When the radio announcer of P.T. (the much talked about Silent Hills playable teaser) threatened "Don't touch that dial now, we're just getting started," he may as well have been referring directly to my impending infatuation. If all of the puzzles are solved straight away, there's only around 10 actual minutes of gameplay, and they primarily take place within a single corner of a messy, roach infested house. Even so, I found myself watching (and sometimes re-watching) numerous playthroughs and continually checking online discussion threads to pour over the latest crackpot theories and analyses. Two months later, I still can't seem to keep the game out of my thoughts.
It would appear that I'm far from alone. While the hype has understandably faded, the creepy goings-on of P.T.'s seemingly inescapable stretch of hallway and its occasionally murderous specter are anything but forgotten. Discussion on forums like the corresponding GameFAQs board is fairly active, and plenty of new videos are still popping up on Youtube. A dedicated fanbase has formed, and there exists within it a rich desire to experiment and explore. Somehow, even going through doors backwards manages to intrigue:
One Youtuber even took the time to cobble together a loving recreation in Minecraft:
I imagine those still talking about P.T. or creating related media may have been just as captivated as I was. The first playthrough I watched left me continually impressed as the increasingly creepy mood progressed. There are plenty of easily missed details (and ghost appearances), allowing me to catch something new each time I ventured further into the gameplay footage vortex. Even with a handful of cliches like doors and lamps that act on their own, the engrossing tone and cryptic nature come together to create a truly fascinating experience. I'm pretty sure it's going to stick with me for a long time to come.
P.T. is merely a taste of the mood we're to expect from Silent Hills rather than a specific scenario, and I'm intensely interested to see what lies ahead. I'm confident that Hideo Kojima and Guillermo del Toro are fully capable of delivering something worth waiting for. I'll try not to get myself too worked up as the tentative 2016 release date looms, but let's face facts; the teaser already has me hooked.
Under no circumstance do I trust the tap water. If you'd like, feel free to come at me on Twitter & Facebook!
The teaser trailer Doc shared didn't sit well with me. Some of the stuff seemed way too OVERT to be in SH and would have made more sense in RE.
ReplyDeleteI'm kind of in a rock and a hard place situation because I don't want to watch more for fear of spoilers since I probably will cave once it's upon us.
That said, Downpour is a wonderful final game as it contains references to every other game, including Shattered Memories. Having someone famous be the protagonist is weird, too, but I don't KNOW know him because I don't watch Walking Dead, so it'd probably be okay. I would have preferred another female protagonist. At least the comics for Anne's Story exist. I can't wait til December whatever when I can finally read them all. Until then, they're in a cabinet, WAITING.
I recall reading that the trailer was something created even before the playable teaser, more as a conceptual piece. The final game might not have any of what we've already seen, apparently. No idea how accurate that is however.
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