The Silent Hill HD Collection includes remastered versions of Silent Hill 2 and 3, both of which originally appeared on the PS2. However, players have discovered that the fog effects that are a key aspect of the game are inexplicably missing from the HD collection, resulting in an outcome which actually makes the PS2 originals look better – if you can believe that.

Screenshots have been releasing showing the HD collection and the PS2 originals side-by-side and it gives you an exact idea of the lack of effort that has gone into the remasters. There isn’t really any difference in quality which makes the HD collection stand out from the PS2 originals released back in 2001 and 2003.

In a further twist, one of the original developers for the PS2 games who didn’t work on the HD collection has spoken on Twitter, expressing his disappointment when being shown the same screenshots and lack of fog effects on the HD version. He now works as a freelance artist and thinks that Konami needs to release a patch to the game in order to put things right, as noted by Eurogamer.

He also mentioned that the poor graphics conversion could be down to difficulty with the PS3 hardware, but we have a feeling that he is just being as kind as possible to his former colleagues – there’s no excusing those screenshots as you see below. The game is already out in the US, but those of you in Europe still have time to make your mind up on the game as it’s out at the end of his month.

Are you disappointed with the quality of the Silent Hill HD Collection? The PS1 original remains one of my favorite games ever – took me forever to figure out that you had to put the pink rubber ball in the gutter on the roof!

Our North American readers have been able to buy Silent Hill: Downpour since the 13th of this month, and some of you might have run into a few problems within the game, so we thought it would be a good idea to post a Silent Hill: Downpour walkthrough for those that need help. It’s worth pointing out that this could also spoil the game for those wanting to buy it, so don’t watch the videos below unless you want to find out vital information about the game and its ending.

Silent Hill: Downpour is available on PS3 and Xbox 360, but those in Europe will need to wait another week before they can purchase the game. This is also the eighth game in Konami’s popular franchise, although some have been harder than others to complete. In our opinion it’s fine to use the tips found in a walkthrough, especially when you’re really stuck, although we know plenty of gamers that class people using these videos as “cheats“. Let us know your thoughts in the comments on needing help with walkthroughs.

You’ll find 5 videos below covering part of a complete Silent Hill: Downpour walkthrough, which the rest can be found via this YouTube user thanks to there being over 28 parts in total and most run between 10 and 20 minutes. It might be best to find the video that relates to the part of the game you’re stuck on, unless you got a lot of spare time.

We previously brought you news that suggested the game, which will be available across PS3 and Xbox 360 platforms, would not be arriving until the second quarter of this year. Now since the arrival date of the Silent Hill HD Collection was confirmed for release in March recently, it would seem that Konami finally has an idea of what their foreseeable future plans are and has indicated March 13th as the official release date for Silent Hill: Downpour.

As reported by VideoGamer it would appear that March is set to be the month of the year for fans of the Silent Hill franchise as the PS Vita exclusive, Silent Hill: Book of Memories is also expected that month on the 27th. For those that haven’t been keeping up with our Silent Hill news here is a quick recap of what you can expect from each of these arrivals come March.

Firstly Silent Hill: Downpour will be a first-person action like the previous titles which will see players facing close hand combat with weird creatures and a lot of puzzle-solving. You can view a trailer for the upcoming game by clicking here. Next we have the Silent Hill HD Collection which consists of graphically improved versions of Silent Hill 2 and 3. Finally Silent Hill: Book of Memories as we previously mentioned will be a PS Vita exclusive, the story of which revolves around a ‘mysterious book.’ More details as well as screenshots of the game can be found by clicking here.

Are you looking forward to March’s Silent Hill releases?

With the delays that the collection has received so far, some gamers had even begun to question whether it would ever actually be making an appearance at all. It was initially slated for an end of 2011 release but due to problems that it has faced, specifics of which we are unaware of at this moment in time, it was delayed until January 2012 and now as Joystiq reports the release has been pegged even further, again details as to why are limited.

For those that are unaware or have forgotten what the Silent Hill HD collection entails, here is a quick reminder. It will feature the games Silent Hill 2 and Silent Hill 3 complete with improved dialogue and new voices along with the obvious improved graphics, rendering them high-definition standard. This surely makes the collection worth the wait for fans of the horror series.

