SILENT HILL 4: THE ROOM XBOX Retail vs. OXM Demo Differences Version 1.00 by Warming Blasters (buckrobotron@optonline.net) ********************** 1) About this FAQ 2) About SH4: The Room for Xbox 3) General Settings Differences 4) In-Game Differences 5) Not Changed 6) Tips for those sampling the OXM "trial version" 7) Final notes/Credits ********************** 1) About this FAQ ----------------- This FAQ is an independently owned and created production by me, Warming Blasters (buckrobotron@optonline.net). It can be found exclusively at my own sites or at Gamefaqs.com and affiliates. Sites other than my own that have been granted the revocable right (GameFAQS, which may farm it out to GameSpot) to present this FAQ may do so only in plain text form in singular identifiable locations on the WWW. No rights to this FAQ are granted for any other printed, archival, or other media distribution or presentation. Note also that there are minor SPOILERS in this FAQ, so stop NOW if you want to avoid them. However, nothing beyond the scope of the demo and the equivalent gameplay space in the full game is detailed here. Finally, this FAQ is not a walkthrough. It is primarily intended for those just sampling the demo (in the still current issue of OXM) and curious about how it represents the full game, and those who might like a few tips for playing the demo as well. Updates: 9/9/04 -- First version. 2) About SH4: The Room for Xbox ------------------------------- The full version of SH4: The Room was released on 9/7/2004, for Xbox, PS2, and PC. At this time, this FAQ notes differences between the Xbox demo and the full Xbox game only, and there may be unique differences between other versions and their respective demos. The SH4 demo was included with 10/04 Official Xbox Magazine (OXM), known as SILENT HILL 4: "trial version". There is also a nice high-res automated slide-show of SH4 art set to SH4 music available in the Features section, entitled "Silent Hill 4 Gallery". 3) General Settings Differences ------------------------------- [DIFFICULTY: Normal is referenced in this comparison] DEMO TIME-OUT -- tested from first boot-up, left sitting at main menu -- took approximately 8m:30s to kick back out to the OXM main menu, quite a long time for a demo time-out PAUSE MENU "trial version" -- X - Exit (to the OXM disc demo list) and Y - Options Full game -- Y - Options [you can soft-reset both versions holding Back/Start for 2 seconds] BRIGHTNESS/CONTRAST - equivalents based on my home setup; the demo by default appears brighter than it probably should for a Silent Hill game, something Konami apparently recognized "trial version" -- Brightness 3/ Contrast 7 Full game -- Brightness 5/ Contrast 7 INTRO MUSIC/VIDEO "trial version" -- Not available in the demo, stays on the main menu select screen. Full game -- In the full retail verison, the uncensored app. 2m:25s version of the trailer starts about 1m after the Main menu/screen first appears. [Konami released several similar trailers, some having scenes such as a dog getting walloped by Henry full-bore, or a human-looking "creature" being shot point-blank with a gun, some having those scenes excised] 4) In-Game Differences ---------------------- WEAPONS AVAILABILITY "trial version" -- The hard-hitting Aluminum Bat and 4-iron Golf club are both available immediately in Henry's laundry room in the demo. Full game -- Neither of those weapons are available in at that location or in the same time-frame of the demo in the final game. SAVE-POINT "BOOK" "trial version" -- Sits there like any piece of non-interactive environmental detail (no text at all if clicked on). Full game -- Without a word (unlike SH3 much of the time), immediately loads up the save slot list (and also much quicker than SH2:RD did). IN THE REFRIGERATOR "trial version" -- Wine Bottle Full game -- Wine Bottle and Chocolate Milk HENRY'S RUNNING ENDURANCE "trial version" -- He must be part wolf, he can run and run and run and never needs to grab a deep breath. Full game -- As expected of the series, Henry needs to slow down and take some big inhales after a lengthy run. He still seems to have more endurance than earlier main characters. FIRST LETTER "trial version" -- "Mum, why don't u Wake up?" Full game -- "Mom, why doesn't u Wake up?" SUBWAY ESCALATOR ENEMY TIMING "trial version" -- Most enemies swipe fast and multiple times, including a few that swung fast and 3-4 times in a row. Full game -- Early on the escalator, enemies tended to give one slow swipe. By the end, there was one that would swipe 4 times very quickly in succession. [This might change game by game, but was noticeably easier than the demo in this case-- but still requires cautious advancement] TEMPTATION PLACARD "trial version" -- Not seen in demo. Full game -- On the door prior to finding Cynthia at what is the end-point of the demo. 5) Not Changed -------------- Parts of the demo I had expected would differ from the full game, but do not: -- Dogs do about 1.5 bars damage on a full-run attack in Normal difficulty. -- Henry says the same thing about the Book Scrap in both versions. -- "It's got a coin in its hand." -- You can hear a news radio clip (instead of just static) from the radio on the bookshelf in the demo if you return to the Room near the end part of the demo. I never knew that was available until after playing the full game. -- The Right-trigger/B-button strafe-jump is indeed available in the demo. Another thing I never knew about before reading the SH4 manual. -- Unlike the 4-iron, the 9-iron is in the same place (subway car next to the escalator) in both demo and full versions. 6) Tips for those sampling the OXM "trial version" -------------------------------------------------- THE VERY-USEFUL DODGE MOVE Hold R-trigger to target as usual, but don't forget that while aiming at enemies/preparing strikes, you can dodge to the sides by simply pointing the left stick to Henry's right or left and tapping B (while still holding R). To jump backwards, you don't even need to aim, just tap B when R is held down. It is still useful and indeed necessary to break off targeting and run for a repositioning when the scene is crowded with enemies. BRIGHTNESS Don't forget that--as stated earlier--the brightness of the demo is higher than it should be for the game. Consider dropping it down a notch or two unless you prefer the game as bright as the demo is by default. DON'T RELY ON THE BAT The Aluminum Bat is an awesome melee weapon, but don't rely on it too much. The full game doesn't give it to you so early under normal circumstances. Though not nearly as extreme a difference, it is somewhat like having the Vigoorian flail in the Ninja Gaiden demo for the first stage, but not in the normal game. USING SUBWAY COIN Point Henry right at the gate to use the Lynch Street Subway coin. I used to try unsuccessfully to put the coin directly into the coin slot (crazy, I know...) but that doesn't take. 7) Final notes/Credits ----------------------- Thanks to Konami for putting a lot of appreciated high-quality resources into this great Xbox game. And nice to see not even a delay in Xbox getting SH4. And thanks to OXM Demo Discs for (usually) providing a great resource for sampling Xbox games, videos, etc. The discs even come with a magazine, which helps protect the disc for shipping... ##