ifirit

I'll join.

Well, if no one else is going to say it, the Final Fantasy VIII Piano Collections are the most relaxing of the albums.

This needs to be finished. Please update.

Nice arrangement, especially the flairs near the end of the piece. However, there seems to be more of a juxtaposition of the two themes rather than an integration, as the title of the thread would suggest. Still, the arrangement has a good level of reinterpretation, though I'd prefer more. The piece is panned way too far to the right, as that is where your leads and the majority of the instruments are. The overall volume level is too low for my preferences. While Finale is very good sequencer, especially for orchestral and instrumental compositions, it isn't a good tool for sound production, which is clear in the instrumentation. You'll likely need to obtain another program that will allow you to modify the texture and positioning of your instruments to be more organic, as that seems to be the intention. I really like the expressions used throughout the piece, particularly on the piano. However, the structure of the song is still too similar to the original, going back to the issue of juxtaposition. If you're looking for more of an integration, I would suggest leading into the theme of Chrono Trigger more slowly by introducing the percussion section into the End of Time section and building up from there, i.e. the main melody of Chrono Trigger. If you're looking to follow the advise about adding more of a "punch" to the song, I really suggest that you work on the contrast between the two pieces, such as making one piece gentler or the other more aggressive, or both. Still, I think the use of additional instrumentation would help, specifically in terms of percussion and second chair instruments. I'd particularly like to see more individualization and personalization of the string and horn sections. As for the problem of getting back to the End of Time theme, I might suggest something a bit cliche'd, but appropriate, such as stripping the piece down to simply the most identifiable melody of Chrono Trigger to be played by a solo instrument in a pianissimo manner that changes back to the End of Time melody and then rebuilds the supporting instrumentation to complete the theme. Though, I'd prefer to see more of an integration of the two themes with sections or elements from each used intermittently. I think it would add a little more variation and personality to the mix. Good luck.

Well, I have to agree with you on that statement, because the truth is, I couldn't fight my way out of a cardboard box. Seriously, that stuff is hard to break. I should say that the emphasis that they make is on the artform; the classes emphasize that you should never reach a situation where you have to fight. The same could be said of any artform today. It really becomes more of an issue of whether or not you wish to follow a predetermined style of fighting or your own. But, as you say, it's be better to learn to enhance your skills if your purpose is to learn self-defense.

I used to practiced Shaolin-Do martial arts, though I originally thought it was Karate. I only made it up to a second degree brown belt, having moved away at that time. I was so close to getting my black belt. I really wish I had. While this is technically considered a mixed-martial art, it does remain true to spirit of learning proper form and technique over learning to simply fight for fighting's sake. The techniques are very broad utilizing a variety of open-hand and armed katas. It's a really great martial art for beginning because of it's variety. The major drawback to it though is the amount of money that you have to spend on it, each month you're either having to buy a new weapon, pay for your testing, or for participation in seminars or trips, on top of having to pay for lessons. It's the martial art for capitalists. However, I gotta say that the first day we used sais I had fulfilled my ninja turtle fantasy.

Hey! Listen! Read the Resub Guidelines! Anyone else getting that vibe?

Quoted for the 10 character emphasis.

I just bought "The Snowman" on DVD, and it's something I'll treasure for years. By extension, but by no means its sole merits, I absolutely love this interpretation and treasure it as deeply. Any chance, though, that you could add in a section of your wife singing a fews lyrics? That would just top my holiday.

That's what GAME PRODUCERS are for. Even if the testing company were to take your ideas seriously, they'd never reach the developers before the final product shipped out. It's a dead end road for providing ideas. Game producers are the ones to plan out the ideas which are shared with the directors and programmers to determine what is conceivible, feasible and entertaining. A good and efficient producer never has to write a piece of code. Their job involves people and resource management, but it also allows for creative outlets when games are in their conception stages. If I were you, I'd look into a degree in Business Management, with a focus on Multimedia Communications or Commercial Media.

