- Return of a legend: Silent Hill f marks the return of Konami’s classic horror franchise after over a decade, bringing a bold new setting – 1960s rural Japan – to the series’ signature psychological horror formula northcountrypublicradio.org. This new chapter is a completely original story (not a remake or sequel) that revives Silent Hill for modern platforms (PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC) in late September 2025. Fans have waited since the 2010s for a mainline Silent Hill title, and anticipation is sky-high.
- Glowing early reviews: Critics are raving that Silent Hill f “stands among the series’ best” thanks to its gorgeous atmosphere and layered storytelling northcountrypublicradio.org. NPR’s review calls the game “an absolute triumph… [their] favorite [Silent Hill] since the original Silent Hill 2,” underscoring just how impressed longtime horror experts are northcountrypublicradio.org. Many reviewers praise the game’s haunting setting, gnarly creature design, and emotional narrative as a return to form for Silent Hill’s psychological horror roots, only now executed with modern polish and ambition.
- Not without flaws: Some critiques have surfaced – notably an overreliance on combat and a wild mid-game pivot toward action that may divide some survival-horror purists videogameschronicle.com northcountrypublicradio.org. But overall, these issues “aren’t complete game breakers” according to VideoGamesChronicle, which said the annoyances merely downgrade Silent Hill f from “absolutely essential to ‘merely’ excellent” videogameschronicle.com. In other words, even the harsher reviews concede that the game’s core quality in horror design outshines its few rough edges.
- Hype & records: Pre-release demand is tremendous. Silent Hill f shot to the #1 best-selling PS5 game on Amazon USA, outselling even big-name titles like Sucker Punch’s Ghost of Yotei and EA’s Madden NFL 26 weeks before launch relyonhorror.com. This is despite being a single-player horror game – a genre not usually topping sales charts – which speaks to the feverish enthusiasm among fans. Early impressions from Japan are positive too (Famitsu magazine awarded it 36/40 relyonhorror.com), and the overall sentiment is that Konami has a horror hit on its hands.
Return of a Horror Classic
For years, the Silent Hill series was dormant in a fog of uncertainty. The last mainline entries in the early 2010s had been met with mixed reception, and Konami’s iconic horror franchise went over a decade without a new chapter. Now Silent Hill f is being hailed as a spectacular comeback. It’s the first completely new Silent Hill game in years, not a remake but a fresh story – and critics say it “fully understands the appeal of the franchise” while taking bold risks northcountrypublicradio.org. This revival comes on the heels of last year’s well-received Silent Hill 2 remake, meaning Konami has delivered “two back-to-back Silent Hill bangers in less than a year” northcountrypublicradio.org – an impressive turnaround for a series many feared abandoned.
The excitement around Silent Hill f has been palpable. In fact, pre-orders rocketed the game to #1 on Amazon’s PS5 sales charts (in the U.S.), ahead of major AAA titles from other genres relyonhorror.com. It’s a remarkable feat for a horror title. Rely on Horror reports that Silent Hill f even outpaced a new PlayStation exclusive from a prestigious first-party studio and EA’s latest sports bestseller, indicating just how strong the hype is relyonhorror.com. Of course, Amazon rankings reflect one retailer’s data, but the takeaway is clear: fans are eager for Silent Hill’s return. The buzz is further fueled by glowing early reviews (more on those soon) and high scores in Japan – Famitsu’s 36/40 review praised the game, and overall impressions from early players and press are “already excellent” relyonhorror.com. All signs point to Silent Hill f not only satisfying longtime fans but potentially drawing a new generation into its darkness.
Release day is set for late September 2025 (with deluxe edition buyers getting a 48-hour head start), just in time for the Halloween season. Konami’s decision to resurrect Silent Hill now seems vindicated by the fervor around this title. After years wandering in development limbo (and the infamous cancelled Silent Hills project), Silent Hill f looks to firmly re-establish the franchise. The stage is set for what one reviewer calls “a fog-filled future” for the series if this entry lives up to expectations – and according to many, it does in spades purexbox.com.
