You know how I always talk about having bacon and eggs on Saturdays? Well, now bacon and eggs have been replaced with working out and it sucks. At least I still have Sundays. Anyway, it’s time for the PSN Community Spotlight. For the unfamiliar, this is where PlayStation gamers tell their unique stories/experiences/thoughts, as submitted to this section in the PlayStation Community Forums. Those that make it all the way to the PlayStation Blog will receive a $50 PlayStation Store voucher.
Last week we asked about your PlayStation stories, and gamer RandomGuard wrote in to tell us about his Halloween tradition (plus a scary PSP game).
The Joy Of Horror On The PS3
We might still be a few weeks away from Halloween, but has that stopped the different television stations from airing horror movies? Has it stopped stores from stocking up on merchandise seemingly made just for scaring babies? Turn your television onto any channel or load up any store website and you’ll have your answer. Halloween is clearly upon us, so what better time to explain my favorite PlayStation tradition for the spookiest of holidays?
Before I begin I’d like to mention a great PSP game that’s just perfect to play during Halloween this year. While I’m not real big into horror movies, I do love me a good horror game. And honestly, it could come in any form as long as it’s actually scary. Case in point, Corpse Party for the PSP. While some of the dialog in the game can come across as weird (it is a Japanese horror game after all), you really won’t find a better horror game on the PSP. The build ups to scares, the great atmosphere and the extremely impressive audio make one amazing gem of a PSP game.
Now as for my Halloween tradition, I’m not sure exactly why or when it started, but one year I just decided that playing the original Silent Hill game through October sounded good to me. I never really thought it would stick, but every October I would throw my original Silent Hill disc into my PlayStation and give it a go. I played using that same exact disc through the original PlayStation’s life, the PlayStation 2 and even the PlayStation 3 for a short while. Unfortunately, after many years of faithful service the disc just couldn’t hold out any longer and needed to be retired to my shelf for good.
My main worry after this was that I no longer had a copy of Silent Hill to play during the month of October. Sure, I could have bought an overpriced used copy online, but my inner cheapness refused to let me. It really looked like the tradition was going to die with the disc. Thankfully, there was the PlayStation Store. Not only was I able to rebuy Silent Hill for a much fairer price, but now I could play it on my PSP! It was like a double whammy of tradition saving.
Over the years, plenty of things have changed. Technology has advanced to near sci-fi levels and more importantly, I’ve got some little ones running around the house now. But the one thing that has remained the same is the original Silent Hill each and every year. While I might have gotten used to everything it has to offer, the next generation of gamers are just as susceptible as ever. Despite the obvious drop in graphical quality compared to games releasing today, the game still manages to scare them just like it scared me when it first released.
It goes to show you that no matter how much we progress in the world of graphics and what not, fear will know no boundaries and scare the daylights out of anyone with a good imagination. And also that first freaking pterodactyl thing you encounter can scare anybody. Every single October I let them watch that scene play out in the game just to see the look of horror on their faces as they run out of the room. I know it won’t work forever, so it’s best to enjoy their terror while I still can. I hope you all have a great Halloween this year and I thank you all for reading.
Thanks for writing in RandomGuard!
Next week we want to hear more general stories about the PlayStation brand. Click here to check out more info on this call to action.
no platinum .I love hunting platinum
lvl 12 and no platinums…..sigh
these kids and there trophie rants. smh. anyways pretty good story.
Good story congrats to you. However, does anyone having problem on playstation community forms of selecting ?. I’m trying to select something but it won’t let me. Is this means I’m banned from the forms or what is because I’m using the ipad, ps3 and the computer but it won’t work. Something wierd in the forms that won’t let me choose.
The only game I’ve ever gotten 100% on was Journey (totally worth it). I blame the internet for my lack of platinum trophies. Its just easier that way. I’m just logging on to say thank you for the win. Now I just need to figure out what to buy on the store… There’s too many choices!
For me Halloween = Costume Quest, it captures the spirit of the season perfectly.
http://community.us.playstation.com/t5/PSN-Community-Meets-the-PS-Blog/Just-When-I-Thought-I-Was-Out/m-p/38520873#U38520873
Great story! And that is a wonderful tradition.
My brother and I have always had the tradition of getting together and just watching horror movies around/on Halloween. Though one year we did decide to have a Resident Evil marathon through the month of October.
We played RE’s 1, 2, 3, CV, and 4. Not something I could see us doing EVERY year, but it was a fun October for sure. We talked about doing that for the Silent Hill series, but just have never gotten together to do it.
Maybe next year…
lol good story bro. Congrats! but ya no platinums man, just get one so you don’t look like a fool
I’ve noticed that most people who have a lot of platinums have all the easiest ones to get. Thus, it’s not really worth bragging about.
