How far would you go?

[Xeros]

Spoiler: A little back story.

So I've started off my survival horror list with Silent Hill 2. Starting to think I should've picked up one of the lighter titles instead of jumping right into the mindfuck. Oh well, still an amazing game so far. I'm about 2 hours in and I'm freaking the fuck out. It's more anticipation of creepy stuff happening than anything else. I dunno about you, but derelict buildings scare the shit out of me. Plus I can't see a damn thing, and the radio goes apeshit around every corner, not to mention those... things that come out of nowhere slithering on the ground making those... noises. So I began to think "there's no fucking way I would come anywhere near a place like this to save someone". Maybe it's because I currently have no strong feeling of desperation, or maybe I'm just a pansy. Don't get me wrong, I'd fight to the death for someone I loved. Being scared to death on the other hand, is an entirely different story.

So, think of the scariest game you've ever played. Would you go through all of that for the goal ahead, be it to save someone, solve a mystery, and/or save the world?

 

[Gigaguy64]

Hard to say.
I don't get scared easily and iv never played any of the Good ones like Silent Hill or F.E.A.R.

But i have been scared by Games like Dead Space and freaked out by BioShock.

 

[swolf]

Hmm, depends on the person. There are some people that I would just abandon. People that I would fight to the death and go through hell to save but would hope would abandon me because I wouldn't want them to get seriously harmed/die while trying to save me. Also, good luck on SH2. Has it given you nightmares yet? To save my wife and child, I would go through Silent Hill.

Also, SH2 bases the horrors of the town on the psychosis/history of those who enter it so my question what horrors do you feel would be suitable to what psychosis/history? For example, I feel that a person who abused their child would experience a large beast which violently thrashes them around.

Hard to say.
I don't get scared easily and iv never played any of the Good ones like Silent Hill or F.E.A.R.

But i have been scared by Games like Dead Space and freaked out by BioShock.

I haven't played Dead Space but I have played Bioshock, F.E.A.R. and Silent Hill. I would have to say, in my opinion, that SH is the CREEPIEST of those. The newer titles are quick pop-out scares while SH, typically, works on creating an ambience and atmosphere of desolation and depression. You may walk around for a while and not see anything and then, suddenly, you hear radio static signalling that an enemy is nearby. You walk around carefully checking every area that you can see and not see the source of the noise...you start to relax and then the creature approaches you in a manner that makes it seem that it is also in intense agony. Then there's the other little goodies in the games. For example, SPOILERS there's a hospital in which you learn about the patient(s) that were kept there and (I've heard) that you can actually find a locked cell with an abandoned patient inside. Also, there's the fact that there doesn't seem to be a single sane person in the town. They all seem to have serious psychotic issues. That's my description...hope you enjoyed it. I recommend SH2 to anybody who loves to be scared...try playing that in the dark with surround sound.

 

[snowman6251]

The game where I've felt the most dread of death and desperation to self preserve was Demon's Souls without question.

Every enemy, corner, hallway, ledge, elevator, sound, and area to dark to see properly scared the shit out of me on my first playthrough. Now I know the game like the back of my hand and can run through it incredibly quickly but my first time, oh man, terrifying.

The goal in that game was to save Boletaria though so assuming I didn't live there, there's no way it would be worth it.

 

[Xeros]

Hmm, depends on the person. There are some people that I would just abandon. People that I would fight to the death and go through hell to save but would hope would abandon me because I wouldn't want them to get seriously harmed/die while trying to save me. Also, good luck on SH2. Has it given you nightmares yet? To save my wife and child, I would go through Silent Hill.

Also, SH2 bases the horrors of the town on the psychosis/history of those who enter it so my question what horrors do you feel would be suitable to what psychosis/history? For example, I feel that a person who abused their child would experience a large beast which violently thrashes them around.

That makes me wonder if James was smacking his kid around (if he had one, they haven't said yet). I expect Pyramid Head to be thrashing me around any minute now. Already ran into him in the apartments. Freaked me right the fuck out when I came back out of the room... and he wasn't there anymore.

