Following the success of Bloober Group’s 2024 Silent Hill 2 Remake, expectations have been excessive for the franchise’s subsequent step, and Silent Hill f appears poised to exceed them. Developed by Taiwan-based NeoBards and previewed by each IGN and Sport Informer, it is a daring reinvention that stays true to the psychological DNA of the sequence whereas breaking haunting new floor. Set in Sixties rural Japan, Silent Hill f blends wealthy storytelling, methodical survival horror mechanics, and an evocative setting that’s already leaving a robust impression.
You may learn on beneath for a summation of execs and cons gathered from those that have been fortunate sufficient to conduct a hands-on preview of the title previous to our scheduled assessment of the sport upon launch.
Professionals
Story-Wealthy Setting: Each IGN and Sport Informer praised Silent Hill f‘s depiction of Ebisugaoka, a fictional Japanese mountain village steeped in historical past and dread. IGN described it as “one of the vital spectacular modern Japanese townscapes” in gaming, full with fog-drenched rice fields, rusted mailboxes, and shrines hidden amongst overgrown paths. It’s a setting that rivals style staples like Ghostwire: Tokyo or Shenmue, solely way more unsettling.
Contemporary But Devoted: Although it’s set many years and continents away from the unique Silent Hill, f is spiritually aligned with its predecessors. Sport Informer famous that regardless of the drastically completely different setting, the title “seems like a return to the basic entries,” capturing the franchise’s signature mix of the disturbing and surreal.
Character-Pushed Psychological Horror: Protagonist Hinako’s story, as reported by each shops, grounds the horror in real-world trauma, abuse, isolation, and adolescent id struggles. Her journal not solely tracks the sport’s occasions however evolves dynamically, generally shifting views and subtly reframing earlier experiences.
Exploration on the Forefront: Not like the SH2 remake, which saved gamers principally indoors, Silent Hill f invitations exploration. IGN highlighted that the majority of the demo time was spent roaming the eerily deserted city, uncovering its mysteries by means of visible storytelling and environmental clues.
Good, Built-in Puzzle Design: Puzzles in Silent Hill f are private and contextual. Sport Informer described challenges like decoding childhood trauma by way of scarecrows or deciphering cryptic poems whereas dodging blind beasts. IGN appreciated that puzzles struck a very good stability, providing simply sufficient hints to maintain gamers pondering with out handholding.
Satisfying, Tactile Fight: Whereas fight has its critics, each shops acknowledged its originality. There aren’t any weapons, solely melee weapons like knives, bats, and pipes, all with sturdiness limits. A Focus system permits gamers to dodge or counter enemies at key moments, tying into Hinako’s Sanity and stamina methods.
Replayability and Alternate Endings: True to sequence custom, Silent Hill f gives 5 endings, together with the beloved UFO gag. Nonetheless, solely the canonical ending is out there on the primary playthrough. Subsequent runs consider participant decisions to department the narrative in unpredictable methods, including significant replay worth.
Terrifying Creature and Sound Design: From grotesque bosses to eerie scarecrows, enemy design is top-tier. Sport Informer emphasised how disturbing enemy conduct, paired with glorious 3D audio, created moments that “raised the hairs” on their neck. Akira Yamaoka’s haunting rating additional heightens the dread.
Cons
Stamina Regeneration Feels Unbalanced: Sport Informer took problem with the stamina system, noting how Hinako, supposedly a former observe athlete, regenerates stamina too slowly. This delay left them susceptible throughout powerful encounters, particularly in opposition to sooner enemies.
Boss Problem Spikes: Each shops described the demo’s boss combat as punishing. With quick assaults, erratic motion, and tight dodge home windows, some gamers struggled for practically an hour. Whereas the problem isn’t inherently dangerous, the mixture of sluggish stamina and tight counters proved irritating.
Omamori RNG System: Shrines let gamers commerce sources for omamori (buff-granting charms), however Sport Informer criticized the randomized “loot field” nature of this technique. Spending giant quantities of the in-game foreign money “Religion” solely to obtain a probably unhelpful appeal was famous as an annoyance in an in any other case calculated recreation.
Even with minor hiccups in fight stability and a divisive perk system, Silent Hill f is shaping as much as be a triumph. With elegant storytelling, wealthy worldbuilding, and significant gameplay depth, NeoBards has crafted one thing each reverent and daring. In response to IGN, the city of Ebisugaoka “seems like the right match for a psychological horror narrative,” whereas Sport Informer believes the sport has “the makings of a robust entry” that builds on the remake’s momentum.
With its launch set for September 25 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Collection X|S, and PC, Silent Hill f may very well be the subsequent nice chapter in survival horror and possibly even a Sport of the Yr contender. I sit up for reviewing the sport myself upon launch and offering our readers with an in-depth have a look at the subsequent mainline Silent Hill entry.
