This is how Atari in Australia...

[Rombie]

...continue to prove they are morons.

http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f36/pornoakleo/news/Silent_Hill_Homecoming.jpg

MARCH 13

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_jp-Y_pSujQA/SUt4EzwvhtI/AAAAAAAAVWo/8feXTTFzgJM/s320/resident+evil+5+box+art.jpg

MARCH 13

Anyone else see the problem here?

[Darkmoon]

...congratulations. That has to be the best planning I have ever seen. Delay the release of a game, what, six months so it coincides with a game that shares most of it's fanbase but is much, much bigger and more likely to garner interest, cash and advertisement. Yes. I'm sure Konami loves them for that move.

[BadWolfX]

Ouch.

Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Konami! It's a failure!

[missvalentine]

idiots, just idiots. i mean how dumb can you get?

well it was always going to be a failure over there anyway, since i heard it was censored.

*first post on Silent Hill board*

[Mr_Zombie]

Well, in Europe SH:H is going to be released on February 27 -- the exactly same day PS3 will get Killzone 2 and X0 Halo Wars. I know that the fanbase will eventually buy Homecoming, but what about other gamers?

And I hope there was a really good reason for such delay, that they will at least fix bugs (especially in PC version) and polish the game :/. But who am I kidding? Konami doesn't give shit about this game any more :|.

[Darkmoon]

There better have been a reason for this delay. If it's, 'Yeah, we just held the game for a few months to add a few more bugs and generally annoy you,' then I'm gonna be buying second hand. Which will likely be two days after launch.

[Gradon]

So this is only Australia?
Wow, what a dumb move.

[Rombie]

I can understand somewhat as to why there is a delay in OZ due to the classification issue, but this seems like a stupid idea of a date to release it. The classification problem was cleared up some time ago and the game could have been released anytime this month. I get the whole Friday the 13th thing... which is why RE5 is also being released that day I guess, except that the 13th of Feb was ALSO a Friday this year (two in a row).

The place I'm getting the game from is in NZ and is importing the UK edition thankfully (although I could have gotten the US or Asian PS3 release some time ago), so due to the earlier release date I'm expecting it to turn up with enough time to play before RE5 releases on the 13th. But then again, if I hadn't organized that I'm sure I could say I'd be playing RE5 first, SHH second.

That also said I really should have said it doesn't surprise me to see them pull this. I've been unhappy with AtariAU (and previous versions of the same company) for about seven or eight years now. Their handling specifically of Konami products has caused me numerous headaches.

[News Bot]

That's hilarious to the point I can't even chuckle. Just... wow.

[Weskers Flag]

Not a very good marketing strategy.

[riderkid]

yeah the game sucked horribly i mean...

oh you meant the release date! thats bad too

[A-J]

come on guys, friday the 13th doesn't come around that often .. sure we had one in feb as well, which was a freak of nature i suppose, but still.

[James]

Not sure about NZ, Rob, but Homecoming is coming out on the 19th of March in Australia. =/

[Skunky]

I can't believe that any PS3 users who really wanted this, would have waited this long. Given that you can just import a region free UNCENSORED version.

On a similar note, Killzone 2 and Dead Rising Wii are both out next week here on the 26th.
I'm definitely getting KZ2. I'll probably get Dead Rising too but I'd like to read a review or 2 first.
Very different games, I know but still a bit weird to launch them on the same date (...might save me 2 trips to the shops at least)

[Rombie]

Not sure about NZ, Rob, but Homecoming is coming out on the 19th of March in Australia. =/

Well Atari's got the date wrong on it's own website then:

http://www.atari.com.au/games/overview.do?id=1268


Genres: Adventure,Strategy
Publisher: Konami
Released: 13.03.2009
Players: 1
Price: $109.95 / $129.95
Platform: PS3 / XBOX 360 / PC
Rating: AUS[MA15+] NZ[MA15+]

The local version of the game (not the imported uncut edition) is slated for a 12th/13th release here in NZ too (Thursday is traditionally release day in NZ, which is why). Stores should receive their shipments by the 12th and all out on shelves no later than Friday the 13th.

