The forgotten Silent Hill game for PS Vita deserves a comeback.

One of the highlights of Sony's portable console, the Vita, was the promise of delivering gaming experiences similar in quality to those of a traditional console. For many, this translated into the exploration of new franchises. In my case, my foray into the Tales series led me to acquire the console upon learning that Tales of Hearts R would be translated into English. Over time, I encountered other Vita exclusives, such as Persona 4 Golden, which became my first game in the Persona series, as well as Uncharted: Golden Abyss and Killzone: Mercenary, which were also my introductions to those franchises.

However, not all experiences were positive. Silent Hill: Book of Memories, released in 2012, received mixed reviews for failing to meet expectations as a Silent Hill game or as an effective dungeon crawler. Even though I had never played a Silent Hill title, I decided to explore the series after acquiring my Vita. Unfortunately, Book of Memories ended up being my first encounter with the saga, meaning that my experience was not the most terrifying, despite knowing it was a horror game. From the start, I found myself immersed in a tutorial where I learned to confront the iconic monsters of Silent Hill.

My initial experience was complicated by the game's indirect narrative, which required a focus on collectibles and symbolism. I came from playing primarily Japanese RPGs, which are usually clearer in their storytelling. As I progressed through the game, I understood that the Book of Memories allowed users to rewrite events from their lives, albeit in a monster-infested world while they slept. While it was an interesting concept, the story failed to connect with me due to its execution, with poorly animated cutscenes and graphics that did not reach the level of other titles like Killzone: Mercenary.

Regarding gameplay, Book of Memories adopted an overhead view, reminiscent of Diablo, requiring players to traverse different "zones" in a dungeon crawler mechanic to reach the boss of each section. This structure adapted the game to the "pick-up-and-go" nature of the Vita, meaning hours could fly by as I tried to complete one more room. During my shifts at university, when fewer students interrupted my sessions, I held onto hopes that the game would impress me with its horror, something that never happened.

Throughout the game, defeated enemies allowed me to level up and improve my stats, and while the combat mechanics didn’t evolve much, their simplicity kept my interest. The game also introduced a multiplayer option, allowing up to four players to join in the zones, although the implementation required players to restart the multiplayer mode from the menu, which limited the experience.

Over time, Book of Memories emerged with considerable replay value due to its multiple endings, driven by a measure of alignment between Light and Blood, which adapted the ending based on the players’ choices. However, upon obtaining the Platinum trophy, my feelings were ambivalent; while other games motivated me to explore their franchises, with Silent Hill I wasn’t so sure I wanted to continue.

Despite this, I decided to give the saga another chance, playing the remake of Silent Hill 2, which was a revelation as to why it is considered a classic. Now, I hope to review other entries in the series, particularly longing for a time when Book of Memories might have the chance to be reborn in the interest of players.