A New Setting, New Story – Same Silent Hill Dread
One of the most striking things about Silent Hill f is its setting: 1960s rural Japan. This is a significant departure for a series historically centered on the titular American town of Silent Hill. Rather than misty Maine-esque streets, SHf transports players to a picturesque but isolated Japanese village – one that soon succumbs to supernatural rot. The story follows Hinako, a teenage girl in 1969, whose personal struggles and societal pressures spiral into a nightmarish ordeal northcountrypublicradio.org. What begins as “largely domestic troubles” – parental friction, an arranged marriage looming, rifts between friends – slowly reveals deeper wounds northcountrypublicradio.org. As NPR describes, Silent Hill f “explores the trauma and terror of 1960’s societal expectations in Japan.” northcountrypublicradio.org The game’s narrative delves into themes of oppressive patriarchal norms, guilt, and madness, grounding its horror in both the personal and the cultural. “Is Hinako mad, or is the world around her mad?” the story pointedly asks northcountrypublicradio.org. This layered approach gives the game an emotional core beyond just monsters and gore.
By choosing a Japanese setting and protagonist, the developers had the chance to infuse the game with uniquely Japanese horror sensibilities – and they did so deliberately. Konami enlisted famed writer Ryukishi07 (pen name of the creator of cult horror visual novels like Higurashi: When They Cry) to craft the scenario, seeking someone who “could really understand the essence of Japanese horror” en.wikipedia.org. That pedigree shines through in Silent Hill f’s tone. Early impressions highlight the story’s blend of mystery and rage – two “killer ingredients” that The Verge says drive the game’s unsettling power theverge.com. Reviewer Lewis Gordon notes that Silent Hill f boasts “a brilliant central character” in Hinako and “returns in magnificently sinister form” for the franchise theverge.com. In other words, even though this entry is geographically far from the foggy streets of the original Silent Hill, it feels spiritually aligned with what fans love about the series: a troubled protagonist, an air of tragic mystery, and horror that is as much about inner demons as external ones.
Indeed, multiple reviewers have remarked how Silent Hill f manages to be “completely distinct from any other entry in the franchise” yet still “faithful to Team Silent’s vision” of psychological horror purexbox.com. VideoGamesChronicle mused that the game “somehow manages to feel just like a Silent Hill game and nothing like a Silent Hill game in equal measure,” due to its bold new direction that nonetheless nails the series’ core mood videogameschronicle.com. The new cultural backdrop allows for fresh kinds of scares – for example, Japanese folklore influences (creepy masks, ritual shrines, parasitic fungi flowers) weave into the traditional Silent Hill mind-bending narrative. But fans of classic Silent Hill will still find plenty of familiar dread. There’s the gradual descent into a warped reality, the feeling of a town (or in this case, village) that reflects a character’s psyche, and the pervasive question every Silent Hill protagonist eventually asks: “Is this a dream?” northcountrypublicradio.org. As Silent Hill f escalates, Hinako’s idyllic hometown transforms into a hellscape of rot and monsters that mirrors her psychological breakdown northcountrypublicradio.org – a hallmark of the series’ storytelling.
Critics are applauding the narrative for its ambition. It’s “a puzzle packed with mysteries and clues, rife for interpretation,” says NPR, noting that not every question is answered by the end northcountrypublicradio.org. The story invites analysis and discussion, the kind of layered horror tale that fans will be dissecting on forums and YouTube theory videos for months. Some have even likened the experience to an amalgam of Japanese horror classics: one Reddit commenter quipped that at first glance the game looked like a Silent Hill/Fatal Frame fusion, while another said it felt “more like [Forbidden] Siren” (a 2003 survival horror set in a cursed Japanese village) reddit.com. In any case, Silent Hill f’s setting and story have succeeded in delivering something fresh for this 25-year-old franchise – and in capturing the same oppressive, melancholic horror that made Silent Hill a legend to begin with.
