Silent Hill: Homecoming

Silent Hill: Homecoming Game Box Art Release Date: 2008 (North America and Steam) 2009 (Europe) Developer: Double Helix Games Publisher: Konami Digital Entertainment Series: Silent Hill Platforms: PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox Genre: Survival Horror

The second Silent Hill title developed by a non-Japanese team and the sixth installment in the video game series (the first four having been developed by the now-disbanded Team Silent), Silent Hill: Homecoming centers around a Special Forces soldier named Alex Shepherd (who incidentally bears a striking resemblance to David Boreanaz), returning to his hometown of Shepherd's Glen after being wounded in battle and eventually discharged from hospital. Upon arriving home he discovers his mother catatonic and only able to ask for the whereabouts of his younger brother Joshua, who apparently has been missing for some time, along with inhuman monsters inexplicably stalking the streets. Endeavouring to find his brother, he embarks on a dangerous journey as he follows the trail of clues to the nearby town of Silent Hill, all while being haunted by hints of secrets best left buried.

The following weapons appear in the video game Silent Hill: Homecoming:

WARNING! THIS PAGE CONTAINS SPOILERS!

General overview

In a nod to Silent Hill 4, the firearms in this game all have distinct magazine capacities that are determined by the specific difficulty option selected at the beginning of the game, the particulars of which are noted in their descriptions. This title is also the first in the series to allow for manual aiming of firearms via an "over-the-shoulder view" along with weak spots on enemies that players can aim for while shooting, and also the first to allow the use of firearms in melee attacks. Compared to the game's dedicated melee weapons, however, using firearms in this manner is slower and less damaging, and is best reserved for knocking back enemies to give one more breathing room to shoot.

To emphasize the "survival" aspect of its "survival horror" genre, Silent Hill: Homecoming is also the first to severely restrict the amount of ammunition the player character can carry. Alex can have no more than 2 full loads of ammunition per firearm plus the load that specific firearm carries, for a total of 3 full loads of ammunition (if he finds more ammunition after having reached this point, he will simply exclaim "I can't carry anymore"). This restricted ammunition load is compounded by the previously-mentioned decreased magazine capacity depending on the difficulty level, forcing players to make their shots count or otherwise rely on melee attacks once their ammunition supply runs out. Each ammunition pick-up item also gives only enough ammunition to fill up its associated firearm once.

A second firearms-related feature this title pioneered for the series was the appearance of "upgraded" firearms obtainable by the player, or in other words, improved versions of firearms that would replace the older versions when picked up. These improved versions all have larger magazine capacities (which ammunition pickups will thankfully match) and better damage stats than those they replace, the latter of which is unrealistic because a firearm's "damage" is a function of its ammunition and not largely dependent on its design.

Note: All ingame handguns are symmetrically modeled.

Revolvers

Single Action Army

The Single Action Army makes a return from Silent Hill 2 and Silent Hill 3, simply dubbed "Old Revolver." It is now clean and has wooden grips. As with those earlier series titles, it cannot be used by the player. Unlike those titles, no enemies use it either. It is the first firearm available in the game, and one of three that the player must obtain on every playthrough.

Alex first finds it in the lap of his catatonic mother after first coming home, and takes it from her as he fears what she might do with it. Upon finding it to be nonfunctional, he eventually discovers Curtis Ackers' salvage yard in Shepherd's Glen where he then trades it with the yard's owner for the Mk. 23 handgun. The gruff and unfriendly Curtis claims that he can fix the gun eventually, but the gun is still never returned to Alex in the course of the game. Its deteriorated state implies that it may be a period piece, improperly stored and long forgotten. On a side note, Curtis' inaccurate remark in a cutscene that Alex must have stole the revolver from his father is a reference to the Single Action Army seen in Silent Hill 2, which was stolen by its user Eddie Dombrowski from his father.

Replica Colt Single Action Army Revolver - .45 Long Colt

The Single Action Army in Lillian Shepherd's possession. Exactly why she would think to earnestly defend herself against inhuman monsters with a non-functional firearm is never explained in the game, nor is the cause of her all-too coincidental and convenient catatonia.

The Single Action Army in the game's inventory view. Due to the ingame 3D model shader, the gun looks as though it was dipped in a bucket full of lacquer.

