Handing over the reigns of such a prestigious franchise as Silent Hill to a Western developer was bound to raise a few eyebrows. Afterall how could an American team capture the distinctly Eastern horror style without sanitising it? It was with this in mind that I approached the game with caution but the end result was pleasantly surprising.

Prequels are all the rage at the moment and Climax has been given the task of rewriting Silent Hill lore with the help of trucker Travis Grady. Set before the original game the story sees Travis almost running over a young girl on a lonely road before then following and saving her from a burning building within the doomed town. Yup, another sucker has found himself lost in gaming’s biggest tourist trap.

There are a couple of changes to the core gameplay however. Firstly the combat system has been overhauled slightly and there is more emphasis on melee attacks. Travis can pick up a variety of different makeshift weapons including small TVs, drip stands and the good old plank of wood which all miraculously fit inside his Tardis-like pockets. These all have a limited lifespan however and a few whacks on heads will cause them to smash and become useless. There are guns but for the majority of the game you’ll be using what you find lying around the game.

It’s unfortunate that combat isn’t where Silent Hill’s strengths lie. Yes, you get to bash nurses and other nasties with planks of wood but the trouble is it never feels satisfying enough. This has always been something of a problem with the series and Origins does little to rectify it. Granted the games are never (and nor should they be) as action-orientated as say Resident Evil, but a major overhaul is needed if they want to compete.

As you work your way through the game you’ll be subjected to many a head-scratching puzzle. Often you’ll have to scour every inch of your map before you find that elusive missing jigsaw piece. The locked doors and blocked off hallways are there to keep you on the right track whilst at the same time annoy in equal measure. I quite enjoyed working out some of the tougher puzzles although the constant fetching of objects could frustrate those expecting more action.

For those looking to show off their PSP this game is definitely one of the best looking. Ignoring the rather basic character models and focusing on the dark, dank corridors and the swirling fog, everything looks exactly as it should. Locations drip with atmosphere, aided by the crispness of the visuals coupled with the disturbing soundtrack and bizarre sound effects.

Silent Hill: Origins isn’t a bad game by any means – a couple of years ago this would be hailed as one of the best, but in order for the series to progress it needs to move on somewhere new. One for the fans, just don’t expect any revelations.