It’s been over a decade since we’ve had a brand-new Silent Hill game, and the wait felt endless. After the Silent Hill 2 remake showed Konami could still deliver on the franchise, Silent Hill f takes things further with something new.
This time, the series leaves its familiar American streets behind for 1960s Japan. The town of Ebisugaoka sets the stage for a story full of folklore, survival, and horror that sticks with you long after playing. The change in setting makes this game stand out, but it still feels like Silent Hill through and through.
As someone who’s spent plenty of late nights with the older Silent Hill games, booting this one up gave me that same uneasy feeling right away. The atmosphere hit instantly, and I found myself pulled forward by the mystery just like before. It’s not just banking on nostalgia. This entry gives the series a new identity while respecting its roots. Silent Hill is back, and Silent Hill f shows the wait was worth it.
Silent Hill f details
Platform(s): PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC
Developer(s): NeoBards Entertainment
Publisher(s): Konami
Genre: Survival horror
Modes: Single-player
ESRB Rating: M (Mature 17+)
A story rooted in folklore and fear
Silent Hill f takes the series out of its usual American setting and drops it into 1960s rural Japan. The story centers on Hinako Shimizu, a high school student dealing with abuse at home and rocky friendships. She’s not the typical horror lead. Her vulnerability and search for belonging make her journey hit harder, and that connection adds weight to everything that happens.
The town of Ebisugaoka is where it all unfolds. Its narrow paths and old wooden houses feel fragile, tied to tradition, but that stability doesn’t last. Once the supernatural spreads, red spider lilies start creeping through every space, twisting the familiar into something hostile. Fog hangs heavy too, not just hiding danger but making every corner feel unpredictable.
Themes of identity, autonomy, and social pressure run through the story. With Ryukishi07 as the writer, it’s not just about dialogue. Symbolism shows up everywhere, in notes, journals, and details scattered around the town. These touches give the story layers that keep you piecing it together. One scene that stuck with me was when Hinako’s friends turned on her under the infection’s influence. Watching familiar faces warp into something dangerous was unsettling and personal, the kind of horror that lingers after you put the controller down.
Silent Hill f also rewards replaying. Multiple endings and a New Game+ mode bring new documents, dialogue, and perspectives. The game doesn’t hand you answers. It wants you to dig. That makes the story stick even more and ensures there’s always something left to uncover after your first run.
Surviving the fight and the fear
Silent Hill f kept me on the edge of my seat with a mix of combat, exploration, and puzzle-solving. Weapons are melee-based, ranging from pipes to axes, each one with its own feel. You’ll need to manage stamina carefully since draining the bar leaves you wide open. The sanity system adds another layer by punishing you if you overuse focus attacks, though it doesn’t go as far as it could have. Even so, keeping an eye on both stamina and sanity makes every fight feel risky without being unfair.
Dodging and countering give combat more variety. Time a dodge perfectly and your stamina bar refills, giving you breathing room to strike back. Certain enemy attacks shimmer before they land, letting you counter with a heavy blow that stuns them. Landing one of these feels great and often turns a desperate fight in your favour. Weapons also break over time, but toolkits let you repair favourites and keep them in rotation.
Exploration ties directly into progression. Pray points act as save spots and allow you to spend Faith to upgrade stats like health and stamina. You can also unlock Omamori slots, equipping charms that boost your abilities. The system is simple but makes every item you pick up feel useful. Hinako’s journal is another highlight, filled with notes, sketches, and clues that tie the story and puzzles together.
The puzzles themselves are classic Silent Hill. Some are straightforward, while others require serious patience. I’ll never forget getting stuck on a cipher puzzle. I spent ages trying to crack it until I realized I’d missed a note in another room. Finally solving it was frustrating and satisfying at the same time, the kind of payoff Silent Hill is known for. Gameplay in Silent Hill f blends combat, exploration, and puzzles in a way that keeps you constantly engaged.
Presentation that crawls under your skin
Silent Hill f grabs you right away once you step into Ebisugaoka. The game runs on Unreal Engine 5 and looks sharp, but it’s the atmosphere that sticks with you. Red spider lilies crawl across walls, spill into the streets, and wrap around bodies in ways that made me hesitate before pushing forward. The narrow walkways and old wooden houses only add to the unease, making the whole town feel fragile and ready to collapse.
The monsters push things even further. I ran into a stitched figure dragging itself forward in such a twisted way that I froze before reacting. Another enemy looked like a scarecrow jolting forward in bursts, always making me feel like it could strike without warning. They’re new designs, but they carry the same disturbing tone Silent Hill has always been known for.
Sound design ties it all together. Akira Yamaoka’s moody tracks blend with Kensuke Inage’s sharper beats, creating a pull between calm and chaos. The soundtrack isn’t just background noise. It changes how encounters feel. The Japanese voice acting also fits perfectly, grounding the story in its setting. One moment that really got me was when the music dropped to near silence before a major encounter. That quiet made the sudden sound of movement behind me hit even harder. The game thrives on moments like this, making the presentation just as important to the horror as the story itself.
Silent Hill f shows the wait was worth it
Silent Hill f doesn’t feel like just another sequel in a long-running series. It’s a confident return that pushes the franchise into new ground while holding on to what made it matter in the first place. Moving the story to 1960s Japan gives it a fresh identity. Folklore, trauma, and survival are everywhere in Ebisugaoka, and Hinako’s struggles make the horror hit on a personal level. Add in multiple endings and New Game+, and there’s plenty of reason to dive back in after the credits.
The gameplay keeps a steady mix of combat, exploration, and puzzles. Stamina and sanity systems make fights feel risky, while dodges and counters add some spark. Durability forces you to change things up instead of relying on one weapon. Exploration ties directly into progression, with Pray points and Faith upgrades giving you room to grow. Hinako’s journal pulls it all together, connecting mechanics with the story. Puzzles, meanwhile, can test your patience but feel great once you finally solve them.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| The 1960s Japan setting gives the series a fresh identity. | The sanity system feels underdeveloped and could have gone further. |
| Combat balances stamina, sanity, dodges, and counters in satisfying ways. | Weapon durability can be frustrating even with repair kits. |
| Puzzles challenge your patience but deliver rewarding payoffs. | Some puzzles can drag if you miss key clues. |
| Hinako’s personal struggles make the story feel grounded and impactful. |
Presentation is where everything comes alive. Red spider lilies creep across every surface, monsters stalk you in grotesque ways, and the audio makes sure nothing feels safe. The soundtrack shifts between calm and chaos, and the Japanese voice acting helps the story feel rooted in its setting. Outside of a few dips, performance holds steady.
Overall assessment of Silent Hill f
Gameplay: 4/5
Graphics: 4/5
Sound: 4.5/5
Lasting appeal/Replayability: 4.5/5
Overall rating: 4.3/5 (86%)
Finishing Silent Hill f didn’t feel like just clearing another horror game. It reminded me why I cared about this series to begin with. I left drained, satisfied, and already curious about where it might go next. Silent Hill f proves the series still has stories worth telling, and this one was worth the wait.
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