When Konami announced it would be delivering new titles in the Silent Hill franchise, many people, including myself, were a bit skeptical. But then we saw the brilliant Silent Hill 2 Remake from Bloober Team, and got a tease of what Silent Hill f would look like—and I started to get very excited. Now, having played through the full game and gotten a taste of what this latest iteration of the franchise offers, I can safely say Silent Hill f is a return to form and one of the best horror experiences I’ve played in years.
Silent Hill f transports the series from the fog-covered streets of Maine to the rural mountain village of Ebisugaoka in 1960s Japan, creating an atmosphere so authentically unsettling it lingers long after the controller is set aside. The game follows Hinako Shimizu, a teenage girl fleeing her troubled home life, who becomes trapped in her hometown as supernatural forces transform the once-peaceful village into a nightmare landscape. What initially appears to be a simple escape with friends quickly evolves into a deeply personal journey through trauma, societal pressure and the dark undercurrents of human nature that Silent Hill has always explored with unflinching precision.
There are many aspects of the story I would love to explore in this review, as it is one of the more complex and potentially divisive entries in the series. Silent Hill f does away with much of the cult and the elder gods seen in previous entries, grounding its story firmly in Japanese Shinto concepts and ideas. It is the first time the series has veered away from the town of Silent Hill and dived into a whole new type of horror. Yet even though it differs vastly in the source of the strange happenings, it still feels rooted in the core concepts Silent Hill is known for.
Silent Hill as a franchise has struggled to find its footing after the strong first few entries, but NeoBards Entertainment seems to have taken the assignment and run with it—crafting a game that is horrifying, twisted and incredibly dark, all while staying true to the core elements that make the series so unique.
Silent Hill f showcases stunning visual craftsmanship that perfectly balances beauty and terror, creating a world that is both horrifying and breathtaking in its unique interpretation. The 1960s Japanese setting provides an authentic backdrop rendered in gorgeous 4K detail with Unreal Engine 5. Traditional architecture and period-appropriate elements help establish an immediate sense of place, with each part of the town feeling lived-in and believable.
As the mysterious fog descends and red spider lilies begin blooming from the ground, the transformation from nostalgic beauty to grotesque horror feels both natural and deeply unsettling. The environmental storytelling in Silent Hill f is impeccable, drawing a visceral reaction as tentacle-like plants creep through walls and familiar surroundings become twisted beyond recognition.
“Silent Hill f does away with much of the cult and the elder gods seen in previous entries, grounding its story firmly in Japanese Shinto concepts and ideas.”
These plants are almost peaceful in appearance at first. The development team manages to make that serenity horrifying as we witness how, much like in The Last of Us, these vines ravage human bodies and turn something ordinary into something grotesque and terrifying.
Unlike in previous entries, the fog in Silent Hill f feels organic to its mountain village setting, creating an atmosphere that is both believable and steeped in the series’ signature otherworldly dread. Composer Akira Yamaoka, known for his work on earlier Silent Hill titles, delivers a haunting soundtrack that perfectly complements the visuals, maintaining the uncomfortable tension that defines the Silent Hill experience.
Silent Hill, as a series, has spent years trying to refine its combat. Entries like Homecoming and Downpour failed to nail the concept, while others, such as Silent Hill: Shattered Memories, removed combat entirely in favour of chase sequences. Thankfully, Silent Hill f gets it right—blending classic Silent Hill mechanics with elements commonly found in Souls-likes, all while creating something that feels wholly unique.
While maintaining the series’ emphasis on vulnerability, Silent Hill f refines the formula in a way that enhances rather than detracts from the horror experience. Hinako’s melee-focused encounters feel weighty and desperate. Destructible weapons and limited resources force players to carefully consider each confrontation. The combat system includes perfect dodging mechanics, charged attacks and counterattack opportunities, all of which offer engaging tactical decisions without overshadowing the psychological elements.
You now have more systems to manage—but don’t worry, they feel intuitive once you get hands-on with the game. Stamina, upgrades and weapon repairs all come into play. Healing and power-up items also offer various benefits, though in some cases, they carry risks. All these elements combine to create a combat and survival system that not only fits the Silent Hill series but, more importantly, fits the game it was built for.
It’s also worth noting that while most of the game features destructible weapons, things shift when you enter the Otherworld in Silent Hill f. Weapons no longer seem to decay in the same way they do in the real world. However, you won’t find replacements scattered around the environment, making it a trade-off that demands careful strategy.
