Konami has successfully established high expectations forSilent Hill f, which looks like a radical new direction for the franchise with plenty of talent at the helm. Indeed, this next chapter in the storied horror series is poised to maintain the momentum of theastonishingly goodSilent Hill 2remakelast year, hopefully bringing the IP back into the modern mainstream.
Silent Hillis a beloved franchise, no doubt, but it’s also one that is particularly controversial. The first few entries are considered not just best-in-class horror games, but some of the best games of all time, full stop. But afterSilent Hill 4, the series began to lose its identity a bit, stumbling with hit-and-miss releases, but it received a death blow in 2014 thanks to the separation of Konami and Hideo Kojima, who was meant to helmSilent Hillsalongside director Guillermo Del Toro. In the following years, Konami andSilent Hill’s reputation continued to nosedive, especially as the studio opted to use the IP for questionable, unpopular business ventures like pachinko machines. Things are on the upswing now, but it’s up toSilent Hill fto keep it that way.
Silent Hill f Is Potentially Existential for the Franchise
Silent Hill’s Revival Is One for Three
Against all expectations,Bloober Team’sSilent Hill 2remaketurned out to be fantastic, introducing a new generation of gamers to the original’s seminal narrative while reminding original fans whySHwas so beloved in the first place. But at the risk of raining on a parade, it’s worth remembering that the twoSilent Hillprojects preceding the remake were received remarkably poorly, only confirming the negative options many had about modernSilent Hill.
Silent Hill: Ascension, a community choose-your-own-adventure story, was buried in a landslide of criticism, with many pointing out its insensitive handling of controversial topics and ostensible fetishization of trauma. It seemed thatAscensiontook all the wrong lessons from games like the originalSilent Hill 2, latching on to shock value and disturbing subject matter while forgetting about nuance. The negative feedback got so bad that Genvid, the studio behindAscension’s development, had topublicly refute allegations that it was written by generative AI.
Ascensionrelied heavily on microtransactions as well, which didn’t help it garner affection from audiences.
Then there’sSilent Hill: The Short Messagewhich, while notnearly as maligned asAscension, was hardly hailed as a modern classic. Reviews ranged from middling to devastating, with many viewing it as more like a parody ofSilent Hillthan a worthwhile, creatively valuable entry.The Short Messageis free-to-play, which should have helped it reach a wide audience, but it seems to have been forgotten about as quickly as it arrived, which says a lot about its reception.
Silent Hill f Has the Chance to Set the Series Straight
TheSilent Hill 2remake may have been great, but it was based on an already beloved, critically acclaimed property. That’s not to discount the work that Bloober did—the remake is exceptionally well-crafted—but it’s a completely different ballgame from making an original, new story.AscensionandThe Short Messageattempted to do just that, and few would argue that they succeeded. Thus,Silent Hill fis positioned to carry the franchiseinto the future, as it were.
Luckily, the game looks promising. The recent reveal trailer highlights its unapologetically horrifying tone and visuals, and the project seems tocapture the spirit ofSilent Hillwhile still feeling new. These elements, coupled with the clear passion displayed by its creators, might just getSilent Hill fover the finish line, establishing it as a bold, well-crafted next step for the series. Then, Konami can look proudly to the future rather than staying fixated on the past.
Silent Hill f
WHERE TO PLAY
In 1960s Japan, Shimizu Hinako’s secluded town of Ebisugaoka is consumed by a sudden fog, transforming her home into a haunting nightmare.As the town falls silent and the fog thickens, Hinako must navigate the twisted paths of Ebisugaoka, solving complex puzzles and confronting grotesque monsters to survive.Immerse yourself into Hinako’s world imagined by renowned author Ryukishi07, with entrancing music, including pieces by Akira Yamaoka, and beautiful visuals in a gripping tale of doubt, regret, and inescapable choices. Will Hinako embrace the beauty hidden within terror, or succumb to the madness that lies ahead?Discover a new chapter in the SILENT HILL series, blending psychological horror with a haunting Japanese setting.