[Scream]

It would be pretty cool if it was the worldwide release date for both games. Double the fun. I think I would play RE5 first though.

[James]

Well Atari's got the date wrong on it's own website then:

http://www.atari.com.au/games/overview.do?id=1268



The local version of the game (not the imported uncut edition) is slated for a 12th/13th release here in NZ too (Thursday is traditionally release day in NZ, which is why). Stores should receive their shipments by the 12th and all out on shelves no later than Friday the 13th.
No need to be hostile. My supplier just says the 19th. THQ have none of the Capcom titles in their catalogue either - our local publisher websites are always out of date or at least not 100% up to date.

[Rombie]

o_o Hostile? Sorry if you inferred it that way, just stating where I'd confirmed the AU release date from before putting up the post.

[Scream]

Hey "James" whats with the name change?

[ValentineKnight]

This game is gonna bomb big time...nice going Konami.

[Darinl1979]

This reminds me of last summer when The Dark Knight came out in theaters. When I went to see it opening night, I saw the Now Playing sign and just couldn't believe any other movie was stupid enough to use the same release date. The following Monday I really got a kick out of the box office numbers for those poor unfortunate movies.

Regarding this game though, aside from marketing it to those who wont be playing RE5 due to their opinion of it not being "survival horror", who the hell else would buy it? Are you really just getting the game now? I recall SH:H coming out a while back for us, I havent played it because I heard such bad things about it.

[Scream]

I remember someone shouting out "Oh no, this isn't Mamma Mia!?" when the Dark Knight started. Everybody laughed.

This country...

[Rombie]

Regarding this game though, aside from marketing it to those who wont be playing RE5 due to their opinion of it not being "survival horror", who the hell else would buy it? Are you really just getting the game now? I recall SH:H coming out a while back for us, I havent played it because I heard such bad things about it.

Yup, US version released a long time ago. No idea why Europe got the delay shaft entirely, but Australia got a longer delay because of classification issues in the country (there is no rating level covering higher than M/MA15+ in Australia for videogames).

[randomwab]

I wouldn't be suprised if Europe gets the same version as Australia, just so they only had to put out one PAL version. Either way, I forgot that this is coming out in the UK this week, so I'll most likely be grabbing it.

[James]

I wouldn't be suprised if Europe gets the same version as Australia, just so they only had to put out one PAL version. Either way, I forgot that this is coming out in the UK this week, so I'll most likely be grabbing it.
That's what I was thinking - why else delay the game for so long for a European release?

[Darkmoon]

They better not have. My schedule is too full for that kind of killing spree.

[Enrico Marini]

Well it looks like SH5 is out in the UK now, though last time I checked I thought both were released the same day.

Well which to choose, Silent Hill or Resident Evil. Last time I had this choice it was Outbreak vs 4. And I went with SH4, and was dissapointed in a similar way as I was with RE4 :D.

Off to the shops to buy a disappointing game!

I hope it isn't censored. I can kind of understand SH1's Babies with knives censor but blantant censoring for an 18 game is stupid. Though Some things do need censoring sometimes. Shame on all those parents who do not follow the age guidelines then complain about the game. God, if I bought my children an 18 game, I wouldn't expect it to be full of Pandas hugging each other.

Here's hoping the UK one isn't too bad.

[Darkmoon]

As a father who has small children...they must never see this game. Me? I want the uncensored version. But hey, I'm one of those crazy assholes who, you know, doesn't use computers and TV to keep my kids happy.

[Enrico Marini]

Err I'm not happy with it at all. Silent Hill 5 feels like a paint by numbers. Fair enough that Silent Hill needs to use the primary colours of bleak, rundown, dark, and good ol hell version but this game borrows too heavily from 1, 2 and the movie. That, the dodge/counterattack, ammunition and the sodding glitches. 10 extra rounds for the pistol that holds 5, shotty 3/6, really bugged me.

