Silent Hill Info dump *SPOILERS AHEAD*

[BeatTheGG]

CONTINUED
Right off the bat we know that Origins is meant to takes place seven years before SH1 since it follows the events that surrounds Alessa and Dahlia before the soul split. It would be nice to just say, "okay so then it goes:

SHO-------SH1----SH2---------SH4------SH3--->
(7 years bef.) (??) (4 years lat.) (11 years lat.) (17 years lat.)

moving on." However problems start arsing right off the bat with Origins. They break one of the unspoken rules slightly by giving us exact dates to place the current events in. Based on character ages we could easily do the math and tell that Origins is meant to take place about year 1973.

You might be wondering. "Okay so Origins takes place in 73'. Since there's no specific date given in SH1 wouldn't that force it to take place in 1980?" Well that's the problem. While the Team Silent games don't usually give specific dates so close to their current events, however they are subtle enough to live some hints lying around for those who pay close attention to detail.

Take a look at Harry Mason's vehicle.

This is undoubtedly a Jeep "YJ" Wrangler. You can tell by the cars body shape, wide base, windshield, its chrome front grille, and square headlights. This specific model did not go into production until 1986 and replaced the previous "CJ" model that had been around since the 1940's.

There's is no mistaking this vehicle. It is indeed a Jeep Wrangler, and it did not exist prior to 1986. A date any earlier than 1986 or '87 is conflicting. Now you could be think, "Oh come on that isn't enough to discredit an entire game from the timeline based on this little detail!". Well I've got more to come and this next one is a big one. We have in game evidence that makes things a little clearer:

The store sign in Central Silent Hill reads "since 1987". Now I am a bit lenient with this date and entertain the idea that the store may not be open yet. Remember SH2 is knee deep in renovation. However the building itself seems finished already. So the only thing we could really draw is that the game "might" take place in 1987 or it's 1986 and this store will be opening brand new starting next year. I've had a couple buildings in my area that have done that oddly enough.

On another note this, would mean SH3 takes place in 2003-2004 which is contemporary with its release date! That's pretty neat

Now Before I conclude with Origins, there's something else that needs addressing. There's a side story in SH2 that complicates things. It's called "Born From a Wish." During this scenario you take control of Maria during James' travel through the apartments. There's a segment where you traverse the Baldwin Mansion. While there you find a calendar hanging in the Baldwin mansion that shows a November in which the first day of the month appears to fall on a Thursday and the last day on a Friday. This would reasonably put the year of that calendar as 1979, 1984, or 1990. Upon examination, Maria comments that the calendar is from ten years ago.

Huh... that's oddly specific. So that would mean SH2 would fall on 1989, 1994, or 2000. I'm going with the 94" date, because 89" is cutting it a bit close. So with the analysis that I did earlier, that kind of opens the possibility that Mary and James actually may have taken their vacation during the construction after all :shocked:Now It's possible that they still could have taken it before SH1, but because the time from 87" to 94" is seven years, based on James age, that would suggest they either married young and honeymooned there (at age 21) or they decided to get married after their trip. Now this doesn't make open up any impossibilities but it does seem a bit far fetched. Then again I've never been in love soooooo....

Oh that also would place SH4 around year 2001.

Okay to wrap up with Origins. There's a good amount of contradictions that it makes to the original games story which I have explained in extraneous detail in my first post.

Origins is meant to take place during the 7 years before SH1 and tells us things differently.

