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" Also available on: PS3 Developer: Hijinx Studios Publisher: Konami Genre: Survival horror With the release of Silent Hill: Downpour, there&amp;#039;s no better time to take a trip back to Konami&amp;#039;s hellish American town than right now. In theory, Silent Hill HD Collection enables players to delve into the past and uncover the ungodly secrets that the town holds, all the while experiencing the high points of the much-loved horror franchise. Unfortunately, however, with only two games, no extras and a shoddy paint job, Silent Hill HD Collection is one of the poorest anthologies to date, a far cry from recent release and fellow Konami compilation Metal Gear Solid HD Collection. Chronologically, the collection leaves out the original  Silent Hill game and PSP prequel Origins, instead beginning with Silent Hill 2. Fortunately, Silent Hill 2 is very much a standalone title in terms of its plot, and one of the best games the series has to offer. Players control James Sunderland, a man who returns to Silent Hill (an old holiday haunt) after receiving a letter from his deceased wife Mary. James meets a number of troubled souls along the way, including Maria, who bears an uncanny resemblance to his lost love. Silent Hill 2&amp;#039;s adult themes and sexual symbolism really help to elevate it from the pack. The brooding atmosphere, the interactions with other characters and the revelations at the game&amp;#039;s end, shouldn&amp;#039;t fail to leave a lasting impression on horror fans, while the continued presence of Pyramid Head - the series&amp;#039;s most iconic baddie - provides a constant source of dread throughout the entire experience. It also contains the &amp;#039;Born from a Wish&amp;#039; side story, which explores Maria&amp;#039;s motivation for seeking out James. Silent Hill 3, meanwhile, shifts the focus to teenage protagonist Heather, the adopted daughter of Harry Mason, the hero from the original Silent Hill. Although the plot is easy to follow, Silent Hill 3 reminds players of the HD Collection&amp;#039;s shortcomings. The inclusion of the original would have given newcomers a much better understanding of the history of Silent Hill and why Heather is such an important figure. Although slightly more conventional than Silent Hill 2, the third instalment contains some of the creepiest locations the series has ever seen - the amusement park and haunted house are particular highlights - as well as some of the more gruesome and unsettling monsters.       Unfortunately, while the scares still hold up to this day, the gameplay and graphics are beginning to show their age, even with the supposed HD makeover. Unlike Metal Gear Solid HD Collection, which was clearly given a paint job, Silent Hill HD looks worse today than it did more than a decade ago. Silent Hill 2, in particular, contains lots of shoddy textures, which are made more visible due to a reduction in the game&amp;#039;s eerie fog. Silent Hill 3 is definitely the better looking of the two, containing lots of rich colours and bloody imagery; it&amp;#039;s just a shame that the cutscenes are marred by some awful lip-syncing. Speaking of the voice acting, the games feature brand new audio recorded especially for the HD Collection. While purists have the option to revert to the original sound - oddly, only for Silent Hill 2 - the new vocals are an improvement on the original, barring the problem with lip-syncing. The music and sound effects are fantastic, however, and really enhance the oppressive atmosphere. The camera, meanwhile, is a source of constant frustration, and something that will really irritate series newcomers. The fixed camera shifts as characters move, changing the direction commands as it does. This results in all-too-frequent moments where players turn back on themselves or begin to run in completely the wrong direction. The jittery combat is just as awkward, especially with melee weapons equipped, which are extremely difficult to use. Neither lead is an action hero, however, so their inability to wield weaponry effectively makes the enemy threat more potent. Despite the inclusion of Silent Hill 2, which is arguably the best game in the series, and Silent Hill 3, which contains some of the best monsters and locations, Silent Hill HD is too short on content to be dubbed a collection. Worse still, the unimpressive visuals make a mockery of the HD moniker, while the lack of extras and bonus material does nothing to entice long-standing fans. Silent Hill HD Collection isn&amp;#039;t short on scares, but it&amp;#039;s lacking in almost every other department.  &amp;gt; What do you think of the game? Share your views "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.digitalspy.com/gaming/review/a374150/silent-hill-hd-collection-review-xbox-360/>