Survival horror took a step onto chilling new ground when Silent Hill first emerged from the mists in 1999 on PlayStation. Since then, each return to the titular fictional American town has been hotly anticipated, leading to this latest instalment which adds a keen new perspective to its bleeding edge. I got to explore the fictional Japanese town of Ebisugaoka in the final version of Silent Hill f to discover what’s new to the series, as well as familiar elements that fans will love.
Four ways Silent Hill f changes the series’ formula:
1. Combat is more modern
Intriguingly, there are a couple carryovers from the remake of Silent Hill 2, with a new spin. It pays to be strategic with your light attacks (R1) and heavy attacks (R2), the latter capable of a staggering counterattack against some enemies, letting you strike them without risk. It feels responsive without overpowering the vulnerability essential to the genre.
On the flip side, protagonist Hinako Shimizu is a little more agile than your typical Silent Hill main. Time your press of the Circle button just right and you’ll activate a perfect dodge, replenishing Hinako’s stamina. Attacking and dodging saps stamina, making perfect dodges crucial to master.
2. Unusual Yokai will break your sanity…
Memorable monster design is key to any horror story, and Silent Hill f delivers in blood-soaked spades. Where things differ here is the use of Japanese folklore and mythology to inspire many of its brutal antagonists. References to the slit-mouthed Kuchisake-onna spirits and tentacle god-beast Akkorokamui were creepy enough, but there are a number of enemies that warp the visuals of traditional Japanese dolls and figures, too.
Adding more anxiety to these scuttling monstrosities is Hinako’s sanity meter, which drains from psychological attacks, reducing your ability to use Hinako’s powerful Focus strikes (charging with L2 then hitting R1 to execute) and eventually eating into her health.
3. …But Faith helps repair it
Keeping within the theme of healing from psychological trauma, Faith is a mechanic which offers some hope for Hinako. Dotted around the intimidating environment are items such as drinks, snacks and desserts. While they’ll help restore health or stamina, you can also convert them at hokora shrines for Faith, which you can use to help recover sanity, and trade for omamori trinkets which offer buffs such as decreasing an enemy’s line of sight. You can even pray with blank ema tablets to increase maximum health, sanity, stamina, or omamori slots.
4. Different themes and a fresh perspective
Silent Hill f’s 1960s Japan setting gives the series a chance to delve into societal and cultural expectations of gender roles, something reflected in ever-present dolls both as artefacts and part of its monsters, and the complicated and sometimes toxic relationships between the characters.
This bleeds into the series’ examination of trauma, isolation and decay, but is also present through Hinako’s journal, accessed by pressing the Up Directional Button, which details some of the lore, characters and puzzle clues. Hinako’s descriptions change over time to reflect her experience, which plays into the story both on a literal and meta level.
Four ways Silent Hill f stays true to the series:
1. It looks and feels like Silent Hill should
It might be set in a different country and time period, but Silent Hill f remains as powerfully creepy as you’d expect. The minimal UI, muted colour palette and atmospheric compositions (partly crafted by long-time series composer Akira Yamaoka) all make for a classically chilling experience – along with those narrow, claustrophobic, misty maze-like areas.
You’ll also feel a slight heartbeat-like tremble from the DualSense wireless controller when Hinako runs or is close to death. Unsettling.
2. Despite its combat, this isn’t an action game
Like Silent Hill: Origins and Silent Hill: Downpour, your scarce weapons deteriorate over time, their condition handily referred to by their visual state and Hinako’s comments, so evasion rather than combat often offers better chances of survival.
There were times where I was overwhelmed by just two enemies, and there were visual puzzles I had to solve while being stalked by brutish beasts in the dark. That traditional survival horror vulnerability is still very much present.
3. An Otherworld awaits
Hinako’s hellish journey isn’t limited to Ebisugaoka. Just like many other Silent Hill games, you’re transported to a mysterious Otherworld which acts as a dark reflection of Hinako’s psyche. There, the puzzles take a more mythical tone, such as discovering and correctly placing sacred items, while my first monster encounter continued the traditional Silent Hill trait of not having a clearly visible face – in this case, a hollowed out, maggot-infested head cavity.
4. New Game Plus and multiple endings
No spoilers here, but Silent Hill f features five different endings, unlocked via the New Game+ mode after first completion. And yes, one of those endings features some classic Silent Hill humour in it. If you know, you know.
Can you already feel the fear? It’s not long before you’ll see the horrors of Ebisugaoka for yourself when Silent Hill f claws its way onto PS5 on September 25.