• It tells us that Dahlia burns down her house with Alessa inside an attempt to further the ritual. This is false as that would work contrary to what Dahlia wanted. It also doesn't make any sense as external stimulus was never a factor. Heck she was going to die if not for being kept on magical life support.
• It tells us that the otherworld was around during the 7 years before SH1 and even Travis' mother sees glimpses of it when she stares into a mirror. This is also not possible as the otherworld didn't exist until Alessa's aspect i.e Harry's daughter, Cheryl, had returned to the town.
• It tells us that the monsters are somehow related to Travis. This again isn't possible and doesn't make sense.
• It tells us Alessa is in fact evil, can turn transfer people to the nightmare at will and spreads the nightmare maliciously. This is not only false but also not possible. The nightmare and reality shifting of the town was in fact an accident on Alessa's part. She can't drag people into it as it was a part of the spell she is placed under in the first place, not a direct result of her powers. In other words she doesn't have control over it.
• It tells us Alessa has another projection running around to help Travis. This isn't possible as the splitting can only happen once she split her soul asunder and she doesn't do that until the end of the game. This image of Alessa is just a walking plothole.
• It tells us that Lisa Garland is a 16 year old nurse at the time she was helping Alessa in the hospital. This is hilariously untrue and I know exactly how they got that impression. During Harry's travels in SH1, during the nightmare transitions, he meets Lisa at the hospital who for some reason seems to be the only person there. She appears normal and is stated to be 23 years old. She never leaves and she doesn't know what's going on. There's a very good reason for this. Lisa Garland has been dead for 7 years. For you see the only way she could deal with the stress over the Alessa situation was drugs. Lisa was a drug addict. Dr. Kaufmann in exchange for her cooperation feeds her the "white claudia" drug (which is what his team sold to the tourists during a drug ring). However the longer she stayed the more dependent on it she became. Lisa at age 23, overdosed and died when Alessa was still 7 years old. Present day Alessa is now 14 and the Lisa Harry meets is nothing more than a memory of her that exists only in Alessa's nightmare. When things start getting really bad she becomes... well...

I still get chocked up at this scene even today. :sad:

• Origins tells us that Kaufmann also gave Lisa the drug in exchange for sex. This is hilariously untrue. It was an even trade of hospital work for drugs. Without it Lisa would have left a long time ago and told the authorities what was going on. Sex never came up.
• It tells us that there was a second ritual after the fire that takes place behind the antique shop (that Harry and Cybil later find) and this is where the soul split happened. This is in fact false. There was only one attempt and it failed due to the boiler explosion. Alessa took advantage of the fire to split her soul.
• Origins also shows us the Flauros is a physical demon that can just come out and attack people for whatever reason. This isn't how it worked in SH1. Flauros (like many other things) are based on real world occultism and religious subtext. The Flauros is used to break ones power like when Dahlia uses it.

I can honestly keep going but there really is no need to at this point. Origins taken for what it is, does not follow the canon well at all and can't be used as a reliable source when relating it to the core games lore

So I'm forced in being unable to accept it as proper continuity to the Team Silents games. "Now hold on Beat! You can't just throw Origins away like it never happened. That goes against the artistic license!" Now-now. I wouldn't go that far :eager:Origins just happens to retroactively change events so I'll recognize it as such by splitting it off from the Timeframe in the initial four. I'll label it as the "extended timeline" while calling the initial four the "silent" timeline.

As of now it's:

SILENT TIMELINE
SH1----SH2---------SH4------SH3--->
(1987) (1994) (2001) (2004)

EXTENDED TIMELINE
SHO----------------------------------------------------------------------->
(1973) (The core game events w/ changes Origins has made)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

[BeatTheGG]

CONTINUED
Next is Homecoming. The first and only American made Silent Hill title. Again, the rules are broken as Homecoming gives specific dates relative to the current events. Because of Adam's age (53) and birthday (04/18/1954), Homecoming must take place in 2007.

Now I'm going to go ahead and say up front. Homecoming isn't going to fit in the "Silent Timeline" and maybe not even in the "EXTENDED TIMELINE" along with Origins. "Why?", you may be asking. Because there are a number of events that happen in this game that make it impossible to fit into the initial timeline without retcons and some here and there that make things difficult to fit alongside Origins without some large scrapes.

*For starters, it's the cult activity. I appreciate the references to Silent Hill's religious order, and I like the basic concept of a splinter group thereof. It gives greater depth to the original organization and establishes it well on a narrative level, I think. However things also doesn't add up. The cult in the original was using the towns spiritual energy to bring about their God with Alessa used as an incubator. If I'm to believe Homecoming's cult somehow branched off to do their own thing, it should still fall under the same premise. Let's take a look at Claudia Wolf. The plans she is going about are her own, however her method still required a sacrifice of self rather than actual body count. "So, this just means their beliefs must have changed somehow, right? That should answer any confusion right?"

(Btw, these theoretical quotes aren't meant to be strawman arguments. Just want to clear that up lol)

That actually makes things more confusing and really breaks the mechanics of how the "otherworld" works. In SH1 we learn that the otherworld is a tied to

Spoiler

Alessa's background and is direct result of the cult impregnating her with a demons fetus. The nightmare she's placed under spreads across the town as a result of the soul split.

