@GirlVersusGame I’ve thoroughly enjoyed reading about your journey thus far! Thank know you got there yet in your journaling but I infer that you really didn’t like the labyrinth section. I agree that it’s the weakest part of the remake, even if I didn’t have as miserable a time with it as you did. My problem with it is that it doesn’t feel thematically or aesthetically in line with the rest of the game, and is very obviously an addition by Bloober Team, which is a shame as their other additions throughout the experience felt earned and blended in beautifully.

Back to Akira Yamaoka, he is (mostly) the series composer but also overall sound designer and actually moved into a producer role eventually. His contribution to the series has been invaluable and an integral part of its core identity.

Your photo ops have been a real treat as well!

I’m excited to read through the rest of your journey whenever you post it 😄

@Metonymy Thank you I want to get the rest written tomorrow, cold medication is making focus nearly impossible tonight and I do want to add some genuine thoughtful additions to it too. The game was too important to half do it, that was a couple of days now too. I think in hindsight I respect the game even more after a couple of sleeps. And the awful Labyrinth is in the original technical manual for the PS2 game, I did think it was Bloober's design. I'll look for what I saw.

• The Labyrinth (from the book)

The Labyrinth is situated below the prison and has the appearance of a derelict, unused building, with walls that look in relatively good shape except for a few red stains across a small area. This section is where the Pyramid Head monster appears to reside, roaming the halls of the lower labyrinth, and it is where James is able to enter what seems to be his workshop to steal his weapon. The halls look relatively similar with numerous ladders and doors, making it easy to get lost in. Symbolically, this location is the place where the key characters overcome their own "mental maze."

• And the map from PS2 matches PS5. I blocked the text on the map, it's story spoilers for anyone who sneaks a look at my original image hosting folder. It's kind of stalkerish if they do but still it's the principle. It's possible Bloober didn't like it either but had to honor the original game.

Back to Akira Yamaoka, he is (mostly) the series composer but also overall sound designer and actually moved into a producer role eventually. His contribution to the series has been invaluable and an integral part of its core identity.

• Oh well then that's even more reason for me to listen to the rest of his work, I had a song on there on my playlist for months or longer and Spotify removed it. I knew him from his live Moscow show, he performed live in Russia many times. I'm not sure about Europe or America. He's loving that performance, great stage presence too.

I’m excited to read through the rest of your journey whenever you post it 😄

• Hopefully tomorrow, if I do it earlier in the day.

@GirlVersusGame No rush. I’m dealing with a bout of sickness myself at the moment, I understand.

I never put together that it’s the same map. It’s been a while but my recollection of the labyrinth from the original was basically just a maze. You do rotate the head cube but it’s just one room. There’s no ‘rotten’ or ‘desolate’ or any of that, though maybe I’m not remembering right. Critically, the whole area culminates in the boss fight, rather than having the boss fight beforehand, creating a much better sense of purpose and pacing. Just my opinion, of course.

Yeah, he’s great. I can honestly say that nothing has had more influence on my development as a piano player than Akira Yamaoka’s work on Silent Hill.