Silent Hill f Review

Silent Hill f brings haunting atmosphere and emotional horror to 1960s Japan, pushing the series into bold new territory, my full review.

From the moment I first saw the mist roll in over Silent Hill on my PlayStation back in 1999, I was hooked. The survival horror genre has always been my playground of dread, and Silent Hill—especially Silent Hill 2—was one of the highs that taught me what haunting, psychological terror can be. When Konami recently remade Silent Hill 2 and then teased a new mainline entry in Silent Hill f, my horror-sicko heart finally had reason to sing. We’ve seen key pillars of the survival horror genre return to incredible form, including Resident Evil, Dead Space, and now, Silent Hill gets its due.

This time around Silent Hill f offers a host of new characters, a 1960s Japanese setting, and horrors born not just of the supernatural, but rooted in personal trauma. It’s not for the faint of heart, easily standing among its predecessors in terms of quality, story, and scares.

"It’s not for the faint of heart, easily standing among its predecessors in terms of quality, story, and scares."

The experience is far from perfect, but this bold new direction features fresh ideas that have me excited for the future of the franchise. Let’s dive into what worked and what didn’t in my Silent Hill f review.

Silent Hill f Details

Platform(s): PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and PC

Reviewed on: PlayStation 5 Pro

Developer: NeoBards Entertainment

Publisher: Konami Digital Entertainment

Genre: Survival Horror

Available game modes: Single-player

ESRB Rating: Mature 17+

Silent Hill f Story – Fog Sweeps Through The Land of the Rising Sun

One of the boldest moves in Silent Hill f is that it leaves behind the titular Silent Hill town and it’s better for it. Instead, it plunges you into a fictional 1960s Japanese village called Ebisugaoka, steeped in the Showa era’s rural rhythms, rice fields, ancient shrines, wooden walkways, and the kind of cultural atmosphere that is rarely seen in the series. The story centers on Hinako Shimizu, a high school student who’s already wrestling with being an outcast. She is plagued with issues, an abusive, alcoholic father, internal guilt and secrets, and pressure from a community that expects conformity. When the fog rolls in, these internal struggles manifest into morbid monsters, hallucinations, and dreamlike horror.

"When the fog rolls in, these internal struggles manifest into morbid monsters, hallucinations, and dreamlike horror."

An experience rooted in Japanese culture

The Japanese setting isn’t just window dressing. The game pulls from folklore, shrine culture, social mores of the ’60s, and rural isolation to ground its horror. I felt that authenticity: walking through eerie rice fields, seeing the shadowy shrines, and interacting with mementos left behind played into the fear, not just the threat of supernatural horrors. The shame, the pressure, the guilt, all these raw, very human feelings connected to the supernatural scares naturally.

"The shame, the pressure, the guilt, all these raw, very human feelings connected to the supernatural scares naturally."

It was very off-putting and thought-provoking at the same time. There are multiple endings, four in total, that force you to consider your actions and choices. For me, like other games in the series, this elevated the story and added reasons to dive back into the nightmare.

Silent Hill f  Gameplay – Swinging Wildly at the Shadows

Gameplay in Silent Hill doubles down on melee combat, and you are not packing any guns here. It makes sense in terms of the setting and character within the story. You will rely on pipes, sledgehammers, daggers, naginata, and other melee weapons. Frankly, some are less responsive than others and a drawback to the overall experience. Granted, you’re very vulnerable, not overpowered, but it also leads to frustration when hits don’t seem to land and enemies punish mistakes harshly. I found myself avoiding combat more than I expected. I would creep through areas, saving my stamina, and picking my fights only if they were unavoidable. This is usually a trope of survival horror, but I wasn’t avoiding fights for self-preservation, but to stay away from the clunky melee mechanics.

"...I wasn’t avoiding fights for self-preservation, but to stay away from the clunky melee mechanics."

The Monster Mash

The monster and overall enemy designs are phenomenal. I squirmed (in a good way) at many of the body horror moments: grotesque, symbolic, and disturbing in a way that speaks to the themes. The variation is substantial: small enemies, large unique horrors, moments that feel almost visceral.

"The monster and overall enemy designs are phenomenal."

Then there are “otherworldly” or “ethereal” dimensions—puzzle realms, beautifully twisted and deadly. In those, you get an indestructible tantō and eventually unlock a naginata, which changes the flow: more action, yes, but still undercut by fear, resource management, and the puzzle elements. Those realms offer some of the game’s best pacing and design highs for me.

Multiple Systems Management Creates Friction

The combat, stamina, and sanity systems are double-edged: they enhance tension but also make certain sections feel unfair at times. Enemies can stun-lock or chain attacks so swiftly that your margin of error is tiny. I like a challenge, but sometimes this felt more annoying than frightening, especially with the stamina meter, which is depleted by swings of your weapon or dodging - two key elements. I was left in front of an enemy many times, practically paralyzed because my stamina gauge depleted, which was very frustrating.

