Silent Hill f

An atmospheric survival horror game where you swing a rusty pipe at distorted horrors and piece together a cursed family history in 1960s Japan.

Last reviewed: May 1, 2026

Released Sep 2025 Singleplayer / 3D / Horror

Silent Hill comes back swinging in 1960s Japan — Ryukishi07's writing and Yamaoka's score carry it past combat that's still the franchise's weak spot.

8.5 /10

Mighty

Previously an Editor's pick

For you if

You've been chasing the Silent Hill 2 / 3 atmosphere since 2003 — Silent Hill f hits the same tone-over-mechanics balance.
Ryukishi07's name (Higurashi, Umineko) means more to you than 'survival horror combat must be tight.'
Akira Yamaoka soundtracks alone are worth your time — and this is the first new SH soundtrack from him in over a decade.

Not for you if

You want Silent Hill 2 Remake-tier combat polish — SH f's melee and dodge feel rougher than its peers.
Linear, scripted survival horror disappoints you — SH f has less player-driven puzzle solving than older entries.
Pyramid Head and Lakeside Pennsylvania are non-negotiable — SH f is a clean break from the franchise's American settings.

What players love

The narrative depth and emotional journey, especially across multiple endings, is what high-playtime reviewers consistently praise.

What frustrates them

The cryptic ending system and hard difficulty puzzles are points of friction for long-hour players.

See the reviews behind this →

What critics say

4/5Eurogamer
Silent Hill f's frustrating first-half is outweighed by a brilliant, delirious second
Vikki Blake Read review →
7/10IGN
Fresh setting and fascinatingly dark story, but its melee-focussed combat doesn't quite land
Tristan Ogilvie Read review →
90/100PC Gamer
An excellent next step for this accomplished horror series that proves Silent Hill horrors extend beyond the iconic mountain town
Elie Gould Read review →

Before You Play

Refreshed monthly

How scary is Silent Hill f for new horror-game players?

Genuinely rough — but rough as in dread, not as in jump-cuts. Silent Hill f leans on slow-build psychological horror grounded in 1960s Japanese rural anxieties (community pressure, gender, tradition) rather than monster-of-the-week scares. Reviewers consistently rank it as the most unsettling horror release of 2025, and players who rarely find games scary report being genuinely affected. If you've handled Silent Hill 2 or Resident Evil VII, you'll find this thematically heavier but mechanically less punishing.

Source: Game Rant Horror Analysis

Is Silent Hill f single-player or does it have co-op?

Strictly single-player. Silent Hill f is a story-driven horror game centered on Hinako Shimizu's experience in 1960s Ebisugaoka — there's no multiplayer, no co-op mode, and no companion AI. The intimacy of the horror depends on you being alone with the atmosphere, the soundscape, and the protagonist's deteriorating mental state.

Source: Wikipedia

Is Silent Hill f worth replaying after the first ending?

Yes — it has multiple endings tied to specific late-game choices, and the runtime is short (about 8 hours for a first playthrough), so a second pass is reasonable rather than a slog. Even with the scares spoiled, the dread is mostly atmospheric rather than jump-based, so the unsettling tone holds up. Many players replay specifically to chase the alternate endings and pick up missed lore documents.

Source: Game Rant Review

Does Silent Hill f rely on jump scares?

Mostly psychological dread, with very few traditional jump scares. The horror builds through atmosphere, sound design, and the slow-revealing 1960s village setting — what unsettles you is the implication of what's around the corner, not a sudden monster lunge. Reviewers consistently flag the "buildup over payoff" approach: the tension is the horror. If you specifically dislike jump scares, this one's actually safer for you than most modern horror games.

Source: Silent Hill f Scariness Analysis

What accessibility options does Silent Hill f offer for horror-sensitive players?

Silent Hill f has separate Action and Puzzle difficulty sliders — by default the game suggests Story-level Action with Hard Puzzles, but you can drop both independently. There's no in-game scare-reduction toggle (no jump-scare warnings or ambient-volume settings beyond standard audio mixing), but combat-light Story difficulty paired with subtitle and photosensitivity options makes it more approachable than most modern horror games for players who mainly want the narrative.

Source: NoisyPixel Review