Haunting Atmosphere, Grotesque Beauty
Beyond its plot, Silent Hill f is wowing reviewers with its atmosphere and audiovisual presentation. This is a horror game that is as beautiful as it is disturbing. Multiple outlets describe the visuals as “astonishing”, “gorgeous” and “grotesque” all at once videogameschronicle.com. The game’s graphics vividly render both the serene charm of Hinako’s rural town and the gruesome corruption that overtakes it. Silent Hill f runs on Unreal Engine 5, enabling highly detailed environments – from traditional wooden buildings and foggy mountain forests to the otherworldly, flesh-and-petals nightmares that unfold as reality unravels. “Even suffused in otherworldly fog, [the] picturesque period setting gleams with authenticity,” The Verge observed, highlighting how the 1960s Japan backdrop is convincingly realized theverge.com. But when things get horrific, SHf does not hold back: expect grotesque imagery like blooming fungal creatures and viscera-laden alternate dimensions that push the series’ famous creature design to new heights. “Gorgeous, cinematic cutscenes” stage many of the horror set-pieces, and NPR’s critic said they’re “among the most artfully crafted and stylish [they’ve] seen in a video game” northcountrypublicradio.org.
Sound and music play a huge role in sustaining the dread. Fittingly, Silent Hill f features contributions from series composer Akira Yamaoka, whose eerie industrial-ambient soundscapes defined the older games. Reviewers say the audio design is superb – “you really should play with headphones,” advises VGC, to hear the grotesque, otherworldly sounds going on around you videogameschronicle.com. From the distant crackling of a radio to the squishy whispers of something slithering just out of sight, the sound design keeps players on edge. And when the score swells, Yamaoka’s signature blend of haunting melody and discordant noise reportedly adds immensely to the mood. Several critics noted the soundtrack is excellent, underscoring emotional moments and scares alike videogameschronicle.com.
All these elements combine into an atmosphere that critics describe with words like “suffocating,” “compelling,” “unsettlingly beautiful,” and “thick with foggy atmosphere” purexbox.com. Importantly, Silent Hill f emphasizes psychological horror over cheap thrills. It continues the series’ approach of instilling existential fear and dread of the unknown. As one review put it, the game is “a mastercraft in psychological horror” and “a work of narrative brilliance” – not just relying on jump scares purexbox.com. By prioritizing oppressive mood and slow-burn tension, SHf evokes the same kind of lingering fear that made the original games so memorable. “Silent Hill engenders fear by making players confront the fragility of the human mind and the uncertainty of a shared, fixed reality,” NPR explains, contrasting it with the more visceral monster-mashing of a series like Resident Evil northcountrypublicradio.org. In Silent Hill f, reality itself often seems subjective and warped – fog, darkness, and bizarre hallucinations keep you second-guessing what is real. That cerebral horror is punctuated by moments of very graphic, very grisly imagery that hit hard when they do occur. Critics have warned the game carries content advisories for things like abuse, self-harm, and gore videogameschronicle.com, so it’s not a lighthearted scare-fest but rather a deeply dark story. All told, Silent Hill f’s atmosphere has been lauded as “suffocating and compelling” purexbox.com – the kind of horror that gets under your skin and stays there.
Gameplay: Survival Roots Meet Action Evolutions
While Silent Hill f delivers narrative and atmosphere on par with the series’ best, it also makes some bold changes to gameplay that have sparked discussion. Traditionally, Silent Hill gameplay revolves around exploration, puzzle-solving, and occasional combat with clunky weapons meant to make the player feel vulnerable. SHf both honors and deviates from that formula. In the early hours, it plays much like a classic survival horror: you guide Hinako through eerie environments, resources (like health items and melee weapons) are limited, and the ever-present fog and darkness encourage you to sometimes flee rather than fight. VGC notes that in the “real world” segments, “resources are limited, weapons have durability, [and] that trademark fog is ever-present – it’s very much a survival horror situation.” videogameschronicle.com You can engage monsters, but risk breaking your only pipe or club if you overuse it, so picking your battles is crucial videogameschronicle.com. This will feel familiar and tense for Silent Hill veterans.
However, Silent Hill f isn’t afraid to ramp up the action when it suits the story. At certain points, the game shifts into an alternate “other” world – a twisted mirror dimension of the village – where the gameplay dynamics change. Crucially, weapons found in the other world do not break (infinite durability) and supplies reset videogameschronicle.com. This design choice nudges the player from a survival mindset into a more combat-ready stance during these sequences. “The ‘survival’ aspect very much switches from flight to fight” in the alternate world, VGC explains videogameschronicle.com. You suddenly have the tools to take on abominations head-on, and indeed you must, as the game throws more combat encounters at you. Hinako even gains a “focus” attack meter (tied to a sanity gauge) to unleash special moves videogameschronicle.com. Essentially, Silent Hill f mixes two styles: slow, fearful exploration in one moment, and intensified action-horror in the next.
