Silent Hill f review – Terrifying horror that rivals Silent Hill 2

Silent Hill f proves that Konami’s survival horror series is very much alive and kicking – with its fog machine in full effect, a nightmarish tale to tell, and grotesque horrors that would make even Pyramid Head cower. Silent Hill isn’t just back, it’s screaming to be heard. 

It’s been 13 years since we’ve had a new mainline Silent Hill game – Bloober Team’s excellent Silent Hill 2 remake aside. Following the most iconic entry isn’t easy, especially when James and his Pyramid Head pal still loom large over the franchise.

Despite this, developer NeoBards isn’t playing it safe. Silent Hill f is a more combat-heavy experience, something we haven’t seen since Homecoming in 2008.

It also ditches the American setting for the first time ever, sending players to a fog-filled mountain town in 1960s Japan, a place steeped in mysticism and tradition.

Fans may fear NeoBards will struggle to deliver on such an ambitious reimagining, but Silent Hill f has perfectly captured the tension and psychological terror that define the series.

Silent Hill f screenshots

What is Silent Hill f about?

You play as Hinako Shimizu, a teenage girl whose hometown of Ebisugaoka has been engulfed in a mysterious fog. Following a heated argument with her parents, Hinako ventures into town to clear her head.

However, as she makes her way down the mountain, she finds that everyone, besides a few of her childhood friends, has vanished. All that remains are grotesque creatures, threatening to end her existence at every turn.

Hinako’s worsening headaches often cause her to black out, pulling her into visions of a fox-masked man who is equal parts comforting and terrifying. It’s up to her to solve the town’s mysteries and come to terms with her own inner demons if she wishes to survive.

A compelling story shrouded in mysticism

The strongest part of Silent Hill f is its gripping story. Hinako’s tale of womanhood, trauma at the hands of her abusive father, and deep-rooted fear of men is just as gripping as James Sunderland’s bloody past.

Like Silent Hill 2, f has psychological twists that make it as unforgettable and deeply affecting. Hinako’s world reflects a time of deep gender inequality, where traditional values shaped everyday life. The story explores the psychological pressures of both conforming to and resisting those roles.

To that end, NeoBards have done an amazing job juxtaposing real-world fear against otherworldly horrors. After the credits rolled on my first 10-hour playthrough, I was stunned and eager to dive back in, chasing more answers about Hinako’s past. Even now, I want to boot up my PS5 and scour the mountain town of Ebisugaoka for more juicy journal entries.

It’s a good thing, then, that there are five endings (I managed two for this review), with new cutscenes, dialogue, an additional boss fight, and secrets to unearth. However, just like past Silent Hill games, locations and puzzles don’t dramatically change between playthroughs.

This caused some minor frustration. While a scarecrow-themed puzzle took the prize for my most audible scream, upon repeat viewings, it became a chore that I wanted to skip. One fetch quest puzzle alleviated this issue, carrying over previously unlocked items, but it’s a shame that this wasn’t applied more widely. 

Chillingly beautiful environments & grotesque enemies 

Silent Hill f’s devs want players to “find the beauty in terror,” and it’s certainly not hard to find. The photo-realistic environments are so hauntingly beautiful that I was constantly mashing my DualSense controller’s screenshot button. It really is one of the best-looking games I have ever played – odd to say given it’s also one of the scariest.

While the isolated mountain town of Ebisugaoka features enough fog to give the original Silent Hill a run for its money, f’s traditional Japanese setting evokes an eeriness that has more in common with PS2 J-horror classics like Fatal Frame 2 and Kuon. This nostalgic theme is even carried over to the menus, which feature beautiful hand-drawn sketches of characters, monsters, and Hinako’s friends.

Out in the world, you’ll nervously wander through labyrinthine streets lined with tin-roofed houses, run across muddy rice fields dotted with shadowy scarecrows, and clamber up stony pathways to moss-covered shrines tucked into the mountainside.

It’s vastly different from Silent Hill 2’s urban setting, but it’s by no means any less scary. NeoBards has done an amazing job making the dampness and the ever-pervasive red, fleshy grunge that clings to the town feel tangible.

Because of this, it’s easy to understand the isolation, dread, and suffocating anxiety that Hinako feels. The only thing more unsettling than Ebisugaoka’s environments are the monsters, most of which look like they’ve stumbled straight out of a Junji Ito manga.

These creatures make Pyramid Head and the Twin Victims look tame by comparison. One of the most nightmarish enemies is a four-legged humanoid creature covered from head to toe in swollen stomachs, which spew out fleshy sacs that spawn even more horrors between pained cries.

Then we have the mannequin-like monsters whose skin has been stitched together by the world’s worst doctor. These fiendish foes’ bodies twist and contort in unnatural ways, unleashing vicious knife attacks that had me jumping out of my seat more times than I’d care to admit.

Brutal & bloody combat 

Silent Hill is no stranger to arming its poor protagonists with weapons to beat, blast, and pulverize their fleshy foes into mushy pulps, but Silent Hill f dials the action up to 100.

Despite having access to a sizeable arsenal that would put a smile on Leon S. Kennedy’s face, a Dark Souls-inspired parry system, and some nifty stamina-replenishing dodges, Silent Hill f still feels, well, like  Silent Hill.

Whether you’re caving in craniums with powerful charged hits from a sledgehammer or using quick light attacks with the naginata, the hellish abominations remain terrifying.

Sure, Hinako has more than enough tools needed to send her enemies screaming to the afterlife, but putting her athleticism to the test and running away is still the best option. Yes, the true horror of Silent Hill f comes in its firm but fair weapon durability system.

Killing every monster you see is rarely the smartest choice. Instead, Silent Hill f maintains a methodical approach to combat, where you’ll need to assess every encounter. There’s nothing worse than getting caught down an alleyway armed with only a rusty kitchen knife and nowhere to run. 

Unlike other Silent Hill protagonists, Hinako can trade unused consumable items at nearby shrines for special charms, as well as upgrade her health, stamina, and Sanity meter.

The latter is used to slow down time in combat, making it easier to read enemy attacks and giving you more opportunities to deliver those punishing parries and charged Focus moves. 

Combat really ramps up during Silent Hill f’s Souls-inspired boss fights. One memorable late-game boss had me dodging fiery ground attacks while narrowly avoiding lashes from a flaming whip. While these showdowns never reached Dark Souls or Elden Ring difficulty, careless play can burn through your healing items fast.

Much like in Resident Evil, I often found myself digging through my inventory, pondering over what to take, and squeezing in as many healing items, weapon repair kits, and shrine offerings as I could.

It’s this blend of Resi-style item management, Soulslike boss encounters, and Silent Hill’s signature fight-or-flight tension that makes everything click together perfectly.

Verdict

Silent Hill f is a bold new direction for Konami’s iconic survival horror series. While it may put a heavier emphasis on combat, NeoBards has expertly concocted a nightmarish cocktail oozing with enough stomach-churning monsters, disgustingly beautiful environments, and psychological dread to be just as good, if not better than, Silent Hill 2. 

Hinako’s world is suffocating and compelling, and I can’t wait to delve even further into the dark, damp town of Ebisugaoka to uncover more endings. If this is the quality we can expect from Silent Hill going forward, then I have never been more excited to step into its fog-filled future.