It was just a suggestion. But, of course, there would have to be a definite announcement saying that said concert would take place. I'm sure that if the concert were to be held, bands across California would be lining up for auditions. You'd hope those people running the event would pick the best one. But, that's completely in the realm of speculation. Yep, I've played it and beaten it, several times, and have been dying to post a review of the game. Especially since every review posted so far doesn't really evaluate the game with much depth. Being so, I'd like to post my thoughts. Warning: Minor Silent Hill 0rigins/Zer0 Spoilers First off, a part of me really, really wanted to hate this game. I wanted it to be so bad and so wrong that development would have had to be handed back to Team Silent. But, I couldn't hate it. It's just a very solid game. The atmosphere and level design is very deep and familiar. (At times, perhaps a little too familiar.) The mood and tension created by the environments and sound design are gripping and, when taking the suggestion to play it in the dark and with headphones, will creep you out to no end. The environments do a great job of combining the aesthetics from the first game and the film; it's a subtle application used throughout the entirety of the outdoor environments. An example would be the incorporation of the light fixtures from the film replacing the normal street lamps of Central Silent Hill. Another example is the use of textures and motifs from the film's sets filling in areas that were too blurred in the original, such as building walls, trim and store windows. You'll notice the film motif used throughout the design of the exterior of the streets of Central and New Silent Hill. However, when it comes to the building interiors, the use of the film's motifs are much more subtle restricting their usage to posters and objects added in the environment. The otherworld on the otherhand does not imploy much of its inspiration from the film, opting to focus on the look created by the four main games, yet adding a bit of reinterpretation throughout. (In particular, are the use of living plants and various fluids dripping from above to give the environments a more "living world" feel. One of the most unusual aspects of this design, however, is that these things are sectionalized between the different "levels." The SH1 Otherworld motif is very apparent in the Motel level, while the SH2 Otherworld motif is confined to the Theater level. The SH3 motif is restricted to the Hospital level and the SH4 motif to the Sanitarium level. (Yes, just when you thought they couldn't add another hospital in Silent Hill, they did.) This adds a very distinct flavor to each level, but makes the interpretation of the game on an overall sense somewhat muddled. (Actually, I mean to say that this design makes it difficult to establish an overall concept for the Otherworld in SH0 since the representations of it change throughout the game.) If you're looking to compare the size of the game with that of previous games, SH0 is just physically, slightly smaller than SH2, but larger than SH1. SH0 and SH2 both contain the same number of levels with roughly the same amount of space on the interior. However, the exterior environments are smaller than SH2, but only because SH2 made use of extendedly long hallways and streets. SH1 can be beaten on a speedrun of about an hour, SH2 in about just over 2 hours and SH0 can be beaten on a speedrun of just about an hour and a half. The only reason why SH0 seems shorter is that the game has virtually no retraversal of the environments. The game basically leads you all over the map, but you rarely ever have to cross the same areas twice. (I'm counting the Alternate and Otherworld maps as separate parts of the levels, since the game has separate maps for each.) It's this type of level design that really makes the game feel linear, because it's not really a maze, so much as a path with branch off sections. (I'm particularly disappointed with this simplification of the level design.) Having gone over all the general aspects of the environments, let's look at the combat and gameplay. First off, the game starts you out with the two key items that have always been essential gear in a Silent Hill game, the flashlight and the radio. These two items are considered to be your lifelines in the game, since they help your survival. Well, guess what, you don't need either. In previous installations, you had to use the flashlight in order to pick up items in the dark and the need to use the flashlight to search for items in the presence of enemies added to the tension. Well, don't EVER bother turning on your flashlight, because every item in the game can be picked up without it. In addition, using the flashlight only draws monsters to you. It's no longer a double-edged sword, only a dull blade. Second, the radio, which was the only guide in previous games that let you know the general presence of monsters in the environment. Leave it off, between the sounds emitted by the monsters, the visual static effect and the use of QTE (Quick Timing Events) you'll always know where the monsters are. Well, you think, "what's the big deal? You've got two items you don't need to use, they're sectioned out for you anyway. It's not like you'll have an endless supply of useless items, right?" Well, you're wrong. Weapons in the game are breakable, limiting their use and lifespan. The game provides you with enough weapons in every room to never be without and the use of your fists means that even when a weapon breaks, you're never unequipped. But, here's the deal. 60% of the weapons in the game suck. Either the weapon is too weak to fight enemies with promptly, or the lifespan of the weapon won't last through a single fight. Also, because of the weapons breakable status displayed on each weapon, the game will not filter weapons as multiples, so you can end up with a dozen pieces of broken wood planks, all of which you can't rely on, taking up space to switch over to the one good weapon you have which gets shuffled to the end of the list. Throwing weapons aren't much use either since they have no range when tapping the attack button and no accuracy when used as a charged attack. In addition, because of a glitch in the QTE, if a throwing item is used and a QTE follows, the weapon will simply break causing no damage to the monster. You'll find that there are a number of glitches that occur when playing the game. One of the most apparent is the fatigue glitch. SH0 revives the stamina feature used in SH3, where your stamina determines Heather's ability to run, fight and block attacks. When your stamina reached zero, you had to find a place to rest to recover. However, in SH0, when your stamina reaches zero, the stamina gauge automatically returns to 100%, so the need to recover is not needed and you can essentially outrun any monster. The developers had also added in an energy drink which could be used to immediately recover stamina, but with the glitch, they're essential useless outside of tight corners. So, once you've found a good weapon to fight with and used the stamina glitch to avoid the hard to fight monsters and walked past the monsters with the flashlight turned off, fighting is still reduced to the ackward bash-fest that it had been in the previous games. Because you can only do 1-2 combos, you'll have to hit once or twice, backup, avoid the monster attack and repeat. This NEVER changes, even with bosses. However, with the large variety of monsters in each area, you don't really get bored with the attack pattern until your third playthrough. But, by then, you'll hopefully have gotten the special weapons making fights last only a few seconds. The puzzles in the game are suprisingly good, but simple for any returning Silent Hill fan. The variety is good, ranging from the traditional collecting items to place in corresponding locations, to matching and memory puzzles, to even algebraic problems. Sadly, there are no word puzzles or cryptic poems to interpret. (This kinda takes out the lyrical, poetic nature of the past games.) The acting and cutscenes in the game are only so-so. While the acting is more fluid than in the first, which numerous references to SH1 are made in the dialogue of SH0, there are not as many memorable scenes as previous games. Encounters with recurring characters are so stripped of the original personalities, you have to really look hard at these scenes to draw out what personality there is, especially since there are so few cutscenes in the game. One exception regards a particular nurse in red, with which it eventually goes nowhere. But, the acting never really gets past its rigid, scripted form, which at times can be ackward. ("I could be a STAAAR!!!!" is one particular reference. "Dr. Kaufman wants to meet me..." is another.) My biggest problem with this is that the story regarding Travis' background is really, really good, with hints given both in the scenes and throughout the game itself. However, the small number of cutscenes and character interactions cause the story to develop too slowly and it gets trailed off near the end. The part that I am particularly referencing is the climax, where there is a confrontation between Travis and the girl in blue, that is ultimately dropped in order to bring the story back to the Alessa arc. This brings me to another point, because at this point, the game seems to be trying to wrap everything together so quickly that it feels rushed or forced. The Good Ending is a particularly good example, since it doesn't explain how the characters even got out of their situation at the final battle and relies on the interpretations made by the film to explain the bridge between this game and the first game. As a final sentiment, I can only summerize the game as having the polish, sheen and soul (i.e. Akira Yamaoka) of past games, but lacking the breadth and depth.

