How many Shepards have we already seen in our games?

mcderek3000

@CheckersMcGavern: I like that Idea, make it a half brother and it could be really good. Hell maybe even brother-in-law.

On a side note: Not a fan of someone taking my avatar, LOL.

Hand_O_Death

This was, is, and will be the best year in gaming...EVER!!

VeNoMmx

This will be awesome. Left 4 Dead, Silent Hill 5, Alone In The Dark, and Alan Wake. A great year for survival horror.

Exanity

ok, so im not positive since its been so long. But wasn't James Wife (SH2, as if any of you needed that reminder) named Mary "SHEPHERD"-Sunderland, maybe thats why the devs mention heavy SH2 influence. I dont know much about this one yet, but I loved all the other ones(yes even The Room)

TomFinch

@Phazonmasher: @dead_red_eyes: @Edwinik:

When I said I wanted a sequel to SH2, I dont mean a sequel as in 'Send James Back'.

I mean spiritual sequel. Much like how Bioshock was a sequel to System Shock. SH2 introduced the concepts of trial vs. redemption and death, and it did it well. THATS what I want to see done again.

The only thing they need to reuse is the town.

And James is dead? What canon is that? Seriously... Im curious. I've always thought the ending was left to be interpretive, James walking out of there with the little girl, for example, meant he redeemed himself. James plowing his car into the river... well, he didn't redeem himself at all and gave up.

Komrade_Kayce

Cautiously optimistic is all I can say. I am a rabid fan of the series (like many, 2 is my favorite) but I did not like Origins.

I'm glad they're doing more stand-alone stories in the series. As much as I love 1 and 3, I'm not not particularly fond of the backstory for the series, with the whole "occult stuff".

I am ERROR

@wild_world_girl: Making claims like that is ridiculous. I played the game and it's just horrible. My opinion, but it's not out of "not getting it."

I think 3 was problematic as well. Started emphasizing more combat, and the level designs were just bad. The subway area in particular.

SH4 was clearly not meant to be a Silent Hill game at first, and hammering at it to make it so just didn't work. I just think it's a bad game. The combat mechanics are horrible, too. This game held a lot of promise when I actually thought it was going to take place pretty much entirely in one room. Obviously that didn't even come close to happening.

They've used the "It's more like Silent Hill 2" claim before and now I'm skeptical.

Finally, this game had BETTER NOT have Pyramid Head, unless it somehow relates to the character's story. The reason we all love SH2 so much is because the concept was so well executed, and everything tied into the story. Pyramid Head makes sense in relation to James. I don't want them to throw him in as fanservice like they did in the film.

Huckleberry

I would lol if the dissapeared brother's name was Adrian~

16bit

I'll make one last unheard plea.. Please, don't let these idiots release Silent Hill 5. Please, by gun point if you must, make the original team do it!

Voteforme2020

What if its a background story for pyramid head? o.O;

Chuco

@Jesterhead369:

*dances, then abruptly stops*

ah crap....now i gotta buy a 360

reptile168

@oraxin: You are right,i messed it up.

badmoogle

I don't know...isn't "Homecoming" kind of giving away the plot? I mean, sure he's returning home to Shepard's Glen, but they wouldn't name it "homecoming" if that was it, right?

Oh, I can't wait to see the new combat system...maybe with bullet-time and quicktime sequences... You know, all that stuff an action adventure needs.

boopadoo

" end of September this year across Europe"

So does that me American/Japan will get it like next month?

Sailorcancer

@Komrade_Kayce: Silent Hill 2, if you ignore the HIDEOUS voice acting by everyone but Monica Horgan during her letter reading (she still sucked the rest of the time), was "games as narrative art" Every little thing was symbolic and it all tore at you undearneath everything...

Games as art don't make money... Look at Clover. I'd hazard a guess that SH3 sold the most in the series because it's pretty, because it has a female main character that "kicks ass" and "removes stereotypes about women", because the acting is better, and because it controlled easier.

@oraxin: Thank God this isn't being developed by the origins team. It's not that origins is horrible, it was just incredibly forgettable.

bobtheduck

At the risk of sounding like advertising Siliconera is reporting that Konami has told them there is going to be a September release in the US too. Hey, does the name change mean this technically isn't Silent Hill 5 anymore?

rainking187

@Petezah: Well the "In Water" ending was the most likely of the endings in my opinion. Don't know how people get which is canon though.