 

[Blair Bennett]

I've considered it before. The Silent Hill series is obviously one of, if not my favorite horror series, and I can honestly say that, through the mindfuck and the general insanity of it all, I would do my damnedest for that person, assuming they were someone I have extreme emotional connection to, such as close friend, or perhaps someone whom I felt genuinely deserved the justice of having someone making an effort for their benefit. On the other hand, I'd hate if people did the same for me. I think that, if anything were to happen, I would definitely blame myself. So yeah, I would brave Silent Hill, so to speak. I feel there's far too much apathy in the world as it is.

On a more selfish note, even if not for the other person, I'd probably venture a fair distance. Considering that Silent Hill is essentially a reflection of a person's being, it would probably intrigue me to no end. I have a lot of lingering curiosities about myself in a mental sense. At the same time, if if were a reflection of myself, and not someone else, obviously there would be some other objective which I would have to complete, so I'd probably still stay for that reason. Congratulations on finding a fantastic game though, and good luck.

 

[Trivun]

Maybe, actually, yes, I probably would. Not for any sense of protecting the world or the people I love though, although that would be a main priority and concern for me (I'm not entirely heartless, you know...). No, I'd do it for the experience and the sense of adventure. Seriously, I wish a Matrix-style virtual reality games console was around, just so I could play through a survival horror or an FPS in full virtual reality .

 

[swolf]

Hmm, depends on the person. There are some people that I would just abandon. People that I would fight to the death and go through hell to save but would hope would abandon me because I wouldn't want them to get seriously harmed/die while trying to save me. Also, good luck on SH2. Has it given you nightmares yet? To save my wife and child, I would go through Silent Hill.

Also, SH2 bases the horrors of the town on the psychosis/history of those who enter it so my question what horrors do you feel would be suitable to what psychosis/history? For example, I feel that a person who abused their child would experience a large beast which violently thrashes them around.

That makes me wonder if James was smacking his kid around (if he had one, they haven't said yet). I expect Pyramid Head to be thrashing me around any minute now. Already ran into him in the apartments. Freaked me right the fuck out when I came back out of the room... and he wasn't there anymore.

I don't know, I think that PH is a representation of James's anger and depression. You'll notice that PH walks slowly and with his shoulders hunched. I don't think that James had kids. I think those creatures you see represent that he really wanted to have kids and not having them upset him...or maybe his wife was pregnant and had a miscarriage or the child was lost when she died? The mystery leaves it open to interpretation while also creating a sense of unease and confusion, adding to the atmosphere. I would LOVE to see a remake of SH2. Just update the graphics and nothing else. If they're worried that will sell then have it be a combo pack with graphical updates of the rest of the original 4 SH games made by Team Silent. That spells fear and $$$$!!!!

Maybe, actually, yes, I probably would. Not for any sense of protecting the world or the people I love though, although that would be a main priority and concern for me (I'm not entirely heartless, you know...). No, I'd do it for the experience and the sense of adventure. Seriously, I wish a Matrix-style virtual reality games console was around, just so I could play through a survival horror or an FPS in full virtual reality .

Oh...how I wish they would make that technology available...I would pay good $ for that. Though I would want to know that there's a panic button that I can push to make it stop immediately if it gets too intense...or sensors which pause the game when people get too tense? You wouldn't want anybody having a heart attack...that'd be bad publicity.

 

[child of lileth]

If it was something like Silent Hill, where there's no leaving until I face what I suppressed, then I'd try to get as far along as I can. But honestly, I'd probably give in at some point before the goal.

 

[Vampire cat]

Never been scared by Silent hill or F.E.A.R series. Actually, FEAR makes me laugh, especially the "elite force" name thing. It's so silly, like something out of an 80's comic =3.

 

[ddon]

I would do nearly anything. I would finally get a reason to run around with a knife or axe or something while laughing insanely. I am still waiting for the best time to let it out.

 

[Gralian]

The biggest mindfuck game i've played has to be without a doubt Eternal Darkness. Now i've played SH2; but i think Eternal Darkness takes the crown for me, because of the insanity effects. As your character slowly lose their mind, the game begins to fuck with you, the player rather than your character. Silent Hill and the horrors within were tailor made for James, but when the game starts messing with the volume by itself, or making your character suddenly decapitate, sink in the floor, or flood the screen with cockroaches, or keep entering the same room no matter how many times you leave it, you just know the game is trying to get to YOU directly. And it's unsettling.

