E3 2011: Learning From The Past In Silent Hill: Downpour

Downpour combines old and new Silent Hill into an all new beast.

Like many animals, humans have an ingrained fear of being chased. It's a terrifying realization that your best option is fleeing, as having even a modest means of self defense can embolden most cowards when their back is to a wall. Forcing you to flee is just one of the ways that Silent Hill: Downpour aims to scare its audience. Combining chase moments with the psychological horror the series is known for, developer Vatra Games is hoping to create a game that long-term fans and newcomers alike can love.

Downpour is part of new era of Silent Hill games. While the original, second and third games were awesome despite their clunky controls (or perhaps because of them, depending on which side of the coin you fall on),the new games are more akin to third person action titles. Silent Hill: Homecoming exemplified this, as did the recent Wii game Silent Hill: Shattered Memories. But where Homecoming empowered you with a character who was an apt fighter, Shattered Memories went the opposite route, completely removing your ability to defend yourself.

Downpour seems to be heading down a route more akin to Shattered Memories, forcing player to rely on their agility instead of their brawn. Minutes into the E3 demo Murphy Pendleton is running from the only enemy, tossing aside twisted shelves in an effort to slow his pursuer. He can look over his shoulder to see behind him, but the only purpose this seems to serve is to scare you when you realize how close your assailant is. It's intense, especially when combined with the jarring sounds and music the franchise is known for.

Scary as it is to be chased, Downpour keeps the tension high with its atmosphere. Silent Hill is an unnerving place to wander around in when it's normal, and downright disturbing when it mutates. Like every other Silent Hill game, the player experiences moments where the world changes from normal to "hell", remaining somewhat the same in setting, but becoming a disgusting, mutilated version of its former self. One second you're exploring a creepy store in the woods, the next it's transformed and you're stuck in an industrial building where the walls are seemingly made of flesh.

I'll be honest: when I heard Silent Hill: Downpour was in the hands of a new studio I was skeptical. The series has been tossed around in the last few years, and the recent games have paled in comparison to the earlier games like Silent Hill 2. But despite being very early in development, Downpour is tapping into all the right themes. If they can scare me with chase scenes, nail the atmosphere throughout the campaign, and tell a yarn as bizarre as the other games they just might reinvigorate my passion for the franchise.

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