[ifirit]

Originally Posted by The Phalanx

Reading the comments, all I see is "abloobloobloo" from self-entitled fans who apparently want to actively prevent Konami from making money off their own series.

This is a GREAT idea.

It's an interesting question: is it fair for a company to continue to make money on re-releases of its intellectual properties, even after the development team has left the company? In the case of Silent Hill, Team Silent has completely disbanded and almost all the original staff have left Konami. So, in essence, Konami is only earning money from Silent Hill re-releases as a publisher, not a developer. Therefore, is it appropriate for Konami to alter the original works (SH2 & SH3) without the input of the original staff?

I don't think there would have been much of a problem if the re-release was solely to remaster the graphics and sound, much the same way older films are remastered for new media releases. However, the issue here is complicated by a re-recording of the original dialogue by new cast members and a new cast director. The issue is even further complicated by allegations that even though members of the original staff are willing to work with Konami on a re-release, Konami is reluctant/unwilling to negotiate with said staff on payment of residuals from past and future releases.

I'm sure there have been cases of this before with other companies and other re-released games, but I think this is the first time the general audience at large has had to really think about the consequences it creates for development staff who are uncompensated in the process. Possibly with Final Fantasy/Square games, Mega Man collections, arcade collection re-releases, or even cult-title re-releases this is true, though in general these re-releases have had improvements added either through content, visual presentation or director's cuts. Even with previous Konami re-releases such as the Castlevania series were clear improvements added. However, who knows how much of the original staff was involved in any of these releases?

[Schwaltzvald]

The least they could do is make the voices fit the characters better.

Really now, Mary's (the singer Mary Elizabeth McGlynn) huskier voice, while nice seems out of place for Mary/Maria. Eddie sounds like a stoner rather than a deranged psychopath. Finally James (Crispin McDougal Freeman?), I'm not entirely sold on; could work but not sure.

The point should be that so long as the new VA's voicing their lines don't sound as awkward or worse as some of the original VA's; it'll be fine.

[ifirit]

I think you should know that Mary Elizabeth McGlynn is the V.O. director in charge of the HD Collection. So, the decision to put herself in the role of Mary/Maria is entirely her own. (This isn't the first time she's done this. If you recall her interview video a few years ago at an anime convention, she notes that during her direction of V.O. for the English dub of Cowboy Bebop, particularly when the time came to place a voice for Julia, she filled the role herself out of her own personal desire for said role.)

[Schwaltzvald]

Originally Posted by ifirit

I think you should know that Mary Elizabeth McGlynn is the V.O. director in charge of the HD Collection

Oh I'm aware of it, just not sure it was the best idea for Mary. Perhaps I need to play the HD collection rather than just see parts of her performance to really appreciate the changes. On the video clip though, rather than sounding as if she was being recorded on a old video-recorder at that scene with Mary at the hotel, it just sounded as if she was right next to you ad-libbing along side you rather than from the TV's speakers.

[ifirit]

I agree with you, though MEMG is an overdub professional and not a sound designer by trade. So, who knows if there's someone from the sound department that will be overlaying the static/noise filters onto the dialogue, especially for Mary's lines heard on James' radio? And what about the sound effects? Will Konami be re-recording James' and Maria's in game sound effects (breathing, attack grunts, injured grunts, death screams)? I honestly don't think they'll leave it out, but how weird is going to be to hear someone else's voice every time you stop running?

[Thalzon]

I raise this thread using the forbidden arcane art of necromancy!

I bought Downpour the other day. I didn't even know it was to be released, but I loved Shattered Memories to death so I snatched it up. Anyone else got it yet?

[Kuolema]

The only Silent Hill I've played is origins (half of it anyway), but I really don't like the gameplay/controls. I love the visuals though, and the music is fantastic!

[Dj Mokram]

Originally Posted by Thalzon

I bought Downpour the other day. I didn't even know it was to be released, but I loved Shattered Memories to death so I snatched it up. Anyone else got it yet?

It's interesting how Downpour borrows from Alan Wake (setting, puzzles), which is paradoxical since Alan Wake originally draws heavily from Silent Hill.
What genuinely worries me is the inability of japanese devs to keep their franchise alive without having to capitulate to the peer pressure of western trends.
Konami seemingly lost their way with SH (Book of Memories anyone?) and focused with Downpour on recapturing market shares from Remedy's title.
When instead, they could have used that opportunity to redefine survival-horror through their cult franchise which, sadly, had been stagnating for years.
Creative teams now leave franchises in the hands of foreign studios, like Slant6Games for RE Operation Raccoon Failure and Vatra for SH Downward.
Both games look dated, have clunky as fuck gameplay and try to be something they're not in order to please everybody but longtime fans.

Though many fans loathe it, the last real game imho was Zero/Origins. Climax Studios deserve kudos for bringing to life SH on the PSP.
Shattered Memories was more of its own entity, being a reboot and all. Played as a new IP, it's actually quite enjoyable in itself.
Homecoming turned you into Nathan Drake, dumbing down the challenge and scare factor. Not bad for a TPA-S, but terrible for a SH.

Silent Hill used to be a scary and disturbing game with a compelling story that made you feel as uneasy as it kept you engaged.
All that while you thrived to survive and unravel the mysteries of that foggy place from which no soul ever comes back.
That's proly why Konami brought SH2 and 3 back from the abyss, to remind the new generation that Silent Hill used to be good.

[Thalzon]

Well, I finally started playing it last night. Seems pretty standard fare, but it's enjoyable. I can see where they borrowed elements from Shattered Memories. Nightmare scenarios often have you running for your life against some enemy that cannot be killed and must be slowed down. It's refined from the aimless fleeing that was in Shattered Memories.

No guns yet, and I'm done the first area. There was only like 5 enemies and I had to beat them to death with a wrench or rake. So at least this game, so far, is not really a run 'n' gun like I feared.

As for characters, Murphy seems interesting and emotive. He sounds genuinely freaked out, and the background noises are top-notch.

There's some choppiness in the frame rate, sadly. Not so terrible as to make it unplayable, but it's noticeable, especially when you round a corner tightly or otherwise do something that forces the game to render more than your immediate surroundings.

Overall it's fun, but not terribly scary. We'll see how the story develops.

[liquid wind]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5I1sHMsAh8A

I wish this was an actual thing