This hybrid approach reaches its peak about halfway through the story, when – without spoiling specifics – the game undergoes a dramatic gameplay pivot. One reviewer described it this way: “a wild pivot takes place (and will doubtless split the fanbase). From this point on any semblance of survival horror goes out the window and all enemy encounters in the alternate world become a straight-up action game.” videogameschronicle.com In other words, later portions of SHf lean heavily into action combat. You’ll face waves of monsters in more combat-oriented set pieces, testing your melee timing and dodge reflexes rather than just your nerves. This design decision is a bit controversial. Some Silent Hill purists adore the series for its restraint in combat and fear that making the player too powerful could undercut the horror. On the flip side, others appreciate the fresh energy and modernized gameplay it brings.
So, how well does Silent Hill f balance these elements? The reception is mixed but generally positive. On one hand, combat in SHf is much more robust than any prior Silent Hill. Hinako can perform light attacks, heavy attacks, charged focus strikes, counters and dodges – almost a Souls-like melee system, although not nearly as punishing. (In fact, Konami’s producer Motoi Okamoto explicitly stated Silent Hill f is not meant to be a “Soulslike” and should not be mischaracterized as such relyonhorror.com, despite the melee focus and stamina-like mechanics). Many critics actually found the combat mechanics enjoyable once you adapt. “The dodge, counter and stun mechanics are all really satisfying” in open areas, VGC says, and the combat “is mostly fun, especially after one key moment” when things escalate videogameschronicle.com videogameschronicle.com. The game wants you to feel empowered at times – to actually fight back against the nightmare – which is a different flavor of horror (it can be cathartic to bash a monster’s head in after so much running scared). And importantly, the developers tied the frequent combat encounters into the narrative context, so they don’t feel completely random northcountrypublicradio.org.
On the other hand, some reviewers argue the combat is a double-edged sword. NPR’s critic admitted that all the combos and attack options are “a bit much” and that Silent Hill f “believably ties these frequent encounters to the narrative, [but] I would have definitely traded a handful of them for a few extra puzzles or spooky bouts of exploration.” northcountrypublicradio.org IGN’s 7/10 review echoed this sentiment: they enjoyed the creepy Japanese setting and “twisted freaks” to fight, but felt the combat system “seemed like too much of a chore to be fun” early on, yet then made the player too strong later – a balance issue that diminished the consistent fear factor purexbox.com purexbox.com. The game does still feature puzzles and quieter investigative segments, but possibly fewer than classic entries. In fact, Silent Hill f has drawn some criticism for a couple of its puzzles being either overly simple or annoyingly obtuse. One late-game puzzle involving fox and bird emblems was singled out as “absolutely infuriating” due to providing insufficient clues, leading to trial-and-error frustration videogameschronicle.com. So if there’s one area where SHf stumbles in some reviews, it’s that the pacing of puzzles vs. combat may not be perfect, and the camera can struggle in tight indoor spaces when fights occur (weapons can clang off walls in cramped hallways, which one reviewer found “massively infuriating at times” when battling agile enemies in small rooms videogameschronicle.com).
Still, these gameplay qualms haven’t turned most critics off. The general consensus is that NeoBards Entertainment (the developer) took some risks modernizing Silent Hill’s gameplay, and most of those risks pay off. Push Square’s review (7/10) sums it up: “It’s quite different, and hardcore fans will have to accept that… Combat is a heavy focus, and the move to Japan means a different kind of tone and atmosphere. [Yet] it marks a bold new chapter in the saga. Accept it for what it is, and you’ll find one of the PS5’s most intense experiences.” purexbox.com In other words, Silent Hill f evolves the franchise in a way that might feel jarring initially, but brings undeniable intensity and entertainment value. And crucially, it still nails the survival horror feel when it truly counts. As VGC put it, even after the action-heavy turn, “it’s still very much an experience that fans of the series and survival horror in general should definitely try out, as long as you’re prepared for more action than usual” videogameschronicle.com. The multiple difficulty modes (including a Story mode that Konami recommended for one’s first run northcountrypublicradio.org) ensure that players can tailor the challenge to their liking – whether they primarily want the narrative or a true survival gauntlet. With multiple endings to unlock (a staple of Silent Hill), SHf also encourages replay, and thankfully the game is enjoyable enough that “the prospect of taking Hinako through her own personal hell one more time won’t feel like a chore” videogameschronicle.com.
