Silent Hill 4: The Room Xbox
User Score
7.6 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 17 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 12 out of 17
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 17
  3. Negative: 3 out of 17

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  1. BenD.
    Oct 4, 2004
    10
    This game is the best horror game ever made.
  2. doodlerman
    Jun 11, 2011
    8
    Definitely a disappointment considering it's predecessors, but it's still a damn good horror game (and at least 10x better than Homecoming). It takes away some of the most essential items from previous games - the flashlight and the radio, and brings you into the prison of someone else's mind. It isn't directly related to Silent Hill, though the villain of this game is mentioned frequently in Silent Hill 2, and there is also a Room 302 in the first Silent Hill that serves an important purpose (I believe it has a TV that reveals certain secrets). The voice acting has improved in this one and there's a certain incoherent quality to it that creates this sense of chaos all throughout, and can successfully make you feel as desperate to escape as the protagonist is. The sound quality has also improved - it may not be as eerie as previous Silent Hill games, but it sounds like it has been mixed better. Also, due to the lack of a radio, the silent appearances of enemies (especially the Twin Victims which just sit stilly in the distance pointing with the faces of dead babies) - and the introduction of invincible ghosts that can chase you from room to room and moan disturbingly.… Expand
  3. JesseS.
    Jun 19, 2005
    7
    A fair game. The graphics are simply amazing, thats one of the main things this game has going for it. The character models are lifelike, and the environments are lush and vivid. The gameplay goes in a few new directions for Silent Hill, but can all of the backtracking can be extremely tiring. Sound is just as great as it is in any Silent Hill game. A good game for fans of the series, but definitley not one to introduce you to Silent Hill. Konami had a great idea in mind, and they were close to executing it correctly, but there are some flaws that take away from the experience.… Expand
  4. AdamN
    Jan 30, 2007
    3
    Its got ok graphics, and it can be a challenge but it is not scary...at all! To sum it up BOOO, are you scared, because if you are that is how scary the game is!
  5. Uter
    Sep 10, 2004
    6
    Bas is correct, the melee combat is garbage. It truly is slow, unresponsive, and just plain frustrating. What makes this game decent is it's atmosphere, and crazy story.
  6. Rick
    Mar 3, 2006
    3
    I urge all of you to read this post. Don't buy this game, dont even rent it. One of the worst, most boring, clunky, ugly control scheme, slow paced, been done before games I have ever played. On par with the terrible Star Trek Shattered Union as one of the worst games Ive played on the box. Gave it a couple of (yaaaaawwwn) hours before giving it back to my mate in disgust. Hahaha sucker he should read reviews first.… Expand
  7. Bas
    Aug 16, 2004
    7
    I played the beta, which is like 99% as good as the full version. First of all, the gun selection is terrible. I'm near the end, and the only guns I found were a simple handgun, and a powerfull revolver, and I'm pretty sure I checked everywhere. Where's the shotgun? The machinegun? To make up for this loss, Konami has put in lots of melee weapons: Golf clubs, baseball bats, a rusty axe (my favorite), a sewage pipe, a wine bottle, and more. Too bad melee sucks, and I'd rather shoot my opponents. Controls are terrible, your character is way to slow when in melee combat, and pretty unresponsive. Also a huge dissapointment, you don't actually go to Silent Hill. When you enter the hole in your bathroom, you are transported to "worlds". You have a forest world, a hospital world, and more. All these are connected via your room. I was looking forward to wandering around the SH town some more, too bad that wasn't possible... None of the early worlds (the ones I've been too) have bosses by the way. I've only ran into 1 compulsory boss. The monsters suck. ALL of them can be taken down with either 5 shots of the standard handgun, or with 1 revolver shot. And that was normal difficulty. After they're down, you need to get close, and press A to deliver a final blow, so they won't get up again. Same tactic for every monster, only some need to be stepped on twice. The only thing that kept me playing was the story, because it's about Silent Hill's favorite serial killer, Walter Sullivan. People that played SH2 will remember him from the notes you find about him. He was the guy that killed himself by stabbing himself in the neck with a spoon. I never played part 3, so can't compare the story with SH4, but the story in part 4 is better then that of part 2: it makes more sense. Special mention for the ghosts/spirits: no enemy in any SH game EVER was this annoying. You get bothered by the same couple of ghosts all the time, the one I remember best was the hillbilly one. He's EVERYWHERE. The ghosts come out of the walls at certain places. When I just want to explore a room like normal, guess what? A ghost comes out of the wall, and you have to start running. Later in the game, you get a sword to stop a spirit with. When you manage to knock out a ghost (done by doing lots of damage), you have to use the sword, and that pins them to the ground, so it can't follow you anywhere in the game until you pull the sword out again. Final say: This is NOT a good SH game. … Expand
  8. Jay
    Feb 15, 2005
    8
    Silent Hill would never win any awards for its gameplay, its way too linear, frustrating at times and the whole inventory thing is crapola. But for once this is a series that can have all those problems and still be on top of all others in the same genre. It is the sinister atmosphere, the unnerving sounds, and the overall feeling the player has towards the situation they have been put in that makes this series a winner. True there are no jumpy, heart-in-your-mouth moments because thrills like that only last a few minutes. This series plays with your emotions sinking you gradually into a feeling of absolute remorse, which effectively can keep you feeling creeped for some time. Silent Hill 4 has expanded on this and made it much much better. Making it more personal as the problem arises in your own home and eventually reaching a point where your home is no different to the chilling alternate worlds you are forced to explore. The graphics are not great but in my opinion this only adds to the whole gritty dark nature that the game is themed. So for overall scare factor, fantastic disturbing atmosphere, great story and heart stopping sound effects I gave Silent Hill 4: The Room an 8. Improve the actual gameplay and you'll have one of the most superb games ever created of its genre.… Expand
