due to the difficulty or trawling around the map looking for random items.
Moral Event Horizon: Sewell beating up Frank Coleridge in the game's Good endings and Murphy drowning his own son in the 'Execution' ending.
Narm: Some of the sidequests, especially since it's almost unheard of to have something heartwarming happen in a Silent Hill game. Notables ones include scattering a woman's ashes on her favourite bench by the lake, and returning stolen items to the residents of an apartment block. Entering the old war vet's apartment triggers stock gunfire and explosion noises to clue the player in on what item needs to be returned (a war medal). Returning the item makes a heroic wartime march theme play. The player will either smile happily or stifle a laugh.
Nightmare Retardant: A couple of moments:
The otherwise very spooky 'Gramophone' sidequest ending with the banished spirit giving a 'YURRRAAAAGGGH' Stock Scream.
One that can happen at random: a grotesque Weeping Bat falling down from the sky would be a heck of a lot scarier if its skin texture had finished loading yet, and if it looked less like an anorexic clown and more like a bat. There's also their goofy vaudeville-esqe walk animation.
The appearance of the void that chases Murphy in the otherworld for some players. The concept is frightening, but the thing itself looks like an unfinished explosion graphic. It doesn't really help that it doesn't have a visible effect on the environment other than certain objects despite supposedly being an all-consuming black hole.
Player Punch: Discovering just what happened to Frank.
One-Scene Wonder: Monocle Man, who's basically a High-Class GlassEldritch Abomination, a giant draped face with a monocle (or, rather, a giant spotlight with the appearance of a monocle) in its left eye. He is encountered at the climax of the cavern train ride whose only words is asking if the player enjoyed the hellish ride. He only appears once in the entire game, but there is no doubt his image will always stick in the minds of the players. He was apparently originally planned to be a boss encounter, but this was cut.
Paranoia Fuel:
The surprise loading-screen hints seem specifically designed for this purpose; Say you have a girlfriend and suddenly the game says 'She's lying to you'. Maybe you have a guilty conscience and suddenly 'Everyone knows what you've done' or 'Was it worth it?' pops up. Or if the game has got you hiding under a blanket biting your nails: 'Are you sure you're alone?' 'It's in the room with you. You just can't see it...' The best one of them all: 'STOP DOING THAT.' That's guaranteed to make you jump no matter what.
The walkie-talkie sometimes emits static even when there aren't any enemies around. In some cases they may show up (ie. if you open the back of the van in the Centennial Building garage), but most of the time nothing happens... most of the time.
The subway system is a safe haven from monsters and allows Murphy to travel quickly and unscathed below the town, but still has a very unsettling feel to it. However, should you use the system to return to Hillside? There's a Doll waiting for you! Not so safe, after all...
Signature Scene: The train ride, but ESPECIALLY the ending. Crosses back to One-Scene Wonder.
Monocle Man: Did you enjoy the ride, Murphy?
What an Idiot!:
Surprisingly, Sewell. His plan relied on manipulating Murphy (who had previously refused to murder Napier) into killing Coleridge and if that didn't work he would have to fight two grown men by himself and hope that Coleridge wouldn't be able to tell anyone the truth. If Murphy couldn't kill the pedophile who murdered his son, what the hell made Sewell think Murphy would kill a guy he actually liked?. He actually was very lucky things worked out as they did.
In the Monastery, the Bogeyman slowly walks over to a young boy has Murphy struggle as he attempts to recite the rhyme from memory despite its entirety being in his journal. As a result, the Bogeyman is able to snap the boy's neck before he finishes the rhyme. Justified due to his obvious panic at the time, not thinking clearly.
They Wasted a Perfectly Good Plot: The fact that Murphy's past is multiple-choice actually detracts from some of the drama to many fans. The story makes a good deal more internal sense if Murphy did kill Napier but also fulfilled his obligation to Sewell by crippling Frank Coleridge. That gives Murphy's actions genuine weight and a reason for Anne Cunningham to want to kill him. As such, it's entirely possible for Murphy to be only guilty of assaulting Napier with a deadly weapon.
