Silent Hill games have not changed all that much in the last decade, and many might say that the series peaked with Silent Hill 3. Silent Hill Origins for PSP plays much like its predecessors, but thanks to some subtle touches, it manages to feel fresh.

All of the traditional elements are present and accounted for: over the shoulder camera, slow pacing, lots of fog and a heavy de-emphasis on combat. However, thanks to a plethora of weapons (you can throw all types of objects and access a huge armory of firearms), you'll probably spend a bit more time trying to take down the town's many monsters than avoiding them. A trucker, Travis, is a bit burlier than previous protagonists, and although his top speed is pretty slow, he is more likely to succeed in a brawl. Even if his chosen weapon breaks (they degrade quickly), his fists will suffice.

The other major difference is in the way you pass between worlds. To switch between them, Travis touches one of the mirrors strategically placed throughout the town's buildings. This makes access to and from the realms much easier, and it is used to great effect in traversing the worlds when barriers in one realm block your path.

Given the game's title, it is evident that Origins takes you back to the very beginning of the story. Being that Silent Hill's plot is somewhat convoluted, the revelations in the game aren't exactly groundbreaking, although they do shed light on some of the mysteries left by the original, and the two stories weave nicely together.

The game's engine is more than capable of bringing the creepy world to life. The fog is atmospheric and layered, characters generally animate well and the alternate reality in all of its destruction and chaos looks at least as good as the PS2 versions. Thanks to some terrific camera angles both in-game and in cut scenes, as well as great lighting effects, the game sustains its creepy atmosphere and easily holds your attention.

Furthermore, Origins features wonderful audio, with excellent music and sound effects boosting the creep factor. The soundtrack is enjoyable throughout, and the cast did a phenomenal job with the voice acting, though Travis sometimes sounds a little too underwhelmed given the perilous situations he faces.

In the end, Origins is not that different from its predecessors, but given its portable nature, it's great that this version was able to remain so faithful without having to cut any corners. The controls are not ideal, but we can say that for any Silent Hill game. Origins is scary (and we don't say that lightly), well written, and has some new interesting puzzles that will wrack your brain. If anything, it makes the wait for Silent Hill 5 somewhat bearable.

Our Final ScoreGood

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