In SH2 the "otherworld" is tied to

Spoiler

James, Angela and Eddie. It manifests creatures born from either the repressed guilt they subconsciously feel, need for punishment or suicidal tendencies. The town only draws in people with darkness in their hearts and have had past encounters with the town. All the same the town only has this ability to do such because of of the events that had transpired only a few years back.

During SH3's story we learn that

Spoiler

Heather is a reincarnation of Alessa and as a result the god born within her is reincarnated as well. Claudia Wolf plans to nurture the God once more, through Heather's anger and mental suffering as sustenance. Because of her continued ritual from the first game along with Claudia's new found faith in the fetus, this results in the monsters being tied to both her and Alessa's backgrounds. The image of God this time around is in the image of Alessa herself because of it.

And finally in SH4 the nightmare is directly a result of the twenty one sacraments. The process is not unlike the first game however as Walter

Spoiler

uses South Ashfield as a surrogate. The otherworld this time around existing in Walter's subconsciousness and only drags people into it through holes in their dreams. The requirements this time around require the splitting of body and soul as each kill leave an item of representation behind. Meanwhile their physical bodies die while their souls linger in Walter's subconscious. Walter himself becomes one with the nightmare once he sacrifices his mortal being, as the God allows him to continue the ritual even after death. Because of how Dahlia had warped Walter's mind as a child, Walter saw the apartment as his spiritual mother and as a result, the God had the flesh of a woman, supposedly mirroring his mother.

In Homecoming they are

Spoiler

sacrificing children to a God that they themselves aren't bringing to life. It also doesn't seem to add up how Alex's otherworldly monsters that are in Shepard's Glenn can appear when their is neither a demon fetus nor direct ties to the (at this point now waned and untainted) spiritual power of the town itself.

This time around it's more like the spiritual power just up and followed them to Shepard's Glenn because the plot said so. This falls under the same vein as Origins in how the use of the "otherworld" just seems to be once they head to Silent Hill.

*My next reason. I forgot to mention this during my spiel on Origins but the Town has also changed a tad within only seven years. Here's the originals design of the town with all their street names and a lake.

Now let's look at the changes Origins has made.

(Is that Industry Drive??)

It seems like the theator, church apartment building and sanitarium from Origins seem to have collapsed into the lake that isn't supposed to be there in Homecoming.

So yeah they took some liberties indeed but what I mostly want to harp on are the hospitals. Originally Silent Hill had only two, Alchemilla (which was the standard medical center) and Brookhaven (which was a mental institution.) Origins decided to add a second institution, Cedar Grove sanitarium.

Homecoming for whatever reason decided to ignore both of these and name Alchemilla as yet another Asylum. This would mean there are three mental institutions and no hospitals... oops...

There's also the fact that the town seems nearly identical to the one in the movie. To the point that there are also cracked steaming holes in the ground in reference to the coal mine fire that happened in the movies, canon. I'll be addressing this later when I'm talking about the movies.

*Another big point I think needs addressing are the monsters themselves. Yes I'm sure we all saw this coming. :sleepy: Masahiro Ito, (the lead designer for the first three games) created each monster differently because he understands that each representation is different from person to person. I think we all know that Pyramid Head is a direct representation of James Sunderland's guilt and need for punishment and if there is any doubt, a quick quote from both Mr. Ito himself should clear that up. There's also a quote from Silent Hill 2's director (Hiroyuki Owaku) in one of the stategy guides that quotes about the Red Pyramid Thing being specific to James.

Really we don't need all these quotes from the devss when there's in game evidence of Pyramid Head only exists in his physical form because of James.

Spoiler

In the end when James no longer needs him, PH kills himself.

Really PH isn't the only concern either. There are the bubble head nurses that get reused in the movie with some very minor changes in the face. These exact one get reused in both Origins and Homecoming. There are the "Lying Figures" (aka Patient Demons) that get reused again in the movie and then Origins and Homecoming have their own version with minor tweeks. Really there's a large list on recycled monsters in both of these games which cheapens them both in design and in concept and makes them less character specific. The first four games didn't do this so why now??