As for SH5, when Double Helix said "I don't want you to be all helpless", I knew SH5 would deviate so far from the series that you might as well just call it an RE game...

Then again, it's given that these no SH sequel will ever beat SH2 anyway.

Lyner

I'm excited, but I have this small hope that they will try to take the gameplay back to it's roots. You know, no complicated weapon break system in Origins or stupid Swords that only work once in SH4...KEEP IT SIMPLE PLEASE! Do that with a good story and SH can return to it's glory days, IMO.

ShinjiKinomoto

*dances, then abruptly stops*

ah crap....now i gotta buy a PS3

Jesterhead369

@badmoogle: The Collective did not make Origins. That was developed by Climax Studios.

@Jeff Paine: Sorry Jeff, but Team Silent was unofficially disbanded years ago - its kind of why Silent Hill games are all being outsourced. Even if they made a new Silent Hill with "Team Silent" it would be mostly new people since a lot of them moved on other dev projects (and other companies).

oraxin

Even though the last few entries in the series haven't been favorites of mine, I'm really excited to see what they can do with new hardware. Fatal Frame 4 should really be for the PS3/360.

cio

I'm not too keen about the fact that this game won't be developed by the Japanese department. I'm sure they've got more messed up ideas than most people... sigh

Vetterli

@Grumps: I really loved Origins, but to each his own. 2's still my favourite.

Erion04

Anyone who didn't appreciate SH4 didn't "get it" - that game was actually quite good, but it took about an hour or so to really appreciate how good it was.

wild_world_girl

After a horrific struggle of battling face to face against his own nightmares. Alex Sheppard realises in the end that he ate his brother some time ago with some fava beans and a nice Chianti.

*drool*

hotcrossnuns

Great, this game will be as scary as SH3.

Hylian

Made by the same people that did Origins, huh?

Right, not buying it.

xanxus

Yes!

I love the SH series, (except 4...it was a good game but didn't feel like a SH game) and I enjoyed origins a lot. I faith that this new team can pull it off...or, at least, I hope so...

Hiroken

Maybe they should get Silent Hill 1 or 2 on XBLA before the launch, that would be the shit!

Something like that should become a trend for XBLA to get going into the mainstream. Like how they got the TMNT 1989 Arcade game around the time the animated movie came out. Or how Soul Caliber will be out soon!

Rebel Without Applause

Oh man, completely forgot about the game. I haven't even played any of the games since 1, that's pathetic!

GordieHoweHatTrick

Yes yes yes yes yes yes.

I can't wait. This Fall could be just as big as 07's was for gaming.

TheOtis

@Geckosan: Double Helix is the amalgamation of The Collective (the team that made Origins) and Shiny Entertainment.
So it's basically the same team behind origins.

badmoogle

@Jeff Paine: Ooh, shoot, I forgot about that. Thanks!

Petezah

Konami should execute this well as it doesn't have an online component :p

There are some good survival horror games in the pipe it seems starting with "Alone in the Dark" and/or "Silent Hill" followed by RE5 sometime next year. Good stuff all around. I must say Alone in the Dark is my most anticipated title but that could all change ;) I wonder if Fatal frame will ever come to the 360?

okenny :)

Did I say lunch? I definitely meant launch. Though I still might buy it at lunch, depending when I'm out that day... someone's hungry for moaaaar.

sir_carrot

Woo.

Not as unexcited as I was about this game when I first heard it was getting the 'American Treatment.'

SH2 was one of my favorite games of all time. I've really liked the whole series, but replaying them recently, just bluh to that clunky combat system.

I know it's there for 'realism' but what a great way to cover up a shitty combat system. Honestly, fighting enemies was never fun in those games, it was just tedious.

SO. With what is essentially brand new code, maybe the combat 'works' now. I really hope so.

Now the story, well... I guess that's a whole different thing, but I'll wait to see on that one. I'll still buy this at lunch.

sir_carrot

Akira Yamaoka? Where do I sign up?

