Silent Hill or Resident Evil

[Andy]

I Was having this debate with a friend of mine, with silent hill homecoming out now and resi 5 out soon.. i absolutly love homecoming, i think its a class game, but ive been a mega silent hill fan even since the first game, ive followed it all the way to modern times.

Resi went the other way, as we all know, were silent hill stayed with the traditional survival horror, resi turned more into a action based game, now ill be honest, i absolutly loved resident evil when it first came out on the playstation all those years ago, and the same for 2 and 3.. but then i lost interest, never got into code veronica or survivor or the umberella files.. i think resi really lost its way after the third one personally.

Anywho, this turned into a huge debate seeing as resi evil and silent hill started out as similar games then went their seperate ways, so the question is simple, which game series do you prefer? and yes im talking about complete series, not a single game.

[ProfessorChaos]

even though the movies are awful and the games are total crap these days imo, i'd have to pick resident evil over silent hill. never really got into those games all that much.

[3pidemiC]

Of the non-spinoff games in the Resident Evil series, none of them are bad.

Can't say the same for the Silent Hill series.

[capncnut]

Silent Hill by miles! I do love RE's 1-CV but they have never truly scared me, you know like shit flying out of your ass and throwing the controller up in the air screaming, "f**kbeans!!!"

I was playing SH3 the other day and you know the part with the big mirror in the storeroom? I was actually shaking...

Not only that but the SH games are way more intelligent. I like the way each one hangs on to the history and mythos, which paints a much more interesting picture, as opposed to a stupid Umbrella conspiracy.

It's funny that this question should be asked because both franchises are a load of old grandad's cock now. RE's 4-5 have no zombies and SH Origins-Homecoming are just weak name rapes.

But yeah, SH all the way. :)


Oh, and if you want a good laugh - click this (http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/zero-punctuation/284-Silent-Hill-Homecoming). Funniest damn review I have ever seen in my life.

[Danny]

definitely silent hill.

right off the bat i can say you care about the characters more, and you never play anyone who doesn't look like they could exist in real life, they seem vulnerable and therefore you are scared for them more often.
-and then when twist occurs in silent hill 2, and to a lesser degree the one in homecoming your nocked for six at something you wouldn't have expected could have happened.

plus they take on bosses with pipes and handguns, not missile launchers and giant military laser projects.

The worlds you inhabit is a toughie to judge, the spencer mansion was always kind of lame but resident evil 2 is well known to be heavily inspired by romeros movies and it shows when your running through the abandoned streets and alleys hearing a moan coming from out side your field of vision.
but then youve got the combined silent hill, shepherds glen and ashfield cities all around toluca lake that seem possibly more creepy because they seem a little more homey and familiar, raccoon city seems like a place you would maybe work, not live in, whereas silent hill deals with things invading something more like a hometown. The more you can relate to a piece of horror entertainment, the more you can believe the same thing could be behind you, breathing down your neck.

Soundtrack wise silent hill wins with no contest, Akira Yamaoka is a fucking genius and his videogame OST's are second only to nobou uematsu.
If someones a silent hill fan, then that theme comes back to haunt them the moment you mention it. all you get from resident evil is the save room maybe.

i could ramble for ages but silent hill is more than just a horror game for me, its a fantastic series in its own right and a homage to everything great about american and japanese horror movies and silent hill 2 is one of the greatest games ever made.

tysvNGGFN3M

[mista_mo]

Silent hill.

While I never played the original, I have played 2 and 3...both are incredibly atmospheric, spooky, and just plain old disturbing. the monster design is down right amazing, and wreaks of madness. I remember playing silent hill 2...the first time i walked into the town, I had this immense sense of claustrophobia, despite the fact i was walking through a city. The fog seemed to choke you and push you to the ground. you couldn't see very far ahead, and it had this sense of dread in it...something is off with this place, but everything seems normal, despite the lack of living souls.