*My next to last point. Now there are some loose ways to tie Origins and Homecoming together. As the "otherworld" seems to function differently in Origins as just an alternate dimension that's ever present and could be hijacked if you have the psychic powers (as shown when their version of Alessa can have him travel there through mirrors) Since the "otherworld" is more of another dimension rather than a reality shift, in Origins we have Travis pass out frequently and wake up, teleported to a new area.

We know he wasn't helped by paramedics as they would have taken him to a facility of car until he woke. The idea of the cultist helping him out there would be out of character since he knows of Alessa being burned and more than likely would get into their business. What did they think, he'd forget the whole thing and be on his marry way? He's better off dead to them. Another explanation is that Alessa could have teleported him however that possibility goes out the window when you realize that: (A) Then she could have teleported herself away with Travis since she knows the cult will still be using her for their plans. Since it seems that no one was around Travis when he came to, then that means she might've been safe until he had woken up. Afterwards she could explain what's going on to him and Travis being the decent guy would have hogged them both on the truck and left. (B) She most likely was only conscious enough to put the fires out of Travis' way and once they hit both stopped breathing fumes and reached oxygen, passed out along with him.

Since we know members of the cult picked Alessa up, then that means they must have saw Travis laying there anyway and left him for dead because some people don't resuscitate from breathing fumes for an extended period of time.

(Or perhaps Dahlia performed CPR until Travis started breathing normally. Yum )

We have the same deal with Homecoming and teleporting too. Alex passes out in one area and wakes up in Silent Hills entrance.

*Finally an end to this laundry list of reasons. This one I really can't ignore as much as I'd like too. Travis Grady makes a full on cameo in Homecoming!

(Lol look at Alex's face! He looks so uncomfortable)
Alex: Thanks for the ride. I don't have any money though.
Travis: Oh I can think of other ways you can repay me...
Alex: Really? How?
Travis: [doesn't let go of Alex's hand]
Alex:

-Alright enough of that-

See here's the thing. Usually a protagonist doesn't make a direct return in the following game. We've gotten plenty of hints about such a thing like in Silent Hill 4 The Room with the painting Frank Sunderland gives to Henry Townsend; he mentions James' visit to Silent Hill in the second game. However there has only ever been one instance where these games had a new protagonist interact with the old one and that's in SH3.

If you've completed SH3 then you probably already know which character that is. It's a big plot point that brings everything together. So if it only seems right to do the same with Origins and Homecoming. "Alright but what about the inconsistencies you've pointed out?", you maybe asking. Well most of them were the changes that both games have made to the town of Silent Hill as well as the otherworld and how we came to understand it in the original game. I could probably excuse a lot of this with the whole (because a lot can happen in ten+ years) excuse. Remember Origins take place around 1973 so that means it's about thirty four years apart. There is one other point that might be a make or break for some people. In Alex Shephard's diary found in game, the dates given make is so Origins take place in 1976. Now you could take this with a grain of salt and call it misinformation or you could say this is enough of a problem that Homecoming must be part of a third separate timeline. In this case I'm going to do the former now.

So far our two timelines go as followed:

SILENT TIMELINE
SH1----SH2---------SH4------SH3--->
(1987) (1994) (2001) (2004)

EXTENDED TIMELINE
SHO--------------------SHHC------>
(1973) (2007)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

[BeatTheGG]

CONTINUED
Phew, these just get harder and harder! (No I will not follow that up with, "that's what she said.") Okay so next on our list is ****tered Memories. Oh wow finally an easy one. Okay so as the developers like to tell us time and time again Silent Hill ****tered Memories is a- Wait what was the word again?

Okay I get it now guys, thank youuuuuuuu!! So yeah ****tered Memories is a "re-imaging" of Silent Hill 1. whether it's a good on or not is up to debate. Again I'll wait touch on each game individually soon. Okay so that means SHSM intentionally spaces itself from the original timeline. Okay but what about our extended timeline, can it fit there? Well... no actually. Remember Origins and Homecoming were intended to be an addition to the timeline that Team Silent had already created. Their only issues are that they aren't consistent enough it fit without retroactively changing the original teams work and we very well couldn't have that. Just ask the "Doctor Who" and "Starwars" fans horde: Yeah I went there!! :horde

Now the real question is do we have a date? No I'm serious, will you go on a date with me? This entire post was to set that.

