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Silent Hill: Shattered Memories, Origins headed to PS Vita
Konami has announced plans to bring a horrifying duo to the Vita via the PlayStation Network. Silent Hill: Origins and Silent Hill: Shattered Memories are both planned for European release, with a date to be announced shortly. A press release from the publisher confirms the games will be available for £7.99/9,95 Euro each. Silent Hill: Origins, originally released for the PlayStation Portable, acts as a prequel to the horror franchise. It follows protagonist Travis Grady's search for information regarding a girl he rescued from a fire. The search leads to the mist-covered town of Silent Hill where all forms of hell break loose. Silent Hill: Shattered Memories eschews combat in favor of running away from terrifying monsters as player-character Harry Mason searches for his missing daughter. Shattered Memories first launched for the Nintendo Wii, and reimagined the original Silent Hill's twisted story. Joystiq has contacted Konami to ask about release plans in other regions and will update this story if additional information becomes available. [Image: Konami]
Joystiq's Four in February is upon us, behold our staff picks
February is a forbidding land, full of winter darkness and noisome Valentine's Day traditions that are only slightly balanced out by a steady trickle of new games. That's why Joystiq's very own Mike Suszek created Four in February, a gaming event to unify the world against the month's doldrums. Here's how it works: Pick four games to finish in February and then try to finish them. That's it. No crazy rules, no limits on what you play. Just choose four games and take them on with gusto. That's the 4iF way. The best part of 4iF is how we all get to share the struggle, though. We want you to go to the 4iF Facebook community page and tell us everything. Show us pics of what games you're playing, tell us why you're playing them, let us know when you're streaming them, and most importantly, proclaim your victories or failures. Meanwhile, over on Joystiq's Facebook page, we'll be running 4iF giveaways every four days throughout the month starting Tuesday, Feb. 4. On Twitter, we'll be tracking the action to those who shout @joystiq using the hashtag #4iF. This is war on our gaming libraries, and this is our solid battle plan. What's the staff playing? Read on.
New Silent Hill soundtracks available to give your eardrums nightmares
Halloween is still a couple weeks away, but thanks to Sumthing Else Music, you can start getting in the spirit now with newly-released digital soundtracks from some of the more recent Silent Hill games, including Silent Hill: Downpour and Silent Hill: Book of Memories. While the Silent Hill series used Akira Yamaoka's creepy, clashing chords up until Silent Hill: Homecoming, it was Daniel Licht who composed the scores for Downpour and Book of Memories. Licht also composed last year's Dishonored, as well as the Showtime television show, Dexter, so the spookiness is strong with this one. Fog machine and bad dreams sold separately.
Silent Hill composer's guitar auctioned for Japan relief
What's scarier, being absolutely broke or regretting never taking a chance to have a piece of video game history? An auction for Akira Yamaoka's guitar and FX amps, which were used to create the audio atmosphere for a little franchise called Silent Hill, is currently underway on eBay (and will last for five days). The auction is part of Play for Japan, a coordinated effort to present consumers and gamers with means to help the relief effort in Japan. If you partake, you'll not only feel good about donating money to Japan, but you'll possibly give this guitar a new home and outlook on life, one filled with joy, sunshine and family -- not giant death bunnies and other unspeakable horrors.
Climax: We want to make another Silent Hill
We always suspected we had nothing in common with Silent Hill: Shattered Memories developer Climax. We crave Coke, they prefer Pepsi. We swoon for Daniel Craig, they say George Lazenby is the best. We say tomato, they say ... well, that one works better when you say it out loud. Finally, though, we've found something we agree on: We both want them to make another Silent Hill game. Speaking with the UK's Official Nintendo Magazine, lead designer Sam Barlow said, "For us we felt we've put our stamp on the series with Shattered Memories so we'd love the opportunity to do another one. So everybody go and buy it!" He's absolutely right, you should do that this moment. ... Hey! That's more common ground already. [Via Nintendo Everything]
Best of the Rest: Richard's Picks of 2009
Halo Wars Say what you will about the game's simplicity, or the brevity of the single-player campaign, but Ensemble Studios absolutely nailed console real-time strategy with Halo Wars. The controls work beautifully, allowing for the kind of granular management required in RTS games, and yet they remain simple enough for almost anyone to get the hang of the game. Add great online multiplayer and it's one tasty proposition. Frankly, I was so addicted to the Skirmish mode when reviewing the game that it ate into my work hours. Remembering that makes it harder to face the fact that Ensemble was shuttered once work on the game was complete. I can only hope that Robot is given the chance to further the series, or at least work the controls into an entirely new game.