Can't wait for this bad boy. I'll probably pick up Origins in July or August to tide myself over.

2NinjasTapedTogether

@Petezah: In Silent Hill 4, you can examine a painting of something in Silent Hill, and it will mention that the landlord, Frank Sunderland, had a son who went missing in Silent Hill when he was looking for his wife. Or something to that effect.

So most people generally assume the In Water ending is the canon ending.

Jeff Paine

Hopefully the game will be a whole lot better than the title to the game.

foxwarrior88

I guarantee you the name change is so if this one ends up like Origins, Team Silent can just make their own Silent Hill 5 and demote Homecoming to a spinoff like Origins.

Jeff Paine

@Fierfaerie:

Press release is from Konami "Europe", also this is about the European date.

I am sorry but this indicates its SH3 again, Europe gets it first.

Drakron

@TheMysteriousStranger: Origins was pretty bad if you ask me.

Fireblast

Yeah, i can´t wait for it!!!!! i haven´t played origins (i hope i get it this week, but here where i live is almost impossible to find it) but i don´t think i´ll be dissapointed, i´m a really hardcore fan when it comes to silent hill, though, i still have doubts about the western treatment and development of the series, let´s just hope that SH5 gets the same quality of all the games or wait for a remake of SH2, in fact, that´s what Konami should´ve done...

Daisuash

@Rodent: A simple port of 1 would be nice. I don't need any updates, it's just that I can't seem to find my PS1 memory card.

Petezah

@Phazonmasher: Amen. There's no reason for James to return to Silent Hill. I was unaware that there was a canonical ending to SH2 though; how did you find out which of the five/six it was?

Petezah

Please be better than Origins.

TheMysteriousStranger

Oh wait. I'm confused. I'm thinking Alone in the dark....Wow...all these games are confusing.

I think i'm getting old.

Woodwater

@lordofsword:

I'm not really excited about SH5 because I'm burned out on the gameplay which they haven't changed a bit since the first game, but I think it'll end up being a solid entry.

The Collective obviously have a love for the series and they have a lot to prove. Silent Hill games live and die by their story, if they can deliver on that, I have no doubt they can handle the cookie cutter gameplay.

The franchise really needs to be reinvented, but I don't think Konami gave the Collective license to rock the boat.

All I really want is a remake of the first game in any case. :p

skullivan

@PaddyStardust: I thought Silent Hill 4 the room was good, the only problem was that it wasn't good as other Silent Hill so comparing with rest of the series it sucked.

djricekcn

@Phazonmasher:

Very well said!!!

@KirbySS:

I actually liked it too, even tho it started out as another game ... it was entertaining to me. And I liked the tie in.

@ShaggE:

Akira Yamaoka is the man!!! My favorite soundtrack is the Silent Hill 3 OST.

I'm so happy to hear that I don't have to wait until next year for the new Silent Hill game! YES!!!!

dead_red_eyes

I still want a boxed set that includes all the previous games...including #1.

I really wanna catch up on this series.

*hint* *hint* Konami.

Rodent

Why do people hate the combat in SH? You're supposed to be a regular person using whatever you find around you. SH3 for me was the perfect system - SH2's combat but improved by adding strafing, which gave you a lot more maneuverability when fighting off enemies, but if you still don't like it then you can just run past them.
Combat isn't supposed to be the focus of the game, and the suspense of knowing an enemy is ahead and that you're not well prepared to fight them adds to the atmosphere, as opposed to RE where you walk around a corner just wondering how many pieces your rocket launcher is going to separate said enemy into. The main focus of the games is the story and psychological horror and part of that is knowing you're ill-equipped to fight properly.

lordofsword

I noticed theres alot of people referencing SH2 here...

For any consolation, I remember one of the devs stating that this game will have heavy influences from the second game, so whatever the heck that means I just hope they manage to capture the atmosphere that made SH2 so great.

Oh and im opposed to a more action oriented SH5 *cough*RE5*cough*. Feeling utterly helpless ftw!

doesntlikedede

I'll be getting this even if it turns out to be another SH4, just because of the soundtrack.

ShaggE

I liked Silent Hill 4... Henry had one hell of a downward kick on him.