-okay jokes aside-

We do have something to work with actually. Cheryl Heather Mason was born in 1983 apparently.

The game later on reveals that

Spoiler

the Harry we were playing with had died already back in 1990 and that she was seven years old much like the original Cheryl's age back in SH1.

****tered Memories also breaks the rules as it gives a specific date relative to current events. At the Dixon Bridge Control Tower, an almanac could be found with "2008" on it.

That hints that SHSM can't be any later than 2008. There's also a quote at the end of the game

Spoiler

where Dr. K mentions after the big reveal that she had been denying it for eighteen years.
http://i1339.photobucket.com/albums/o711/ZeroBeatt/****mem%20denial_zpsslhcxa4e.png

This Cheryl was seven back in 1990 and it has been eighteen years, that would make her twenty-five now and it is year 2008 indeed.

So here we are again:

SILENT TIMELINE
SH1----SH2---------SH4------SH3--->
(1987) (1994) (2001) (2004)

EXTENDED TIMELINE
SHO--------------------SHHC------>
(1973) (2007)

RE-IMAGINED TIMELINE
SHSM----------------->

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Alright now we're up with Downpour. This is going to be another easy one thanks to the games director, Devin ****sky. In an interview he claims that Downpour is neither a sequel nor prequel and it will not branch off of any obscure information. He neither understands nor likes any of the Silent Hill stories that had anything to do with the cult.

Mr. ****sky's reason for feeling this way?

 

[BeatTheGG]

CONTINUED
Now I'm not posting this with the intent that if you happen to like the stories in the other Silent Hill game, to get angry with Devin ****sky. It's his opinion and I think it should be respected as it's a shared one as I've seen around. More people care about stories about psychology rather than psychological horror. I've made peace with that. This however tells me Downpour wont be connected to Silent Hill 1 because that game is all about the cult. It wont be connected to Origins as it was meant to be a prequel. It wont be connected to SH3, 4 or even Homecoming (yeah he mentions not being a fan of Homecoming's story either) He wants Downpour to draw inspiration from SH2 as a stand alone only. What Mr. ****sky fails to understand however is that with SH1 we couldn't have SH2 and all the events related help strengthen their narrative. SH1 basically explains how SH2 can happen, meanwhile SH2 gives backstory to SH1. It's almost like a loving relationship that, despite their differences, they make work. :suggestive:But alright, Mr. ****sky will get his wish. Downpour will be part of its own timeline because it just doesn't fit anywhere else.

The thing I think that separates this timeline from the originals the most is the fact that it is now a purgatory. There also doesn't seem to be any cult activities or ritualistic works that make the forces that be. No this time around the writer wanted to make it so the town is more like a place of random haunting's where Murphy is constantly putting souls that linger to rest. It's closer to the paranormal rather than the supernatural and it makes sense when you come to understand the writers mindset. The man behind this story is Tom Waltz.

He's had past and as of Downpour's release, future involvement with the series. He's also responsible for the Silent Hill comics titled, "Past Life", "Sinners Reward" and "Anne's Story" all of which (Sinners Reward aside) actually connect to Downpour and give weight to this version of Silent Hill as purgatory with characters returning from death via "groundhog day" cycling.

Here's a quote from the man himself.

To further cement this, let's take a look at one of the characters in Downpour, Howard Blackwood.

In Downpour he appears as a spooky mailman who pops up to give cryptic dialogue in response to Murphy Pendelton's questions. During the game, you're stuck asking yourself, "What's the deal with this guy? Is he a ghost? Why does he deliever mail in what appears to be an empty town full of monsters?" Well Tom Waltz answers these questions in one of comics titled "Past Life" which has four issues.

The story takes place in the the 1800's, just after the end of the American Civil War and the opening of Toluca Prison. It follows an outlaw (Jebediah Foster) who moves with his pregnant wife to Silent Hill. Things don't go so normal for them while there. Okay so here's the thing. Howard makes an appearance there and converses with Jebediah where it is hinted that he's stuck there for possibly killing his slave master. Now the town of Silent Hill is making him relive his own personal hell not unlike Murphy Pendelton in Silent Hill Downpour. We never get to see Howard's troubles while there but we do know that he has been there for hundreds of years. "Well doesn't that just mean the town has made him immortal?", you might be asking.

Let me remind you of several moments where Murphy (along with others) should have died but just wakes up in a different location.