Honestly, i don't think i could go through with it. All of the insanity effects would make me put a bullet through my skull, assuming i had a gun. Although i don't know which is the more courageous option - the ability to end your own life or standing up to the effects of insanity. I know people view suicide as a cowardly way out, but bear in mind i'm utterly terrified of death! I'm not married nor have kids, so i can't say whether i would push through to save my son / daughter.

 

[Johnnyallstar]

And I would do anything for love...
I'd run right into hell and back...

 

[Xeros]

try playing that in the dark with surround sound.

I gotta say, playing it with surround sound headphones is seriously adding to the mindfuck.

Considering that Silent Hill is essentially a reflection of a person's being, it would probably intrigue me to no end. I have a lot of lingering curiosities about myself in a mental sense. At the same time, if if were a reflection of myself, and not someone else, obviously there would be some other objective which I would have to complete, so I'd probably still stay for that reason. Congratulations on finding a fantastic game though, and good luck.

Hmmm, that in mind is seriously making me reconsider my decision being a flat-out "no". Although, I'm sure in that case the town would be remastered to scare me the most, with lost of derelict building, and deep water with giant, creepy fish in it.

*looks at map and notices giant lake*

Oh, please god no....

Seriously, I wish a Matrix-style virtual reality games console was around, just so I could play through a survival horror or an FPS in full virtual reality .

Ease off the pedal there Jeff Gordon, I'm having a hard enough time not pissing myself with the PC version.

 

[Arkhangelsk]

I honestly don't know. There are a few people that I would take a hundred bullets for, but Silent Hill has tormented my brain in a way that the thought of going there for real makes me gutless. But... I couldn't live with myself if I didn't try to save them. Pyramid Head or not, I'd rather die than let them suffer.

 

[Ironlenny]

What would I do for a Klondike Bar™? I would be a toboggan for a pack of rage monkeys.

 

[manythings]

The condemned has some pretty disturbing moments... not sure I would take on a derelict mall full of psychos wielding concrete rebars (is that the word?) like bats. I have physical balls but I don't know if I have the Mental balls.

 

[swolf]

Never been scared by Silent hill or F.E.A.R series. Actually, FEAR makes me laugh, especially the "elite force" name thing. It's so silly, like something out of an 80's comic =3.

Which ones have you played and how did you play them? By that, I'm asking if you played them alone in the dark with the sound up or in the light, with friends, and it turned down. I think the first 4 were the BEST in the series (especially 2) Also, F.E.A.R. makes me laugh as well, I don't understand the appeal... then again, I only played for 30 minutes to an hour. I think it was too fast. Like they tried to cram in a bunch of "OH SH" moments together while SH paced them out so you weren't really expecting it...it's kinda like comparing CODMW and CODMW2, they're similar but one paces itself better and has a better effect.

I would do it. I would finally get a reason to run around with a knife or axe or something while laughing insanely. I am still waiting for the best time to let it out.

Might I recommend "Condemned: Criminal Origins". That was fun. There are some firearms but they're typically practically useless since they're have little ammo and, once they are out, make weak melee weapons. More likely, you'll be sticking to weapons like sledgehammers, fire axes, and lead pipes. I enjoyed it but I still prefer the slower creepier pacing of SH...though it did have some moments when they did that excellently. For example, you're exploring a derelict building...nothing's happening...clink! you hear a bottle get knocked over and rolling somewhere near by. You look around at can't find the source and wonder who (or what?) caused that disturbance. That was some enjoyable tension.

try playing that in the dark with surround sound.

I gotta say, playing it with surround sound headphones is seriously adding to the mindfuck.

Haha, yeah. Now imagine that but with graphical updates that make everything seem so real instead of the graphics that it has. Yeah, they're good but could you imagine if they were as realistic as current-gen graphics?

 

[Woodsey]

If it was for someone I cared about, I'd probably shoot a policeman and steal his hat, then defecate in said hat and return it to his grieving widow.

Then steal back again.

 

[DarthFennec]

I'll say Silent Hill 2, since that's the one you brought up. How far I'd go and how far I'm willing to go to save my daughter are different stories. How far I'm willing to go would be all the way through that game, and maybe more, but how far I'd get would probably be to the second time you see the Red Pyramid Thing, when the cutscene hides you in the closet. If it were me in control at that point, luck would have me trip on something and I'd end up getting killed by that extremely large knife, just from my own klutziness.