Silent Hill f Review
Release Date: 25/09/2025
Platforms: PS5, XBOX Series X and PC
Platform played on: PS5
Hours Played: 30 (100% Completion)
Score: 9/10
After more than a decade without a proper new entry, Silent Hill f finally drags the series back into the fog. And honestly? It’s a return that feels both familiar and brand new at the same time. It doesn’t just slap on a coat of nostalgia. It twists the series into new shapes while still carrying that uneasy, grotesque charm that made Silent Hill stand out in the first place.
This time, instead of the usual American setting, the story unfolds in a fictional 1960s Japanese town called Ebisugaoka. You follow Hinako Shimizu, her friends, and family through a mix of mundane small-town life and surreal nightmare. The atmosphere blends the strange with the ordinary in a way that’s really effective—it feels lived-in and uncanny all at once.
Combat is where things might surprise people. If you’re expecting a full-on soulslike system, that’s not what this is. The game takes pieces of that style, like stamina management, dodges, and even a parry-style “perfect counter”, but mixes it with the old-school clunkiness of survival horror. Most of the time, avoiding fights is smarter than engaging, since weapons break quickly and enemies don’t drop loot. In the twisted “Dark Shrine” version of the world, you can find sturdier weapons and even fight a few bosses that lean closer to soulslike design. And while it’s not a true soulslike, some of the secret-ending bosses are so creative, both in how they look and how their attacks are choreographed, that I almost wish this studio would take a shot at a full-blown soulslike in the future.
The exploration and progression are where the game feels most Silent Hill. You swap between the “real” town and the disturbing Dark Shrine as you move forward. That part works beautifully. But here’s the catch: the areas are way more linear than in past entries. Think fewer big, sprawling spaces like Silent Hill 2’s hospital or hotel. In fact, the game really only has one large escape room area, and everything else is more of a straight path. It’s not bad, it keeps the tension high, but if you’re someone who loves getting lost in big, interconnected spaces, you might feel boxed in.
Puzzles are sprinkled throughout and range from clever to slightly punishing, though the game does give you a difficulty slider for them. There’s also a progression system where you can level up health and stamina, which is a nice addition without turning the game into a full RPG.
Replay value is another high point. After finishing, you unlock New Game Plus, then New Game Plus 2, both of which add new collectibles, secrets, and branching choices that lead to multiple endings. That kind of design feels true to the spirit of the series and gives you a reason to dive back in.
On the technical side, performance is solid. I ran into a couple of small stutters in specific areas, but nothing major. The art direction really shines, surreal and grounded at the same time and the PS5 handles it smoothly even in performance mode. Sound design is also on point. The unsettling ambient noises, grotesque enemy sounds, and eerie silence all come together to make the world feel oppressive in the best way.
If there’s one drawback beyond the linear design, it’s the length. A first playthrough might take around 10 hours depending on how much the puzzles slow you down, but once you know the path, repeat runs can shrink to 2–3 hours. At a $70–80 price tag, that might sting for some players.
Still, for longtime fans, Silent Hill f is both a confident return and a new experiment. It’s not perfect, but it shows the series can evolve without losing its identity.