Curtis: Hmm, pretty neglected. It's a damn shame the way people mistreat such nice things.
Curtis Ackers examining the Single Action Army. Curtis is also heard (though not shown) to be rotating the revolver's cylinder in this cutscene, despite the gun's inventory description claiming that its cylinder can NEVER turn. Evidently this was the result of confusion and/or miscommunication amongst the development team.

Despite actually using a Mk. 23 handgun during gameplay sequences after this point in the game, Deputy Wheeler is ALWAYS depicted as using a Single Action Army in cutscenes whenever the scene calls for him to use a handgun. He also violates one of the cardinal safety rules of firearm usage in this screenshot, that being "NEVER point the muzzle at something you are NOT willing to shoot."

Unknown Revolver

This short-barrelled revolver (which is resemble some S&W models) is found on a dead NPC in the game's final level, and is always depicted as holstered. Alex is shown to have one in a holster if the player selects the "Deputy Alex" costume after unlocking it when starting a new game, but cannot use it.

For comparison: Smith & Wesson Model 22, right side - .45 ACP

A Shepherd's Glen Police Department officer dead from torture with a short-barrelled revolver in his holster. Exactly why his torturers didn't confiscate the handgun beforehand is NEVER explained, especially since the game depicted Deputy Wheeler's holster (who uses the same holster model) as ALWAYS empty. And yes, the player CAN retrieve the steel pipe used to impale him for use as a melee weapon.

Pistols

Custom M1911

Dubbed the "Chrome Hammer Pistol" ingame, this handgun resembles the various M1911s configured for competition shooting produced by companies like Strayer Voigt, Inc. or STI International. Its customizations include a compensated barrel with venting holes in all directions except towards the magwell, holes in the slide to lighten it, and a large external magwell to facilitate quick reloads (though Alex's reload speed is not enhanced by this feature). The Chrome Hammer pistol has a magazine capacity of twelve rounds on Normal difficulty, and seven on Hard. It can be obtained if the player has Alex hack away at wooden planks blocking off a crypt in the Rose Heights Cemetery with the Fire Axe. Whether or not the weapon is acquired is totally at the player's discretion, and Alex will still use the Mk 23 handgun in cutscenes.

Strayer Voigt Infinity 1911 - .45 ACP

The Chrome Hammer pistol in the game's inventory view.

Alex firing his Chrome Hammer pistol at a Needler monster. Unfortunately, this monster is capable of blocking most of his shots with its blade-like limbs from the front.

Alex caving in a Lurker monster's skull with the Chrome Hammer pistol's butt. This melee attack (used by all ingame handguns) has an inconvenient wind-up animation given Alex must first bring his pistol over his head, and in real life would likely break off the external magwell rather than inflict any true damage.

Taurus PT92

Named the "Mk. 23 Handgun" in-game, it most closely resembles a Taurus PT92. The gun itself is also very similar to that of the Beretta 92FS "Samurai Edge" featured in Resident Evil, another popular survival horror video game series (and the direct competitor of Silent Hill), albeit without the stainless barrel and slide-mounted safety. Despite Alex describing the gun as a "9mm pistol", it has apparently been converted to use .45 ACP ammunition as evidenced by the ingame pistol ammunition items. It is safe to assume that Double Helix Games must have mixed the appearance of the PT92 with the caliber and name of the Heckler & Koch Mark 23. The Mk. 23 handgun has a magazine capacity of nine rounds on Normal difficulty and five on Hard, and is one of three ingame firearms that Alex must obtain. This handgun is the first usable firearm available to the player, and it is obtained after Alex gives the Old Revolver to Curtis Ackers at the Salvage Yard in Shepherd's Glen in return for his information. Curtis then gives the Mk. 23 Handgun to Alex because he likes "a fair trade." It can also be found near the end of the game in a specific room in the Order Cult's Lair, which is useful because the moment Alex enters that level all his weaponry and ammunition are stripped from him. The Mk. 23 handgun is also used by Deputy James Wheeler after he hands his shotgun to Alex.

Taurus PT92 - 9x19mm

Curtis: "A soldier's gotta have a gun."
Alex: "Thanks."
Curtis: "Yeah, I like a fair trade."

"The 9mm pistol Curtis Ackers gave me. It's in good condition and easy to use."

Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth while searching for clues in Silent Hill's Grand Hotel, Alex shoots a monstrous Nurse in the back of the head before it becomes aware of his presence. Being a supernatural monster, however, even this is naturally insufficient to kill it instantly. The game's less-than-realistic ejection animation for spent casings can also be seen here.

Deputy James Wheeler (his first name is unmentioned in the game but available in the game's files) with a Mk. 23 handgun in the Otherworld version of Silent Hill's Overlook Penitentiary. For some reason, the holster on his right side is ALWAYS depicted as empty, even BEFORE he draws his handgun.

Not content with merely shooting Silent Hill's monsters, Deputy Wheeler will also use his gun in melee (for some reason whatsoever, he NEVER uses a melee weapon for this purpose) whenever the monsters get too close. Here he is seen trying to pistol-whip a Siam monster into submission.

Alex with the Mk. 23 handgun in one of the game's defining moments. Despite the need to deliver a pinpoint shot in this cutscene, Alex NEVER lines up the handgun's iron sights with his eyes, and yet still manages to pull this off if the player prompts him to.

Handgun Ammunition

These cartridges are labelled to be .45 ACP, and are scattered throughout the game. Each will give a full magazine's worth of ammunition when picked up, appropriate to the player's currently-equipped handgun and difficulty level. The box clearly takes heavy influence from Remington's "Green and White Box" ammo, with the "Golden Bullet" moniker taken from the company's notorious .22LR ammo line.

The handgun ammunition item on pickup.

Shotguns

Franchi SPAS-12

The Franchi SPAS-12 is featured ingame as the "BlueSteel Shotgun," and replaces the 12 Gauge Shotgun on pickup. Like the "Chrome Hammer" handgun, the SPAS-12 is also optional and can be obtained when Alex unlocks his father Adam Shepherd's (who bears a distinct resemblance to Terry O'Quinn) hunting supply and butcher room with the right key. The BlueSteel Shotgun has a slightly higher tube magazine capacity of five shells (four on Hard mode), and deals more damage per shot than its predecessor. There are some differences between the real-life weapon and its ingame version. First, the rear aperture sight used by the real SPAS-12 is not modeled in game, being replaced with a notched rear sight to see the front blade sight through. The real-life SPAS-12's semiautomatic firing mode is also not emulated in this game, and Alex is forced to use it in a pump-action mode only. Unlike many media depictions, the ingame version of the SPAS-12 is depicted with a full-size, fixed, and rifle-style buttstock, which could be because the development team didn't want to have to animate Alex extending or folding the real-life version's folding buttstock each time he took it out or put it away.

Franchi SPAS-12 with fixed stock - 12 gauge

The SPAS-12 in its initial location ingame. The room's status as a hunting supply and butcher room is substantiated by the hunting trophies elsewhere in the Shepherd house, as well as a flashback cutscene that shows Alex's father butchering meat inside.

The SPAS-12 in the game's inventory view.

Alex aims the SPAS-12 at two angry and dangerous Siam Monsters charging at him. As can be seen in this screenshot, the front blade sight is far too tall to allow proper alignment with the rear sight.

Alex in full recoil after firing the SPAS-12 at a Siam Monster. Despite being the first player character in the Silent Hill series to properly shoulder a shotgun (the previous ones that could use shotguns all fired them from the hip), he still doesn't properly brace the recoil, making for a very slow firing rate as he must realign the gun after every shot.

"12 Gauge Shotgun"

Simply called the "12 Gauge Shotgun", it has a tube magazine capacity of four shells on Normal difficult, or a paltry three on Hard. The "12 Gauge Shotgun" can first be seen in Shepherd Glen's Salvage Yard, but cannot be obtained there. Alex instead first obtains this shotgun at the Shepherd's Glen Police Station after Deputy Wheeler hands it to him. It appears to have a rifle-style front sight, but no rear sight (which would be required to make full use of a rifle-style front sight, rather than the standard shotgun bead sight). The "12 Gauge Shotgun" is the third and last gun that Alex must obtain on every playthrough.

