Silent Hill f Review: A Haunting Return to Form

Konami’s Silent Hill series returned fully to the public consciousness last year with Bloober Team’s stellar remake of Silent Hill 2. Just a year later, developer NeoBards Entertainment brings an original entry called Silent Hill f. Fortunately, this winds up being a strong new start for the horror franchise, as it’s a unique and terrifying game that continues the recent roll Konami is on.

What immediately makes Silent Hill f stand out from the rest of the series is its Japanese setting. Rather than being set in Maine, players get to experience a gorgeous-looking small town in Japan. With winding hills and some charming views, it’s not unlike what one would see in a Ghibli movie at first. However, all of the charm and its young cast of characters takes a turn for the sinister as the story goes along, and this contrast between beauty and terror is really utilized well.

Combat has traditionally been a weak spot for Silent Hill, and it’s thankfully not a weak point here. Players are able to land weak and strong attacks with melee weapons, with staggering counterattacks being available for those looking to maximize their strikes. It is, however, easy to get ganged up on and eat several hits at once (even with a dodge being available), so players will have to carefully choose when to engage, as one poor encounter can really ruin their run even if they manage to barely escape.

What really makes Silent Hill f’s combat satisfying is the push and pull between its mechanics. Those looking to land damaging counter strikes can slow down time and focus on enemies. Yet doing this decreases your sanity meter, thus putting yourself in more danger. Every choice has a benefit and a consequence to it, as the weapon durability system also demonstrates, really making you feel like any survival is against the odds.

Both the gameplay and the story, which is expertly crafted by acclaimed Japanese writer Ryukishi07, are constantly disturbing. This is a horror game that doesn’t pull its punches, and a sense of dread is constantly felt. From the way that creatures move to the foggy town of Ebisugaoka, which is made all the more disturbing thanks to an excellent soundtrack, every element works in unison to make this the series’ scariest game.

A sense of constant danger is also what makes some of the puzzles so thrilling to solve. Searching for clues while keeping an ear out for audio cues that signal an enemy is closing in keeps these moments feeling intense. You never feel truly safe, especially as you see the beautiful environments rot away and see the world corrupted.

Silent Hill f Review: Final Verdict

Silent Hill f is the first original and truly great Silent Hill game in over 15 years. Fully embracing its Japanese setting, Konami’s survival horror series has never felt so fresh. Ryukishi07 has written a truly haunting story, which balances great scares with frantic puzzle solving and punishing combat. Keeping players always on edge, this is one of the best horror games in years.

SCORE: 9/10

As ComingSoon’s review policy explains, a score of 9 equates to “Excellent.” Entertainment that reaches this level is at the top of its type. The gold standard that every creator aims to reach.

Disclosure: The publisher provided a PlayStation 5 copy for our Silent Hill f review. Reviewed on version 1.001.000.

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