FALLOUT: NEW VEGAS + DLC

So this review will be a little shorter than the last as New Vegas is essentially Fallout 3 but in a different landscape, the gameplay and style of action is similar with a few minor differences. New Vegas received some very mixed reviews at first back in 2010, even from me personally. It's a hard game to stomach when you have to compare it to the last, Fallout 3 was flawless in it's execution so when you sit down to play New Vegas is just feels like another DLC for Fallout 3. But remember, why fix what's not broken? Where the game falls is at the start in the initial 2-4 hours of the game; there's just no pacing and it's exceptionally slow! I've sat down and played the first two hours of New Vegas at least three times and turned it off in frustration, but finally the forth time I persevered and was very glad I did. Once you get into it, it's remarkably fun, not as fun as Fallout 3, but very fun to say the least. Ahead I'll touch briefly on some key points that make up New Vegas and why it's considered the black sheep of the franchise. 

New Vegas follows the journey of the Courier, who after being shot and left for dead finds him/herself dragged into a bloody conflict between the NCR (New California Republic) and the Legion, a deadly army of slavers lead by Caesar. Over the course of this epic quest you will need to decide which side you choose to help and whether or not it will be a free blissful New Vegas or a bleak slave ridden wasteland. There are so many possible outcomes with this game it's uncanny, this rewards multiple play throughs and different decisions as many missions produce many opportunities. Much like Fallout 3 the level of different guns and armour is amazing with the added ability now to customise your guns to an extent, my laser rifle for example now has a scope with a tri-beam splitter and added accuracy. Being able to make little changes like this makes the game just that extra bit of fun and pulls you into the survival aspect of the franchise.

Something that I found got me once I finally became involved in New Vegas was the level of difficulty throughout the game, it can be a little inconsistent. With Fallout 3 there were areas where you just didn't go until you were a higher level but at least they were clearly marked out locations. In New Vegas the enemies encountered can vary between trivial to plain outrageous. This does help to keep you guessing and eliminate repetitive combat but I felt it was more of a nuisance at times rather than challenging. The Nevada desert is a ruthless place so expect to encounter many deadly gangs and animals. The world is littered with side quests which take you all across the country side, there's considerably more content than Fallout 3. The hustling centrepiece that is New Vegas is an interesting place to visit with each casino housing it's own followers and factions. A lot of work has been put into the game, it's just unfortunate that it had to follow in 3's footsteps as it was such a large pair of shoes to fill.

Dead Money:

Now this is when New Vegas starts to get really good and hit the mark. Dead Money sets you in the distant City of the Dead, specifically the Sierra Madre Casino. After following a distress call emitting from a bomb shelter you are gassed and captured, you awake outside in an unknown land. A man named father Elijah has captured you and three others in the hope that you will work together in order to open the Sierra Madre casino's vault and recover its contents within, but it's not as simple as he says. You are constricted with a remote bomb collar where by if you disobey Elijah or tread into areas your collar frequency is scrambled, your head will explode. This makes for an intense DLC as you're always on edge, checking your surroundings and praying to god you don't die. Throughout the City of the Dead you'll encounter what Elijah calls Ghosts, hazmat clad soulless wanderers, and holograms capable of killing you exceptionally quickly. This is one of my favourite DLC's and a great way to kick off the list with a compelling story. 

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyvkQk9tSAE

Honest Hearts:

There's a lot of back story to the Honest Hearts and conflict between the White Legs and the Dead Horse tribes so i'll try and avoid that and leave it for the game as it's much better to hear it from Joshua Graham himself. Essentially Joshua was Caesar's right hand man and after a bloody conflict and falling out Caesar cast him into the Grand Canyon alight but by some miracle he survived and lives on as the Burned Man. Soon the Courier discovers that Joshua was expecting Ulysses, the courier before you, to be here now to kill him by Caesar's orders but has not yet come, an interesting plot point to add to the ongoing story of the mysterious 'other' courier. Honest Hearts takes place in the Zion National Park of Utah far to the north, an untouched realm of peace and quiet, well it would be if it wasn't for the rivalling tribes. Throughout this DLC you'll encounter considerable more foes and new weapons and armour and some new survival crafts to help you in your travels. Overall this is a fun DLC with lots of new places to explore and a great addition to the New Vegas world. 