Then when you get the radio (and after you fuck that monsters shit up with a 2x4) the game gets progressively scarier...I remember walking through the town and hearing the radio static, and it made me shit bricks. In silent hill 3, I was god damned afraid to move a lot of the times. Every twist and turn could yield something. a new enemy, or just environmental effects. I remember making it to the subway, and experiencing the poltergeist phenomena, and I literally said to myself "fuck this game, I made it to the second level and I am shitting bricks constantly".

The room with the big mirror in it that starts to get all bloody as you stay in longer, while the room itself stayed in fine condition made me turn the thing off. Everything up too then had this cumulative affect on me. The monsters won't kill me, but the god damned level itself will.

Resident evil, while good, really never had the same affect on me...sure, I remember being intensely frightened during my first play through of 2 (and multiple playthroughs of nemesis) but the game never frightened me on a primal level like the silent hill series did. Sure, I dropped the controller the first time nemesis flew through the wall in the police station, and the subsequent chase made my heart pound, but overall I was never Fearful during the experience.

While the series has taken a great course change with 4 and 5, it really isn't frightening...just fun.

Silent hill is a more Cerebral and primal horror game...its what you don't see alot of the time that sets you off..the sounds, the level design..it's a bit like Dead Space, and how I found myself more frightened by the sounds the levels made, or the sounds of far off monsters, grates breaking down, random music playing etc, then by the actual enemies (minus a few occasions when I was being chased by 7 stabbers when I had no plasma cutter ammo left, while I was trying to beat the game on impossible mode with the one gun achievement).

Resident Evil is more frightening when you sit down and read through the notes and files imo...The bosses never really made me feel scared (except the neptune encounters), and the enemies weren't spooky in themselves- it was the ammo shortages that were frightening.

that's what I think anyways..bit long, but it makes sense to me.

also silent Hill the room was balls compared to 2 and 3.

[Andy]

It's funny that this question should be asked because both franchises are a load of old grandad's cock now. RE's 4-5 have no zombies and SH Origins-Homecoming are just weak name rapes.

I Actually dont get why your so down on homecoming, i got it on release day and have been playing it when i can and i love it, its just like old school silent hill.

[Danny]

I Actually dont get why your so down on homecoming, i got it on release day and have been playing it when i can and i love it, its just like old school silent hill.

ive yet to put a review on my site, what with working on my new site thats an actual site, not a blogger site, but ive played through it 3 times and its much better that that piece of shit origins was. Pj should be proud of adding shepherd's glen into the mythos. -and virtual r'spec' knuckles for it.

[bassman]

Never purchased or got deep into Silent Hill, but I've seen some friends play several of them and while they were pretty cool.....RE and RE2 take the trophy. Easy.:)

[Danny]

Never purchased or got deep into Silent Hill, but I've seen some friends play several of them and while they were pretty cool.....RE and RE2 take the trophy. Easy.:)


isnt your answer moot if youve not finished at least one of both though?, thats like saying "oh i dont like pineapple, its gross" when youve never tried it y'know?

[Andy]

Never purchased or got deep into Silent Hill, but I've seen some friends play several of them and while they were pretty cool.....RE and RE2 take the trophy. Easy.:)

I Agree with hellsing, while Resident Evil 2 is the strongest game in the resi series, silent hill 2 is miles better still.

[AcesandEights]

Most of the SH storylines start out all well and good, then fall to self-indulgent narratives and overblown, bong-hit locales.

I don't know if they try too hard when they make those games or don't try hard enough to think things through.

[bassman]

isnt your answer moot if youve not finished at least one of both though?, thats like saying "oh i dont like pineapple, its gross" when youve never tried it y'know?

Well I don't think I would have to completely finish a game to form an opinion of it. I wouldn't have placed a vote if I thought I hadn't seen enough of the game I was voting on. I played a bit of it and watched some friends play loads of it, so I think I can make a decision between the two.

And I've played RE 1 & 2 many many times.