• When Anne shoots him in the back when he tries to escape on a boat.
• When he falls off of a clock tower several stories in the air.
• When it is revealed what Anne sees him as and decides to shoot him again in the chest.
• When Anne takes her own fatel plunge off of a cliff when Murphy fails to grab her in time.
• When Murphy shoots himself in the head only to be greeted by the wheelchair man.

(Yeah it's a awful pic but let's be real. Downpour's no technicle marvel. This is just proof that during the Bobby Ricks scene, both Bobby and Anne were likely killed only to wake up somewhere else.)

And many more! For all we know this probably happens to J.P and Bobby Ricks after their supposed disappearances. Again I'm basing this off of observation and his quote above about "Past Life". There's also the "Anne's Story" where we learn her backstory and point of view during Downpours events.

Wow. But does Downpour give us a date? Well if you want me to be honest, there are very few and some are conflicting. To focus on the ones that help, first there's the missing child poster of Ariadne Johnson.

The poster states she was born 1996 and went missing at the young age of 8 years old. This would make the date in which she went missing 2004. So we know Downpour can't be any earlier than 2004. Okay so anything else? Well there is one other thing. When you meet Bobby Ricks in his studio, we see a calendar with what I can assume is the current date (the 10th) with a darkened square around it.

As you can see no year or month is listed but it does show that first begins on a Saturday. If you remember Bobby Ricks has been kept here for quite a long time, he says so himself. This calendar could very well be outdated and from another point in time, but I'd like to think it's the only thing he uses to keep track of how long he's been there. If Saturday is the first of the month and it doesn't take place anytime before 2004 that leaves us with one of the following.

• 2004: May
• 2005: January/ October
• 2006: April/ July
• 2007: September/ December
• 2008: March/ November
• 2009: August
• 2010: May
• 2011: January/ October
• 2012: September/ December
• 2013: June
• 2014: February/ March/ November
• 2015: August
• 2016: October

Jeez I certainly have my work cut out for me :shocked:Luckily I think there's something else that can narrow this down for us some more. A calendar in a garage near the beginning of the game shows August in which the 1st begins on a Tuesday, which could means 2006 or 2017. I doubt it takes place in 2017 as I don't see any gain for the developers to place it so far ahead of the release date. So to me this means the earliest it can be is April 2006.

You know what? At this point I think it's safe to just place Dowpour at present day (as in the year it was made) It would save me a lot of trouble since like everything else in Downpour, it's cryptic. Plus there is nothing that would inhibit this from being a possible date.

Alright so we are finally done with the main games.

SILENT TIMELINE
SH1----SH2---------SH4------SH3--->
(1987) (1994) (2001) (2004)

EXTENDED TIMELINE
SHO--------------------SHHC------>
(1973) (2007)

RE-IMAGINED TIMELINE
SHSM----------------->

PURGATORY TIMELINE
Past Life------Anne's Story/SHD---->
(1800s) (~2012~)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This concludes part 1. Sorry it took so long. I nearly finished last night but one fatel slip caused me to erase my entire first half by accident and not even notice. So I went nearly an entire hour without clicking the undo button to the beginning of the error. It's alright though because I think this version looks a little more complete than the one I nearly posted yesterday.

In a follow up post I'll be discussing the spin off games like Book of Memories and Silent Hill Arcade as well as the movies, comics and other possible medias. Stay tuned and thanks again.

 

[bSTAR_182]

Wow, really nice summation for this series, @BeatTheGG.

For me, I don't mind separating the non-Team Silent games from the actual Silent Hill timeline. That being said, obviously some of the newer games are worth playing and have established their own fan base.

I like to think of Homecoming taking place in the same realm as the SH series since I did enjoy the game so much. Specifically using the "Hospital" ending to help explain away some obvious inconsistencies.

Spoiler: Ending Explained

The way I like to look at it, the memos found in the beginning of the game about a delusional patient trying to escape are actually about Alex.

Alex never left the mental hospital and was captured on the elevator before escaping. Pyramid Head's knife that stabs him was just Alex's imagination and it was actually the doctors getting to him and sticking him with a needle. The shot knocks him out and you have the events of Homecoming take place.