Though that guy falling out of the sky and just standing up saying "Ow." was immensely retarded.

KirbySS

@Midori: Then again it could just be that after 4 they figured how much worse could it get if we whore it out to someone else? ;D

Witzbold

I think the soundtrack will kick loads of ass but... I mourne for what the Silent Hill series has become and what Homecoming will do to it further.

Garro

I like Silent Hill, but the combat system is definitely lacking. I hope they bump up the maneuverability of the characters and their weapon usage, while at the same time, still give you that sense of uselessness. What bugged me before, was the way they would swing their weapons slow & sluggishly. Yes, this is realistic, but seriously who swings that slow, when freakin' monsters are after you?

I don't need Devil May Cry type adrenalin action (I do love the series though), nor do I need weapons found in Resident Evil (another of my favs). All I need is a better combat system.

NexusSIX

@Phazonmasher: Amen to that!

you robbed my thoughs

Edwinik

Silent Hill 2 is my favorite one (of course)...however, I actually enjoyed the PSP one, 0rigins. It wasn't incredible, but certainly not the atrocity people make it out to be.

That being said, it's hard to make sequels to the games. SH2 story is fairly final, SH3 capped off SH1, SH4 is fairly final, 0rigins kind of set up SH1. A lot of the games are really self contained. That said, maybe this (or in the future) will be a game that contains a lot of fan service references to all five of the previous games (not so obscure newspaper clippings, news reports, diaries, etc).

Wreckoner

@badasscat: You'll be alright as long as your mobile doesn't start screaming out static ;)

@Midori: That's a relief!

If they can get the realtime Light/Dark transition to match the quality of the film version with the environment decomposing around the character then I shall be extremely pleased.

Geckosan

There's gonna be half-naked headless cheerleaders. It's obvious. The name says it all.

big isy

Just this weekend I had cause to go to my local Ace Hardware store and buy a 48 inch long 1 inch diameter metal pipe. All I could think of as I carried it around was "I'm gonna get attacked any minute by a horde of zombie nurses". Then the fog rolled in...

badasscat

i notice it only refers to a european release... does this mean another sh3 style staggered release? (i hope so...)

skuddington

The series definitely needed an improvement in the combat department. Nice to hear they're addressing the issue.

Other than that, instead of just adding more polygons and higher resolution textures to the environment, they should focus on more post-processing effects. Stuff that can really mess with your perspective. They already showed that trailer where the level sort of melts away into the alternate dimension. I wanna see more stuff like that. Also, with all the melee combat in the game, it would be cool to see the Euphoria Engine make an appearance, but I suppose I'm pushing it.

Pinhead

Great news. Silent Hill 2 was one of my fav games, and I will admit after the second, they started to get worse, but it's a new generation of hardware and it's looking good.

KrisNaga

@Geckosan:
This is being produced by a different studio: Double Helix Games. Still, I have little confidence but I will hoping for the best... I mean, they put together a pitch and demo good enough to convince Konami JP... so there must be some potential there... right?

Midori

Any chance the missing brothers name was James Sunderland?[//false hope]

CheckersMcGavern

omg omg omg omg omg I can't wait =)

GreenCard200

Oh boy! I cant wait, just finish playing the room again. Need some more Hill.

boots555

@monkeytail41: Save that for Noisy Hill.

Torgen got his apology faceplate but not his fixed GH3 disc

Yay! I think this game looks awesome and I can't wait to play it.

Why does it only mention Europe in the press release though? Did I miss something?

Fierfaerie

@mrantimatter: But thats what made it so scary, you were really limited to what you could do. Adding counters just seems dumb for this kind of game, it could make the enemies too easy to beat. Look at how easy Assassins Creed was using counters, took all the fun out of the combat when you can counter every damned move.

I'll give you Condemned 2 though, up close and personal style would be awesome.

PaddyStardust

Looks like a good time. Anxious to play it.

I have to say the new trailer has a Cloverfield feel to it. When he's driving that car down the street.

Woodwater

And just when you though Silent Hill couldn't get any darker, you have to find its darkest secrets. I have a feeling they'll run out eventually, and they you will have to track down the lighter secrets, such as the field of flowers behind that hulking monstrosity of sewn together man-parts and sexual frustration.

monkeytail41

@PaddyStardust: The old school RE style combat has to go, it's too outdated.