The weapon itself is ultimately very strange. It has a huge receiver, and the barrel is clearly larger than 12 gauge, what makes think about KS-23. Receiver reminds the Ithaca 37, with ejection port from Stevens Model 67 (which is clearly tiny for those hefty shells that this gun should shoot). Triggerguard and shape of magazine tube with forearm resemble the Remington 870.

KS-23 with a fixed wooden stock - 23mm. Probably the closest of the analogs from the real world for this monstrous gun.

The "12 Gauge Shotgun"'s initial location ingame, on Curtis Acker's desk. Alex can ask to take it, but will ALWAYS be rudely rebuffed.

The "12 Gauge Shotgun"'s next appearance is in the hands of Deputy Wheeler, whom Alex first meets after completing the Grand Hotel level. Here Wheeler is shown interrogating Alex behind bars at gunpoint.

After gaining Wheeler's trust, he escorts Alex through the deserted and boarded-up Shepherd's Glen Police Station. The shotgun's rifle-style front sight can be clearly seen here.

Deputy Wheeler showing he isn't afraid to smash faces with the butt of the law after the Police Station is invaded by a horde of Schism monsters. The same animation is used by Alex for one of his melee attacks with ANY long gun.

"Devastating at close range, but fires and reloads slowly."

Alex firing the "12 Gauge Shotgun" at one of the game's bosses. For some reason whatsoever, both ingame shotguns have a blindingly large (and highly unrealistic) muzzle flash when fired.

Shotgun Ammunition

Rarer than handgun ammunition, boxes of shotgun ammunition can be found throughout the game. The shells inside also aren't modelled to reflect the enlarged rim that shotgun ammunition possesses (strangely enough, the spent shells ejected by the ingame shotguns are in fact modelled with enlarged rims). In reality the shells' rims would preclude storage of them side-by-side with their primers facing the same direction without any spacers as the game depicts; the box would either need spacers to keep the rims from butting up against one another, or otherwise the shells inside would need to be placed so that all adjacent shells have their primers facing opposite directions.

A box of shotgun ammunition ingame. Though the box is sized to carry 10 cartridges, each box will only give you enough ammunition to fill your shotgun's tube magazine once (which in practice means 5 or less).

Rifles

Accuracy International Arctic Warfare

The Accuracy International Arctic Warfare, dubbed the "Police Marksman Rifle" ingame, is the higher-damage upgrade to the M14 rifle and can be found in the Order Cult's Lair. It is unrealistically treated as a semiautomatic weapon (the real-life version is bolt-action), and has a 5-round magazine capacity, as opposed to 10 rounds for the real-life weapon. The rifle's rear sights are ALWAYS depicted as folded down ingame, without any option to attach a scope or bipod. However, the very late ingame appearance of this rifle and the absence of any further rifle ammunition items in its associated level restricts it to being a 5-shot wonder against the game's final boss. Due to the weapon being located in close proximity to two Shepherd's Glen Police Department officers, it may be possible the Accuracy International Arctic Warfare was bought as a civilian model for use by the Shepherd's Glen police.

Accuracy International AW - 7.62x51mm NATO

The Accuracy International Arctic Warfare rifle's initial ingame location. Bizarrely enough, it is BALANCED on a typewriter at the back of a torture chamber's "viewing room."

"Has increased damage and holds more ammunition over the regular rifle."

Alex fires the Accuracy International Arctic Warfare rifle against the game's final boss. Sadly, 5 rounds is all he ever gets with this weapon, and as with the ingame Custom M1911 handgun, the Accuracy International Arctic Warfare's compensator does not realistically affect the muzzle flash. The unrealistically large rims on ejected shell casings from ingame rifle-type weapons can also be seen here.

M14

The M14 rifle is surprisingly called the "M14 Assault Rifle" ingame (despite its cartridge making it a battle rifle), and has a magazine capacity of 5 rounds on Normal difficulty, or 4 rounds on Hard difficulty (although exists the civilian 5-round magazines, the rifle in the game is presented with a standard 20-round magazine). In addition it is modeled with the 18-inch barrel, this suggests it was partially modeled after the M1A Scout Squad rifle. Its stopping power is higher than the ingame handguns, but lower than the shotguns. The M14 is a totally optional weapon, and can be acquired in Silent Hill's Dargento Cemetery if the player completes the Janus statue puzzle and loots it from an otherwise-inaccessible area of the cemetery. Regardless of whether or not the player obtains the weapon, a few soldiers from Silent Hill's Order cult can be seen using it, though it cannot be looted from their corpses.

