Silent Hill Origins

As one of the most popular horror series of all time, Silent Hill has become the go-to choice for those who like their terror to be mental as opposed to physical. This is why, for some, Silent Hill Origins remains a very interesting high point for the series. While some find it to be the ideal combination of all that makes the Climax Action hit a true standout in a brilliant series, others find it simply did not add enough to the game series to make it memorable enough.

More of the same (is that a bad thing?)

Silent Hill Origins is, as the name suggests, a prequel to the first game in the series. You will again be taken back to the town of Silent Hill. Here, you play as a trucker called Travis Grady. Grady once helped a young girl survive a fire and wants to know more about her. As is the case with all of the games, really, you wind up coming to the single craziest place in all of video gaming to find out answers.

The plot itself is well-woven and is full of pretty crazy details. Travis, it turns out, has endured a pretty messed up childhood. Visiting a place like Silent Hill does a fine (horrible) job of drawing those memories out of him. The game involves the usual mixture of running away from terrifying monsters, fighting back when possible, exploring haunting environments, and solving puzzles.

The pace is strong enough that you can move around the story and enjoy everything that is happening easily enough. The problems in this game, though, tend to be built more around the fact that it flies by so fast.

Fleeting psychological horror

The game itself carries the same formula that has made the rest of the series so good – we will leave you to unfold the plot for yourself, as it is worth exploring to the end – but it also is part of the issue. When it was released, this very much felt outdated in 2008 – and it does nothing to build on what now feels like creaking technological issues that hold back replays of the older games.

Origins adds to the Silent Hill experience for sure. It is a haunting origin story that is sure to leave you engrossed and wanting to know more about Travis and his quirky situation.

But the actual story flies by very quickly, some parts are (as ever) left to the imagination, and the technical limits – both in terms of gameplay and visuals – can make playing through this feel like stepping back into a much older era of video gaming overall.

Pros

• Retains all of the fear and the horror that makes the series so great.
• Helps to add to the series plot and lore, tying up some loose ends.
• Introduces a great range of characters and features never seen before.

Cons

• Feels too close to the games that it follows in terms of release too closely.
• Controls and gameplay style can feel old and outdated by comparison.
• Rather formulaic, and could be finished much quicker than gamers often like.