I was in the middle of a hectic work day. Deadlines pending, adrenaline high, and checklists made up. Occupied with multiple things at once I took a moment to breathe and look around. That’s when I noticed something that froze me in place. Someone was holding my coffee mug but it wasn’t a colleague. It was a ghostly figure, pale and unsettling, with wide bloodshot eyes and an aura straight out of The Grudge.
That’s when I realised I wasn’t at my desk, or my workplace at all – I was dreaming. Trapped in a nightmare that Silent Hill f had carved into my subconscious. And I am quite sure I am not the only one getting nightmares after playing this terrific game.
Konami’s latest installment in the Silent Hill series, the Silent Hill f, isn’t just a game. It is a deep dive in psychological horror where fear runs deep, and monsters lurk at every corner. The fact that I had that terrifying dream after playing the game for six hours straight on a Wednesday night is testament enough to its sheer brilliance. But let’s take a closer (and spoiler free) look at it.
Silent Hill f trades the familiar town of Silent Hill for the rural Japanese town of Ebisugaoka in the 1960s, and it’s one of its greatest strengths. The red spider lilies, dilapidated shrines, rice fields, and the contrast between serene countryside and supernatural dread combine to deliver an environment that feels both foreign and horribly intimate. And if you are someone who obsesses over Japan as a place, there are a lot of things to notice. From the traditional Japanese architecture to the beautiful and silent streets, you will feel like exploring every nook and corner even if it leads you to a monster.
The game leans into its Japanese folk horror roots, and that cultural specificity adds weight. The fog isn’t just visual decoration; it permeates every moment, fostering tension. Shrines, omamori charms, and local religious iconography aren’t just decoration either but are woven into gameplay and story, reinforcing the setting’s authenticity.
Coming to the atmosphere, like every other game in the franchise, there is that mist that hides enemies from immediate view. The dense fog doesn’t just block sight but amplifies dread, turning familiar places into uncanny ones. Every lantern-lit alleyways, shrines, or abandoned homes feel full of secrets and uncertainty. In many scenarios, you will find yourself with no option but run and hide. And this vulnerability adds an extra layer of fear.
The overall atmosphere is tense, sad, but artistic. The countryside town of Ebisugaoka is steeped in folklore, melancholy, and decay. Red spider lilies bloom in rot, the wind carries distant whispers, and the houses creak under the weight of history. It’s a world where beauty and horror intertwine and sorrow isn’t just a tone, but a presence that echoes in every corridor.
Written by Ryukishi07 (best known for Higurashi When They Cry), the narrative of Silent Hill f centers on Hinako Shimizu, a young high school student. She grapples with societal expectations, trauma from her home life, and the supernatural horrors that mirror her internal conflicts. Themes of isolation, gender roles, and personal growth thread through the plot, making it more emotionally resonant than a simple monster chase. The story begins slowly, but stick with it. Eventually, you will find yourself more and more invested in the characters’ lives and be curious to see what’s next. The game’s storyline takes roughly 10-15 hours to finish and it has plenty to offer once you are past the initial stages.
Coming to supporting characters, they are well-drawn. You can learn about them by referring to the protagonist’s journal. In all, the plot rewards patience as mysteries are embedded in environmental clues, optional dialogues, and multiple endings that encourage replay.
Silent Hill f majorly features a melee based combat which can be tricky to understand if you aren’t familiar with the franchise’s earlier games. Steel pipes and sickles will be your go-to initially and when you do find better weapons later in the game, they will be melee based. On top of this, you have to manage your health, stamina (which depletes quite fast initially), and sanity. Further, the weapons won’t last forever and have limited durability.
Now, I won’t say the combat is not fun, but it definitely is slow. Hinako seems to take forever to land a hit. This might be intentional and make the combat appear more realistic, but I personally would have loved a slightly faster paced combat. On the other hand, the dodges and counters felt more like a hit and miss rather than a planned strategy.
Puzzle solving and exploration is where the game shines. There are many well-designed puzzles. Some will give you the creeps, others will make you think on a deeper level. And then there are some that are particularly hard and might make you want to look at a walkthrough or a guide. Coming to exploration, the creepy corners, environmental cues, searching shrines, peaking through doors are some of the most fun and scary moments in the game.
Silence, fear, and aesthetic style intertwine beautifully in Silent Hill f. Costume design leans into the period feel: 1960s dress styles, modest school uniforms, traditional and rural clothing, and cultural accessories like omamori and shrine jewelry lend texture. Monsters and ghostly entities likewise have touches rooted in Japanese folklore and fear imagery, which elevate them beyond generic horror tropes. However, I wasn’t particularly impressed by the Bonus costume which comes with a hairband that has rabbit ears. The costume, in my opinion, just doesn’t fit right with the overall appeal of the game.
The musical score, led by series stalwart Akira Yamaoka, is haunting and atmospheric. It doesn’t only punctuate scares, but supports mood and builds dread during silent moments. Apart from contributing to the scare factor, it also tells you when you should probably run and hide as an enemy could be close.
On Steam, the Silent Hill f is priced at Rs 3,200. The digital deluxe edition, on the other hand, is available for Rs 3,600. On the PS5, the standard edition is priced at Rs 4,799 and the deluxe edition costs Rs 5,699. Talking about Xbox, the regular edition costs Rs 4,798 while the deluxe edition is priced at Rs 5,669.
The question now is, should you buy the game? In a nutshell, the game is remarkable if you are looking for a true horror adventure and love what the genre has to offer. The fears are genuine, the story is emotionally rich, and the setting is phenomenal. Yes the combat system, though well-intentioned, frequently gets in its own way. But that also can be looked at as part of the challenge. What you get, ultimately, is a deeply affecting horror experience which might even result in a few nightmares.
Overall, the game stands as one of the most ambitious entries in the franchise. If you love horror that probes the mind, the atmosphere that lingers, and stories that refuse to be superficial, this one’s going to leave a mark. Fans and newcomers alike should prepare for moments of unease and for a game that remembers what Silent Hill always did best: making everything feel terrifying.
Also read: Before Silent Hill f, Silent Hill PT and other games we never got to play
Skoar! – 8.5/10