13 years after the two failures that killed the franchise for a generation (the one-two punch of Downpour and Book of Memories), a new, traditional, and safe entry in the Silent Hill series must have been a tantalising prospect for Konami. It’s just got the fanbase back on board with an excellent remake of Silent Hill 2, and only a year later, a fresh entry could have kickstarted a completely new chapter in the mysterious town.

In reality, the Japanese publisher has done the opposite.

Silent Hill F, from developer NeoBards Entertainment, is anything but conventional. It moves the IP away from the fictional Maine setting to 1960s Japan, external talent Ryukishi07 has written the story, and melee combat isn’t just a begrudging option — it’s the entire point.

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You’ll catch shades of classic Silent Hill in fits and starts, as franchise newcomer Hinako Shimizu works to escape her hometown, now engulfed in fog. However, Silent Hill F walks its own path. This is a ruthless and intense instalment in the saga that, while different, works well overall.

Turning back the clock 60 years, high school student Hinako finds her home of Ebisugaoka consumed by fog, flowers, and monsters. She and a small group of friends try to find a means of escape, but now cut off from the rest of the world, they’re forced to look within.

More than half the game is spent searching for those answers. As Hinako survives the treks to her school, home, and anywhere in between, family revelations become twisted in the search for a getaway route, making the plot just as personal as it is cryptic.

And then, on regular occasions, Hinako faints.

Making up the rest of the experience are sequences set in a sort of mythical realm, where the main character explores a shrine and its innards. Within its walls is where the game earns its content warnings; these sections are particularly brutal, with ludicrously gory cutscenes and unexpected twists. As the story there develops, it provides a different sort of gameplay experience from the puzzle-solving and risky combat of the town.

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Put together, 15 hours of playtime should be enough to roll credits on the title, which is concluded by a surprisingly abrupt ending… on your first playthrough. From the mind of Higurashi When They Cry writer Ryukishi07, Silent Hill F is designed to be played again, with more plot points and endings to discover. To complete extra playthroughs may be too much of an ask for some, but those willing to invest will find a lot more to learn in New Game+. The first credits roll is almost like a tease, as the initial ending really is sudden.

It remains intriguing up to that point, however, complemented by light exploration, hard-hitting combat, and infrequent puzzles. When outdoors, you must find a path through the tight streets and dead ends of Ebisugaoka to reach the next objective. It’s far from an open world; there’s generally only one path that’ll lead you to the goal — but you can still do a touch of exploring with side roads hiding items, upgrades, and collectibles.

When you head inside, the title moves closer to a traditional Silent Hill experience, but it’s still not quite the same thing. That’s because of the combat.

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NeoBards Entertainment has placed all its focus on melee weapons, to the point where there aren’t any guns in the game whatsoever. Your attacks are deliberate and need to be well-timed; otherwise, you’ll fall foul of either your stamina meter or the heavy damage every enemy deals. There’s also weapon degradation to manage, so sometimes, the best option is to simply run away — everything is working against you.

Nevertheless, the combat feels weighty and satisfying when you do choose to engage. It uses hitstop to excellent effect, making the clash of your sickles, kitchen knives, and hammers with enemy flesh impactful. There are light and heavy attacks, then a dodge move and a parry window to utilise.

Comparisons have been made to Dark Souls in the lead-up to launch, except that, besides the fact Silent Hill F is a difficult game that punishes careless play, it doesn’t really play anything like a FromSoftware classic.

Despite the heavy focus placed on it during moment-to-moment gameplay, battling monsters lacks depth. You follow a simple routine of wailing on an enemy, then retreating when they attack, and going back in again for a few more hits. It’s routine and basic, but still feels good in the moment.

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The only downside is you’ll quickly lose interest in the things you’re actually fighting. Outside of the bosses, there are only maybe four different kinds of enemies in the whole game, which are repeated ad nauseam. Some of their designs lean into the blossom taking over the town, while others are just straight-up monstrosities. You’ll tire of seeing them only a few hours in.

Luckily, they usually clear out when solving a puzzle. Ridiculous and marvelously complex riddles and enigmas are a staple of the Silent Hill franchise, dating all the way back to the PS1 days. There are just enough in Silent Hill F to please returning fans.

The game is far and away at its best when you’re let loose in a full environment where the vast majority of its doors are locked and told to solve multiple puzzles at once. As you explore the hallways and classrooms of Hinako’s school, or search a twisted version of her home, slowly putting the pieces together to progress is a rewarding feeling.

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With pleasing combat sequences mixed in between, Silent Hill F retains enough of its roots in spite of the new direction the developer and Konami have taken. It still has all the tension and blood-curdling atmosphere of a survival horror favourite; there’s just a different kind of style and tone to it all. Think more Fatal Frame and Forbidden Siren than any of the PS2 classics from Team Silent.

It’s a continuation of the form kick-started by Silent Hill 2 last year, but it replicates the Bloober Team remake in one unfortunate way: technical issues. We played on a PS5 Pro, which, in a dedicated “Enhanced” mode that you’re locked into, frequently hitches and pauses the action for split seconds at a time.

The frame rate itself doesn’t seem affected, as it reliably maintains a 60 frames-per-second target. However, particularly during heavy combat sequences, the title constantly pauses for tenths of a second to the point of annoyance. It’s a flaw that’ll need fixing in post-launch updates.

Conclusion

Silent Hill F takes the survival horror series in a new direction, which pays off for the most part. It’s quite different, and hardcore fans will have to accept that. Combat is a heavy focus, and the move to Japan means there’s a different kind of tone and atmosphere in the air. Technical problems aside, it marks a bold new chapter in the Silent Hill saga. Accept it for what it is, and you’ll find one of PS5’s most intense experiences.

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