[capncnut]

I Actually dont get why your so down on homecoming, i got it on release day and have been playing it when i can and i love it, its just like old school silent hill.
I disagree, reverse peeling walls ala SH: The Movie is not old school.

Homecoming is okay. I'm not a full-blown hater but the series was pretty much drowning in it's own blood by episode four. 1-3 is where it's at and 1-3 is where it stays. Pretty much like Resident Evil really.

[Andy]

Homecoming is far better than origins and id take it over resi 5 anyday of the week.

I Dont get why everyone is going so crazy about pyramid head being in it, it was for one breif scene and i personally think its a good, respectful nod to silent hill 2.

As for oldschool silent hill i mean after "the room" or "origins", i think its a return to the gameplay style of silent hill 1,2 or 3, another point brought up in that review you posted which i dont agree with is when it says it has removed the lonliness by pairing you up with a women, from what ive played so far, she dosnt fight anything.. and your only paired up with her briefly, and you have to defend her.

This is no more than james and maria's relationship in silent hill 2.

[capncnut]

Homecoming is far better than origins and id take it over resi 5 anyday of the week.
Now that I will agree with.


I Dont get why everyone is going so crazy about pyramid head being in it, it was for one breif scene and i personally think its a good, respectful nod to silent hill 2.
Indeed, nodding at the greatness of a game that it has no hopes of bettering.

Although, I will say this: I like the controls, surroundings and story in Homecoming (it was okay albeit a bit predictable) but it doesn't feel like classic Silent Hill to me. Not only that but the AI is as unbalanced as Mickey Mouse and Jabba The Hut playing on a see-saw.

[PJoseph]

Hey guys - been a while since I've posted - been swamped.

However, to those who gave some nice props to Homecoming, I appreciate it. As I've now stepped away from the game since it's release, it's obvious the areas that I think could have been stronger in the story, but that is all part of the creative process I suppose.

Either way, it's always nice to hear that people enjoy the game.

Thanks.

pJ

[Andy]

Just so you guys know, i bought RE5 the other day and have now played both RE5 and homecoming, and i gotta say, i still prefer homecoming.

[darth los]

Just so you guys know, i bought RE5 the other day and have now played both RE5 and homecoming, and i gotta say, i still prefer homecoming.

I guess it's all just a matter of personal taste. Among other things SH is Mystical/spiritual and on the other hand you have RE which is more scientifically based.

It's alot like Star wars and Star Trek. One is not better than the other it's just what mythology you're more drawn to.




:cool:

[CooperWasRight]

I guess it's all just a matter of personal taste. Among other things SH is Mystical/spiritual and on the other hand you have RE which is more scientifically based.

It's alot like Star wars and Star Trek. One is not better than the other it's just what mythology you're more drawn to.




:cool:

It is most surely a matter of taste.... Review scores are universally higher for RE5(including those whom are fans of neither franchise)... A matter of taste indeed.

[Andy]

I guess it's all just a matter of personal taste. Among other things SH is Mystical/spiritual and on the other hand you have RE which is more scientifically based.

It's alot like Star wars and Star Trek. One is not better than the other it's just what mythology you're more drawn to.




:cool:

Not really the issue for me, i loved resident evil back in the day and im talking about 1,2 and 3, when it was set in raccoon city. i have all the original games for the playstation still and i have all the novels by SD perry, so i loved the backstory to resident evil, dont tell me i dont.

Also i still hold the record for beating leon A in 1h40m and being the only person in my circle of friends to complete the tofu scenario.. thats how into resi 2 i was.

I Dont like the direction its taken, resident evil lost its way for me after 3, code veronica was poor (i actually groaned out loud when wesker emerged) and the survivor serious was disasterious.. i wasnt a fan of 4, it was alright but far too action orientated and ditching the last of what made it survival horror.. and 5 is just 4 over again to me.. where-as silent hill has stayed true to its roots to a extent, they have taken what worked in the older games and kept it in the newer games, where-as resident evil have ditched everything that worked originally to try and make something new and it just dosnt sit right with me.

