Despite being dormant for roughly a decade, theSilent Hillfranchise has seen a resurgence in interest after publisher Konami announced several new games by different developers. WithSilent Hillbeing given the spotlight again, it could be worth revisitingSilent Hill: Shattered Memories, a game that stands out in the series and the horror genre.
Silent Hill: Shattered Memoriesis a unique entry in the series not only because it was the only entry to bereleased on the Wiibut also because it acts as a reimagining of the first entry while taking its story in a radically different direction. This differs from something akin to theSilent Hill 2remake becauseShattered Memoriesuses the concept and cast of the original game to tell its unique narrative, with a strong emphasis on psychology and how someone’s mental state can distort past events.
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What Makes Shattered Memories Unique Among Horror Games
An element ofShattered Memoriesthat makes it stand out among the entire horror game genre is how the game is structured. The game cuts back and forth between explorative segments set in Silent Hill and therapy sessions set after the fact. This matters because the therapy segments involve psychological questions that Dr. K asks the player and affects how the exploration segment plays depending on their responses.
These changes are not subtle, either, as the answers affect what areas can be explored, how the storyline progresses, and even the traits of Raw Shocks who serve as the only hostile monster in the game. This mechanic is called the Psych Profile and is also affected by in-game actions taken by the players during segmentsset in Silent Hill.
Depending on how questions are answered, and the items examined, players' Psych Profile will be grouped into four styles, ranging from being a good person to an apathetic individual. These often overlap, meaning someone’s experience might take on traits from two or three styles, creating a high level of variation from different playthroughs. An example would be a playthrough where sleazy and drunk traits merge into a Raw Shock whose appearance matches said traits.
It’s a mechanic that can’t be compared to almost anything else in the survival-horror genre as its more subtle element practically tracks what the player examines to determine how their play style will affect the rest of the game. Later titles such asUntil Dawnby Supermassive Gameshave a structure where even smaller decisions can have ripple effects for the rest of the story, with the game even having therapy segments akin toShattered Memories. Although it has not been confirmed,Until Dawnmay have been deeply influenced byShattered Memories, showing potential for the system outside a single game.
This is understandable because mechanics like the Psych Profile have significant potential in a horror game and even in decision-based titles where subtle choices are supposed to matter.Shattered Memoriesremains uniquebecause of how subtle some of the decisions are. Simply looking at objects that don’t matter and mentioning a drink helps them relax can have surprisingly dramatic effects for the rest of the game.
A difference betweenUntil DawnandShattered Memoriesis that one focuses more on finding the player’s fears while the other attempts to see what kind of person they are within a game’s limited scope. Both are great at what they do, and there is potential for futureSilent Hillgames to revisit the concept.
Little is known about many of the projects announced, but titles likeSilent Hill forSilent Hill: Townfallcould benefit fromShattered Memories’Psych Profile to deliver a horror experience tailor-made for the individual playing. Even if they do not, asuccessor toShattered Memorieshas been in the works by lead designer and writer Sam Barlow for about three years, but any details about it remain unknown.
Silent Hill: Shattered Memoriesis available on PS2, PSP, and Wii.
