The Maritime Nerd Silent Hill f Review

Welcome aboard. I’m The Maritime Nerd, and we’re charting a course through Silent Hill F analyzing everything from gameplay mechanics to overall performance. The question remains: will this title survive the nightmare, or succumb to the darkness? Nearly two years after the release of the Silent Hill 2 remake, Konami returns with a new installment in the franchise. Silent Hill F serves as a continuation of the core narrative, but this time shifts its setting to 1960s Japan. Players step into the role of Hinako Shimizu, a teenage girl navigating profound emotional turmoil. Following her sister’s marriage, Hinako’s home life deteriorates as her father descends into alcoholism and becomes increasingly abusive. This tension fuels Hinako’s rebellious behavior and ultimately leads to a pivotal confrontation that sends her fleeing into the outside world. As the story unfolds, it becomes clear that Hinako is battling not only external pressures from her family and society, but also deep internal struggles. This layered characterization adds meaningful emotional depth rarely seen in the survival horror genre, where protagonists often feel one-dimensional or driven by cliché dialogue. Hinako’s complexity makes her journey compelling and human. Although titled Silent Hill F, the game does not actually take place in Silent Hill. Instead, the story unfolds in the remote mountain town of Ebisugaoka, Japan. At the start, the town appears quiet and nearly abandoned, with only a handful of remaining residents since World War II. The iconic fog is initially absent, lending a false sense of calm. However, once Hinako meets her school friends—Shu, Rinko, and Sakuko the environment undergoes a dramatic transformation. Fog engulfs the town, red flowers and fungal growths spread across the landscape, and grotesque mannequin-like creatures emerge. A tragic event claims the life of one of Hinako’s friends, driving her deeper into the nightmare as she searches for the others. During moments of intense trauma, players are transported into an alternate world guided by a mysterious figure wearing a fox mask. These sequences involve ritualistic trials that gradually grant Hinako new abilities, empowering her to confront increasingly dangerous threats. However, this world is deceptive, and not everything is as it appears. Exploration plays a major role in progression. Players navigate alleyways, crawl through windows, and search abandoned buildings to uncover collectibles and weapons. Notably, firearms are completely absent. Instead, combat relies on melee weapons such as wooden bats, lead pipes, kitchen knives, sickles, and heavy wrenches. These weapons operate on a durability system similar to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, requiring players to repair them using tool kits found throughout the environment. Collectibles are essential to both survival and narrative discovery. Documents reveal additional lore about Hinako’s family and the town’s dark history. Health and stamina items include red pills, bandages, medical kits, chocolate, and formulas. Players can also find antique items and dried carcasses, which can be offered at save points to gain Faith used to upgrade health and stamina. Inventory upgrades are equally important, making thorough exploration critical, especially as combat becomes more demanding. Combat introduces a significant shift for the franchise. Silent Hill F adopts stamina-based mechanics similar to a Souls-like experience. Players must carefully manage their stamina during attacks and evasive maneuvers. Overextending in combat especially against multiple enemies can quickly become fatal. While there are approximately four main enemy types, success depends on learning attack patterns and maintaining stamina discipline. This system adds tension and strategy that feels fresh for the series. Puzzle design is more prominent than in previous entries, featuring complex and sometimes demanding challenges. While some puzzles may feel excessive or disruptive to pacing, successfully solving them is rewarding, especially when supported by environmental clues and collectible documents. One area that stood out was pacing. The game begins slowly, which is appropriate for the genre, but the latter half accelerates abruptly. After reaching approximately 55% completion, the remaining portion of the game concluded surprisingly quickly, with minimal narrative buildup toward the finale. The ending feels somewhat abrupt, resolving without the dramatic escalation typically expected in survival horror titles. The game offers multiple endings, though unlocking them requires completing New Game Plus and New Game Plus Plus to collect all necessary items. Players uninterested in repeated playthroughs may prefer to view alternate endings online. Overall, Silent Hill F is a strong survival horror entry that arrived during a year with few notable competitors in the genre. Final Score: 7/10Great job, Konami.