How and why Alex is really in the hospital can be left for the player's imagination. I tend to think that family issues were at play and maybe Alex really did accidentally kill his little brother. The whole idea of the founding families killing their kids for their god could have simply been some sort of delusional story Alex thought up. Why the town of Silent Hill comes calling could be explained with the fact that Alex could have heard of many stories of what has happened in that town; it is not uncommon for kids to share ghost stories. Also the hospital he stays at may have ties to Silent Hill's past.

But yeah... that's just how I like to view that game, sure it may be a stretch but it kind of works.

Edit:
So the ending of SH3... What do you guys speculate Heather saw before she walked away?

 

[BeatTheGG]

Wow I forgot to respond to this post, sorry!
Yeah I remember being very board with Origins. I still own it for the PS2- I usually don't sell back games once I've beat them... unless they are purely terrible. But I remember there were some moments that made it worth a playthrough. Now that you mentioned it I do remember it being too dark!

Actually that's a good way to some up Origins, boring. It doesn't have any moments of tense thrills or compelling story bits that broke up the very melo tone the game had. Really from start to finish it just felt rather uninteresting. The story was also a huge mess and I found myself putting the game down from time to down in fear I would slip into a new level of bordem. I think the studio that made Origins forgot that Silent Hill's tone can be more than just solemn. I personally think SH3 is by far the scariest of the series while still having a tone that isn't constantly grit and dirt. I felt very anxious from start to finish with that game with tons of pulls at the heart strings along the way. Origins really should have tried for that approach instead.

I'm actually the same way with games. I don't usually sell them unless I'm sure I could get my hands on it again if I ever wanted it back. My favorite PS2 games are really hard to come by now a days, and the ones I do find cost more than the clothes on my back lol.

Yeah it is definitely something I would like to do- perhaps some time soon. Silent Hill 4, Resident Evil and Resident Evil 5 are all on that list as well. I started a little bit of Resident Evil this summer.

I'm definitely curious to hear your synopsis on Homecoming though.

That sounds interesting and I"d love to see your thoughts. You start a little bit of Resident Evil as in the original or the remake? Either one I'd like to hear your thoughts. And don't worry I'll give my synopsis on Homecoming along with all the other games, in due time. I plan on starting with SH1 first though since it's the first game in the series.

Wow, really nice summation for this series, @BeatTheGG.

For me, I don't mind separating the non-Team Silent games from the actual Silent Hill timeline. That being said, obviously some of the newer games are worth playing and have established their own fan base.

I like to think of Homecoming taking place in the same realm as the SH series since I did enjoy the game so much. Specifically using the "Hospital" ending to help explain away some obvious inconsistencies.

Spoiler: Ending Explained

The way I like to look at it, the memos found in the beginning of the game about a delusional patient trying to escape are actually about Alex.

Alex never left the mental hospital and was captured on the elevator before escaping. Pyramid Head's knife that stabs him was just Alex's imagination and it was actually the doctors getting to him and sticking him with a needle. The shot knocks him out and you have the events of Homecoming take place.

How and why Alex is really in the hospital can be left for the player's imagination. I tend to think that family issues were at play and maybe Alex really did accidentally kill his little brother. The whole idea of the founding families killing their kids for their god could have simply been some sort of delusional story Alex thought up. Why the town of Silent Hill comes calling could be explained with the fact that Alex could have heard of many stories of what has happened in that town; it is not uncommon for kids to share ghost stories. Also the hospital he stays at may have ties to Silent Hill's past.

But yeah... that's just how I like to view that game, sure it may be a stretch but it kind of works.

That means a lot to me, thanks! I'm looking back at this now and seeing a lot of grammer mistakes though. I'll be careful not to have too many of those in part 2. Though it's more like a time lapse and less of a plot summation. Either way I'm glad you actually took the time to read through my mess. :happy:

Yeah I only seperate them by timeline because there are a lot of impossibilities to take into account. The later teams took some serious liberties so I had to find ways to excuse them with retcons or gaming rights. Of course no one is to blame for this as it's someone else's take on a preexisting series. I also want people to remember that inconsistency from a source material doesn't make it bad, just different. I'd never say these games aren't worth playing, people just have to go in remembering that it's an adaptation. The only reason I think someone should have for not liking the post Team Silent games are if they've played them and formed an opinion afterwords. Otherwise, hating it just because it's a western take on a Japanese franchise is, fanboyism. (that's a real word right?) Same with the other end; if someone tells me Downpour or Homecoming or Book of Memories (basically any made after the original 4) is their favorite entry in the series, I would ask them if they had played the original four yet. If they tell me yes then I usually chalk it up as difference in opinion or P.O.V on the series. If they say no, I tell them you give them a try to see where the series is stemming from because they might like them.