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7GBJv_k5Wc

Old World Blues:

So here's a DLC that's a little bit different and touch wacky. The Courier awakes in the distant Big Mountain, a place that for many years the people of New Vegas thought was a no-man's land, but it's far from that now. The courier must scour the pre-war research centre's within Big Mountain for technology to either help you aid your kidnappers or fight against them. Soon you discover that all the mutant animals roaming the wastes such as Cazadors and Night Stalkers all originated from the Big Mountain research facilities. Unfortunately for you, or fortunately, your kidnappers decided to remove your brain, spine and heart and replace it with more efficient technology! Old World Blue is a zany DLC that pits you against some interesting creatures and robots and pretty cool environment. Big Mountain is a pretty large area which rewards lots of exploration and side quests. The Think Tank building in the centre can become your home too and your major base of operations and given the technology around you at your disposal, why wouldn't you?

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwjCTjdDyvw

The Lonesome Road:

This is the final DLC and the epic conclusion to the ongoing myth about the 'other' courier, Ulysses. The Courier will travel far to the west, to the nuclear wastes of the Divide where he/she must walk the lonesome road to its end where they must face Ulysses. The Divide is a maze like landscape torn apart by earthquakes and storms and is a treacherous place to explore. You will encounter new aggressive creatures and the Marked Men, the victims who were scorched by the nuclear wastes and conflict. Much like the last DLC's this quest last for a lengthy 5-8 hours but there's little side quests as the main emphasis is on the main quest of meeting the courier. This is my favourite DLC out of all of them as it sheds a great deal of light on your origin story and is an interesting place to explore. While it is certainly hard, the reward is great and you'll receive some awesome gear in the end, all of which I still use in my profile today and nothing else!

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljfux37VlIA

In conclusion Fallout New Vegas isn't as bad as it may seem at first, once you push through the initial few hours it's a great game with lots of content. While the style and gameplay may still be the same we have to remember that Bethesda knew it was a winning combination so why change it. But I've said it before and i'll say it again, it's just very hard to follow in Fallout 3's footsteps but i'll give New Vegas a round of applause for trying and doing the best they could. Everyone give it a try and just persevere! 

Genre: 1st / 3rd Person Action Adventure
Platforms: PC, PS3 & 360
Score: 9 / 10

FALLOUT 3 + DLC

Fallout, a name that has been etched into the pages of history much like its sibling The Elder Scrolls. There is simply too much to cover when it comes to games like this so i'll endeavour to be as short and concise as possible while also covering the basics. In addition i'll write a brief personal opinion on each of Fallout 3's DLC's so you can know what to expect. Now Fallout 3 is a little dated now considering it's running off a modified engine that powered Oblivion, but after going back and playing this again for about the fourth run-through I've established it's not about the flashy graphics, it's about the experience and atmosphere Fallout 3 offers. Bethesda did a remarkable job creating the Fallout world the way they did and for it was definitely one of those life changing games. The sheer level of just how immersive this game was for its time back in 2008 was brilliant and the DLC's only further strengthened the experience. 

So for those who don't know or can't remember here's a brief recap about the main story line and the world of Fallout 3. You are the Lone Wanderer, a lost soul who after escaping from Vault 101 pursues his/her father's footsteps in bringing life back to the vast ruins of the Capital Wasteland. These vaults were scattered across the land in preparation for the inevitable nuclear holocausts of future wars, many of its inhabitants chose to live in these vaults for generations rather than face the harsh reality of the outside world. Many of the outsiders now have become divided into two major factions, the Brotherhood of Steel, who fight for the freedom of the people and wish to save the Capital Wasteland, and the Enclave lead by President Eden who wishes to see the world purged of all these outcasts and 'imperfect' people. Only you, the Lone Wanderer, can decide that fate of the Capital Wasteland and only through your actions will the future of this bleak chapter in history be written.

