Since 3DS I’ve been 95% digital on Nintendo with only specific purchases on phys… but I won’t buy keycard cause it’s like hobbling that game. I still need the hd space to download it so why go pretend-phys, Dragon Quest I+II? —I mean hypothetical game!

Overall a career-defining effort from @neobards.bsky.social . I've been nervous about how playing a new SH as a fan would be after so many years and I couldn't have had a better experience. All eras of Tomm give this 2 fox-claws up.
(...and Akira, that credits banger!)

The only real weak point I saw was lack of enemy variety - but every enemy is thematic (more than any prior game) and there are at least THREE different final bosses, which is crazy. So ymmv - but I felt the absence when one monster type was removed from the pool. 7/8

Replays providing altered scenes and contexts is a great inclusion. One big point of debate that surprised me for the western games was whether each ending was a POSSIBLE branch, or if every ending happened and was a new puzzle piece. I won't spoil f's approach but it's fascinating! 6/8

SHf allows more town exploration than might be apparent from a single playthrough, and I loved all of it. Humble houses with their own stories, abandoned temples, really contribute to a sense of time and place. Those rice paddies feel LONELY. And the school is my new favorite SH locale. 5/8

I was really encouraged to see all the elements they took from the Western games and evolved further, in ways we weren't able to. It really brings together the efforts of now 7 different developers and makes Silent Hill feel like a progression. 4/8

Despite going out of its way to distance itself from New England from the 90's and beyond, SHf pulls in subtle nods to every game in the series which was awesome to see. Exactly what you'd expect after so long but they manage to provide a wholly new game. 3/8

Setting the game in a different time and place is the bold change the series needed. I don't think such a gamble would have worked 15 years ago which is why I was so devoted to keeping it grounded but it's exciting to see this pay off now after the hiatus. 2/8

Yup!

YouTwobe

(Easy Mode for this strat is taking travel toiletries and just. leaving. them. behind.

The final-night packing is now significantly less intense than the initial pack)

I apparently didn’t store my DQ2 stuff with the rest.

More like Lazy-rus. Get UP my guy there’s stuff to do.

I mean that’s a great starter pack. I recommend 4 as well, the original “worst” Silent Hill. It has some great ideas and my favorite dungeon area prior to f.

Oh man. Enjoy!

There was a time SH forums were home to ALL KINDS of wild theories (not that one) and it was a much more enjoyable time before a specific channel ruined it for everyone.

IMO any theory (not that one) has value and is worth discussing!

And then of course Howard - who is not in a loop! - but has definitely been there for a long time. Why is he there? How is he different from these prisoners and how is he similar?

I do want to point out for anyone else reading this - SHD is not suggesting "Silent Hill operates this way overall" - it is something that ties into these stories about prisoners. For example I think Maria coughing is a better SH2 "loop" for James than a literal loop.