  9. DanwiseG.
    Nov 23, 2004
    4
    I have never really thought the silent hill series was scary. This game is no exception. The sound can go from creepy sound effects to why is this music in this game and does this music actually go with the scene? The graphics are bland for xbox standards. Every level is a dark, fuzzy, hazy, mess. If this game had been released 2 years ago it might look good but at times it looks like the first resident evil for the playstation. The cut scenes are good but are destoryed by the cheesy music and the strange story. The gameplay is terriable. You are running around with whatever weapon you're using and it just feels like the resident evil frachise but even more flustrating. Also the stupid store your item in a box thing has reappeared and you will often be making trips back to your apartment for items you need not to mention the lack of health healing items on EASY. The worst part of this game is babysitting your neighbor for half of the game as she and her stupid AI runs into your weapon or right into the enemies. The combat is weak and you never feel really at danger, the enemies are stupid at best, the resurecting ghosts are annoying; about the only redeeming quality of this game is the first person perspective in your apartment where you actually sometimes feel like you are in a world that's alive if not for the repeating scenes you see out your windows or in your neighbor's apartment. The story is strange and doesn't seem to be really at all interesting. Thankfully this version of silent hill has a story that makes a little sense but still leaves your head scratching. The multiple endings is a good idea but I didn't see any ending that was really that interesting. Why would you want to replay a game that's very little fun to play in the first place? This game is a rental unless you can make it through the bad gameplay elements, it might be a good game to buy. But be warned you might not want to replay this horror flick. For it's crappy gameplay, story, music, and graphics I give this one a 4 out of 10… Expand
  10. TheQuietGamer
    Mar 11, 2013
    9
    Out of all the horror games I've played so far Silent Hill 4 is the scariest, and I think that's the best compliment one can give a horror game. As far as presentation goes it's outstanding. The score is haunting and beautiful while the voice acting is very good but does dip in quality from time to time. I know it's an old game but this might be the best looking Xbox game I've ever seen. The story is fantastic and full of mystery and haunting moments. Gameplay is great and Konami added some new features this time like a first person perspective, hauntings, and un-killable ghosts. The changes don't just affect the gameplay, but the setting as a whole. For one thing it's a Silent Hill game that doesn't take place entirely in Silent Hill. You will travel to different areas within Silent Hill, but this is all done through the main characters apartment in an interesting and unique way. The apartment plays a huge role in the game, and introduces us to a new voyeur-esqe way of progressing the story. I could go on and on with the new changes in this entry but the question your probably asking is "Is it scary?". The answer is yes, it's filled with tension and fear and I had trouble sleeping at night when I would think about it. Despite all the praises I have for it there are some issues. Maneuvering in first-person can be awkward and the camera isn't always the most cooperative this time, occasionally obscuring your view. Also about half way through the game your put in charge of escorting one of the main characters neighbors, it's not a bad thing but can get a little frustrating at times. None of these issues should stop you from playing this game if your a Silent Hill fan or just love a good scare. It's fantastic, horrifying, and outstanding survival-horror game that I highly recommend. So grab a copy, lock the door, and turn the lights out it's time to get scared.… Expand

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
76 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 43 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 31 out of 43
  2. Mixed: 11 out of 43
  3. Negative: 1 out of 43
  1. Xbox World Australia
    83
    While not all of the additional elements worked well, such as the awkward inventory limit, fans of the series and newcomers alike will still find much to appreciate and cower in terror about in the game.
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  2. TeamXbox
    82
    While there were definitely some changes to the game that I didn't care much for, such as the lack of radio/flashlight combo, perhaps the alterations were a good thing for the series overall.
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  3. BonusStage
    81
    Dedicated followers of the Silent Hill mythology will find plenty to sink their teeth into with a solid eight-hour adventure and multiple endings, and the new "Room" mechanics and intriguing plot might even snare a few newcomers.
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