Silent Hill f – Review
Reviewed by Karan Parmar | September 24, 2025
I just finished Silent Hill f, and wow, this one really stuck with me. The big shake-up here is the setting: instead of crumbling American towns, you’re dropped into 1960s rural Japan, in this fog-soaked village called Ebisugaoka. It’s a brilliant change of scenery, because the mix of folklore and psychological horror makes everything feel unfamiliar and deeply unsettling. Walking through misty forests or abandoned houses had me more on edge than I’ve felt in a Silent Hill game for years.
The story centers on Hinako Shimizu, and it’s far more intimate than I expected. Rather than relying solely on standard horror tropes, it digs into themes like trauma, social isolation, and the suffocating weight of societal expectations. These aren’t just background notes; they shape how the story unfolds, making every scary moment land harder. Ryukishi07’s writing has this sharp, unnerving quality, but it never forgets the characters themselves, who feel real and relatable. What really impressed me is the branching narrative. Choices aren’t just cosmetic, they can completely change outcomes, which makes multiple playthroughs genuinely rewarding. A few cutscenes could have been trimmed, they sometimes linger longer than necessary but even when that happens, the atmosphere rarely breaks. Compared to some recent entries, this story feels confident and layered, giving Silent Hill the kind of narrative depth fans have been waiting for.
Combat starts out strong, capturing that classic survival horror tension. Early fights force you to decide whether to stand your ground, sneak past, or run, and that uncertainty keeps the tension high. As the game progresses, the balance shifts toward a more action-heavy style. Battles become faster and more aggressive, and while that adds variety, it also takes away some of the dread that made the opening hours so effective. Enemies that initially feel horrifying lose their edge once you’ve seen their tricks a few times, and they can cross the line from intimidating to simply irritating. The combat isn’t bad; it’s functional and thrilling, but it never quite lives up to the atmosphere the rest of the game builds. For me, the slower, more methodical encounters were where the tension really came alive.
On the technical side, this might be the most polished PC release the series has seen. Performance holds steady across the board, with high-end setups easily pushing max settings and mid-range hardware still delivering smooth results without heavy compromise. The dreaded stutters you usually brace for in Unreal Engine 5 titles are present, but only in small bursts when transitioning between zones, and they pass quickly enough not to drag the experience down. What’s refreshing is how stable the game feels overall.
The real standout is the atmosphere. Every moment feels tense and unsettling. The visuals are striking; thick fog hangs over the streets, casting shifting shadows as you move, and the grotesque, flower-covered monsters are both fascinating and gross. Everything in the world feels alive in the creepiest way. Akira Yamaoka’s score is as haunting as ever, perfectly capturing the game’s sense of isolation. The dread comes from the world itself, not cheap jump scares; every corridor and every room makes you pause before stepping forward. By the time you hesitate at the next door, it hits you how fully the game has pulled you in.
It’s far from perfect. At times, the pacing can drag, especially when the game lingers too long on exploration segments without much payoff. Some puzzles feel overly cryptic, leaving you scratching your head more out of frustration than enjoyment. The English dub also falls short of the mark, lacking the nuance and emotion of the Japanese performances, which really bring the characters to life.
Even with these flaws, Silent Hill F stands out as one of the most impressive entries in the series in years. It honors the classic formula that made the franchise memorable, the atmosphere, the tension-filled exploration, and the carefully designed scares, while also introducing new ideas that feel bold and fresh. It takes calculated risks, whether through its narrative twists, environmental storytelling, or experimental enemy designs, and most of the time, they pay off. For fans of the series, and even newcomers who can overlook its minor missteps, it’s a game that lingers long after you put the controller down, leaving a lasting impression that few recent horror titles manage to achieve.
Silent Hill f is a haunting experience. It’s not going to be everyone’s cup of tea; if you’re only looking for a classic, old-school Silent Hill, some parts might feel off. But for anyone open to something a little different that still nails the series’ core tension and creepiness, it’s worth playing. The world is filled with dread and odd, disturbing details that stick with you, and even with its flaws, it manages to leave a lasting impression. It’s weird, it’s unsettling, and it’s memorable: a game that rewards you for paying attention and stepping into its twisted world.
Rating: 8/10
Special thanks to KONAMI for providing the review code.
© Images and screenshots used in this review are courtesy of KONAMI.
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You can purchase Silent Hill f from the following official platforms:
Uncover the horrors lurking beneath the surface and face your deepest fears in this chilling new chapter of Silent Hill.
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