The gameplay in Fallout in my personal opinion was flawless and even with the implementation of the V.A.T.S. I still found it exceptionally fun. Inventory management, gun and apparel degradation and the slue of collectibles and special weapons all added to the great atmosphere of the game and made exploration so very rewarding! There was definitely mixed opinions regarding V.A.T.S. being that it was a crutch and did slow down gameplay but the great thing is that it was all optional. For those who are unfamiliar with what V.A.T.S. is, essentially it's a mechanic in which you pause combat and can tactfully damage or kill your enemies using energy; think of it as magic (MP) that gradually restores over time much like any other RPG. The vast world had many locations to explore and secrets to find. Much like Skyrim it was one if those games where you could just walk for hours across the wastes encountering many interesting characters and animals. 

Veteran players will know that taking on Death Claws early in the game is suicide making the game just that little but more immersive as not every area is fair game. Traversing the treacherous wastes can be as simple as just walking from here to there however the city itself can only be reached via mazes of subway tunnels which while interesting at first can become a little repetitive after a while. Many Super Mutants roam the Washington ruins and make for some intense street stand offs at times. From Megaton to Rivet City to Raven Rock there's always interesting places to explore that offer either unique weapons, armour, characters and even side quests. Playing through again I still have my old favourites in terms of guns and armour, the good old Terrible Shotgun still provides me with hours of entertainment. Coupled with this and the level if perks and upgrades you can achieve it makes for a very fun adventure that all gamers should at least play once in their lifetime.

Fallout 3 E3 2008 Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYZpR51XgW0

Broken Steel:

So here's a quick little review on each of the DLC's so you know what to expect. Broken Steel takes directly after the main storyline ends, providing you have the DLC installed. After the fall of the Enclave in the Capital Wasteland, should you decide to side with the Brotherhood, you will assist in one final mission to rid the world of the Enclave resistance. Ultimately you will travel to new areas outside of the current game to a mobile Enclave platform that you must infiltrate and destroy. This DLC can become a little frustrating at times as it is exceptionally easy to get over burdened by Enclave soldiers, especially on the harder settings. As the first DLC installment to the game it will raise the level cap by ten and also add extra types of weapons, characters and enemies all across the Capital Wasteland. Overall though Broken Steel is a fun five hour add on that ties up the main story line cleanly while also allowing you to see the fruits of your fathers work and what he wanted to achieve. 

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-19LLwhs9E

Operation Anchorage:

Now here is where the DLC starts to get really fun and changes course from the main story. After receiving a distress call from some Brotherhood outcasts you discover that they seek the weapons within an old armoury hidden  in the Capital ruins but are unable to access the vault. In order to do so you must complete the armoury's simulation of the Battle of Anchorage against the Chinese. In the simulation you are taken to the rocky cliffs and snow covered plains of Alaska where you are introduced to new weapons, skills and enemies, the hardest being the Chinese stealth soldiers who are capable of using cloaking methods and deadly katana attacks. The DLC again lasts for about a lengthy five to six hours which is great considering the content and rewards you can reap from the armoury in the end. Overall I think this add-on is great as it shows the level of variety that can be put into the Fallout universe and is a fun little adventure to add to its existing rich history. 

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOHXl3NYOOw

The Pitt:

Now here's where the DL to starts amp up and get quite difficult in terms of the choices you make and the experience required. I recommend being a higher level for The Pitt and the two DLC's to follow as it's just going to be a little less frustrating for you. Generally I play the game in the order I've listed the DLC's post main quest. So getting back to it, The Pitt is to the far north and is a new area entirely to explore. You'll receive a distress call from Wernher, a man who hails from the north and speaks of a distant city lead by ruthless slavers. You must pose as a slave and investigate the rumours that a cure has been discovered for the plague that has been surrounding the city for years. Ultimately you can decide in the end to help the slaves or the slavers and the outcome of The Pitt. It's a short DLC that can be completed in less than five hours but there is a fair chuck of exploration and new weapons and armour to find so it can easily become a lengthy experience. 

