While fans ofSilent Hillhave every right to be excited forSilent Hill f’s upcoming release, one very concerning aspect of the game might repeat some of the biggest mistakes in the franchise. EverySilent Hillgame has managed to pull off an effectively creepy and fascinating story, but the series has never been the best at implementing incredible combat.
Looking atSilent Hill 4: The Roomspecifically, it’s clear what poor combat can do to an otherwise excellent game.SH4had the potential to be as good as, if not better than,any of its predecessors, but clunky and unsatisfying combat mechanics made it one of the weakestSilent Hillexperiences instead.Silent Hill fshowcases a lot of potential, so I hope it doesn’t suffer this same fate.
Silent Hill 4: The Roomarguably has one of the most compelling stories and some of the best charactersof anySilent Hillgame, as well as memorable enemies that stand out by comparison. Unfortunately, the game suffers froma major lack of satisfying gameplayin terms of combat.
Movement and combat controls inSH4feel belabored, clunky, andencounters are underwhelming on the whole.Clunky controls are somewhat intentional on the developers' part, meant to enhance realism. However, this doesn’t translate to anything nearly on par with previous games, despite the bar being relatively low.
SH4features a unique gameplay structure that’sovershadowed by disappointing combatin many respects. While its atmosphere, horror elements, and story are noteworthy, many consider the gameplay to be a huge step down from earlier entries due to tedious and lackluster mechanics.
This overall lack of polish compared to the more refined systems that came before was a huge downfall forSilent Hill 4.Silent Hill f, unfortunately, looks poised torepeat some of these same mistakesif it can’t hone in on satisfying combat mechanics.
Silent Hill F Might Be Making The Same Mistake
Poor Combat In Silent Hill f Could Ruin An Otherwise Quality Experience
While developers have made it clear thatSilent Hill fis by no means a soulslike game, its combat systems certainly seem to be incorporatingelements from the genre, for better or worse. I personally don’t think any gameplay we’ve seen so far gives us enough information to determine for certain how goodSilent Hill f’scombat will be.
Incorporating elements from all previous entriescould result in disasterdepending on which mechanics are ultimately carried over. However, it’s clear thatthe game is taking definitive steps in creating its own approachto combat while still honoring the classicSilent Hillfeel, and I’m keeping my fingers crossed that it will be an overall improvement.
No matter how incredible the story, characters, or setting are inSilent Hill f, combat mechanics can be a make-or-break feature of the game. Poor controls and awkward or unsatisfying mechanics can ruin an otherwise fun and terrifying time. If combat is done well and complements these other aspects of the game, on the other hand, this could be the best entry in the iconic horror franchise.
