 Gameplay drew a variety of reactions from " immersive " and " intriguing " , to formulaic . The puzzles were generally considered by critics as challenging and well @-@ done . The duration of the game was considered short , and reviewers criticized the spacing of the save points and absence of checkpoints . The game 's adherence to the formula of the Silent Hill series also drew criticism ; the opening comment of GameSpot 's review remarked that " this old fog needs to learn some new tricks " , and further detailed that the game provided " an entirely conventional adventure that relies on eight @-@ year @-@ old franchise hallmarks at the expense of anything truly new . " Some camera issues were noted , especially in tight corridors . Reviewers wrote that Origins had a greater emphasis on combat than previous installments , although reaction to the combat was generally negative . Some reviewers felt that the player was encouraged to avoid combat , due to a variety of gameplay factors , including the breakable melee weapons . On the other hand , GameSpy 's David Chapman stated that the readily available weapons made Travis too powerful . The inclusion of quick time events was not well received by reviewers , who felt that it added nothing appealing to the game . Additionally , the soundtrack was frequently praised as frightening , and a part of the game 's appeal . The PlayStation Official Magazine UK wrote : " Despite its small @-@ screen setting , Origins even manages a few genuine scares , mostly thanks to the first @-@ rate sound : this should only be played through headphones . " 
