The Silent Hill survival-horror series has a loyal following unlike many others in this genre. It all started back when the original Silent Hill debuted, featuring atmospheric fog, an amazing soundtrack, and an emotionally charged store. From there, Konami took the series and ran with it — making many other installments after.
Perhaps one of the more polarizing of the bunch was Silent Hill 4: The Room. Some praised its uniqueness while others were displeased with its more action-oriented combat. Still, you can’t deny that this fourth installment was pretty memorable.
It also was the last game from Team Silent unfortunately. They had to disband and left many in sadness after they did. Fortunately, this game is being rereleased on the GOG platform. And it’s pretty cheap too. At just $9.50, Silent Hill fans can go back to the room filled with nightmares as Henry Townshend.
After waking up in his apartment, he realizes that there is a strange portal that can take him to a horrifying alternative dimension. As he makes his way back and forth from these realities, Henry goes on a bigger quest and starts questioning his own sanity. He’s pushed to his limits and in true Silent Hill fashion, has to confront some past horrors in order to finally find peace.
It may not be the most beloved Silent Hill game in the series, but it does have a lot of unique elements that were positively praised at the time of this game’s release. For instance, it switches between different perspectives.
While in the room, a first-person perspective is used to highlight the terror that Henry is feeling after every adventure through the portal in his apartment. Then once he is in the alternative reality, third-person kicks in and that plays well for the game’s combat. You can see enemies and control Henry more competently.
Again, the combat is focused more around action rather than survival stealth-based mechanics. A lot of fans didn’t appreciate this fact, but there are still fun aspects to appreciate. There are all sorts of bizarre monsters waiting in the shadows for you to dispatch, as well as gripping bosses with added difficulty.
Some put up quite a fight and force players to come up with strategies before these important sequences. If you haven’t had the chance to check out The Room, picking it up on GOG is a great idea. It’s not that expensive and at the very least, you’ll enjoy a pretty atmospheric experience.