M14 - 7.62x51mm NATO

The M14's initial ingame location. Based on this grisly scene, it can be surmised that its previous user was dragged inside the hole to meet an untimely and bloody demise.

The M14 in the game's inventory view. Note the 18-inch barrel.

Alex takes a moment to admire the hellish scenery of Silent Hill's Church of the Holy Way in the Otherworld. As can be seen in this screenshot, the rear aperture sight that would be on the real M14 rifle is missing on the ingame model, and without that (or an equivalent, such as a notched rear sight block), Alex has no realistic way, whatsoever, of lining up the front sight correctly.

The M14 is also very useful for knocking out fractured glass, as well as buttstroking the occasional monster (Alex will use the SAME animation for one of his melee attacks with a long gun, and melee attacks with long guns are somehow FASTER than those made with handguns).

Alex about to "make like Gordon Freeman" on an M14-wielding Order Soldier.

Rifle Ammunition

The rarest of the ingame ammunition pick-up items. It provides a full magazine's worth of ammunition for ingame rifle-type weapons. The cartridges, ostensibly of 7.62x51mm NATO caliber, are modelled with enlarged rims, something which real 7.62x51mm NATO cartridges do not have.

Apparently "Premium Ammunition" is at such a "premium" they can't put more than 5 rounds to a box. The box also seems to have an image of Winchester Model 70.

Other Weapons

Laser Pistol

As with the "Hyper Blaster" from the first Silent Hill title, the similar "Laser Pistol" is unlocked after getting the "UFO Ending." The weapon has unlimited ammunition and is able to kill enemies easily. Like the original "Hyper Blaster," the "Laser Pistol" is modelled after the Playstation version of the "Konami Justifier," a light gun peripheral made for the first Playstation video game console, but isn't coloured fluorescent green like the real version was. It is also the only handgun in the game that is not symmetrically modelled and textured. Being based on a light gun whose sole purpose was to play shooting games via "point shooting" at very short ranges, the "Laser Pistol" accordingly has no rear sight, yet Alex is somehow able to aim it as accurately as the other ingame handguns.

The Laser Pistol can be found on the foot locker once used by the Shepherd brothers to store their childhood toys.

"Small but very effective. Where did this come from? Did aliens leave it here?"
Contrary to the ingame inventory's description, the Laser Pistol is larger than either of the usable ingame handguns when in Alex's hands. The Konami logo also reads properly on the other side of the Laser Pistol as well, rather than simply being mirrored.

"No smoking within 10 metres of the hotel's entrance, please."
Alex (wearing the ingame Sheriff's deputy costume) lights up a toxic-gas-spewing Smog monster with the Laser Pistol, in front of the entrance to the Grand Hotel on the streets of Silent Hill. Incidentally, the Grand Hotel's appearance in this game was modelled after the building of the same name in the first Silent Hill film.

Bonus:"GET OFF MY LAWN!"
Alex Shepherd "making like Clint Eastwood" with the Laser Pistol by ridding the front lawn of his family's house in Shepherd's Glen of crawling Lurker monsters.

M9 Bayonet

Befitting his military background, the very first weapon Alex Shepherd has access to is an M9 Bayonet within the game's opening nightmare sequence, which he will retain from that point onward. Unfortunately, Alex can NEVER affix it to any of his long guns, and is forced to use it solely as a standalone combat knife. He is also forced to stop using it once he retrieves the "Ceremonial Dagger" from a hidden location in Shepherd's Glen.

The M9 Bayonet's initial ingame location. As with other obtainable items ingame, it is highlighted with a golden sheen that regularly increases and decreases in intensity. In reality, shoving a knife (even a combat knife) through something as hard as ordinary glass would very likely damage or break it.

The M9 Bayonet in the game's inventory view. The bayonet's wire-cutting hole and socket ring are clearly visible here.

Alex doing a backhanded slash with the M9 bayonet on a dog-like Feral monster on the fog-shrouded streets of Shepherd's Glen.

"Some parts of this game may be considered violent or cruel."
Alex yanks his M9 Bayonet out of a Monstrous Nurse after finishing it off.