"Silent Hill f" preview: The horror comeback of the year
With "Silent Hill f," Konami is venturing a fresh start in Japan and hits the mark with a personal journey through a fragile teenage soul.
"Silent Hill f" is the first spin-off of the popular horror series in thirteen years –, so expectations are correspondingly high.
(Image: Konami)
Silent Hill f has a difficult legacy to live up to. At the turn of the millennium, Silent Hill and its acclaimed sequel succeeded in rethinking the survival horror genre with surprisingly multi-layered narratives and serious themes. Over the years, however, the series, with a total of fourteen sequels and spin-offs, eventually lost its way and became irrelevant. After the last full-fledged installment, “Silent Hill: Downpour” (2012), and Hideo Kojima's never-released “Silent Hills” (2014), fans had to wait until October 2022, when Konami suddenly announced several new projects. In addition to the terrible interactive series “Silent Hill: Ascension” and the excellent “Silent Hill 2 Remake,” the focus was on “Silent Hill f,” the first truly new installment in the series in more than ten years, and thus the question: Does Konami know how to handle its legacy?
A fresh setting in the battle with itself
“Silent Hill f” moves into unfamiliar territory. Instead of rusty industrial halls and abandoned western vacation regions, the new installment takes us to a Japanese mountain village of the 1960s covered in red spider lilies. While a female main character is nothing new in Silent Hill—already in the third installment from 2003, players suffered together with Heather Mason—the role of a teenager certainly is. In “Silent Hill f,” young Hinako has to deal not only with grotesque mutations but also with the expectations of those around her, a society in transition and growing up, and in doing so, she is in no way inferior to her seasoned predecessors, both in terms of gameplay and narrative.
The introduction to Hinako's story is typically calm and mysterious for the series. After an argument with her domineering father, we slowly feel our way through a world marked by internal and external processes of decay. Hinako's home village is suddenly deserted and covered in a thick fog. It seems frozen between tradition and modernity—ancient temples meet billboards that present clear role models: real men drink beer, real women wear make-up. Such slogans don't look like scenery but like an attack on Hinako's identity.
Silent Hill f (5 Bilder)
Konami (Screenshot: joe)
)Hinako herself is not a typical horror protagonist. A comprehensible conflict quickly develops, which seems to shake not only Hinako's self-image but also the entire village. Her friends casually refer to her as a “traitor” early on—initially as a joke, later as a serious matter. The children's interactions serve as the framework for an exciting story that carries players through two worlds. It is never really clear where reality begins and fiction ends.
Survival with a kitchen knife and focus bar
In terms of gameplay, “Silent Hill f” relies on a mixture of exploration, puzzles, and melee combat, thus remaining true to the series. However, it offers new focal points. Instead of pistols or rifles, Hinako uses improvised weapons such as the classic iron pipe, kitchen knives, sickles, or a baseball bat. These wear out over time and must either be replaced or repaired with one of the rare tool sets. Players must therefore always use their weapons wisely. Once the last iron pipe is broken, the only option left is to flee. On the normal difficulty level, however, there is always enough fighting, which makes the system lose some of its appeal.
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In the other world, however, Hinako finds traditional and durable Japanese weapons, such as those typically used by samurai. A central element of the combat is the so-called “focus system.” The more Hinako is under psychological pressure, the more her ability to act decreases. In moments of high anxiety, she freezes briefly, unable to fight or dodge. This mechanic works as immediate feedback on your behavior: if you play carelessly, you risk escalating the situation in Silent Hill not through health points alone but through loss of control. This creates a unique kind of tension that is rarely found in current horror games.
At first glance, evasive jumps, counter windows, and stamina bars are reminiscent of familiar mechanics from the Souls-like genre. But Silent Hill f plays much more slowly and cautiously. The fights are not geared toward victory but toward survival. Groups of enemies can often be bypassed, and that is often the better choice. On the other hand, those who take an offensive approach must plan precisely when to dodge, strike, and when it is better to retreat.
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Graphically, “Silent Hill f” looks solid without being spectacular. The environments are designed in detail. The village in particular, with its narrow streets, weathered wooden houses, and slowly decaying shrines, conveys a harmonious atmosphere. The monster design is primarily rooted in the contradiction between aesthetics and horror. Dismembered dolls with blades resembling high heels on their legs, schoolchildren distorted into gruesomely smiling scarecrows, faceless mutations, and hideously patched-together lumps of flesh provide plenty of body horror. The music and soundscape rely heavily on traditional instruments and natural ambient sounds. This creates a constant, subliminal threat without resorting to loud effects.
Interim conclusion
“Silent Hill f” is not a fast-paced horror trip but a slow, almost literary journey through psychological abysses. Those hoping for classic survival horror elements will be served here, but should be prepared for a much more introspective tone. The combat system is well thought out and the best the series has seen so far. Minor camera issues in narrow alleys hardly detract from the overall impression. Silent Hill f also impresses in terms of puzzle design and, in the 13 hours we have experienced so far, strikes an almost perfect balance between quiet moments, narrative, and action.
If you're interested in psychological horror with cultural depth and are willing to embark on the main character's personal journey, then Silent Hill f is worth a look. However, if you're expecting action-packed shockers, you'd be better off waiting for Resident Evil Requiem. One thing is clear, however: Silent Hill is back, and Konami has found the perfect combination for a successful reboot of the series with developer NeoBards and horror author Ryukishi07.
Silent Hill f will be released on September 25, 2025, for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S. The price is $80 on all platforms, and the age rating is 18+.
(joe)
