Silent Hill f - Latest Reviews & Impressions

What is Silent Hill f

Developed by NeoBards Entertainment in collaboration with Konami. Story contributions from Ryukishi07 (known for horror / visual novel writing).

Setting: rural Japanese town of Ebisugaoka in the 1960s, with a young girl named Hinako as protagonist. Fog, grotesque monsters, supernatural horror, psychological elements.

Gameplay leans more toward melee-combat rather than firearms; includes dodge, counter-attacks, stamina management, and survival horror resource constraints.

What Critics Like

1. Visuals, Atmosphere & Art Direction

Critics are praising the game's setting - the fog, Japanese rural environment, unsettling creature design, red vines, strange organic growths, creepy shrines. These visuals help pull players into the horror.

2. Narrative Mystery & Emotional Themes

Silent Hill f is getting positive notes for its story - its mystery, its themes (outsider, identity, mental health, societal pressure), and how it makes you care about Hinako. The pacing and revelations are enough to keep players interested.

3. Boss Fights & Horror / Psychological Horror

Many mention that horror elements are strong: monster designs, intense boss battles, the fear of the unknown, unsettling atmosphere. It's not just jump scares; the psychological weight is present.

4. Length and Replayability

The first full reviews (e.g. Famitsu) say the main story takes 12-13 hours, with multiple endings, which adds replay value.

What Critics & Fans are Less Positive About

Combat Issues

While combat is praised in some ways (counterattacks, dodge), many also find it clunky. Weapon durability, stamina consumption, combat pacing are points of friction. Some confrontations feel more frustrating than tense.

Controls, Camera & Movement

There are complaints that certain controls are confusing or unwieldy, characters “getting caught on terrain”, and camera issues during some sequences.

Localization / Voice Acting Weaknesses

Some reviewers suggest that the English dub / voice acting is weak compared to the Japanese voice track. Timing, lip-sync, and emotional delivery suffer in non-original languages.

Difficulty / Resource Management Frustration

The difficulty curve can be steep in parts. Managing stamina, limited resources, weapon degradation, and sometimes enemies overwhelming when in groups are criticized. The feeling of being punished for small mistakes is present.

Overall Impressions

Score highlights: Famitsu gave 36/40 (4×9/10) - the highest score the magazine has ever awarded a Silent Hill game.

Many reviews conclude that Silent Hill f is likely one of the strongest new entries in the franchise in years, especially for fans who appreciate atmospheric horror and narrative depth over just action.

Things to Expect / How to Prepare

Be ready for melee-based horror; if you prefer ranged combat, this may feel different.

Conserve resources (healing, stamina recovery, weapon repair) since the game wants to make you feel vulnerable.

Pay attention to environmental cues: the height of fog, strange growths, shrines-all tie into the psychological horror and narrative.

Try playing in the original Japanese audio if possible, especially if you want full atmosphere. English dub seems weaker in many impressions.

Verdict

If you love Silent Hill for its dread, its atmosphere, its psychological horror qualities, then Silent Hill f is looking very promising. It won't be perfect - combat and resource management may frustrate you, and some traditionalist fans may hate that it shifts setting and emphasizes action-horror mechanics more than pure slow-burn dread. But it delivers much of what fans hoped for: a fresh setting, strong visuals, emotionally tense narrative, and that eerie Silent Hill feeling reincarnated in new context.