Silent Hill: Downpour

For those of you unfamiliar with Silent Hill, let me tell you that the series is not your average survive-the-zombie-apocalypse horror game. It is a gaming experience that prides itself on scaring and disturbing its players with its rich and frightening environments. Not only is it violent, but everything is designed to psychologically terrify the player. The environments are beyond creepy, and the monsters are grotesque. Gameplay is aggrivating since the number of weapons you can carry is limited. In addition, weapon quality will deteriorate over time, causing them to break. This can be especially frustrating for players who prefer taking out all enemies they encounter. Less linear than previous installments, Downpour gives the player moral choices that impact the game's numerous endings. This gives the player more control of the world, which makes certain events more intense and entertaining. With better graphics comes more violent content. Silent Hill delivers a very violent and psychologically disturbing game that may negatively impact young or sensitive gamers. Because maturity level differs between teenagers, it is important for any parent to really investigate the nature of the game by looking up screenshots, trailers, or gameplay videos. No words can adequately describe some of the game's haunting imagery. While I disagree with Konami's shift in gameplay mechanics over the past few titles, the environment and storyline are worthy of praise. I would recommend this game to anyone over 16 who enjoys the horror genre.