Your very first encounter of Silent Hill: Downpour is not with that of a wretched wheelchair-bound monstrosity, nor the series’ iconic Pyramid Head. No, the very first victim you bury a knife into is that of a pale, overweight prisoner in the cold, sterile shelter of a prison shower. It’s one of the game’s most jarring moments that also acts as a quick and dirty tutorial. Quick and dirty, much like the errand you just completed as one Murphy Pendleton, an inmate who’s been locked away for a crime that isn’t made immediately clear. Your reasons for senselessly murdering a helpless, blubbering sheep of a man are murky at best, much like Downpour’s meandering plot and identity as the newest entry into the franchise. And while Silent Hill has been mired in a strange, genre-shifting limbo for quite some time, it’s never been able to pull off any direction but disturbing. Silent Hill: Downpour for all intents and purposes is a return to form for the classic mindscrew, but it remains riddled with bizarre design decisions that prevent it from blossoming into the classic Silent Hill fans have been waiting for.
Archive for April, 2012
Review: Pritect Sensor Cover for Kinect
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The Kinect relies on a crystal clear camera view in order to best pick up players and scan the environment so when the camera is left unattended and untouched for, say, a few weeks time, it’s bound to gather dirt, dust, and other impurities that could impede its performance. And with hazards such as dropping the peripheral or the potential for scratches and other damage, you’re privy to a unit that could be rendered effectively useless should you fail to take the proper precautions.
Review: Nicktoons MLB 3D
Mascot and crossover sports titles that attempt to simultaneously pander and garner interest from children and sports fans alike aren’t always a winning combination. In fact, Nintendo has cornered that particular market for years with an endless supply of Mario-themed sport titles, and now the Nicktoons characters have invaded the MLB with the release of Nicktoons MLB 3D on the 3DS. It looks like their position is still firmly cemented what with the frustrating mechanics and iffy framerate this particular licensed sports game attempts to pass off as a finalized product.