The story revolves around a mysterious book the player receives on their birthday by an anonymous sender. All of the protagonist's memories are written there, and by altering the book, he finds that he can alter past events in his life. Before the changes take effect, however, the character falls asleep and must survive a nightmare, explore the Otherworld, and battle creatures from previous Silent Hill games on the way.
The primary focus of the gameplay is on dungeon-crawling and cooperative multiplayer action, rather than survival horror elements. Combat plays a significant role in Book of Memories , including special powers called Karma Abilities that can assist the player in combat.
Monsters are separated into three categories: Blood, Light, and Steel. Killing enemies of either the Blood or Light category affects the Karma meter in different ways. This meter controls what powers are unlocked and usable at a given time. If the player is more inclined towards Blood, this unlocks destructive abilities, while Light unlocks powers focused on healing and protection. Steel creatures are neutral - killing them won't change the Karma. Power Moves can be purchased in Howard Blackwood's shop. The protagonist's abilities can be improved by leveling up and raising his stats, allowing for different character builds and combat specialization.
Silent Hill: Book of Memories was released on 2012-10-16 for the PlayStation Vita.