Critical Reception: “An Absolute Triumph”
So far, Silent Hill f is meeting – and perhaps exceeding – the lofty expectations of horror fans. It’s currently sitting at a strong mid-80s score on Metacritic/OpenCritic purexbox.com, indicating generally excellent reviews. What’s more telling are the superlatives being thrown around by critics who ordinarily don’t mince words with horror games. NPR’s Vincent Acovino gave a glowing assessment, declaring Silent Hill f “one of the boldest, darkest, goriest, grimmest, and flat out best games in the entire series” – a feat he found “tremendous” and “unfathomable” given the franchise’s past decade of struggles northcountrypublicradio.org. By the end of his playthrough, he concluded it was “[his] favorite game in the series since the original Silent Hill 2” and emphasized “Yes, it’s that good.” northcountrypublicradio.org Considering Silent Hill 2 (2001) is widely regarded as the pinnacle of the series (and a masterpiece of the genre), that is high praise indeed.
Other outlets echo the sentiment that SHf might rank among the series’ finest entries. Polygon’s review flatly stated “Silent Hill f ranks among the best Silent Hill games” thanks to its presentation, story, and fresh twists on the formula polygon.com. Game Rant went even further, slapping a rare 10/10 score, calling SHf “a bold and brutal new take on the classic series that is an absolute must-play for horror fans” gamerant.com. GameSpot, in its 9/10 review titled “Spirited Away,” marveled at the overall quality: “Silent Hill f is not just a return to form, it’s a remarkable evolution; it’s a visual spectacle, a mastercraft in psychological horror, a work of narrative brilliance, and a new benchmark for the Silent Hill series.” purexbox.com That line reads like the dream pull-quote Konami’s marketing team would print on the box. Many critics are highlighting how SHf simultaneously honors the legacy of Silent Hill and pushes it into exciting new territory – a balancing act that is notoriously hard to achieve in revival titles.
Crucially, even reviews that aren’t purely laudatory still acknowledge the game’s strengths. VideoGamesChronicle (4/5) offered measured critiques about combat and camera issues, but ultimately recommended the game wholeheartedly: “It looks absolutely gorgeous, it sounds superb… and the plot is as strange as it is engaging,” VGC writes, noting that despite some frustrating moments, the title remains “astoundingly beautiful” and “horror fans really should experience [it] regardless of its flaws.” videogameschronicle.com videogameschronicle.com Their verdict was that Silent Hill f is “still very much a Silent Hill game at heart” and one that proves the series can evolve without losing its identity videogameschronicle.com. GamesRadar (8/10) similarly praised the “terrifying yet beautiful foggy atmosphere and truly gnarly monster designs” and “gut-wrenching writing”, while admitting the “grueling” combat system could irritate at times purexbox.com. In their words, “unraveling the fears that haunt Hinako makes for some of the best horror I’ve ever played,” which is an endorsement that shines through the minor complaints purexbox.com.
Not every reviewer is over the moon – IGN’s review (7/10) was notably more lukewarm, applauding the fresh setting and “fascinatingly dark story” but expressing disappointment that the combat didn’t quite click and that the game “hasn’t landed exactly where [they’d] like it to.” purexbox.com In the end, even IGN conceded Silent Hill f “definitely earns a grade higher than a Silent Hill F; it’s probably closer to a Silent Hill B-.” purexbox.com (A cheeky way to say it’s good, not great, in their view.) Some dedicated Silent Hill fan sites or smaller outlets might quibble over details – for instance, a Hardcore Gamer 8/10 review said it’s “not the best in the franchise” but still “a true Silent Hill experience” that every horror fan should try purexbox.com. But these are mild variances in an overall positive chorus.