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWzcjYaXjhA

Point Lookout:

Easily my most favourite DLC just because there is so much content and world to explore. At any point after installing this DLC you can head to a boat moored in the southern part of the Capital Wasteland which will take you to Point Lookout. Far to the south you will be greeted with beaches and thick intense swampland as far as the eye can see, after all Point Lookout's area is about one-fifth the size of the Capital Wasteland! There's a great deal to explore and lots of side quests, such as pursuing the trail of a long dead Chinese spy. The main quest you'' be presented with is the feud going on between two scientists Desmond, a surviving ghoul, and Calvert a brain that survives in a jar. The main story is a little wacky with some dark humour thrown in but it's fun to say the least. The main purpose I feel of Point Lookout was to add an additional area to the Fallout 3 world with rich content and a creepy dark surrounding it. I still travel back just to endlessly wander the swamps and it's still just as fun!

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nirmblvcPHc

Mothership Zeta:

Finally there is Mothership Zeta, the last DLC in the Fallout 3 universe. As you can tell by the name this game involves aliens and spaceships, sounds good in theory yes? Well Mothership Zeta is a lot of fun and I enjoyed it but what brings it down is the level of repetitiveness. After investigating a crashed alien spacecraft on Earth you are teleported to this distant ship in outer space. The objective of Mothership Zeta is to escape the spaceship and wipe out the aliens before they destroy Earth; a interesting premise in a Fallout game but still easy to wrap your head around. While there are new outfits and a slue of weapons to collect it still manages to get a little bogged down. At first it's a lively change to the rubble of the capital Wasteland but once you've seen one alien test chamber you've seen them all. Now don't judge it too much, it is heaps of fun but just go into the game with a level head and you'll be pleasantly surprised. 

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4iwFhq57o-M

I hope you've all enjoyed this lengthy Fallout 3 review, next I'll touch on Fallout new Vegas and why it didn't receive the praise it was hoping for, as well as all the DLC's too of course. Everyone should definitely play Fallout 3 at least once in their lifetimes as it is one of those life changing games. It's fun, addictive and there's always going to be something new to surprise you. Have fun!

Genre: 1st / 3rd Person Action Adventure
Platforms: PC, PS3 & 360
Score: 9.7 / 10

TRON EVOLUTION

Tron; a name that so many people know and love but what of Evolution and why was it so overlooked? The Tron Legacy movie in 2010 saw a lot of mixed reviews and while it grossed a massive amount of money in the opening fortnight across the world, there many people who thought the story was lacking and the overall plot was weak. Right around the time, the game Tron Evolution came out on the current generation consoles and given the hype surrounding the movie you would have thought the game would have been a great seller but unfortunately given the games quiet release and being overshadowed by the movie and Christmas blockbusters it didn't receive the praise it was expecting. Now here's what I think went wrong... 

The movie is a direct sequel to the game which is a sequel to the original Tron from 1982 and almost everybody didn't know this. Despite this the movie, I thought, still made perfect sense and story and characters were great, it was exactly what I wanted and was expecting. But after playing the game a few months after the movie's release, everything made a lot more sense. All those questions people were asking in the movie were answered for me so my appreciation for the Tron world and characters grew even greater but for those who hadn't played the game still had those lingering thoughts which brings me to this crucial point; the game should have been released at least six months prior to the movie! Gamers would have played it, told their friends and some word would have at least got around about the overall plot idea behind the coming movie.

Now for those people who haven't seen a Tron movie or know about the franchise here is what I can tell you without spoiling anything. The franchise primarily takes place in the digital world of The Grid, a world which exists within our computer systems. Obviously since the first movie The Grid has seen an update or two hence the very vibrant neon look. Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges) is a User, a regular human who can traverse to and from the computer world and one of the few who knows of its existence. Prior to the second movie Flynn and the people of The Grid co-existed with a newly found race, the ISO's, however Flynn's computer created copy Clu didn't share his passion for co-existence and staged a coupe to wipe out the ISO's. All of this takes place during the game which leads directly onto the movie. Now this is a lot of information and back story so it's no wonder viewers of the second movie were a little confused. Sure it's mentioned in the film but only briefly to drive the plot and here is where I feel it dropped the ball a little. I love the Tron franchise, the whole idea of a computer world and the futuristic neon jumble of buildings is eye candy me. 