The point is, its no longer resident evil, its just another generic action game.

[capncnut]

Not really the issue for me, i loved resident evil back in the day and im talking about 1,2 and 3, when it was set in raccoon city. i have all the original games for the playstation still and i have all the novels by SD perry, so i loved the backstory to resident evil, dont tell me i dont.
Just like Kenneth Sullivan, Resident Evil has now become 'a mere shadow of it's former self'. :lol:

In a similar argument, Silent Hill is all about 1-3 (well for me anyway), but at least it hasn't turned into The A-Team like RE.


The point is, its no longer resident evil, its just another generic action game.
Pretty much. No arguments from me there, son.

[darth los]

Not really the issue for me, i loved resident evil back in the day and im talking about 1,2 and 3, when it was set in raccoon city. i have all the original games for the playstation still and i have all the novels by SD perry, so i loved the backstory to resident evil, dont tell me i dont.

Also i still hold the record for beating leon A in 1h40m and being the only person in my circle of friends to complete the tofu scenario.. thats how into resi 2 i was.

I Dont like the direction its taken, resident evil lost its way for me after 3, code veronica was poor (i actually groaned out loud when wesker emerged) and the survivor serious was disasterious.. i wasnt a fan of 4, it was alright but far too action orientated and ditching the last of what made it survival horror.. and 5 is just 4 over again to me.. where-as silent hill has stayed true to its roots to a extent, they have taken what worked in the older games and kept it in the newer games, where-as resident evil have ditched everything that worked originally to try and make something new and it just dosnt sit right with me.

The point is, its no longer resident evil, its just another generic action game.


Tell us how you really feel dude . :p


Well, in order to more appropriately compare the two, might I suggest Comparing only the classic format of RE to the silent hill franchise. I doubt it would change your opinion much but it seems like a more apt comparison.

I think part 4 and 5 suffer from the same malady that makes alot of people here hate dawn 04'. It is RE in name only and doesn't resemble the "real" RE in the slightest. As with dawn 04', if it had been called something else we could have judged it on it's own merits because they are great games, imo.

With that said, in the current format RE 4 does a much better job in accomplishing what they were going for and ,imo, does everything better than RE 5.

I do have to say that RE 5 brings back somewhat to the original formula in terms of a much slower pace than RE 4 along with the scarcity of money and ammo. I actually found myself counting rounds!! :stunned: That's something I haven't done since waaaaaaaay back in RE 2. Imo, it all changed in terms of the action and ammo in RE 3. ( I guess that's why cap praises it every chance he gets :p)



Anyone remember parasite eve by the way?





:cool:

[CoinReturn]

Tell us how you really feel dude . :p
Anyone remember parasite eve by the way?
:cool:

Oh yeah, PE and PE2 are two of the best games on PS1. It's a shame the series has been relegated to the cell phone format instead of getting a true next-gen sequel.

[darth los]

Oh yeah, PE and PE2 are two of the best games on PS1. It's a shame the series has been relegated to the cell phone format instead of getting a true next-gen sequel.


Well, with the game/film industries' propensity for rehashes and remakes don't rule out the possibility.

Truth be told I'd rather them remake them ala The Gamecube remake of the original RE. :hyper:





:cool:

[AcesandEights]

Oh yeah, PE and PE2 are two of the best games on PS1.

PE2 was great. I had a very enjoyable run on that game and loved the set up. A very solid title for its day.

[Andy]

Tell us how you really feel dude . :p


Well, in order to more appropriately compare the two, might I suggest Comparing only the classic format of RE to the silent hill franchise. I doubt it would change your opinion much but it seems like a more apt comparison.

I think part 4 and 5 suffer from the same malady that makes alot of people here hate dawn 04'. It is RE in name only and doesn't resemble the "real" RE in the slightest. As with dawn 04', if it had been called something else we could have judged it on it's own merits because they are great games, imo.