So, I guess I need to ask, "when is pixietricks going to eat the queue?" <.< >.>

Silent Hill 0rigins/Zer0 Update: SH0 Official Soundtrack Announced, Pre-Orders Accepted: On November 16, 2007, Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd. announced the release of the official Silent Hill 0rigins/Zer0 soundtrack. The soundtrack, which contains 30 tracks from the game, will be released on January 25, 2008 from KonamiStyle of Japan. The soundtrack will be sold in a new "tall case"* which will feature an exclusive cover jacket and comic book, designed specifically for this release.** The soundtrack was, of course, directed/composed/performed by Akira Yamaoka, with lyrics by Joe Romersa and vocals by Mary Elizabeth McGlynn (a.k.a. Melissa Williamson). Unfortunately, a tracklist is not available, but it will likely feature all the music from the game. KonamiStyle of Japan is currently accepting pre-orders for the soundtrack, which cannot be bundled with pre-orders for the game. The soundtrack will retail on KonamiStyle of Japan for 2,400円 (YEN), 2,520円 (YEN) after sales tax. The soundtrack will be a limited edition release, with no plans to reprint or re-release the album once quantities are sold out.*** The catalogue number for the soundtrack is: LC1627. *Footnote: Currently, detailed descriptions of the supposed "tall case" are not available. However, the description suggests that it will be large enough to contain the limited edition comic book bundled with the package. (Personal Note: The design of this special case seems to me that it will be the width of standard CD jewel cases with a height of standard DVD jewel cases.) **Footnote: Again, currently, the information regarding the content of the limited edition comic book are unknown. However, the site suggests that the content will be exclusive to the soundtrack and feature content based on the new game. (Personal Note: My suspicions lead me to believe that the comic will feature content regarding Travis' journey in Silent Hill as opposed to something regarding the town's history. I also believe that this will NOT be a reprinting of the Silent Hill Cage of Cradle or Silent Hill Double under Dusk digital mangas written by Hiroyuki Owaku and illustrated by Masahiro Ito. Sorry, if that disappoints you.) ***Footnote: KonamiStyle of Japan is offering this soundtrack bundle as a limited edition offer. As such, KonamiStyle cannot accept cancellations of orders once they are placed. In addition, KonamiStyle has no resale schedule for this soundtrack bundle once quantities are sold out, so get it before it's gone. (Personal Note: Because KonamiStyle is not promoting this offer as a "bundle" but as the official soundtrack, it can only be assumed that Konami does not plan to release the soundtrack in any other physical form, which suggests there will not be an international release of the soundtrack as a physical CD. Likely, Konami will release the soundtrack via digital distribution on their iRevo/iTunes, Rhapsody or Napster pages.) KonamiStyle of Japan - Silent Hill Zer0 & Original Soundtracks KonamiStyle of Japan - Silent Hill Zer0 Original Soundtracks Addendum: If you are looking for a way to import the soundtrack CD from Japan, a number of japanese importers are also currently taking pre-orders for the Silent Hill Zer0 soundtrack. The best recommendation would be with PlayAsia.com, who have the soundtrack retailing at $34.90 (USD), with shipping at $2.60 (USD). PlayAsia.com - Video Game Soundtrack - Silent Hill Zero Original Soundtracks Also, to get you guys excited about the soundtrack, here are samples of the four vocal tracks from the game. YouTube.com - SH0 - Vocal Track #1 YouTube.com - SH0 - Vocal Track #4 -------------------------------- SH0 Official Konami Strategy Guide Announced, Pre-Orders Accepted: On Tuesday, November 27, 2007, Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd. announced the release of the official Konami strategy guide, Konami Official Books: Silent Hill Zer0 Official Guide. The guide will be released on December 20, 2007 and be an exclusive available on KonamiStyle of Japan. The guide will feature character and monster profiles, maps, puzzle hints and solutions, and ending guides. It will be published in A5 format and be 160 pages long. The ISBN is: 978-4-86155-210-6, with a catalogue number of NK0210. The book will retail at 1,238円 (YEN), 1,300円 (YEN) after taxes. *Personal Note: If you've ever purchased a strategy guide from Konami, you'll notice the clear difference between it and those published by other third party publishers, like *cough*BradyGames*cough*, who own the publishing rights in North America. The Konami guides are always published with a separate cover on glossy paper. The guide itself tends to have higher quality images (CG, in-game and concept) with occassionally unreleased images as with the SH4 Complete Guide and the SH3 Ushinawareta Kioku. Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd. - Silent Hill Zer0 - Official Guide -------------------------------- SH0 European Website Official Launched: On November 16, 2007, Konami Digital Entertainment Gmbh launched the official European site for Silent Hill 0rigins. The site is flash-based with an HUI designed like the PSP. Visitors can view the various sections of the site by pressing/clicking on one of the glowing buttons (Square, Circle, Triangle, or Cross) and using the directional buttons to scroll through images or rewind/fast forward through the videos. The site features both the IGN trailers released in April of this year (listed under the "Trailer" and "Gameplay" buttons). The "Packshot" button shows an image of the UMD packaging and the "Screens" button shows screenshots from the game in Widescreen format. Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH - Silent Hill 0rigins - Microsite -------------------------------- Interviews with Silent Hill Staff: Mary Elizabeth McGlynn Focus Panel at Anime Expo 07: At this year's Anime Expo in Los Angeles, California, Mary Elizabeth McGlynn was honored as one of the few English speaking focus panel guests. While the majority of the focus panel pertained with her anime work, she did begin the presentation with a sample of her work on the Silent Hill 0rigins soundtrack with a brief discussion about her collaboration with Akira Yamaoka. This is one of the only interviews/discussions where she discusses her experiences in the creation/performance process. While the first part of the series of videos is the only part that discusses her work on the Silent Hill soundtracks, you can view the rest of the series of videos to hear about her and her works in anime. I'll post them all just in case. (<---- This one has the Silent Hill music discussion.) Additionally, in a written interview with Mary Elizabeth McGlynn, she manages to talk a little more about the music of Silent Hill, particularly with the recording process and with the song "Waiting for You." She explains that Joe Romersa is the contact between Akira Yamaoka and herself, and that Joe Romersa is the one who writes the lyrics for the songs. Additionally, she reveals that "Waiting for You" is indeed a studio recorded song and not live public performance. However, they also bring up the idea of having a concert of Silent Hill music performed at the next Anime Expo in 2008. (Hmmm... Meet up, anyone?) TokidokiJournal.com - Mary Elizabeth McGlynn Interview

That was a really well conducted interview. It's much more encompassing of the site as a whole and of its history, in an overall sense. You definitely should keep it as a forerunner on the press page.

Sadly, not enough until now. I, for one, am guilty of not appreciating nor expressing my appreciation to Reuben until now. It seems that we really can never know what we have until it's gone. Rest In Peace, Good Soul. You will be missed.

***** Round Thirty-Five: ****** Castlevania: Symphony of the Night - Yes Having just gotten Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles for the PSP, I've managed to unlock the original Symphony of the Night, which I have got to say is an incredible game. This is one of the most polished scrolling adventure games I've ever played. At times I'm reminded of Super Metroid, at least in terms of polish and depth of detail. The game offers so many different ways to fight and explore. The hybrid of RPG-style character statistics and development with the traditional adventure mechanics blend so well together and compliment each other in a way that can only be described as artful. The music and sound effects are great, too, by the way. Mario Kart 64 - No While the original game for the SNES was definitely a fun game, this 3D interpretation of the racer was just hampered too much by the loose controls, hugely lopsided character statistics and over-reliance on power-ups. There are better interations of this title on the newer platforms, such as Double Dash. The music as a whole wasn't too memorable, with the exception of a couple of tracks. ***** Round Thirty-Seven: ***** Resident Evil 3: Nemesis - No Much like the ill-fated titles released around the same time as this game, RE3 takes the traditional RE gameplay and just beats it to death. Yet, what really ruins the experience of the game is its gimick, the Nemesis. The constant encounters and difficulty to defeat, on consistent level, the Nemesis makes the encounters redundant and ultimately tedious. While the story does work nicely in wrapping up the whole Raccoon City storyline, the poorly timed and overly played out Nemesis encounters, amidst the bevy of traditional RE monsters, make the game more for intent fans than the general console owner. The save music also sucked in this game for some reason.