What this probabaly means, I hope is more RE4 style stuff, combined with a bit of condemed 2, but thats just a hope of mine.

mrantimatter

SH is one of my favourite series, especially the first three. But there is no way I am buying this game. They sold out the franchise and no one but Akira Yamaoka (who only wrote the music until SH4, I don't know why everyone thinks he's so integral to the series) from Team Silent is working on it. I play SH for the story and atmosphere, not for the 'string together combos for massive damage' or context-sensitive sequences. This game as a Silent Hill is just going to be a colossal failure. I might get the soundtrack but even that's been mediocre from SH4 on with 2 or 3 exceptions.

lordofsword

I'll admit to being slightly concerned about this one, I really want it to be a great game and so far it certainly has the looks (and of course with Akira Yamaoka as composer it's going to sound great), I hope the outsourced developer works out ok and dowses my fears that it will turn out like the PSP game (speaking of which, I hope this is not the same developer which created that atrocity).

Although combat was never the series forte I'm hoping they don't go overboard with the new system and turn it into gears of war, would ruin any suspense the game generated through its atmosphere.

Geckosan

@Komrade_Kayce: Can you people get over the fact that SH2 was its own game and not intended for sequel material. [Spoiler] James is dead (if you go by canon [End Spoiler]
The story set out by SH and SH3 is finished. SH4 was its own seperate game. The SH stories are about various people and their experiences with their inner demons inside Silent Hill. This series isn't meant to whored out like Resident Evil with the same characters over and over again. The beauty of Silent Hill is that we can see the same city from a variety of view points without having to hold onto the same characters over and over again. Personally, it makes the game more fun for me to see different characters' reactions to their time in the town. If they just stuck with the same characters, it would get boring really fast.

As to SH4 being bad, it was a change and not all the changes were good but damn, it was still a fine game from a story and artistic point of view. The gameplay wasn't even all that bad. Stop complaining.

Phazonmasher

Kick ass. I have a feeling this will be awesome.

Thorax

well this is it... after SH4 its time to bet all chips on one last roll of the dice. * crosses fingers *

Surlaw-the-Mai

Shepard.... pretty popular last name, huh?

ChewyChew

Silent Hill 5: This IP Ain't Whored Out Enough Yet

Why not just make a good and proper sequel to 2. Fuck, Resident Evil has gotten more fan treatment than any other series and it didn't have nearly as much story impact as SH2. People say 'RABBLE RABBLE RABBLE CHRIS REDFIELD' and there we have it.

If we rabbled enough, do you think we could get James to return to Silent Hill? (actually, if James had half a brain... probably not) Failing that, could we not just get some developer to go along with the story of the Town=Judge,Jury,ExecutionerOfPeople.

Im sorry. Im just being overly vocal after how much Origins disappointed me the other day, but I bought it anyways (I dont even own a PSP!).

Komrade_Kayce

Great. One more reason to buy a new console. ^

Mr. Garcia

*crosses fingers* Please be good like 2, please be good like 2, please be good like 2...
Also I like the way they put next generation in 's like they acknowledge it's a stupid marketing term. Hopefully the attacks and counters won't turn it into a more combat based game like EA's upcoming space game (I forget the name).

NunianVonFuch

Prom Night FTL. That shit looks about as corny as..... my.....

No.... I shouldn't say it...

Anyway, SH5 looks like it will be pretty cool. Here's hoping for chesty nurses and some sort of appearance by Pyramid Head.

CheckersMcGavern

That sure is early. Well, around that time I will also get the specifically "tailored" Alone In The Dark 5 with exclusive content for the PS3, so that fits snugly in the timeframe!

Candlejack

i haven't played the psp one yet but i've heard from more than a couple of my silent hill fan friends that it wasn't as good with the new devs. I still love the first 3 so I'll definitely give it a whirl.

Grumps

As long as its nothing like SH4...god that game sucked. I dont like the sound of an "all new combat system". Sounds like theyre overcomplicating the simple "shitoshitoshit" combat.

PaddyStardust

Kick ass

TheJ3ff