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indigozealAll right, I got past the first boss fight. Apparently, the secret is that you have to plant your feet and unload about a whole box of bullets (about 10) into Pyramid Head at once, whereupon he'll sod off to another area and leave you alone. It's a trick, though, because even though Pyramid Head will eventually start to slow his movement as a result of the attack, you still have to catch him early enough in his swing where you can get off enough rounds to avoid being cleaved in twain. You might have to make a few runs at it; in a way, the fight's an excuse to eat up a good deal of your ammo before the close of the level. I do, however, like that in order to overcome the game's big symbol of fear, you have to stand your ground, stare him in the face, and show him that you're not afraid instead of running and dodging.
Oh, yes; I mentioned earlier that the boss fight marks the close of the apartment complex. Apparently, there is no Inverted Apartment Complex (at least not yet), of which I approve; Silent Hill is screwed up enough in its normal state, and rusty chainlink adds nothing to the atmosphere. Also, that level had dragged on for over three hours as it was. C'mon, man.
Upon exiting, I came to another welcome surprise - another outdoor level, a short but confusing walk through a hedge garden-like park. James met another supporting character there, a not-at-all-suspicious-or-paranormal dead ringer for his late wife, and after the Meet Cute, Dead Ringer (whose name is Maria) insisted on tagging along with our hero: "Are you just going to leave me here with all these monsters!?" Refreshingly pragmatic, but I grew uneasy that this would turn the game into one long escort mission. Maria's been a pretty good companion so far, though - she doesn't fight (which seems a bit OoC; Maria seems a pretty assertive, take-charge girl), but she doesn't get in your way, either, electing instead just to stay a distance behind you. She sometimes gets a bit too close when you're whacking away at a monster and ends up clipped by your backswing, and you have to watch that monsters don't glom onto her. (I don't know what happens if she's attacked repeatedly but James escapes - I imagine she'll succumb eventually and it'll be game over, but she doesn't have a health bar you have to replenish or seem any worse for the wear after nonfatal attacks.) Otherwise, though, Maria's pretty easy to watch out for, and having a companion in a survival horror game brings a nice change of mood to the proceedings.
Anyhow, we went scouting around several streets for this hotel, but the road was predictably out (i.e. sucked into a mist-veiled bottomless abyss, the Silent Hill version of "out"), so we ended up exploring a bowling alley instead. I was surprised when a loading screen and locked doors and everything showed up at the bowling alley - I was wondering, was the bowling alley a level? Would there be blood-soaked, straightjacketed pinsetters to fight? But no; I just met James's heavy, weak-willed double from the apartment complex, here happily scarfing pizza he got from God-knows-where, and a bratty little girl who'd shown up a couple times previously. Bratty Little Girl took off, and James & Maria dutifully ran after her; the trail dead-ended at the motherfucking hospital - aren't those always a wrench in Silent Hill games. I'm not holding my breath for an omnipotent emergency hammer to show up in this one, either. (That might be asking for too much, anyway, as I managed to upgrade my plank-'n'-nails to a steel pipe just before the bowling alley. I'm also in that laden-with-provisions stage of Silent Hills, with 110+ bullets, nine health drinks, five first-aid kits, etc.)
I should note that I had to redo a bit of my work getting to the hospital, as I actually entered the bowling alley in my first run before I was finished exploring the city quarter (y'know, not expecting the bowling alley to be pertinent to the plot), and the chase after the little girl blocks you off from further free-roaming exploration of the area. I again find this railroading annoying. It's not like the kid's going anywhere for the next few hours. I almost didn't mind the retread, though, as it enabled me to revisit what must be the world's coziest strip club, accessed by ascending a dark staircase lit from high above by half-papered over windows - it seemed a church more than a club. With the uniquely transcendent music and the safe, homey atmosphere of the club itself when finally reached, I almost wish I could stay there all game.
.
Oh, yes; I mentioned earlier that the boss fight marks the close of the apartment complex. Apparently, there is no Inverted Apartment Complex (at least not yet), of which I approve; Silent Hill is screwed up enough in its normal state, and rusty chainlink adds nothing to the atmosphere. Also, that level had dragged on for over three hours as it was. C'mon, man.
Upon exiting, I came to another welcome surprise - another outdoor level, a short but confusing walk through a hedge garden-like park. James met another supporting character there, a not-at-all-suspicious-or-paranormal dead ringer for his late wife, and after the Meet Cute, Dead Ringer (whose name is Maria) insisted on tagging along with our hero: "Are you just going to leave me here with all these monsters!?" Refreshingly pragmatic, but I grew uneasy that this would turn the game into one long escort mission. Maria's been a pretty good companion so far, though - she doesn't fight (which seems a bit OoC; Maria seems a pretty assertive, take-charge girl), but she doesn't get in your way, either, electing instead just to stay a distance behind you. She sometimes gets a bit too close when you're whacking away at a monster and ends up clipped by your backswing, and you have to watch that monsters don't glom onto her. (I don't know what happens if she's attacked repeatedly but James escapes - I imagine she'll succumb eventually and it'll be game over, but she doesn't have a health bar you have to replenish or seem any worse for the wear after nonfatal attacks.) Otherwise, though, Maria's pretty easy to watch out for, and having a companion in a survival horror game brings a nice change of mood to the proceedings.
Anyhow, we went scouting around several streets for this hotel, but the road was predictably out (i.e. sucked into a mist-veiled bottomless abyss, the Silent Hill version of "out"), so we ended up exploring a bowling alley instead. I was surprised when a loading screen and locked doors and everything showed up at the bowling alley - I was wondering, was the bowling alley a level? Would there be blood-soaked, straightjacketed pinsetters to fight? But no; I just met James's heavy, weak-willed double from the apartment complex, here happily scarfing pizza he got from God-knows-where, and a bratty little girl who'd shown up a couple times previously. Bratty Little Girl took off, and James & Maria dutifully ran after her; the trail dead-ended at the motherfucking hospital - aren't those always a wrench in Silent Hill games. I'm not holding my breath for an omnipotent emergency hammer to show up in this one, either. (That might be asking for too much, anyway, as I managed to upgrade my plank-'n'-nails to a steel pipe just before the bowling alley. I'm also in that laden-with-provisions stage of Silent Hills, with 110+ bullets, nine health drinks, five first-aid kits, etc.)
I should note that I had to redo a bit of my work getting to the hospital, as I actually entered the bowling alley in my first run before I was finished exploring the city quarter (y'know, not expecting the bowling alley to be pertinent to the plot), and the chase after the little girl blocks you off from further free-roaming exploration of the area. I again find this railroading annoying. It's not like the kid's going anywhere for the next few hours. I almost didn't mind the retread, though, as it enabled me to revisit what must be the world's coziest strip club, accessed by ascending a dark staircase lit from high above by half-papered over windows - it seemed a church more than a club. With the uniquely transcendent music and the safe, homey atmosphere of the club itself when finally reached, I almost wish I could stay there all game.
.