WARNING: Possible Silent Hill 0rigins/Zer0 Spoilers Silent Hill 0rigins/Zer0 Update: Silent Hill Zer0 To Be Shown at Games Japan Festa 2007; Sub-Site Opened & New Media Posted: On November 5, 2007, Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd. opened their main site for Silent Hill Zer0 officially announcing information and details about the game, in correspondence with the Games Japan Festa 2007.* The site features standard areas of information about the game, such as the premise, Silent Hill background, and the Tokyo Game Show 2007 Trailer.** In addition, new gameplay images and a new box art cover for the Japanese market were released. The box art is a painted cover that features the image of a young Alessa Gillespie in the Otherworld from the E3 2007 Trailer. The game will retail at 4,980円 (YEN), 5,229円 (YEN) after taxes. The game is set for a Japanese release on December 6, 2007.*** *Footnote: The site was originally posted on November 2, 2007, which linked from the original SH0 site: http://www.konami.jp/gs/games/sh0/. Yet, Konami did not officially post the link to the site via the main page (http://www.konami.jp) until November 5, 2007. **Footnote: The official Tokyo Game Show 2007 trailer for SH0 that can be viewed from the Japanese site or Konami's Tokyo Game Show page is an editted version of the full trailer which contained spoilers from the game and was thus editted. The full trailer can be viewed or downloaded from GameTrailers.com. (http://www.gametrailers.com/player/25374.html) ***Footnote: Previously reported was that the worldwide release was expected for November 6, 2007. However, this information was inaccurate, as the North American release of the game will occur on November 6, 2007, with a European release on November 16, 2007 and lastly a Japanese release on December 6, 2007. (Personal Note: Sorry about that, guys. I'm really sorry about that to any of the European readers who were thinking that they'd get the game today.) Additionally, the box art for the European version of the game has also been released. Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltd. - Products - Silent Hill Zer0 Silent Hill: Origins.com - News - New Silent Hill Zero minisite and Japanese boxart Silent Hill Rumor Control An Unusual Message Left on the SH0 Japanese Website Hints at Another Supplemental Silent Hill DVD: When reading through the Japanese website for Silent Hill Zer0/0rigins, if one clicks on the fifth tab in the sidebar, you'll see a list of announcements regarding the game. The newest announcement made on November 5, 2007, says in its 0riginal Japanese, "新作ガイドにて紹介。付録DVDにてなんと映像も収録！" Roughly translating this into English, the message says, "New production introduction/referal tour guide. Supplementary DVD [something] image compilation!" The information could be interpreted from the site as suggesting that a new The Art of Silent Hill DVD is coming out sometime soon. Yet, I don't believe that this is the case, as the section under which it's posted is in the press page, as a statement from Electro Shock PS2 Magazine (http://www.mediaworks.co.jp/), a sister publication of Dengeki Magazine. This is further evidenced by the other listing also being Japanese gaming magazines, with quotes regarding their reviews. Konami Digital Entertainment Co, Ltd. - Products - Silent Hill Zer0 - Press EDIT: Silent Hill 0rigins/Zer0 Update: Official SH0 North American Site Opened: On November 6, 2007, Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. officially opened the North American version of the Silent Hill 0rigins website. The site is a Flash-based page with a deserted building motif and allows visitors to view different information about the game by clicking on the various doors in the main hallway. These sections include "About Silent Hill 0rigins," "The Game," "Downloads/Videos" (Coming Soon), and "Gallery." Each section contains additional subsections of information. A flowchart is displayed below to show what sections and subsections are contained on the site. - About Silent Hill 0rigins ---- Synopsis ---- Features ---- Press - The Game ---- Characters ---- Monsters ---- Weapons - Downloads/Videos (Coming Soon) - Gallery ---- Screenshots ---- Concept Art While the site information is fairly standard fare for most promotional sites, what the North American site offers is additional artwork*, newly released CG images**, and new concept art previously unreleased.*** Also included on the site is a complete list of the monsters in-game with corresponding images, allowing visitors to see all the creatures from the game before playing, possibly spoiling some of the surprise. A list of the characters is also shown, but is lacking the spoiler characters for obvious reasons.**** The site will also feature downloads and videos in the near future from the game, which will be reported when added. As a final note, the North American Silent Hill portal site (http://www.silenthillusa.com) has been shut down (if permanently, is yet unknown) and the exclusive media that was on the site available to registered members is no longer available. So, if you missed it, you'll have to track it down from one of the various Silent Hill fan sites. I suggest Silent Hill: Lost Memories. *Footnote: The additional artwork released includes images of all the characters, monsters, and weapons usable in the game. (Personal Note: The images are much more impressive than any of the artwork images released so far, though they still contain some measure of retrograde appearance to maintain the visual style of the PSP graphics.) **Footnote: The newly released CG images are used in many parts of the background on the various sections and are much more consistent with the visual style of the CG videos from the game than the in-game style. (Personal Note: The CG images are a much improved take on the original interation of the game, seen when the game changed development offices to the European braches of Climax Studios. It's too bad that the game couldn't have been further developed in this style.) ***Footnote: The concept art contained on the site contains a revised version of the one of the original concept art images originally posted on the North American Silent Hill portal site. This image was of the girl in the white dress on the steps of a large building. Also, the stetches featured in the concept art sub-section are storyboard drawings from one of the pivotal cutscenes in the game. (Personal Note: While I understand the purpose of having storyboard images for the development of a game, what I don't understand was why these very stetchy images were posted in lue of the earlier painted concept images which contained a greater level of detail and expression than the ones used for the promotional site.) ****Footnote: While recurring characters like Alessa, Dr. Kaufmann, Dahlia and Lisa have some level of spoilers expressed, the characters that relate to Travis' personal dilemma are more of a spoiler for the game itself. (Personal Note: What the deal is up with the character descriptions, particularly of Lisa Garland? "...fliratious, and innocent." Not only is that an oxymoron, but it's also a grave misinterpretation of the original character who's life was consumed by verbal abuse, small-town pressure and drug addiction. Personally, I found Lisa neither flirtatious nor innocent. Also, Dr. Kaufmann is noted as being a "cold and scientific man," which I, too, find to be a misinterpretation of the character, since Kaufmann showed quite a bit of emotion in the first game, mostly anger and frustration, yet always with a passionate demeanor. Anyway, I'm rambling. I'll shut up now.) Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. - Silent Hill 0rigins Silent Hill Cross-Overs Announcement: The Red Pyramid Thing to Appear in Konami's New International Track & Field (NDS): At this year's German Gaming Conference in Leipzig, Germany, Nintendo announced the development of a new title for the Nintendo DS portable gaming system called, "New International Track & Field." The game would act as an updated version of the original arcade/NES game, Track & Field. Among the list of characters announced via the game's website was Silent Hill 2's Red Pyramid Thing (a.k.a. Pyramid Head). Featured in the revised design from the film Silent Hill, the Red Pyramid Thing will be playable in all 24 competitions and events in the game. The design for New International Track & Field displays the Red Pyramid Thing in the helmet from the film with the traditional ceremonial robes from the cult of Silent Hill (ruined to match the original concept) and shown holding a javelin in place of the traditional spear.* The bio for this character is quoted as: New International Track & Field is scheduled to release in 2007 for the Nintendo DS. ** *Footnote: Although the appearance of this character in any setting outside of the context of Silent Hill 2 is considered non-canon by fans, the design and treatment of the character within this game is much more faithful to the original than first speculated, though still beyond what is considered canonical. One such example is the depiction with the javelin, similar to the traditional spear, in place of the Great Knife (which was an invention of James' mind not of the town's history of the executioners of the Toluca Prison Camp). (Personal Note: Although, many people haven't taken much notice of it, one of the traditional events of track & field include target skill with firearms, notable a rifle or shotgun. Needless to say, the idea of having the Red Pyramid Thing using a firearm, even out of the context of SH2, doesn't sit well with me. Also, am I the only one who finds the descriptions of this character to be incredibly morbid for a title targetted towards the family demographic? They might as well say that the character is a euphamism for the act of committing rape. :S) **Footnote: There are additional images available of the New International Track & Field version the Red Pyramid Thing, but these forums only allow 4 images to diplayed in one post. Check out the rest on the site. Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH - New International Track & Field Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH - New International Track & Field - Characters