“Silent Hill f showcases stunning visual craftsmanship that perfectly balances beauty and terror…”
The narrow streets of Ebisugaoka force players into direct confrontation with their fears, making it riskier to run from enemies this time around. That’s not to say avoidance isn’t possible—you can still opt to flee at times, and even in enclosed spaces, it can occasionally work. But you need to pay close attention to your surroundings, or you’ll face a real challenge.
While the stamina system can be frustrating during intense encounters, it effectively preserves the series’ tradition of making players feel genuinely powerless against supernatural threats. Resource management and strategic evasion become essential survival tools, maintaining the tension that distinguishes Silent Hill from more action-heavy horror games.
I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the many layered systems. Degrading weapons are usually a mechanic I dislike, but they work here. They reinforce the feeling of an insurmountable force bearing down on the protagonist and encourage experimentation with different combinations throughout gameplay—something I always appreciate in games like this.
To be blunt: I’ve been disappointed by the monster design in many recent Silent Hill entries, with Silent Hill: Downpour being a particular low point. Silent Hill f, however, exceeds expectations, delivering a menagerie of horrors that feel deeply rooted in the setting—utterly twisted, grotesque and haunting.
With stitched-together bodies, human scarecrows, bloated figures wielding oversized knives, and corrupted versions of characters you grow to care about, Silent Hill f offers one of the most gruesome and visually arresting creature designs the series has seen in years. It draws from Japanese cultural motifs while preserving the essence of what Silent Hill is known for, blending both into something terrifying and wholly original. Well done, NeoBards Entertainment—you delivered more than I ever expected.
While I’ve loved past entries in the series for various reasons, I often found that many of the older games’ puzzles felt disconnected from the stories they were part of. Silent Hill f moves beyond that approach, with scriptwriter Ryukishi07 crafting puzzles that serve a narrative purpose rather than existing as arbitrary obstacles. Each riddle and conundrum reveals elements of character development or world-building, creating a cohesive experience where gameplay mechanics support the psychological themes.
The integration of Japanese cultural elements—such as traditional scarecrows and shrine offerings—adds meaningful depth to the horror while respecting the cultural setting. I enjoyed learning about the many characters in this world while solving the various challenges. Doing so in an organic way draws the player into this twisted landscape more effectively than I expected.
Don’t worry—this is a Silent Hill game, so you’ll find multiple endings to explore. New Game Plus offers fresh ways to approach the world, where choices—and even item usage—can change how the story unfolds. Silent Hill f rewards exploration and replay. The first playthrough follows a more canonical path, while subsequent runs unlock new routes, bosses and narrative revelations. This structure gives dedicated players a deeper understanding of the complex relationships and psychological traumas that drive the story forward.
Even seemingly optional areas contain self-contained narratives that can influence which conclusions become available. There’s a lot to discover, and on your first run, you’ll undoubtedly experience only half the story. With each playthrough running approximately 12 to 13 hours, Silent Hill f manages to deliver a rich narrative and deep lore without overstaying its welcome. For players who want to uncover everything, the game can stretch well beyond that length, with hidden elements tucked just beyond the well-worn path.
I walked into this review unsure how Silent Hill f would carry the franchise forward. But after spending the past week playing it consistently, I feel confident saying this is a game well worth fans’ time. It successfully balances nostalgia with innovation, offering something new and exciting without abandoning the core of what makes Silent Hill so iconic.
This careful attention to series tradition, while embracing fresh ideas, shows the developers’ deep respect for the franchise. At the same time, it avoids leaning so heavily on callbacks that it might alienate newcomers. The result is a horror experience that feels both familiar and revolutionary—pushing boundaries while preserving the psychological depth that made Silent Hill legendary.
Silent Hill f achieves what once seemed impossible: pushing the series forward without neglecting its roots. It would have been easy to create another entry centred on the cult narratives of past titles, but NeoBards Entertainment and Konami took a different path—and that risk paid off. This is among the darkest entries in the series, filled with some of the most grotesque and original creatures ever seen in a Silent Hill game.
I can’t wait for lore enthusiasts to dive into its depths, but until then, I remain in awe of how expertly crafted Silent Hill f truly is. It delivers one of the most personal and deeply twisted horror experiences I’ve had the pleasure of encountering this year.