I was unloading the shotty at a few nurses heads, started reloading and decided to switch to the good ol fire axe to pummel them. Instead the game de-equiped me of any weapon and wouldn't let me equip a weapon again. Small Room, 3 nurses and no ability to attack, pissed me off to no end. What was I supposed to do? unzip and flail my tackle at them? Why can't alex do the old fisticuffs? The second glitch that pissed me off is in this spoiler.

When you are supposed to collect the 5 plates in the church I missed one and got the sword one. I then get knocked over the balcony to the Organ area where I had to fight two siams and Barbed wire blocked the exits. Even after giving the siams the old in out with the knife, the barbed wire stayed. stopping me from getting the last plate I needed. meaning I have to reload.

[Gradon]

Game is quite bad, story wise.
Why the hell are there monsters in Shepards Glen?
What the hell happened to Joshua? Did he die when Alex pushed him off? Why did Alex goto a mental hospital? Didn't they need to kill him?
There are WAY too many movie elements in it, way too many.
And why does it take me 20 Axe hits to kill a fucking Nurse?

[Enrico Marini]

And why does it take me 20 Axe hits to kill a fucking Nurse?

Lol. I'm playing on hard and all I do is hard it with the axe 2/3 times as they get close (the old res evil knife tactic I used) and then I can decapitate them with a finisher. Siams and schizms piss me off, needlers and ferals have their days where they are more cheeky.

I am having a hard time actually turning on my Xbox to play the game again.

The Smog enemy looks like a excuse to reuse the straightjacket men, and it also looks well out of place. Ferals are reasonably ok. Siams I accept (though it reminds me of closer crossed with 2back), schizms I kind of accept, needlers and lurkers feel like reworks of existing enemies but they all feel silent hillish. Smog everytime I see it feels like it should be an ewok. Its not supposed to be there, its a replacement. I'm sure some people will get my reference there :). They should have just reused the straightjacket.

I thought Origins was fun though borrowed a bit too much from Silent Hill 2. To be honest unless a miracle happens, either I take on the next silent hill project or Team Silent returns like a phoenix, I wish they just leave the series dead.

When I started playing it I thought I'd give these chappies a chance, wasn't expecting a miracle game from them but what I feel like when playing it is that its the ark of the covenant.


Don't look at it.

Don't acknowledge its there.

Hopefully it'll go away.

I have never not finished a Silent Hill game. This may be the exception.

[Gradon]

It's quite a chore playing it, like, what?
Silent Hill's don't usually have this; I got all three endings in Origins coherrently and played 3, 3 times in a row.
I just feel let down...

I honestly don't feel extra-ordinary with SH:H, it doesn't feel right, I KNEW that Pyramid Head would have no purpose! He was just there to be cool, yknow?
He's getting whored in every continuation it's beyond unreal, he's been mentioned/cameo'd in every game after 2.

Oh, and don't get me started on the framerate issue, it's unreal, slowing down when there was nothing there?!
Seems they never even fixed up the glitches from the USA release, typical laziness, and was there even a multi-lingual selection? I don't even recall seeing one.

[Enrico Marini]

Pyramid Head, well I feel, could transcend Silent Hill 2 if there is adequate reason. I felt there wasn't.

No multi language, I noticed the slow down for absolutely no reason what so ever as well, and the combat ready seems to get stuck and not allow you to either exit combat stance to say run away or let you shuffle/attack (though dodging an enemies attack or getting hit cures this).

I finished it this evening just to get it out the way.

I had a feeling the assist/not assist mum would have some impact on the endings so I kept my prison save before her and whored the game for all endings. UFO was dissapointing, as were most of the rest.

I found the majority of bosses a hell of a lot easier on hard then the general cannon fodder of the game.