The Tron world is rich with lore a history and it's a perfect place to look to for a great intuitive game and TV show. In Evolution you played as Tron's assistant, a Monitor called Anon, it's probably wise at this point for me to point out that Tron was created by Kevin Flynn to protect The Grid when Flynn was not there. The events in which you play as Anon cover a hefty amount of backstory right up until and including the fall of the ISO's. Something new and interesting which is introduced is the virus program Abraxas, who was created by Clu to wreak havoc on the populous of The Grid and wipe out the ISO's. Abraxas was a great character in the game and had a very sinister aura about him. Throughout the game Anon would encounter recognizable characters from Tron to Clu and even Quorra, still voiced by Olivia Wilde. It was Anon's goal to purge The Grid of the virus Abraxas was spreading and destroy Clu, and if you've seen the second movie you'll know he only got half of this job done. 

The game itself plays somewhere between Uncharted style play forming and hack and slash action adventure. Utilizing your disc in combat is fluent with various upgrades adding interesting mechanics to the game. Switching between offensive and defensive combat is smooth and the level of moves you can use is plentiful so combat doesn't become too repetitive. While the game had great combat mechanics, light cycle sequences and a cool soundtrack it still went relatively overlooked by the gaming community which is unfortunate as it is a lot of fun. Now it's not the greatest game ever, there are still a few bugs and sometimes the surroundings can become a bit repetitive but it still has a special place in my heart. Considering what it was trying to do and what the game had to work with I'd say it did the best it could. So for those Tron lovers out there looking for a fun little experience that offers a great deal more story behind the Tron franchise then I reccomend giving this one a crack.

Tron Evolution teaser trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZLONRreKAI

Disney's Tron Uprising TV show still has to be the best animated show I think I've ever seen and that's saying something considering I've seen and still love a lot of cartoons. The level of character development and rich story seen in each episode is remarkable. The show itself takes place after the events of the game but before the second movie in the distant city of Argon. Following the destruction of the ISO's, Tron enlists Beck, a program who shares his vision for freedom across The Grid. Beck then dons Tron's infamous suit and sets off to free Argon of Clu's control. The series of events that follow are somewhere between awesome and epic, the show is an absolute blast! Only one season has been made so far and Disney doesn't have a second one in the works which makes me very upset as I want to watch more. I strongly urge everyone to watch it and tell Disney just how awesome it is. I hope you've all enjoyed this lengthy Tron fest and endevour to save The Grid and give the game a chance, it will definitely change your mind about the movie of you ever had any doubts. Until next time, have a great day!

Tron Uprising Disney Webite:
http://disneyxd.disney.com/tron-uprising

Genre: Action / Adventure Platformer

Platforms: PC, PS3 PSP & 360

Score: 8.9 / 10

OCULUS RIFT DEVELOPMENT KIT

Recently I had the pleasure of being able to play with the Oculus Rift courtesy of a friend and the one word that keeps coming back to me again and again is 'Wow'. The experience of mind blowing! Never has a piece of technology allowed me to experience such wonders, I am still speechless. Having been following the development of the Oculus Rift for a while now I was quite intrigued as to how it would all feel and work, I never thought I'd be able to play one so soon. As you can see from the photo's below (I'm sorry about the low resolution images from my phone) I had a blast playing with the Oculus. Now a lot of viewers may think that virtual reality is a thing of Science-Fiction and movies and I did too until recently, the level of immersion that you feel is unbelievable. As you can tell from the images below there were some instances where I actually dead-set felt like I was there. As my first time trying the Oculus I had to play in about 10 minute increments as it's quite possible to feel nauseous from the virtual reality, especially when standing up you can almost get brief flashes of vertigo. Don't let this put you off though, it's all about immersing yourself in another world and finally I feel that virtual reality is around the corner. I honestly believe that this is the way of the future with gaming and can't wait to get my hands on my own when the final product is released. With support from Valve, Epic, Unity and a slue of other developers and modders the Oculus Rift has a great life ahead of it.