Uncanny Valley: Sewell's lips are...oddly animated. His upper lips seems to vanish whenever he speaks, making his front teeth very prominent to the point where he looks like he's wearing dentures.
Win Back the Crowd: Somewhat. While the base remains as broken as ever, the general fan reception towards Downpour have been surprisingly positive. The majority even states that they'd be OK with Vatra producing another Silent Hill game, should they be able to iron out the obvious technical bugs and remedy the relatively average enemy design.
The Woobie: Murphy and Anne Cunningham when you find out why she is chasing after Murphy.
Head left and you'll find yourself at a gas station. Pick up the on the bench outside and then keep going left to find a wrench. You can use it to bust the lock on the door next to where you found the map.
The combination is the same on all difficulties, no matter if you are playing easy, normal or hard. It is: 16814. But on hard it is trickier to open it.
Immediately to the right will be a pile of bricks that you can use instead of the wrench if you want (you can only hold one at a time). Go forward and climb the ladder on the left to get onto the roof.
On the left side of it you can find a. After picking it up, go forward and right to where Murphy will climb down from the roof.Move forward some more and you'll come across a building.
Go around to the front to see that it's a souvenir shop. Head up the stairs and follow the balcony to the double doors with the 'Devil's Pit' sign above them.
Inside, pick up the on the left (there's also a stick you can exchange the brick for behind the counter) and then head through the opening. Pull the lever at the end of the walkway, and now you have to find a ticket to use the tram.Objective: Obtain a ticket to get to Devil's Pit.Head outside and go straight from the souvenir shop and you'll come across a rock you can use as a weapon. Once you come to the road, follow it right. Close to the end of the road, go up to the truck and there will be a cutscene.Objective: Change clothes.Go to the very right of the diner, between some barrels, and you can go through the fence. Go ahead and turn the corner and bust open the lock with your weapon. Once inside, move forward and then go through the other door in the right. Go to the corner ahead and to the left for a of the diner.
Go to the opposite side of the area to find a note detailing a little about the Devil's Pit. Go behind the counter and you can pick up a bottle for a weapon. Open the cash register to obtain some. Now head through the nearby door. You can pick up a frying pan here as a weapon. Go forward and pick up the first aid kit in the right next to the locked door. Go through the open door in the main dining area.
Pick up the first aid kit near the window. The two doors in here lead to toilets.Now head through the other door in the main dining area, which leads to the kitchen. You can pick up a frying pan here as a weapon. Go forward and pick up the first aid kit in the right next to the locked door.
Go to the other side of the kitchen and turn the gas valve, which will then spark a fire. Turn right and punch the alarm button for the sprinkler system to come on, and then you'll end up in the Otherworld.Otherworld Turn around and rotate the valve so that the water gets let out, which will also open one of the locked doors. Head through it, ascend the long staircase, and then go through the door at the top. Move through the hallway and into a room with an odd camera view.Go to the far corner and rotate the picture so that a gate opens up while something else comes down from the ceiling. You'll have to hurry over to the opening to slip through it and into the next area.
Here there will be a very odd chase scene of sorts. Move forward a bit and there will be a kind of vortex.
All you can do now is run, and after the first long hallway, you can knock over objects to try to slow the thing down. Once you've gotten to the open room that has several possible exits, go left because the other two (straight and right) will close on you. Soon after that, you'll duck under a wall and then you'll be sliding down the floor and there will be objects you have to dodge in order to survive. Stay on the left until passing the first spikes, then go to the right. You'll pass a second mass of spikes as well as a bus. After that, you don't have to worry about dodging anything. Once you're back on your feet, go forward and to the other side of the area where there will be a chair, a radio, and some stairs.
Go up them and follow them to the top where there will be a valve to turn. Once the room has ascended, head into it. Rotate the picture and you'll see another area open up. Go down the stairs and then across the other two staircases, then into the room. Rotate the picture here.