Hellz Yeah! You must post a host, or you will die!

That's what I've been trying to say for almost a year now. PSP is the sexy gamer's portable. By the way, Phthisis, will you be picking up Silent Hill 0rigins on Nov. 6? Also, why has nobody mentioned MGSPO+?! Or the second MGS digital comic? Or Dead Head Fred?! Or Silent Hill 0rigins!? Did I mention that Silent Hill 0rigins is coming out? Sincerely, Silent Hill 0rigins

Just wanted to post a quick report before bedtime. Warning Possible Silent Hill 0rigins/Zer0 Spoilers Silent Hill 0rigins/Zer0 Update: Figurine Pre-Order Bonus with Silent Hill Zer0 from KonamiStyle of Japan: KonamiSyle of Japan is offering a free figurine with pre0rders of Silent Hill Zer0 on their website. The figurine is an exact scale model of a new creature from the game, called "The Butcher." The figurine will be a block of crystal/glass with the design of the "Butcher" laser-etched inside.* The measurements of the figure are 40mm (length) by 60mm (height) by 40mm (width), approximately 1.5"x2.33"x1.5". The cost to pre-order Silent Hill Zer0 from KonamiStyle is 4,480円 YEN (~39.10 USD), 4,704円 YEN after sales tax (~41.05 USD), almost $10 more than the pre-order price available from KonamiSyle of North America. The figure will be shipped with pre-order purchases on December 6, 2007, the game's Japanese release date. Currently, the offer is only available in Japan through the KonamiStyle website.** *Footnote: The description indicates that the actual figure will not be exactly as shown on the website. (Personal Note: I'm expecting that the figure will likely be much more like the in-game model of the "Butcher" than the sketch shown in the drawing on the webpage.) **Footnote: The figure is likely to be a bonus for the Japanese market, for which the game will be delayed from the official worldwide release of November 6, 2007. Many other sites and forums speculate that a similar offer will be made for the North American and European releases, yet the possibility of said offer being an official Konami bonus is unlikely. (Personal Note: I'm expecting to see a pre-order offer for SH0 from a large North American game distributor like EBGames or GameStop, since previous North American pre-order offers in the US were not available from the Konami store itself, but from EBGames.) KonamiStyle of Japan - Silent Hill Zer0 - SILENT HILL ZERO」　予約開始 KonamiStyle of Japan - 【特典つき】SILENT HILL ZERO （PSP） EDIT: For those looking to purchase the SH0 preorder offer from KonamiStyle of Japan with the figurine, I've found a source. KonamiStyle Pre-Order Offer Available from PlayAsia.com: PlayAsia.com, an online Japanese videogame and anime importer, is offering the limited edition preorder bonus of Silent Hill Zer0 and the "Butcher" figurine to North American buyers. However, it comes with a hefty price. The offer includes the game Silent Hill Zer0 (the Japanese version) for the PSP along with the laser etched glass figurine for $69.90 USD.* The Japanese version of the game is encoded in Region 2 format, but offers no region protection, which means that PSP's in other regions may still play the game.** The item is expected to be in stock on December 7, 2007 and will ship out from then on. Shipping in the US will cost $3.10 USD. *Footnote: This price is nearly double the cost of the same offer in Japan, and more than double the cost of the game itself. (Personal Note: If you feel you are an avid collector of all things Silent Hill, and live outside Japan, this offer may be just what you've been waiting for, but don't put yourself into debt because of it. For rabid fans only.) **Footnote: Please note that although PSP games are not region protected, there may be problems in the PSP reading the coding, which could lead to various gameplay problems and possibly even hardware problems. (Personal Note: I strongly advise players to refrain from playing the Japanese version of the game on non-Japanese PSP's, until proper testing reveals a stable interaction.) PlayAsia.com - Buy Silent Hill Zero [Konamistyle Edition w/ Crystal Art Butcher]

Silent Hill - YES - This is the zenith of horror-adventure available for the Sony PlayStation. The game excels in graphics (in-game and FMV), in-game cinematic design, sound, and storyline. The dark and forboding overtones are restrained enough to let the subtle and disturbing undertones take root in the back of one's mind, which remain well after the power is off and the lights come back on. The game of Silent Hill is among the first to break away from tedium genre traditions, while reinforcing the elements that work. The town of Silent Hill is an open-world created to breathe and live on its own, allowing the fear and solitude of the environment to envelop the player. It's surprises come in expecting the unexpected and no game on the PSOne does it better.