Even the extras felt pointless. I know Silent Hill 1 and 2 didn't have many but Homecoming just lacks replayability. The Circular saw isn't that great, wheres the good ol chainsaw? The story does not compell me to play again, the extras do not compell me to play. I'll be trading in this mistake soon. Back to magicland dizzy, that never dissapoints.


If anyone out there is still considering playing this, go play 1~4 or origins again until you find this abomination in a bargin bin, or even better someone willing to pay you to take it from them. At least Climax's attempt at Origins kept a Silent Hill esq feel to it, you knew it wasn't team silents handy work but it wasn't, for a better word, shit. Homecomming tries to go the way Resident Evil went but fails every step and turn. Only the penetant man shall pass and Double Helix marched across with hop skip and a jump.

It feels like, for lack of a better analogy, Double Helix took Team Silents barrel of apples and started scraping the last few out and reusing some of the rotting cores of previously devoured apples instead of refilling the barrel up.

I really wish I had the ability to wipe the games existance from my memory and put a cap there too stopping me from ever registering Silent Hill 5's existance, even better if I could wipe it clean off the face of planet earth. No wonder it took so long to export this shambles. I just pray Japan is saved from this monstrousity.

Well after that depressing display, there is no where else to go but up with Resident Evil 5. I've now jinxed it.

[TheSelfishGene]

I'm one of those crazy assholes who, you know, doesn't use computers and TV to keep my kids happy.

Good on you sir. Sadly part of a dieing breed it seems.

And the jokes on Atari now, because RE5 is coming on Thursday the 12th.
That's what they get for suggesting to release a game on a pseudo-recognised date which no one really gives a toss about. They could have put it out weeks ago.
Jokes on them 2x, because I imported a copy (for my brother) late last year. Take that Australian games industry!

[Gradon]

Enrico's thoughts summed up this game pretty nicely.
It just took a route it should have never taken.
I'm sorry, but this rumoured SH remake will be the last Silent Hill in my honest opinion.
Origins was looking out for a good restart since 4 let many people down, but Homecoming has butchered it in favour for Casual Gamers action and mediocore plots that they don't really care enough about to be explained.
And about Homecoming in Australia, what the hell are they thinking? Are they trying to kill the only sales they'll get?

[James]

For some reason I never really though Silent Hill had a huge fanbase in Australia. I could be wrong though, because there are a lot of people interested in the game where I work.

That COULD just be a side effect of the moving becoming a little more public though.

[James]

What the deuce?!?! (http://ebgames.com.au/xbox/product.cfm?id=11866)

We have heaps of copies of the PS3 version, but no 360 versions till next month. One must wonder what Atari is doing =/

[adamb1029]

maybe they like PS3 users more then xbots.

[Darkmoon]

Maybe there batch of the 360 version was stolen by pirates. Yargh. Or maybe they're just smoking the crack pipe a little too much these days.

[hellrizer]

Well ain't that just perfect? Yeah nice going konami!!

[James]

Yeah nice going konami!!
:\

Konami aren't the ones responsible.

[Rombie]

I'm still interested to know what got changed for the AU edition. I remember earlier reports talked about camera angles and some particular things, but I'd be interested to know if thats all. The versions which arrived in all retail here in NZ are the UK version (they have the BBFC 18 on the spine and disc). The game was awarded an R18 over here too not surprisingly based on that fact.

[hellrizer]

I'm still interested to know what got changed for the AU edition. I remember earlier reports talked about camera angles and some particular things, but I'd be interested to know if thats all. The versions which arrived in all retail here in NZ are the UK version (they have the BBFC 18 on the spine and disc). The game was awarded an R18 over here too not surprisingly based on that fact.

I know huh?

[James]

I know huh?
What?

For what it's worth Rob, I'll be picking up the 360 version once it finally releases locally over here. Having played the original uncut PS3 release I hope I can spy some differences =P

[ValentineKnight]

xbots.Please don't use this term...*hates console wars*