Go through the new opening by passing by the stairs you first went up. Go through this room and soon after another vortex will appear.Again, run away from it by following the only path available (go right next to the gate that closes). Turn the valve when you come to it, which will open the gate that previously closed on you. Circle back around and go through it. Once you've been on the stairs for a minute, turn back around and start going down, then through the door. You'll be back in the kitchen and back to normal.Real world Remember the other door that was locked?
Well, now you can go through it. There's nothing through the door to the left except a chair to use as a weapon, but you can find one of those off to the right anyway.
First, follow the path right while remaining on the ground floor. Check the door on the left near the stairs for a first aid kit. Now continue on that path and go through the door at the end of the hall. Move through the first room into the second and grab the on the table in the kitchen. Go back to the stairs in the previous area and ascend them. Use the key at the top on the locked door.Motel Head through the door immediately to your right. Move into the room and then right, and to the right of the bed is a desk.
Open the middle drawer for a. Back in the main hall, go right and into the next room over. Open the drawer of the dresser opposite the foot of the bed for a first aid kit. Move to the corner ahead and to the right, where the window is.
Use the power cord on the appliance here. After a moment, five numbers will appear. This is the solution to a safe in the final room here.Exit this room and then go straight and right. Go through the door, then left into a bedroom where there's a dead dog on the bed.
Through the opening here is a type of safe. The numbers you just found will open it. Unfortunately, it's not quite that simple.
Moving the second dial also moves the third and fourth ones (with the fourth one turning in the opposite direction as the other two). The third and fourth dials, if used directly, skip a number after the first initial turn. Use that knowledge to get the right numbers in order to open the safe. The solution is 26381.
Therefore, on Normal:Get the #2 dial to 7, the #3 to 4, and the #4 to 7. Then turn the #2 to the right once so that they all hit the right number.On Hard, the solution is the same but the way the dials operate is different. In addition to the #2 dial turning #3 and #4, the #5 dial turns #4 and #1.Inside the safe is a with seven bullets. Now head back down the stairs out of this motel area. Go back to the kitchen where you got the key and head through the door here, which leads to the basement. There's a first aid kit on a table in the same area with the stairs. You can also pick up the fire extinguisher to use as a weapon.
Turn around and head next to the staircase where you can find a knife if you want it. Go into the left area (to the right of the stairs) and follow the path, walking along the left wall so as to pick up the wrench you come across.
Use it to break the lock on the metal door ahead and go through it.Go to the immediate right and through the opening. Pick up the note on the table, then find the in the little area past it. Head back to the stairs that led into the basement and there will be a cutscene, after which you'll fight your first enemy. Once you've killed her, move out of this room and passed the staircase, then into the area on the left. Use the piece of wire to get the lift working and take it up. Once off of it, go left (there will be some bottles you can pick up) and go through the door. Open the drawer of the dresser on the right to find a meat cleaver.
A little past that is a first aid kit you can grab. Exit this building and then enter the one directly across from it.On the bed will be some you can change into. You'll also get the.
There's also a knife in here to use as a weapon if you want it, or a wine or beer bottle in the fridge. Exit this building and head to the right.
You can find a rake leaning against a tree. Bypass the third building for now and move through the opening in the fence. You'll immediately be jumped by an enemy so take it out once you've shaken it off of you. Go left and rotate the lever. Move back through the fence's opening and into the building on the right. There's a hammer in here if you want it.
In the back of the building, you'll find a machine to insert your game tokens into.All you have to do is get the red ball into the red circle at the top and then the two green balls into their respective circles. Voila, there's your to use the sky tram! Lot of work just for one ticket, eh?
Exit this building and keep to the right. There's an area between these two buildings (near the trees) that you can slip through to get to a locked gate.
Use the rusty key on the lock and head through. You won't have much time to feel relieved seeing as you'll immediately be attacked by several screamers. Simply run away from them. The sky tram's building is basically straight ahead so run that way. Head up the stairs, through the double doors, and to the right. Use the ticket to go through the rotating door and onto the sky tram.