So what is the Oculus Rift exactly and how does it work? The OR is a headset that is linked to your PC and monitor, or television, whichever you prefer. The Dev Kit is an early prototype version of the VR system which will ultimately lead to the final consumer version in the years to come. Anyone can purchase a Dev Kit however the final polished version will be a considerable improvement so it may not neccisarily be financially fesable for you. I myself will wait until the final product to be released as it will be a great piece if technology to own in its final form. The headset itself has adjustable lens' and depth which focus the image displayed in your headset. For someone like myself who wears glasses I had to use it without which was still managable but a little blurry, I reccomend contacts. The image resolution itself isn't perfect, running at 1280x800 which is a little pixilated however the final product will be in full HD running at 1080p. The headset displays two images, one for each eye which in terms makes for the 'virtual' feel. If you move your head to look behind you, you can see the world behind you. The movement controls can be used via a keyboard or controller but the controller is much more immersive. For example you can run forward but look behind you or all around. This makes for a truly remarkable experience when you have objects flying you like leaves and butterflies and you move your head out of the way because it feels that real!

The history of virtual reality is a pretty bleak one with Nintendo releasing the infamous Virtual Boy which ultimately killed the VR idea for a lot of people, but now with Oculus Rift in full force I feel it's finally going to happen. I only played a handful of games ranging from a roller coaster simulator to being in a space suit floating high above the earth to two very scary horror demos. And let me tell you, as a horror fan this is the perfect way to instigate fear into the player! I have never screamed so loud in my life! I played a five minute demo of Black Island standing up and nearly had a heart attack. The sense of things chasing you and actually being 'around' you was utterly terrifying and as the movement controls and looking around as well as utilizing your torch all acted independently it really did make me feel like it was there in the woods being hunted. So is it worth buying one now? That's entirely up to you, as the final version probably won't be out for at least another year you may wish to purchase a Dev Kit now for the fun and experience. I do believe it costs about $400 Australian so for some people that's a little pricey but considering the technology I think that's very affordable. Currently you can play a variety of games on the OR including Half-Life 2 the full game for example. Other games are being further updated to support the OR's capability, for example Deus Ex Human Revolution.

Lastly there's Hydra, attachments produced by Razor in conjunction with the OR headset. These add-ons for example can be a chest guard or a one handed controller that has a joystick for movement as well a other immersive capabilities. The Hydra can be a gun or a torch for example and adds that extra piece of virtual reality to the experience. The Hydra chest guard for example can sense when you duck, so if you need to get behind cover you'll need to duck in real life for your player to do so. This allows you to blind fire, shoot around corners, the whole shebang! There's not too much else I can say as it's one of those things that you need to experience yourself but I'm going to be brutally honesty; this is the best things I've ever seen in my life, it is revolutionary! The Oculus Rift has shown me that this technology is within arms reach and can actually be done correctly. For those who want to check out more on the Oculus Rift you can go to the official website in the link below and while you're at it check out some youTube clips of Oculus players. The development team behind the Oculus Rift are doing some amazing work at the moment and have come so far, it's great to see something so interesting and iconic come from all this hard work. Please everyone check this out! 

http://www.oculusvr.com/

Oculus Rift Development Kit Case.

The Oculus from the back as how you would wear it.

Side view of Oculus with lens adjustment dial.

Myself playing Oculus, it felt as if I could reach out and touch things.

You can play sitting or standing, standing is much more immersive.

N3RD CREED ON INSTAGRAM & TWITTER

Hello gamers! Just a quick note, my Instagram and Twitter accounts for N3RD CREED are up and working so I hope you all endeavour to check them out. I will aim to keep the blog, Facebook page, Instagram and Twitter accounts all in sync so you don't miss out on anything important!

N3RD CREED ON FACEBOOK NOW!