Silent Hill 0rigins/Zer0 Update: Silent Hill Zer0 Appears at TGS2007; New Trailer & Music Released: On Thursday, September 20, 2007, Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltm. gave a press conference before their attendence at this year's Tokyo Game Show discussing the appearance of games at the event, among which is Silent Hill Zer0 (Silent Hill 0rigins) for the PSP. Konami discussed the release of the game, which is planned for a North American (Region 1) and European release on Wednesday, November 6, 2007, with a Japanese release on December 6, 2007. Although the event did not post any new information about the title, a new trailer was released via the official Japanese website. The trailer is streamed from the official site, but can be downloaded (albeit with a watermark) from GameVideos.com. The new trailer also features a newly released song* from the original soundtrack composed by Akira Yamaoaka featuring vocals from Mary Elizabeth McGlynn (a.k.a. Melissa Williamson). Lyrics** for the track are posted below. Enjoy. *Footnote: This song is newly, officially released; yet for those who've downloaded the ripped soundtrack, this song is featured on that tracklist. (Personal Note: I really love how this new song is a call back to the song "She" from the original game and how this trailer is set up similarly to the E3 1999 trailer shown just before that game's release.) **Footnote: I've transcribed the lyrics from the trailer, but I cannot, for the life of me, accurately transcribe the lyric in the second verse. (Personal Note: Possible lyrics are "endless feeling forever" or "endless pedaling forever.") WARNING: Possible Silent Hill 0rigins Spoilers Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltm. - Silent Hill Zer0 - Official Japanese Site / Direct Stream [.asx file (Windows Media Player) / 29.8 MB] GameTrailers.com - Silent Hill 0rigins TGS 2007 Trailer GameTrailers.com - Silent Hill 0rigins TGS 2007 Trailer (Quicktime Video) [.mov file / 16.2 MB] GameTrailers.com - Silent Hill 0rigins TGS 2007 Trailer (Windows Media Player Video) [.wmv file / 17.2 MB] GameTrailers.com - Silent Hill 0rigins TGS 2007 Trailer (MP4 Video) [.mp4 file / 10.6 MB] GameVideos.com - Silent Hill 0rigins "TGS 2007" Trailer [.wmv file / 29.8 MB; .mov file / 32.3 MB] New Silent Hill 0rigins Box Art: Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. has released a new box art cover for SH0 on their website. The new box art image is currently exclusive to North America, though has not been set as the official box art. Again, Silent Hill 0rigins will release on November 6, 2007 in North America. Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. - Silent Hill 0rigins Silent Hill Mobile Announcement: Silent Hill: The Escape Announcement for Mobile Gaming Devices: In addition to the announcement for Silent Hill 0rigins/Silent Hill Zer0, Konami's Online Contents executive producer Kazuya Takahashi announced a new game for mobile gaming devices (i.e. cellular phones) called "Silent Hill: The Escape." Hot off the trails of Silent Hill: Orphan announced at this year's German Gaming Conference in Leipzig, Silent Hill: The Escape will be available for most cellular devices.* The game will be a mostly combat-based adventure-horror title, whose gameplay has been noted by the implementation of something Takahashi calls "gesture technology." By using the mobile device's built-in camera, the game will be able to use motion-imaging feedback for input commands. Although the details are still unclear, early reports suggest that this will be used for character actions, such as in-game movement, camera-orientation, and firearms aiming.** Silent Hill: The Escape is among three games that will be available for mobile gaming devices to be released this autumn. (Announced so far are Silent Hill: Orphan and Silent Hill: The Escape.) Information on this game is scarce, but I'll post more as it becomes available. *Footnote: Although Konami stated that the game will be available for mobile cellular devices, the implementation of their "gesture technology" makes it very unlikely that the game will see a North American release, as most cellphones and content providers cannot meet these technology demands. (Personal Note: While I can say that my cellphone could probably handle the game's performance, the game itself would probably take up more room than I have available on my SIM card.) **Footnote: Most of the reports about this game agree that the "gesture technology" will be used for aiming and firing ranged weapons, but there are conflicting reports about the other aspects of the game, such as camera-orientation and character movement. (Personal Note: Although I think this would greatly help to overcome the sense of awkwardness of playing a combat game on a cellphone, it seems that in practice the idea of having to walk, change directions, and swing your phone around in real life would be more awkward.) Konami Digital Entertainment Co., Ltm. - News Release - Konami Lineups for Tokyo Game Show 2007 1up.com - News - TGS 2007: Konami Loves Cell Phones Wired.com - Blogs - Game|Life - Konami Press Conference: The Live Blog Silent Hill Mobile Update: Silent Hill: Orphan Leaked via Forums; Information and Media Posted: On the Silent Hill 5.net/Silent Hill: Origins.com forums, an official version of the mobile game, Silent Hill: Orphan was leaked. The game, which is a point-and-click puzzle game, with bits of combat scatter about, set in the first person perspective, is set to release in late September. The game allows players to play as three characters (Ben, Moon or Karen), each played in succession, similar to the Silent Hill: Play Novel. The game is set in Sheppard's Orphanage and takes place 30 years after an event.* Each of the direction buttons are used as well as the number pad to explore and interact with the environment. Although, the game is going to be released for purchase/download from Konami Mobile Games distributors this month, the game was leaked onto the internet this week. And, fans have gone crazy with it. The game is relatively short, as would be expected for a mobile game. As such, gameplay videos and walkthrough guides have already been created for the game. There are also plot analysis guides as well. Like the leak with the Silent Hill 0rigins demo, if you choose to download the leaked version of Silent Hill: Orphan, you do so at your own risk (i.e. WARNING: Downloading pirated materials is illegal). As such, in order to play the game, the file is compatible with certain phone models; yet, the game is also compatible through emulation with MidpX software.** You can find various images, walk-throughs, plot guides, and videos available from the thread on the Silent Hill 5.net forums. *Footnote: The event that is mentioned in the game is an event within the game's story (which is a spoiler), not an event occuring in another game's plot. (Personal Note: The game is very heavily influenced by the SH film and as such derives it's story that way. So, for those looking to play this game, note that the story is not canon, despite being produced by William Oertel, who claims he does follow canon.) WARNING: Contains Silent Hill: Orphan Spoilers Silent Hill 5.net/Silent Hill: Origins.com Forums - Silent Hill General - SH Orphan - on cellphones? (Original Thread) (Video Walkthrough 1) (Video Walkthrough 2)Silent Hill Fan Projects Announcement: Liminality: The Silent Hill Inspired Album Released for Public Download: Liminal Records, formerly United Composers (Unicom-Music), has released a Silent Hill inspired fan album of music for public download, called Liminality: The Silent Hill Inspired Album. The release, which occured on September 9, 2007, contains a two-CD collection of music inspired by the games' music composer, Akira Yamaoka. The label has collected a number of artists and musicians from various Russian forums, where the project originally began. As a collective, they created some very outstanding music that is both respectful to the sources and highlights the individuality of each of the artists featured here. Liminality* contains 35 tracks of music ranging from the very dark and tense atmospheric style to more rhythmic and melody-driven songs. It is available in .mp3 format, recorded at 192 kb/s, and runs 2:00:41. The album was constructed under a theme of what it feels like to travel around the deserted town, attempting to form a whole that flows well together, while also highlighting the variety of styles present. Each song clearly displays the traditional style of the series' music, yet also manages to bring a little something more to the mix. The artists featured on the album include (in alphabetical order) Clinic Brothers, Er| Naem, Fellirium, Gasgruel, KAVver., Mr. Somnabula, Os1R!s, SinFearSilence, Soaring Man, Technology of Silence, Wialenove, and Y-Ring. The album lasts just over the two hour mark and, like it's counterparts, The Silent Hill Fan Soundtrack and Broken Notes (R.I.P.), is great at creating a classic Silent Hill mood. Many thanks are also extended to Silent Hill: Lost Memories for hosting the track-by-track album. *Footnote: Liminality is a Latin word meaning "threshold." (Personal Note: The title seems appropriate considering that it sits on a threshold between arranged and inspired influence.) Silent Hill: Lost Memories.net - Music - Liminality: The Silent Hill Inspired Album [.mp3 files / total: 166 MB] Liminal Records - Liminality: The Silent Hill Inspired Album (Disk 1) [.rar file / .mp3 files / 88 MB] Liminal Records - Liminality: The Silent Hill Inspired Album (Disk 2) [.rar file / .mp3 files / 74 MB] Silent Hill 5.net/Silent Hill: Origins.com Forums - Silent Hill Music - Liminality: The Silent Hill Inspired Album Watching the video from the "continuous gameplay" video from The 1up Show, it looks like the Havok software is already being integrated into the game (watch the chair as it rolls down the stairs). Like other games that use the engine, there is little account for momentum or resistance on the objects that are bumped into or moved. And as you said, it's all very silly looking. Yet, I think the developers are aware of this detraction in using ragdoll physics. Reading again through the article, it states that the game will also use motion-capturing in the creature actions, which will more-than-likely include deaths and attacks. So, although Havok is a great physics engine, it sounds like the game will use a mixture of middleware to create the correct actions and reactions in the game. (For this, I know Akira Yamaoka will be used to determine the correct level of reaction.) All-in-all, the game looks to be doing very well for being in the priliminary draft phases. So, in terms of an announcement for Silent Hill 5 in regards to the TGS, all that has been released is that the game will appear in the fiscal year 2008 (meaning after March of 2008 ). Don't expect to hear any real news until Konami Gamers Day 2008 in San Francisco, CA.