If there's one thing I'll never stand for it's elitism :angry:

Now back on Homecoming. It is still apart of the franchise that is Silent Hill. I separate it from the original four for the same reason as Origins. If it seems like I'm picking on Homecoming the most, I apologize. because I know it's one of your favorites. >_< I can't be as in depth on the story as I'd like as I'm still holding off until the synopsis, however I do see your point when it comes to Alex though, my take might have some differences. In fact I personally thought the beginning of the game was a dead give away aranoid:but I'll get on that much later. For now all I can say is, Jaccob's Ladder certainly is used a lot in this franchise. lol It's really a take on which ending you prefer when you get right down to it. I have friends who really enjoy the worst ending and like to consider it the true outcome. I guess we'll never really know since there's no sequel or anything. That does remind me that I'll also be bringing up the original plot for Homecoming before the executive producer, Tomm Hullett, kicked the door into Double Helix and changed it.

 

[bSTAR_182]

That sounds interesting and I"d love to see your thoughts. You start a little bit of Resident Evil as in the original or the remake? Either one I'd like to hear your thoughts. And don't worry I'll give my synopsis on Homecoming along with all the other games, in due time. I plan on starting with SH1 first though since it's the first game in the series.

Maybe a little blend of both the original and remake. I just want to tell the story in a slightly different light, perhaps a bit more realistic and still fun (maybe even how I would have liked for an actual RE movie to be). I'd like it to flow nicely of course so it is definitely gonna take some time before I even let anyone read through it. I'm probably most excited for my RE5 rendition but I'd like to try and write each in order of occurrence.

Now back on Homecoming. It is still apart of the franchise that is Silent Hill. I separate it from the original four for the same reason as Origins. If it seems like I'm picking on Homecoming the most, I apologize. because I know it's one of your favorites. >_< I can't be as in depth on the story as I'd like as I'm still holding off until the synopsis, however I do see your point when it comes to Alex though, my take might have some differences. In fact I personally thought the beginning of the game was a dead give away aranoid:but I'll get on that much later. For now all I can say is, Jaccob's Ladder certainly is used a lot in this franchise. lol It's really a take on which ending you prefer when you get right down to it. I have friends who really enjoy the worst ending and like to consider it the true outcome. I guess we'll never really know since there's no sequel or anything. That does remind me that I'll also be bringing up the original plot for Homecoming before the executive producer, Tomm Hullett, kicked the door into Double Helix and changed it.

No need to apologize! I just like to talk about that game the most... probably because I am most familiar with that game's story seeing as it has been years since I played through the other Silent Hill titles (even though they are obviously stronger games in terms of storytelling). But I definitely look forward to reading through more of your posts!

 

[BeatTheGG]

Wow sorry about the long hiatus. I was out of the state for quite sometime. I only got back like a week ago. Funny enough the first thing I did when I got back was pop in ****tered Memories to reinstate my view on it. I finished it within just two days and am about 80% through Homecoming. I plan on getting on SH4 next, since I played Downpour recent enough to have an unchanging view on it. Same with 1-3. Anyway, good to be back and hope everyone is doing alright.

Maybe a little blend of both the original and remake. I just want to tell the story in a slightly different light, perhaps a bit more realistic and still fun (maybe even how I would have liked for an actual RE movie to be). I'd like it to flow nicely of course so it is definitely gonna take some time before I even let anyone read through it. I'm probably most excited for my RE5 rendition but I'd like to try and write each in order of occurrence.



No need to apologize! I just like to talk about that game the most... probably because I am most familiar with that game's story seeing as it has been years since I played through the other Silent Hill titles (even though they are obviously stronger games in terms of storytelling). But I definitely look forward to reading through more of your posts!

I'm really curious about the movie bit. Like the majority I was really disappointing in all of them as representations of the games. I would have loved one that stayed true to the games plot and characters. With care of could see them easily contending The Walking Dead. Oh and no mary sues like Alice please. -_-