Silent Hill f review: elevated horror in 1960s Japan

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  • Name: Shimizu Hinako
  • Town: Ebisugaoka
  • Age group: 13-16
  • Gender: m/f

Okay, so the setting for this game is 1960s Japan, and it’s a seriously interesting time. It felt like old beliefs and new ideas were constantly battling it out – like, people still really believed in superstitions and traditional medicine even as science was becoming huge. It was this clash between the old ways and this rush towards modern life and money. And honestly, it was a pretty tough time for women. They were often seen as just… assets, meant to be married off to boost their family’s status and have kids. It’s a really stark contrast to how things are now, and it definitely adds a lot to the story.

Okay, so I’m really getting into this character, Hinako. She’s not your typical teen girl – she’d rather hang with the guys and totally lose herself in games and make-believe. It’s how she deals with a really tough home life; her dad’s a bit of a mess, always failing at stuff and deep in debt, and he’s really hard on her. That’s her first way of coping. But she also… self-medicates, which is a bit worrying, honestly. It’s like she’s trying to escape on multiple levels.

While Silent Hill f shifts the setting from the familiar American town to a more internal, psychological space, its protagonist, Hinako, is a brilliant choice. The horrors she faces are reflections of her own mind as she searches for beauty even in the darkest of circumstances. Hinako is still discovering her own path, despite her parents’ expectations. This installment offers a sophisticated brand of horror where every detail is symbolic and contributes to a complex, layered narrative.

Okay, so this game has some seriously disturbing enemies! There’s this… thing, this huge mass of flesh with these awful, pulsating sacks all over it. And it *rides* on this giant, fleshy growth that shoots out more monsters – it’s just horrifying. The character Hinako actually wrote in her journal that her biggest fear is becoming that creature, which is supposed to represent a deep fear of childbirth. Then there’s the Kashimashi, which is even weirder. It’s like a puppet made from parts of different women, and the name apparently means ‘a noisy group of women.’ Honestly, it’s all pretty unsettling, but fascinating too!

As the story unfolds, her school uniform becomes increasingly worn and damaged, almost as if it’s falling away like old skin. This change leaves you wondering if she’s being reborn, or simply going through a transformation.

After more than ten years, this new Silent Hill returns to its roots with themes that perfectly suit its revival. While some longtime fans might expect a game set in the familiar town of Silent Hill, this shift is exactly what the series needed. It allows the developers to draw on their own culture and create a uniquely fresh setting, tackling difficult and important issues that most games avoid.

The change in location dramatically alters how the game is played. Instead of guns, players in 1960s rural Japan must use whatever they can find as weapons – like baseball bats, knives, pipes, and axes. In a strange, otherworldly realm, the options are spears and daggers. This focus on close combat keeps you right in the thick of the fight, forcing you to confront the challenges while an intense, grinding sound fills your ears.

Close-quarters fighting is deliberate and relies on a mix of quick and powerful attacks, along with special moves and counters. Enemies have a hidden resistance, and hitting them with the right attack will leave them open. However, they can also surprise you with unavoidable grabs and unexpected attacks. Getting cornered can quickly lead to serious damage, and constantly dodging will leave you exhausted. Once you get the hang of it, most regular enemies aren’t too difficult, but acting too quickly will get you into trouble. Choosing the right weapon for the area is also important – large weapons are clumsy and ineffective in tight spaces.

When you get a closer look, you start to notice the strange details of these enemies. The Oi-omoi, a creepy collection of dolls built like a skeleton, seems to bounce towards you. The Kashimashi moves jerkily, as if controlled by unseen strings. The game uses clever tricks to keep you on edge. It’s a classic scare tactic to show you a body that will come back to life, but instead of jumping out right away, you might hear leaves rustling, and then it appears further down the path. Some enemies only move when you aren’t looking at them, and you can hear their joints creak whenever you turn your back.

As a challenging survival horror game, resources are scarce on the Hard difficulty (which is the standard Normal difficulty in Silent Hill f). This means you’ll often need to run from enemies when your weapons fail. Don’t assume you’re safe just because you’ve reached a higher spot like a ladder or ledge – many enemies are surprisingly nimble and will quickly follow, defying typical game expectations.

The puzzles are cleverly designed at every difficulty level. Instead of simply increasing the number of puzzles, higher difficulties make the clues more subtle and the solutions more complex. This means revisiting a puzzle can feel completely different, much like the way the game’s story unfolds-it becomes deeper and more detailed with each new playthrough, similar to the layered storytelling style of Ryukishi07.

Each time you replay the game, you’ll discover fresh documents, journal entries, and areas, and encounter enemies in new places. There are even entirely new cutscenes to watch, all of which add layers to the story. Even familiar scenes feel different as you gain more knowledge, offering new insights into the characters and plot. I’m on my third playthrough and still uncovering new details and gaining a deeper understanding of Hinako’s perspective. The developers have made replaying enjoyable by including new items and abilities, and letting you carry over progress to avoid repetitive sections. It’s a surprisingly rewarding experience.

Everything in Silent Hill f, from the unusual acting in both the Japanese and English versions to the striking visuals that blend beauty and horror, is carefully designed to deepen the narrative. The game respects its players, leaving room for individual interpretation rather than explicitly stating everything. This allows you to feel truly involved in the story without relying on typical, branching dialogue choices. While the game centers on Hinako’s journey, much like small-town rumors, everyone will inevitably form their own opinion about how her story concludes, even overriding her own agency.

Read more:An interview about the strong themes of Silent Hill f

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2025-09-22 10:17