They think they’re fooling people by having all those platinums but when you look at which games they got the plats for… it’s laughable. I always see lots of Sly games, the Ratchet & Clanks, Sonic’s Genesis Collection, and numerous Disney/Kids’ games. The Assassin’s Creed games especially AC2 are infamously easy, speaking of inFAMOUS, those are aparently easy platinums as well. Let’s not forget Terminator Salvation. Many trophy hunting FOOLS rent that game just for the easy platinum.
Easy platinums don’t count in my book. If you have 20 platinums and 15 of them are from one of those notoriously simple games, then you really only have 5 platinums.
Well your platinums don’t look very difficult to obtain. Their point is that if you have that many trophies without one platinum then you’re not much of a gamer. Although they might overlook the fact that this person has obviously played older Sony products and probably much more playing when he was younger. But don’t assume that people with easier platinums didn’t enjoy those games and aren’t glad they have them.
“Well your platinums don’t look very difficult to obtain”
Well then, I challenge you to get just a couple of them. Try getting the MotorStorm RC, Need For Speed The Run, SSX, or Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater HD platinums. I guarantee the average gamer won’t get those. The others weren’t too difficult to obtain, but they all had their challenging moments. But none of my platinums are the widely recognized “easy plats” as many of the ones I mentioned earlier definitely are.
“Their point is that if you have that many trophies without one platinum then you’re not much of a gamer”
Actually, if all you care about is trophies, then you’re not a real gamer. How about that? I didn’t even get my first platinum until April of this year (MotorStorm RC) when a friend of mine challenged me to go after it. Before that, I didn’t even care about getting them, because gaming isn’t about that to me. Now I have 8, but only because I enjoy the extra layer of challenges they present and the replay value they lend to games I may have otherwise stopped playing.
Just looked at your list… now I see why you felt compelled to reply to me… ha ha ha ha!!!!!!!!
I forgot about Trine 2… another infamously easy platinum (and lots of golds) as reported by trophy hunters themselves…
I’ve also heard that Borderlands is a fairly easy one.
borderlands is time consuming…BUT A FUN GAME TO PLAY…goin to be my 16th plat
You can see by my completion percentages that I don’t play games just for trophies. Trine 2 is probably the only exception. I started it and thought “Hey I can get platinum pretty quick, so why not?” I enjoyed getting all of the other ones I have and I couldn’t care less how difficult they were. Should I not play a game because the platinum is “notoriously easy?” You are the one being hypocritical. That’s why I replyed. You gave me four games. Last I checked 4<5. But I guarantee you I could get Tony Hawk because I played the crap out of the old ones. Need for speed was rated a 6/10 so I could get that. I'll never play SSX again just because I just couldn't stand it and I've never played motorstorm so I'll give you two. And I guarantee you none of those are as hard as world at war is.
Are you guys really arguing about who has the more challenging platinums? No one’s going to win that war lol.
I’d say my most challenging ones were Modnation Racers, Plants VS Zombies, Rayman Origins, and MJ: The Experience. But then again others might find those quite easy. So it really is subjective.
However I do think it’s dumb to play JUST for trophies. You should only get platinums on games you actually love and enjoy, not just hunt for the platinum from the get go.
Doesn’t matter. I personally don’t believe collecting easy Platinums makes you look like a gamer. I get games that I want to play. If I feel like getting the Plat, I do. But I don’t go renting kid games just to get an easy Platinum. So what if he doesn’t have a Platinum yet. He will. We play games for fun.
@smoothboarder
First of all, let’s not make a big deal out of this. We’re just talking about games. Now, if you really think you could get those two, then why not do it? I don’t think most people could. The Tony Hawk remake is different than the original, in a way that makes it harder. The controls are somehow more frustrating. I played the hell out of the originals as well. I had both back on PSone. Going after some of the golds in that game were irritating as hell.
And beating The Run on extreme difficulty will drive you nuts. Most people won’t get through it. I promise. I almost didn’t make it myself. The normal races are do-able, but it’s the checkpoint races… especially on levels 2 and 6 are damn near impossible. I just barely crossed the line in both of those with a few hundredths of a second to spare, and that was after racing a flawless race. You have to be absolutely perfect. It’s HARD.
Don’t forget, those ratings are submitted by players. After getting a plat, most gamers will say it was easier than it really was, in order to… you know… look “cool”. I remember the last time I looked at that, The Run was rated a 7. Now it’s gone down to 6?
@The5rozos
Rayman Origins was pretty easy… up until the end. The Livid Dead level was absolutely obnoxious is some areas. And I completely agree with your last paragraph. :)
@ ScreamAimFire999
I agree 100%