Konami revealed the news in a statement to Joystiq which read ‘[the] Silent Hill HD Collection release date has been changed. The game will now be released in March. We will be sending out definitive dates on all three Silent Hill games later this week.’ As you can see a specific date in March is yet to be announced as for whether or not we will actually be seeing the game in that month at all, we will have to wait and see.

Are you still interested in purchasing the graphically enhanced Silent Hill collection despite the delays?

In an earlier article by Alan Ng we brought you news of all of the launch titles that have been announced for the next-generation Sony handheld. Silent Hill: Book of Memories is one of the many third-party games that are in development. It is also the first Konami game to be announced for the device as well as being exclusive to it.

According to Konami the story of the game follows a ‘mysterious book’ which apparently contains the player’s memories. The publisher went on and added ‘and this content can be altered…’ which would imply that the ‘Book of Memories’ can be edited by reliving the memories perhaps. They also explained the co-operative mode saying it ‘lets players explore the Otherworlds together, while scary surroundings, limited resources and dark atmosphere keep the tension high.’

New screenshots of the game have also surfaced revealing the new camera angle and some of the environments players must face during gameplay. There are seven in total, all of which show of the in-game graphics except one, which is of what looks like a man at a desk writing in what we assume is the Book of Memories, surrounded by what could be an army of ghouls and monsters. Head on over to PSU for a glimpse at all the images released from the game so far.

Do you like the new perspective of the game? What are your thoughts on the game in general so far?

When the game was first announced, back in January, it was thought that we would be seeing it in November, but then according to BeefJack, the German Amazon website had changed the game’s release date listing it for February 15th, suggesting the game was to be delayed. Now according to the representative who confirmed the delay, we could be waiting until as late as June next year before we get to roam the streets of the creepy, paranormal town they call Silent Hill once more.

Konami has enjoyed a lot of success with this horror franchise over the years and the latest installment is promising to be the best game yet as it is said to bring the series toward a whole new direction. If the standard of the games on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 are anything to go by, Silent Hill: Downpour could be a whole other level from the other games in the series too.

The publishers also released some footage of the game’s gameplay last month, showing off some of the scary action you can expect when it finally releases next year, whilst playing a heavy rock tune in the background. Much like the other Silent Hill games, you will be relying on the surroundings for weapons as you battle your way through all sorts of creature like beings. If you haven’t already, be sure to check the trailer out by clicking the link above.

What do you think of the footage for the game you have seen so far? Are you disappointed you may have to wait until June before you can play it?

When the game was first announced to be in development, it was simply known as Silent Hill 8, which isn’t the most original name in the world. With the trailer release however, the new title of Downpour has been introduced as the official name of the game. As for the trailer itself, you can see below that it features cut scenes of gameplay action as well as some of the story parts. Much of the environments look similar to previous Silent Hill titles too, with torrential rain being a new key factor however buildings from the other games such as the school and hospital, will not be included.

Like the other titles in the series Downpour will be a third-person action horror, which will include puzzle-solving as well as close combat in order to progress. Melee weapons will be obtainable from the environment, but only one can be held at a time. There will also be limited weapons like firearms available. If you find you are struggling to progress, the puzzle difficulty will be customizable so you can adjust it to make it easier.

Unlike the rest of the Silent Hill titles, Downpour will be 3D capable. Most 3D titles have failed to impress so far, not to mention been fairly rare, however if the developers, Vatra Games, manage to get things right this game’s 3D effects could be very impressive indeed. According to TheSixthAxis the game is ‘coming soon.’ Are you looking forward to the new Silent Hill title, Downpour?

As Oliver on the el33tonline.com website notes, the Silent Hill HD Collection is due to be released for the PlayStation 3 sometime later this year, and will include both the Silent Hill 2 and Silent Hill 3 games in one package. It will of course come with HD graphics and few enhancements as well.

According to the publisher, the two games have been completely reworked and include PlayStation Network trophies and new voice talent. Meanwhile, Silent Hill: Book of Memories will be the first Konami title to be launched on the upcoming Sony PS Vita handheld device.

The game is said to link together past and present Silent Hill events, and will feature a new story and soundtrack. As many of you will already know from previous reports, the Silent Hill: Downpour game places players in the shoes of convicted criminal Murphy Pendleton, who ends up stranded in Silent Hill.

You can view a new trailer and several screenshots of the upcoming Silent Hill: Downpour game over on the el33tonline.com website. What do you think about the launch of a HD Collection?