RPD Dispatch 13 - Playing Silent Hill 1

[GuardhouseMusic]

I like how easy it is to achieve the Good+ ending. It rewards you for exploration.

[alf717]

I put down Silent Hill for some RE3 instead. I just finished my first play through with an E ranking. I was all excited about getting Jill's Diary but I didn't get it since you have to read through each one and not press triangle to exit the files. Anyway back to SH, I think I'll finish my game this week. Just finished up the school and on my way to the church. Have to admit it is pretty fun going back and playing through these games for each new podcast.

[Rombie]

I played through the PAL version via PS3. I did eventually get some sound issues that resulted in a high pitched noise... this seemed to happen firing the rifle at the larva/moth during both of those fights and never any other time.

Good+ Ending achieved.

Need to rewatch the UFO ending specifically.

[Dot50Cal]

I like how easy it is to achieve the Good+ ending. It rewards you for exploration.

Yeah, I think on my original playthrough I went across the bridge when I was supposed to explore the surrounding area first (Anne's bar and such). I never knew half that stuff existed since I always liked to explore the entirety of the streets first, so I could know my boundaries.

Rob, thats where I noticed them on the version I'm playing through too. It must be something to do with the frequency that they used for the monster pain noises or something. On the retail US copy, the damn thing does it for EVERY monster.

[Dot50Cal]

Finished ;)

[Alzaire]

[Dot50Cal]

Hey AJ, how do you open the safe in the Indian Runner? Man, so much random stuff that this game has which you could easily miss.

[Rombie]

Starting to wish I'd taken a photo of my ending stat. I know I got a 5.4 for my overall and golds in ending (Good+), continues (1), and items at least. But I saved over the last save file with my Next Fear save and I can't remember if there is a way to open your current stats.

Dot - The key is actually right beside the safe, in the draw behind the counter along the wall.

I wonder why there is such an issue with the sound in the US version over the PAL one like that... it's odd.

I really had forgotten how many firsts this game did for the genre... most of them are minor but they have a major impact on the games actual design. Sound, design and layout, walking with weapons, even the melee combat itself... somewhat clunky as it is... was very different than most when the game came out.

The other thing I forgot is that the more you check things and play through the game multiple times, the more you can read... instead of Harry just commenting on a newspaper you check saying "It's just a newspaper" instead he'll notice a particular article related to the town or the drugs being sold there or something. It's a real nice touch.

Much like AJ, I have a guide up for Silent Hill, however it's just an item checklist. So Dot can poke fun at me having written FAQ's again as well.... I also have an item list for Silent Hill 2... but I did one of the first full guides for 3 based on the fact the PAL version came out first.

http://www.gamefaqs.com/console/psx/file/198641/21381

[A-J]

The other thing I forgot is that the more you check things and play through the game multiple times, the more you can read... instead of Harry just commenting on a newspaper you check saying "It's just a newspaper" instead he'll notice a particular article related to the town or the drugs being sold there or something. It's a real nice touch.

that's true, near the end-game in one of the two rooms where you use the camera flash to reveal the door codes, one of the rooms has a book about botany that you can't read the first time through, i don't remember the exact content but it's supposed to be about the White Claudia stuff ..

also, another thing i know most people don't realize, if you go back into the room where Lisa transforms, you can read her diary on the floor where she talks about her struggle with the drug abuse.

Hey AJ, how do you open the safe in the Indian Runner? Man, so much random stuff that this game has which you could easily miss.

the key's in the drawer right next to the safe itself

[GuardhouseMusic]

I never thought Lisa transformed. I thought the delusions and the blood were from what I would imagine is the immense withdrawal of PTV. She was sucked into Alessa's world, yes, but her ideas regarding her role within the world were a delusion. Harry didn't question her assertion that she couldn't leave the hospital. She cried after her "transformation," and unlike the parasitized nurses her cries sounded unique. I think the kicker though is that in either good ending, she appears to specifically exact revenge on Kaufmann. One possibility is that Alessa wills this scenario into occurring, another is that Lisa acts of her own free will, a debatable aspect of the undead nurses.

As an addictive hallucinogen, frequent use of PTV would leave the possibility open for the trip induced delusions to show up when not even on the drug. One of those delusions is common with someone taking hallucinogens, the loss of knowledge that he/she has taken a drug (i.e. thinking the hallucinations are real). I would say she hadn't taken PTV (but she still had an edgy state of mind) by the time Cheryl returned to Silent Hill, and then within the timeframe of the game withdrawal crashed down on her.