Best of the Rest: Ludwig's Picks of 2009
Silent Hill: Shattered Memories I mocked this "re-imagining" of Silent Hill when it was first announced. I thought Harry Mason had become an older, life-hewn Harry Potter and considered the town's frosty makeover as nothing short of sacrilege. But an encounter with the game at E3 2009 (and with candid producer Tomm Hulett) quickly changed my mind. While the game departs significantly from the franchise's known lore, it retains and streamlines much of what made Silent Hill stand out against games like Resident Evil. Encased in the game's frigid atmosphere, you'll experience a sense of bewilderment that, if you've been playing these games for a long time, you will not have felt in years. Indeed, the best surprises prey on those of us who think we know everything about Silent Hill.
Silent Hill: Shattered Memories recollects Feb. 5 UK release
The "reimagined" first installment of Silent Hill is set to shatter memories in Europe on February 5, 2010. Konami confirmed the survival-horror title will release on Wii, PS2 and PSP on the appointed date. For those who can't wait, there's always an early Homecoming in anticipation for that return to the cursed town. Reviews of the game have been what Metacritic defines as "generally favorable," with a 76 average. Our own review took the approach that the game is good, but is it still Silent Hill with all the changes? %Gallery-69800%
Review: Silent Hill: Shattered Memories
I'm a big fan of Silent Hill. I've played every game in the series and a few years ago you might even have caught me defending the Silent Hill movie. When I first heard that Climax was re-imagining the first game in the Silent Hill series, and putting it on the Wii, I was a bit nervous. When the company revealed the logo and announced that the rust laden, nightmarish Otherworld was being brushed aside for an ice world, I was downright scared. After gathering some more info and trying the game at E3, all fears were assuaged. This was to be the great hope of the Silent Hill series. Having spent two evenings with the game and completing the story for the first time, I'm conflicted. Was it good? Yes. I'm just not sure it's Silent Hill. %Gallery-49995%
Konami coin-op cameo in Silent Hill: Shattered Memories
While playing through Silent Hill: Shattered Memories for review, our very own Richard Mitchell stumbled upon a pretty neat thing: classic Konami coin-op arcade cabinets. Sadly, you can't play the cabinets in-game, but it's a nice Easter egg for fans, if we may say so. There's Contra, Rush'N Attack and -- our personal favorite -- Gradius. Check 'em out in the video above.
Silent Hill: Shattered Memories trailer rocks out
Konami has released a new trailer for Silent Hill: Shattered Memories and ... it kind of rocks. Literally. Rather than flooding the senses with creepy atmosphere, rusted metal and sexually confusing nurses, the trailer opts instead for a montage of the game's characters and some rock music, specifically "When You're Gone," a new theme composed by the series' longtime (and recently departed) maestro, Akira Yamaoka. Sharp-eyed viewers will also notice that Cybil, the friendly police officer from the original Silent Hill, appears in two different variations in the trailer. The version of Cybil encountered will be different for each player, depending on the player's actions prior to meeting her in the game. Also featured in the video: Monsters. Lots of 'em. Shattered Memories releases December 8.
Rumor: Silent Hill composer Akira Yamaoka leaves Konami
Aeropause claims that Akira Yamaoka, the man responsible for Silent Hill's evocative sound, has apparently left Konami after 16 years and is currently vacationing in Europe. Fans of the survival-horror series would rightfully claim that Yamaoka, whose work has been a constant in the entire series, is inextricably linked to Silent Hill. Silent Hill: Shattered Memories producer Tomm Hulett told Joystiq in an interview back in June that Yamaoka's music "adds a special element, it's kind of the atmosphere of the town." He continued, "If Akira's music isn't there, it just doesn't sound quite right. And I'm sure that there are people out there who could emulate the sound and try to get it close, but there would be something missing." We've followed up with the publisher for confirmation and comment.
Silent Hill: Shattered Memories debuts on Wii Dec. 8
It looks like GameStop got it right, as IGN reports that Silent Hill: Shattered Memories will arrive on the Wii on December 8. The PS2 and PSP versions have yet to be given solid release dates, with Konami promising to reveal further information at a later time. Given the Wii version's proximity to the holiday shopping season, it sounds like PSP and PS2 players can consider their sanity safe until 2010 -- though not long after, considering our experience with the PSP version at Tokyo Game Show. Wii owners, on the other hand, should start preparing now by stocking up on flashlights, blankets and plenty of batteries. Just remember, so long as you're completely covered they can't get you. Braver readers might consider perusing some of our terrifying Shattered Memories preview coverage.
