The following is what would have been the first entry in an ongoing column about video games. However, since the site will no longer be updating after June 15th, only one entry was produced. We hope you enjoy!
Way
back in 1999 when Silent
Hill was
released for the Playstation, videogaming was in the middle of a
massive image shift. With the arrival and success of the Playstation
in 1996 gaming was becoming mainstream and cool. It was no longer
considered the past time of pasty kids with no friends or the
hopelessly nerdy. Advances in technology enabled developers to add a
cinematic sheen to their games for the first time and titles like
Gran
Turismo,
Resident
Evil and
Metal Gear
Solid were
leading the pack in this new cinematic approach. Even Hollywood was
getting in on this blossoming medium, with the likes of Bruce Willis
lending his likeness and voice to generic shoot em up Apocalypse.
And in the midst of all this came Silent
Hill.
Initially seen as a rival to flagship horror franchise Resident
Evil, it
went on to become a big success in its own right and the years since
have seen numerous sequels, spin-offs, merchandising, films and even
a remake. The series even has its own iconic bogeyman in the hulking
shape of Pyramid Head. But it all started with the first game, a
relentless, nerve shredding nightmare.
(read more...)