Other people have said that Lisa in fact is dead by the start of Harry Mason's arrival. Her entire existance is somewhat an image of comfort to Alessa. Plus, this may have just gone on an unnecessary tangent into the mind of an SH character, a less feasible feat in comparison to a real life one.

[A-J]

obviously she was like that all the time lol, i meant transform as in transform into a zombie in front of the player :p

anywho, here's some final pictures ..



Cheryl's ghost/image. I tried to shoot it, doesn't work




You can also spot it in the top floor at the alter.




I'm not exactly sure on this, but if i remember the criteria for the game actually letting you read the article in this book is that you must first read a similar file in the police station in the central silent hill district.

This is from my FAQ.

WHITE CLAUDIA
Found : Nowhere, 3rd floor

WHITE CLAUDIA
Perennial herb found near water. Reaches height of 10
to 15 inches. Oblong leaves, white blossoms. Seeds
contain hallucinogen. Ancient records show it was
used for religious Ceremonies. The hallucinogenic
effect was key.

About : Information about the drug white claudia, the
same drug which dahlia and his gang have been
slipping up to the tourists

There's another similar file in the adjacent room which talks about Alessa's burning and PTV.

NEWSPAPER BOOK
Found : Nowhere, 3rd floor

first page :

Investigation stalled. 'PTV' dealers still at large.

Suspicious deaths continue. Like the anti-drug mayor,
A narcotics officer dies of A sudden heart failure of
Unknown origin.

second :

Fire broke out in town.
6 homes destroyed.

Charred body Of Alessa Gillespie (7) Found
in aftermath.

Cause of fire currently under Investigation.

Investigations show source As basement of Gillespie
home. Blaze now believed caused by Malfunction of
antiquated Boiler.

About : This is probably the most revealing file
tells about the burning incident in town in
which alessa was burned, some more about
the PTV

Spoiler:

show spoiler

Lisa's ID tag reads "S : D" , does anyone know what that's for ?




Lisa's diary.

LISA's DIARY
Found : Nowhere, Room where you meet lisa for the last time,

Ask doctor to let me quit being in charge of that
patient. It's too weird. Still alive, but with
wounds that won't heal. Told the doctor I quit. Won't
work at that hospital anymore. The room is
filled with insects. Even with doors and windows
shut they get in to spite me. To the Hospital...
Feeling bad. Need to throw up. But nothing comes out.
Vomiting only bile. Blood and pus flow from the
bathroom faucet. I try to stop it, but it won't
turn off. Need drug.

Help me...

Some sort of crucifixion being depicted.




Good old school days.




if you managed to find the tape in the Alternate Hospital and bring it all the way here, you can watch the entire Lisa confession scene uncut and uninterrupted here.









Alessa's room has a nice butterfly collection.




And some creepy ass dolls ..





This is also supposed to be a reference to Psycho, the layout is exactly the same as the 2nd floor of Bates's house, where the mom jumps out of the door to make a guy fall down the stairs in shock.

and that's about it

[nemesiswontdie]

nice pics A-J.
i really want to play SH now.

[Rombie]

AJ - I just re-read my own statement and realized I kinda changed a word.... it was supposed to say the more you read OR the more times you play.... the replays seem to automatically unlock the files to be read regardless of the order you checked. The same applies to the Katana as well, which just seems to eventually unlock itself after a few playthroughs.

I dunno if thats if you get all the endings or not... but I recall being able to read the file about White Claudia off my old save file years ago which I'd finished the game 6 or 7 times on even though I hadn't gone to the police station that particular time.

I never had one to try it, but as I recall as well if you had one of Konami's Justifier handgun's and plugged it in while loading the game it automatically gave you the Hyperblaster without the UFO ending. Rewatched the UFO ending online too... forgot how awesome ending and the credits music from that ending is...

[A-J]

I am very sure of this, that the only way to unlock the katana is to get the Bad ending of the game (or maybe it was bad+), i remember it always working for me before.

and yeah, you're right about that, the way the game plays out you naturally keep finding new stuff in your next play through's, which is an excellent way of extending the game's life.

[Rombie]

No, it's definitely not the Bad+ ending that gets that. I've played through a second playthrough and gotten that and no Katana was unlocked from it. When I did up the item list I played through the variables people said was the answer and that was one of them.

Konami's official Japanese site said it was more than 3 playthroughs that unlocks it. I didn't get it on my fourth, but I did get it just seemingly from a random play beyond the 3rd completion. So I just left that as it was in the guide.

Edit - Maybe Bad+ past the 3rd playthrough?