Konami not silent about Silent Hill: Shattered Memories' European release date
Somehow, Konami managed to provide a release date for Silent Hill: Shattered Memories while still not clearing up any of the recent confusion about the release date. How? By announcing a release date for Europe. Eurogamer reports that Konami will release the re-imagined survival-horror game on Wii, PS2, and PSP in February 2010.While the Eurogamer article references the uncertain American release date, no answer is given. Either the release date is being moved to 2010 worldwide, or Europe has the usual delay after the American date. The uncertainty is by far the scariest aspect of this game! Either that or the nightmare world that alters itself to more directly involve your worst fears. One of those.%Gallery-49995%
Retailers move Silent Hill: Shattered Memories release date again
Konami has yet to offer an official release date for Silent Hill: Shattered Memories, and the unofficial release dates keep shifting identities like some kind of haunted village. After Nintendo dated the game on its release schedule, we thought we could safely expect the game in November, but retailers have changed their dates once again.GameStop now expects to have Shattered Memories in stock on December 8. GameFly, whose dates tend to differ from official ones by a few days, lists the Wii game as being available November 26, but the PS2 and PSP versions on December 31. Wal-Mart's dates put the Wii version at November 24 and the PlayStation games on Christmas Day (which is probably not the real ship date, on account of there not being any mail delivery that day). Basically, the game is coming out later. It's not in stores right this second. That's all we can say with any degree of certainty.%Gallery-49995%[Via Kotaku]
TGS 2009: The Recap Post
Last week, the Tokyo Game Show brought in over 100 posts worth of news, previews, interviews, galleries, and videos. Clearly, a lot happened. If you're looking for a comprehensive list of all the goings-on during TGS 2009, Joystiq has you covered -- and organized! Click on a platform below to scan the highlights: (On the far right: that's "News" and "Culture" on the top and bottom, respectively)
TGS 2009: Hands-on: Silent Hill Shattered Memories (PSP)
Much like 2007's Silent Hill: Origins, the PSP version of Shattered Memories is quite capable of conveying an eerie, unsettling experience, even on a platform that might seem ill-equipped for the survival-horror genre in comparison to home consoles. The Wii re-imagining of Konami's PS1 classic is faithfully represented on Sony's portable, with only a few framerate hiccups tarnishing a very impressive visual representation. Recreating the Wii version's moody ambiance isn't the port's only major success, as it handles the absence of the motion-sensitive remote quite elegantly. Here, you manipulate Harry Mason's flashlight from a third-person perspective by holding R1 and moving the analog nub. While this removes the ability to move and peer into the terrifying town's dark recesses at the same time, the game's generally slow pace makes such multitasking more of a luxury than a necessity.%Gallery-65287%
Forget about buying Silent Hill: Shattered Memories before November
Though it fails to offer a precise date, Nintendo's packed holiday release schedule has confirmed a November debut for Silent Hill: Shattered Memories, the frigid re-imagining of the PlayStation survival-horror classic. GameStop, which is currently offering a Silent Hill soundtrack CD as a pre-order incentive, expects the game to arrive on November 3rd. According to producer Tomm Hulett, "If you've played the PlayStation game to death, you still have no idea what to expect for Shattered Memories." Oh, and definitely don't expect Dahlia to be a robot in this one. We made sure about that.
Remember to pre-order Silent Hill: Shattered Memories for a free soundtrack
GameStop's listing for Silent Hill: Shattered Memories (also on PS2, PSP) includes a pre-order item that seems perfect for a Silent Hill game: a soundtrack disc containing "18 of your favorite tracks from the Silent Hill series." Akira Yamaoka's music is one of the standout elements of the series, so if you don't already have a bunch of Silent Hill pre-order bonus soundtracks, you'll want this one. Oddly, the wording makes it sound like it's a Silent Hill sampler and not necessarily a Shattered Memories sampler, though we're sure at least a few tracks from the new game will appear.Shattered Memories does not have an official release date, but GameStop has moved its tentative date from October to November 3. So it's delayed, kind of?[Via GoNintendo]
New Silent Hill logo and screens scared up
click to look for Cheryl Konami has released some new screens of the upcoming Silent Hill: Shattered Memories. The shots are looking pretty nice, and include some of the more Wii-centric features, like object manipulation and Harry's mobile phone. There's also a monster or two and the bloody snow seen above. Remember kids, never eat red snow.On another note, Konami has freshened up the game's logo. It's essentially the same, although the cheesy icicles have (thankfully) been removed. Find the new logo and screens in the gallery below.%Gallery-69800%