With that said, in the current format RE 4 does a much better job in accomplishing what they were going for and ,imo, does everything better than RE 5.

I do have to say that RE 5 brings back somewhat to the original formula in terms of a much slower pace than RE 4 along with the scarcity of money and ammo. I actually found myself counting rounds!! :stunned: That's something I haven't done since waaaaaaaay back in RE 2. Imo, it all changed in terms of the action and ammo in RE 3. ( I guess that's why cap praises it every chance he gets :p)



Anyone remember parasite eve by the way?





:cool:


That is exactly my point! you have hit the nail directly on the head only where im using it to argue SH is better, you seem to be trying to defend RE? i dont get exactly how.. but at least we agree that 4 and 5 crappy generic action games with "resident evil" slapped on them.

Now by comparing classic games only, RE1,2&3 and SH1,2&3.

While i loved RE dearly, ive still gotta say silent hill wins, its just a stronger franchise in my opinion. even the movie is better :lol:

[gallowisgod]

Silent Hill used to be more about the story but now it seems to be more action. In a review they called Homecoming "a good horror, but not a good Silent Hill", and it seems to be correct.
I've only watched RE a tiny bit so I can't really say anything I guess. But they used to be a tiny bit different; RE more action and Silent Hill more story. So I guess it depends on what mood you're in, maybe?





Oh, and if you want a good laugh - click this (http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/zero-punctuation/284-Silent-Hill-Homecoming). Funniest damn review I have ever seen in my life.
YES, THANK YOU! I saw it awhile back but I forgot where! *saving*



I Dont get why everyone is going so crazy about pyramid head being in it, it was for one breif scene and i personally think its a good, respectful nod to silent hill 2.
Yeah, also: the painting in SH2 clearly shows that Pyramid Head is not James personal "executor", the painter (whatever his name was) saw him aswell which means Pyramid Head is a part of Silent Hill.

I'm actually more angry over the nurses. The nurses were that sexy in SH2 because James had a lot of suppressed feelings, and the nurses are right before Rose meets Alessa and gets her daughter back. So unless she has some really messed up feelings I don't get their purpose. But I guess since they sexed up Pyramid Head they needed to sex up the nurses aswell, meh...

[MikePizzoff]

I just got Silent Hill: Homecoming and so far it's great. The only complaint I have is all of the slow-down I'm getting! Although, that could just be my XBOX going because lately it's been acting up.

[PJoseph]

Slowdown? Hmm...where are you finding the lag happening?

pJ

[darth los]

I just got Silent Hill: Homecoming and so far it's great. The only complaint I have is all of the slow-down I'm getting! Although, that could just be my XBOX going because lately it's been acting up.


Is that game a buy or strictly a rental? I'd hate to blow 50 bucks on a sucky game (again) :(


I've read the reviews and it seems to consistently get a low rating.





:cool:

[MikePizzoff]

Slowdown? Hmm...where are you finding the lag happening?

pJ

It'll happen at random times, such as turning a corner to have a large area come into view. Or sometimes when it's transferring from gameplay to cutscreen, and vice versa.


Is that game a buy or strictly a rental? I'd hate to blow 50 bucks on a sucky game (again) :(


I've read the reviews and it seems to consistently get a low rating.


I got it new for $40 at Target. I'm still very early in the game so I don't know how long it is. But at the rate I'm playing it, it's definitely a buy; I love it thus far.

[darth los]

Thnx for the heads up. It makes a big difference getting the perspective of a real gamer.





:cool:

[Rottedfreak]

They both suck you can't go wrong with Resident Evil 4 and Silent Hill 2 for fantastic single player experiences.

[MikePizzoff]

You say they both suck... then say you can't go wrong playing either. :confused: :rockbrow:

[gallowisgod]

You say they both suck... then say you can't go wrong playing either. :confused: :rockbrow:

I'm guessing he means RE5 and SH:Homecoming :P