Silent Hill 5 Update: Silent Hill 5 Article posted in EGM Issue #220: The article posted in the October issue of Electronic Gaming Monthly (Issue #220) was released on Monday, September 4, 2007. The article provided the first major details about the development of the game as well as details about the game itself. In addition, the article hosted a number of new concept drawings and models of the game's monsters, lead character, and environments. The article states that The Collective was able to obtain the development rights to the newest title in the series by creating a playable demo of their vision for the game, noting that many other developers were also in the running. That demo convinced Konami executives to choose them for the development. The article also stated that Akira Yamaoka, who had previously been confirmed to record the music soundtrack for SH5, will be the Konami consultant for the overall LOOK and FEEL of the game.* In terms of details about the story, the article details the introduction of the story, quoting, "he's a 22-year-old veteran who's recuperating from a war wound in a military hospital when he has a premonition that his little brother, Joshua, is in trouble. He returns to his New England hometown of Sheperd's Glen to find his mother nearly catatonic, his father and brother missing, and a creepy pea-soup fog blanketing everything." The article also announced the appearance of a new character in the game, an old female friend, Elle. Although, the article did not mention if she was a playable or non-playable character, they do mention that she will play a critical role in the development of the story, citing that, "she definitely has a heart, and she's trying to warm [Alex] up to the town's plight." The article notes that the creators are trying to create very multi-dimensional characters with their own strengths and flaws, in a similar vein as Silent Hill 2. This is where the article transitions over to the discussion on the visual aesthetics of the game, noting a use of both HD-quality detail in combination with the traditional use of noise and grain filters. The creators will attempt to utilize various types of filters and grain effects depending on the situation and environment. As a result, the game will adjust the visual static based on the actions of the player. The camera controls will be wider than in previous titles allowing players to see more of the environment. In addition, the transition into the alternate universe will retain the visual aesthetic of the film, where the environments will crumble and fall away, revealing the rusted Otherworld underneath. The article states that this transition will occur in real-time gameplay showing off the new technology, with the intension of creating a very unsettling effect. Lighting and shadow manipulation will play an important role in the visual style of the game as the creators' philosophy lies on seeing less being more. Also, the game will utilize the Havok physics engine to create realistic interactions with objects and items in the environment. "So now, when you accidently bump into a chair, it might collide with a table, noisily knocking junk to the floor... which may alert nearby enemies of your presence." While the game will also include fog and other atmospheric effects, the demo presented for the article had a significant lack, due to the visual aesthetic not being quite up to par as the rest of the visuals. The creators hope to remedy this in future months, stating that they want the fog to be completely immersive. In terms of the combat system, as the lead will be more capable of fighting, the gameplay will reflect it in the area of combat. Alex will be capable of new moves and fighting techniques that will keep the game from being the traditional awkward, jerky bash-fest that the creators find stagnant for the series. As a result, the monsters will also be more capable of fighting back against Alex with significant upgrades in the A.I. The developers have yet to reveal the shooting mechanics of the game, but have stated that like the combat improvements to the game, firearms will also see an upgrade, though keeping the gunplay short of being a third person shooter. The article also released a short list of monsters and their respective traits. These include the film version of the nurses, the Schism, the Smog and the Siam. While these creatures were available in the demo version presented for the article, it cannot be certain that they will appear in the release version of the game. The monster animations will include motion capture technology in combination with the traditional hand-animations. In addition, the creators hope to create incredibly grandiose boss battles in the game, citing that they hope to "outclass those in past installments." The article stated that the appearance of puzzles and multiple endings will also appear in this sequel, though did not give much specific information about the two. All-in-all, the article helped to provide for fans the information that they were hoping to obtain on the game's announcement, but which was not released. The development for the game has only just begun, but the game already looks to have a good headstart. The game is expected to release in the fall of 2008 on the PlayStation 3 and X-Box 360 consoles. 1up.com - Electronic Gaming Monthly October Issue 220 Site Silent Hill 5.net - Silent Hill V Magazine Scans EGM Scans [ifirit Mirrors]: Cover / Article Page 1 / Article Page 2 / Article Page 3 / Article Page 4 / Article Page 5 / Article Page 6 / Article Page 7 / Article Page 8 EGM Releases New Interview and Gameplay Videos on 1up.com/GameVideos.com: Electronic Gaming Monthly has also released several gameplay samples, an interview with the SH5 staff and a two-part retrospective with Akira Yamaoka on 1up.com (hosted on GameVideos.com) on Thursday, September 7, 2007. The videos provide viewers with the first real look at the game and its creation. In addition to this, EGM takes a look at the series as a whole with Akira Yamaoka as he gives his perception of things. The interviews (with both the SH5 staff from The Collective and Akira Yamaoka) were conducted by EGM executive editor Shane Bettenhausen.