Attention N3RD CREED followers! I would once again like to thank everyone who has been reading my posts each week and would like to inform you all at I'll be starting a N3RD CREED titled Facebook page. I'll aim to have the same content but act as a door way between my blog, Twitter and Instagram account. As I am still relatively fresh to the blogging network I am trying different ways to help N3RD CREED flourish and I feel these extra avenues of social networking will definitely help. Once I get my Instagram and Twitter account up and running I will provide the links through the Facebook and blog. I am hoping to really make something of N3RD CREED and appreciate the time you guys take to stop and read my content!

SILENT HILL: DOWNPOUR

As you all may know, I have highly praised the Silent Hill series over the years and even though there were a few bumps along the way the game still manages to surprise me. The latest installment in the Silent Hill series; Downpour, is a great addition to the franchise. Since Silent Hill 2 came out, which was back in 2001 I haven't found that tension in the series that I yearn for but now I feel we're finally starting to get back into the rhythm. While Shattered Memories was a worthy edition to the series in 2009 and Silent Hill 3 in 2003 they still didn't quite reach that level Silent Hill 2 once offered. Now don't get me wrong, Downpour isn't the greatest game to praise my TV screen but it's certainly a well designed game and knows what it's trying to be; survival horror. Plus if there's one thing that freaks me out the most it's mannequins! The atmosphere, tension and confusion are back in full force with this game keeping you guessing at every turn. Exploration throughout the town is exceptionally fun and returns to that Silent Hill 2-esque style ambience that sends shivers down your spine. Traversing the fog stricken streets of Silent Hill this time round is especially terrifying and with the implementation of side quests the game further pushes you to explore derelict streets. Much like its predecessors there are unique place to explore each with a variety of tricks, traps and puzzles. I'll endeavour to shed the light a little more on the Silent Hill series this time round as my review of Silent Hill 2 back in April was a little short.

This time round the primary victim and protagonist for this chilling story is Murphy Pendelton, an inmate from a prison who becomes entangled in Silent Hill's twisted web after his prison transport bus over turns in a thunderstorm. After a rather freaky opening Murphy finds himself in dire need of escaping Silent Hill as quickly as possible, unfortunately this means traversing through the eerie town first. Throughout the game Murphy is relentlessly haunted by his past and one of the prison officer who survived the crash, Anne Cunningham. The story progressively unfolds revealing interesting details and twists surrounding Murphy's past and actions. This creates a great gameplay experience as you are constantly trying to push on and uncover both Murphy's and Silent Hill's secrets. Downpour received some very mixed reviews with a lot of people either loving or hating it, unfortunately the majority hated it, but don't let this sway you, I still consider it a worthy edition and as a horror enthusiast that's definitely saying something. Much like my beloved Silent Hill 2, Downpour still focuses on the town itself as the primary set point all the while dragging in unsuspecting victims to its horrific jaws. The cavalcade of characters who you encounter are all interesting, each with their own creepy past that fits perfectly into the story line. The transition between the real world and Silent Hill's 'Nightmare dimension' is smooth and well designed with the twisted realm leaving you truly on edge and afraid of what's to come.

The gameplay itself was something that a lot of reviewers were not fond of but in all honesty there's nothing wrong with it. If you've played a Silent Hill game you know the kind of gameplay to expect and personally I don't see what all the fuss was about. It's a survival horror game, what do you expect? In your inventory this time round you can carry only a handful if weapons and one melee weapon at a time, which is all you need. Weapon degradation occurs over time so you must be wary when entering combat with one of the stumbling entities. The implementation of this into a game like Silent Hill is great and I think it adds to the mood of the game, nothing is more frightening than having your 2x4 break mid combat forcing you to madly stumble for a new weapon while you're being chased. With the fluent gameplay and the stellar atmosphere which I previously covered I feel that this is a sorely overlooked game in the series and the survival horror genre. While it's not Silent Hill 2, I still praise it for giving the franchise a solid go and am proud to have it in my gaming library. I'm glad that there are games like this still being made because they're far and few and generally really great overall. I'm curious to see the path that the Silent Hill franchise takes over the coming years given the dividing opinions from gamers as of late. So for those who are looking for a great horror and psychological experience I strongly advise you to give this a crack.

Genre: Survival Horror
Platforms: PS3 & 360
Score: 9 / 10