Silent Hill f Graphics & Performance

Silent Hill f is a visual stunner and definitely a benchmark for the series. NeoBards utilizes Unreal Engine 5, which enhances environmental detail, including fog, texture, lighting, shrine architecture, rice field vistas, and lanterns glowing in mist—all of which blend into something hauntingly beautiful.

"Silent Hill f is a visual stunner and definitely a benchmark for the series."

The way a rural Showa-era village is portrayed is stunning, with wide open spaces and closed, causticophobic dark alleyways that give you pause before heading down them.

Silent Hill f Enhanced on PS5 Pro

From a technical perspective, the game's graphical performance is quite strong. It supports PS5 Pro enhancements, and they were apparent in my playthrough on the hardware. The PS5 Pro maintained 60fps in gameplay and offered some incredible detail in textures, shadows and many environments.

"The PS5 Pro maintained 60fps in gameplay and offered some incredible detail in textures, shadows and many environments."

Unfortunately, there is some odd artifacting with organic materials like grass and foliage. There are also frame drops during transitions to bigger, larger areas while new parts of the map are being loaded in. But those dips were few and far between and don’t break the immersion. Overall, visually, Silent Hill f is the best-looking Silent Hill entry to date.

Silent Hill f Audio and Sound Design

This is where Silent Hill f often shines brightest. The music, composed in part by Akira Yamaoka along with Kensuke Inage and dai, sets the atmosphere perfectly: subtle classic tones, stringed dread, quiet undercurrents of something wrong in minor dissonances. Every monster appearance, every area filled with fog is scored or sound-designed to make you uneasy. I felt chills more than once when I thought I was alone. Subtle audio cues had me turn around a few times to double-check my surroundings.

"Every monster appearance, every area filled with fog is scored or sound-designed to make you uneasy."

Sound effects are likewise excellent: the scrape of shoes on wood, creatures cackling in the dark, the creak-creep of doors, it’s all very visceral. Spatial audio (especially on PS5 with proper headphones) adds layers to the tension. I highly recommend a dark space and a pair of great headphones to enhance the experience.

On the downside: the English dub, for all its attempts, does not always hit. Some lines feel off in timing or expression; lip-syncing is imperfect in several cutscenes, and delivery sometimes undermines emotional moments. I strongly prefer the Japanese voice track: it feels more authentic, more in line with the mood, less distracting when translating tension, shame and fear. It’s not a dealbreaker, but in a game built on atmosphere, these rougher edges show. Luckily, they are bookended by incredible art direction and sound design, making them stand out less.

Final Thoughts on Silent Hill f : A Nightmare I Can Recommend

Silent Hill f is not flawless, but it is an incredible survival horror experience. For a longtime fan like me, there were moments when I held my breath, when I realized I was deeply invested in Hinako not just surviving monsters but confronting herself. The combination of setting, narrative ambition, audio-visual craft, and horror design comes together in a way that the series has rarely matched in its newer entries.

"If you love psychological horror, Silent Hill f is a must-play."

If you love psychological horror, Silent Hill f is a must-play. I’ll certainly be returning for multiple endings. I feel like Silent Hill f finally takes the Silent Hill legacy forward—but without forgetting what made me fall in love with the horrors of the fog way back in the nineties.

Silent Hill f PROS

+Atmospheric, beautifully haunting setting (1960s Japan)

+Deep, emotionally impactful story with a very strong protagonist in Hinako

+Monster and art design that delivers real horror

+Excellent ambient soundscapes and soundtrack

Silent Hill f CONS

−Melee combat is clunky; hit detection and stamina issues annoyingly limit flow

−Difficulty spikes and enemy density can lead to frustration rather than dread

−English dub and subtitle delivery occasionally weaken the emotional impact

Overall Assessment of Silent Hill f

Gameplay: 7.5/10

Graphics: 9/10

Sound: 9/10

Lasting appeal / Replayability: 8.5/10

Silent Hill f Overall Score: 34/40 (85%)

Konami provided a copy of this game to conduct the review.

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About the Author - Matthew "Dapper Tux" Rondina

Matthew has been involved in all things gaming since the 8-bit era. He is a video game and tech industry veteran who has been passionate about technology and gaming for over 20 years. In addition to being the Managing Editor of dappertux.com, he has bylines with Best Buy, Cineplex Entertainment, Mobile Syrup and Walmart. Follow Matthew’s gaming + tech adventures on multiple social platforms with the handle @dapper_tux via X, Instagram, Threads, TikTok, and join in on the fun!

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