One striking thing about the reviews is the sense of surprise and relief running through them. There was cautious optimism around Silent Hill f pre-launch, but also skepticism given Konami’s long silence and the involvement of a relatively lesser-known developer (Taiwan-based NeoBards). Many critics openly admit to being taken aback by how good the final product is. “To my utter surprise, it’s my favorite since SH2,” wrote NPR northcountrypublicradio.org. “I have never been more excited for the future of Silent Hill,” said Game Rant’s reviewer after playing purexbox.com. Even horror community sites are declaring Silent Hill f a win; the news site Instant Gaming proclaimed “Silent Hill f is a hit” and that Konami’s latest survival horror gets excellent marks, summarizing that reviewers universally praised its atmosphere, visuals, storytelling, and Yamaoka’s soundtrack news.instant-gaming.com. This collective sigh of relief from fans and press alike is almost tangible – Silent Hill is back, and it’s actually great.
Conclusion: A Triumphant New Dawn for Silent Hill
It’s no exaggeration to call Silent Hill f a triumphant comeback for a legendary series that many feared lost to time. By prioritizing a powerful story, oppressive atmosphere, and creative risks, Konami and NeoBards have delivered a horror game that stands tall among 2025’s best games. Silent Hill f manages to honor the psychological horror legacy of the franchise (otherworldly fog, disturbing symbolism, psychological torment and all) while also revitalizing it with a new cultural setting and more dynamic gameplay. The result, as one expert put it, is “magnificently sinister” theverge.com – a game that can make you tremble at a whisper or recoil at a grotesque abomination in equal measure.
Importantly, Silent Hill f is drawing favorable comparisons not just to its own predecessors but to the broader horror canon. Some are calling it the most impactful horror game since Resident Evil 7 or The Evil Within redefined the genre in recent years. Others place it shoulder-to-shoulder with Silent Hill 2, long considered untouchable. Silent Hill has always been about confronting suffering and sins (often manifesting as monsters), and here that concept is renewed through the lens of Japanese folk horror and societal trauma. It gives the series a fresh voice without losing the eerie, melancholy tone that fans crave. As the first entirely new Silent Hill story in well over a decade, it had a lot riding on it – and it appears to have delivered beyond expectations.
Konami’s successful revival of Silent Hill with SHf also opens the door to an exciting future. With multiple Silent Hill projects announced (including a remake and spin-offs) and now a proven new hit, we may well be at the start of a full-blown Silent Hill renaissance. If Silent Hill f is any indication, that future is bright (or rather, dark and foggy in just the right way). Critics are already speculating about sequels or even DLC to explore unanswered questions from SHf’s story – which, given its complexity, will keep fans busy theorizing for a long time northcountrypublicradio.org. The game’s commercial success seems likely too, judging by those Amazon best-seller ranks and the sheer hype in the horror community.
In the end, Silent Hill f proves that classic survival horror can still evolve and captivate today’s audiences. It took mystery, it took rage, and it took a whole lot of creative courage – but Silent Hill is truly back. As one review jubilantly concluded, “The first new Silent Hill entry in over a decade is everything fans could ever hope it to be and then some, cementing itself as an instant classic not just for the franchise, but for survival horror overall.” purexbox.com Silent Hill has risen from its grave, and Silent Hill f is the bold nightmare leading the way. northcountrypublicradio.org videogameschronicle.com
Sources:
- Acovino, Vincent. “Silent Hill f surprises as one of the boldest and best horror games ever.” NPR (Sep. 22, 2025) northcountrypublicradio.org northcountrypublicradio.org northcountrypublicradio.org
- Gordon, Lewis. “Silent Hill F has two killer ingredients: mystery and rage.” The Verge (Sep. 22, 2025) theverge.com
- Scullion, Chris. “Silent Hill F review: A gorgeously grotesque spin-off that fascinates despite its flaws.” VideoGamesChronicle (Sep. 21, 2025) videogameschronicle.com videogameschronicle.com
- Thompson, Solomon. “Silent Hill f is the Best-Selling PS5 Game on Amazon.” Rely on Horror (Sep. 21, 2025) relyonhorror.com relyonhorror.com
- PureXbox – Review Roundup: Silent Hill f (Sep. 22, 2025) purexbox.com purexbox.com
- Wikipedia: Ryukishi07 – Silent Hill f writer (accessed Sep. 22, 2025) en.wikipedia.org
