10 Video Game Franchises That Have Lost Their Way

3. Silent Hill

The first three Silent Hill games in particular were masterpieces of suspense and survival horror, placing an every-man - or every-woman - protagonist in a terrifying situation, and having them fight through a literal and existential abyss for their own survival. Lately, however, perhaps driven by the decline of survival horror as a genre - what with Resident Evil having becoming far more action-orientated since the fourth canonical game - Silent Hill has drifted away from its roots, tending towards a similar focus on set-pieces and thrills over quiet, brooding suspense. Homecoming removed the nervous awkwardness of the previous protagonists, who were as a result far more relatable to ourselves, and made of our character a more efficient, confident killer, which diminishes the horror down to annoyingly bearable levels. Downpour was similarly problematic; villains were recycled throughout, and dodgy camera issues hampered the experience. There was nothing on the level of visceral or emotional involvement that the first three games mustered, and if this is the direction the series is going to continue along, Konami might as well just remake one of the first three games instead, as it'll be a lot more enjoyable.
 
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Frequently sleep-deprived film addict and video game obsessive who spends more time than is healthy in darkened London screening rooms. Follow his twitter on @ShaunMunroFilm or e-mail him at shaneo632 [at] gmail.com.