Once again, we bring you a new article from the series of articles Game of the Month where we discuss the most prominent and important releases throughout the month. We highlight the praise given by critics or players and the weaknesses in those games. Here we are with the article for October 2024.
Among the standout games this month was the long-awaited remake of Silent Hill 2, a remake of the classic horror game released in 2001. The first main entry in the series since Silent Hill: Downpour 12 years ago, the Silent Hill 2 remake aims to provide an experience that retains the spirit of the original game and its unique atmosphere with various improvements including gameplay, puzzles, and an increase in gameplay hours to double the duration of the original title.
The general atmosphere of the town of Silent Hill is perfect, the thick fog that obscures visibility in open areas brings back memories of the original game and immerses the player in a constant feeling of fear and anxiety. With a larger area to explore and many familiar areas redesigned on a larger scale, as well as completely new areas added for the first time where players can find secrets, messages, ammunition, and various usable items.
Although the story has not undergone radical changes compared to the game released 23 years ago, the additional dialogues and simple branching paths introduced by Bloober Team have added to the mystery and psychological narrative, maintaining the same excitement and suspense, not to mention the additional endings included for the first time.
The remake also boasts distinctive graphics that beautifully depict the details of the city with performance and precision, along with fantastic sound performance, whether in the atmospheric soundtrack that adds to the horror or in the sounds of enemies that will make you hesitate before facing them. The addition of open areas and completely new locations contributed to extending the game’s lifespan to at least 16 hours, doubling the usual 8-hour gameplay duration of the original game, all without feeling monotonous or repetitive.
Despite all these features, the game lacks enemy variety, as you will encounter the same monsters continuously in each new area you visit as if you were still in the early hours of the title. Boss battles also lack unique encounters or different gameplay mechanics and all rely on repeated running and dodging.
Another standout game this month that achieved unexpected success was Metaphor Refantazio, a role-playing game developed by Persona Atlus. The game stands out for its diverse and deep combat system, offering the best RPG gameplay experience ever. The Archetypes system has an indescribable depth and fun as each Archetype offers something different and their development is consistent with the game systems. Some require strengthening relationships with specific characters, or developing specific classes. Initially, I thought it was a system similar to Persona monsters, but as I progressed in the game, I found that it was a completely different system.
The imaginative and innovative world and direction of the game, with every detail in character designs, vehicles, and buildings immersed in a unique and unmatched world similar to Ghibli Studio films in design excellence. Despite its slow start, the game’s story reaches a climax that I consider one of the best in this generation. The amount of surprises and excitement the game holds is indescribable, and its love for villains and characters surpasses anything previously presented by Atlus.
However, there were some drawbacks in this game such as the main character’s lack of speech or action, despite the director’s promises of a character different from the silent characters we are used to from the developer, it doesn’t differ much from previous heroes which caused some frustration for me.
Many things are easy to miss, and the game does not clarify many aspects, especially since the game is very long. If you miss certain elements such as secret cities or missions, you won’t have the chance to complete them unless you replay the game, and you can’t experience the full story without finishing the game multiple times. The length of the game might be off-putting for replaying it multiple times.
In any case, Metaphor: Refantazio is considered a masterpiece that will be cherished by all RPG fans and one of the best offerings from Atlus studio, a necessary experience that won’t be repeated.
And finally, there is the game Dragon Ball Z Sparkling Zero, a competitive fighting game that is a continuation of the Boudokai Tenkaishi series. The game’s content is vast and caters to all player categories, featuring all Dragon Ball Z characters and their transformations. The story element is strong in this game with the Episodes mode summarizing important anime events and allowing you to engage in numerous battles with your favorite characters to learn their stories or relive your memories with them, or the Super Training mode that provides all the information you need to sharpen your skills.
The combat system is very fast-paced and requires high skill and timing of attacks and blocks in the midst of the battle chaos, making you feel like you’re controlling the anime battles yourself. The voices greatly enhance this experience, and the diverse finishing moves and the ki charge mechanic add a fun strategic element to the game.
However, the lack of clarity in how to unlock characters and their randomness was criticized, such as getting some characters from completing specific tasks or progressing in the story or from the in-game store. But the lack of clarity in this element left me puzzled and unsure of the real requirements to obtain some characters.
So, those were the games we selected as the Game of the Month for October 2024. What is the game of this month for you? We look forward to your comments… And don’t forget to check out our other monthly article highlighting the key anniversaries in the video game industry in October 2024.