* The interview with the staff from The Collective (Lead Artist - Brian Horton, Lead Designer - Jason Allen, Lead Scripter - David Verfaillie) discusses much of the same content as the printed article in the October Issue of EGM, but also elaborates more on the specific details of each aspect. For example, while talking about the new combat system, lead scripter David Verfaillie talks about the specific combat moves that they incorporate into the gameplay and the seer versitility becomes apparent how staggering it is to accomplish. The lead artist Brian Horton elaborates about how the team wishes to create an experience that is more than simply the summation of its parts, because the game was established a tradition of emotional and intellectual involvement on part of the players. The discussion on said emotional involvement is highlighted by the lead designer Jason Allen, who talks about the need to establish certain connections between the story and the characters. Yet, what the Team seems most excited about is the way they have implemented the technology in the engine to create the various effects and imagery seen in the demo/gameplay videos.** The gamplay videos show off the atmosphere, Havok physics midware, and transitions between the alternate and otherside versions of Silent Hill/Shepard's Glen. The videos are very short, but still impressive. Lastly, the retrospective interview with Akira Yamaoka conducted by Shane Bettenhausen discusses Akira Yamaoka's experience with the series with each individual title and then as a whole. While fans who've kept a close note of Akira Yamaoka's interviews won't be surprised, the interview does give things a better perspective as a whole.*** It becomes clear how the development of the series changed from Yamaoka-san's account, but only because of the continued changes in the development staff. A good interview to watch for retrospective purposes. GameVideos.com - 1up.com /The 1up Show - Silent Hill 5 "Exclusive First Look" GameVideos.com - Silent Hill 5 "Continuous Gameplay" HD GameVideos.com - Silent Hill 5 "Transition Gameplay" HD GameVideos.com - Silent Hill 5 "Mood Gameplay" HD GameVideos.com - Silent Hill "Akira Interview" (1/2) GameVideos.com - Silent Hill "Akira Interview" (2/2) *Footnote: Please ignore all of the stupid sounds that Shane makes as he pulls out each of the titles during the Akira Yamaoka Interview. (Personal Note: I get the feeling that the interview was just an excuse for Shane Bettenhausen to just show off his collection of Silent Hill materials. Pay particular attention to his T-shirt.) **Footnote: Please note that the engine created for the game will use a variety of middleware software, because the entirety of the game will be constructed completely from the ground up. (Personal Note: This is a very risky decision on Konami's part, since they are having an established series developed for a relatively new platform and without technical consultation from Team Silent. Yes, Akira Yamaoka is a consultant from Team Silent, but as has been stated numerous times in the article on the LOOK and FEEL of the game, not it's construction or technical detail. As such, the transition into Otherside Silent Hill occurs much too quickly and loses any sense of sublty needed to establish a psychological fear. OMG, what have they done to Robbie?!) ***Footnote: The interview does a great job of explaining certain details about the previous games' development, such as how SH2 finally came together and the real reason why SH4 was such a departure and experiment for Team Silent. (Personal Note: It seems that because the core staff was involved with SH3 during the initial development of the game, that SH4 was created as the new director's [suguru Murakoshi] personal vision of the game. The game was originally SUPPOSED to be a Silent Hill game from the start! I was right!) Silent Hill Mobile Announcement: Silent Hill Orphan Announced for Mobile Devices: Announced at this year's German Games Conference in Leipzig, Germany, was a new mobile game set in the Silent Hill universe. Although little as been revealed about this new title, the basic premise of the game is that players will play as one of three new characters who will explore an abandoned orphanage. The gameplay will consist of point-and-click puzzle solving and exploration from a first-person perspective. The game was demo-ed at the German Games Conference in Leipzig, but there are currently only screenshots of the gameplay. The game, along with other Konami titles, were said to release this autumn, but whether this is a regional release or an international release is uncertain. More news to follow... Blog Guardian - Keith Stuart - Console giants get mobile at Leipzig Silent Hill: Origins - Silent Hill General News - Silent Hill goes mobile again In other news, I've been added to the team at Silent Hill: Lost Memories, a Russian and Lithuanian Silent Hill fan site, for the opening of their new English Branch. I've been signed on as a reporter and English consultant.

The concept of this intrigues, which is the equilavent of the mixed media genre in modern canvas artworks. But, like most mixed media artworks, it is an acquired taste dependent on knowing how and why it was created. So, out of simple desire to satisfy my own curiousity, I watched the production videos. This guy reminds me a lot of Mike Shinoda from Linkin Park and in a very general sense, the trailers remind of their music. I still not sure if that is a compliment or an insult. (Personally, I have developed a fondness of LP, but not to a point of fandom.) Anyway, when you deal with someone like that, their work tends to overlook depth and longevity in favor of emotional presentation and general appeal. As such the biggest aspect of the promotion is on the visual appearance of the film. I've yet to see a review or interview that goes deeper than the polish or surface of the film. There's nothing to account for the composition of styles presented. No quips about a story that is emotionally driven or intellectually provocative. No moral or reflection, or even commentary on society or culture/sub-cultures. From the outside, looking through all the publicity and praise, this seems like just another weird movie with a unique face. I'll probably see it anyway. It may grow on me.