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Silent Hill f is finally out after being first revealed alongside a slate of other Silent Hill projects back in 2022. This turns back the clock and takes us to Japan in the 1960s, as we step into the role of schoolgirl Hinako. Dialling up the unsettling atmosphere, this continues the series tradition of some seriously scary scenarios, but it's also more action-oriented than 2024's Silent Hill 2 remake. If you're curious to discover if this could be one for you, be sure to check out our Silent Hill f review to get our verdict on the latest Silent Hill experience. And if you're wondering about other horror games on the way, including the other Silent Hill projects then check out these upcoming horror game.
And if you're eager to learn more about this new game, we've gathered together all of the trailers, gameplay guides, and much more below. So read on below to find a helpful breakdown of everything you need to know about Silent Hill f.
Silent Hill f platforms
Silent Hill f is out now on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X! However, it seems unlikely at this stage that will see it arrive among the lineup of future upcoming Switch 2 games. If you're a fan of the series, or you're looking to dive in it for the first time, be sure to check out our pick of the best Silent Hill games to play today.
Silent Hill f trailer
This is the main Silent Hill trailer, revealed in March 2025 by PlayStation. Running for almost four minutes it's full of cinematic shots of the game's setting, the fictional town of Ebisugaoka, Japan, and introducing the protagonist, the high school student Hinako Shimizu.
The town is ominous from the get-go in the trailer, immersed in a thick fog that soon has Hinako wandering around empty streets. However, things really kick off when we spot some Red Spider Lilies blooming (you know that flower that symbolizes death?). Hinako is transported to another plane of existence, walking through a temple that seems to be filled with a myriad of monsters.
We also have this trailer below from Gamescom Opening Night Live 2025:
This trailer shows Hinako in a strange world packed with monsters. A creepy voice tells her that it will save her soul by "killing her old self". We see Hinako's home in the real world full of blood, and just generally get some more unsettling vibes from the whole thing.
Silent Hill f story and setting
Silent Hill f is now set in Japan and an original story, meaning that you won't need to have played any of the previous games in the series. You'll be navigating the Japanese town of Ebisugaoka during the 1960s, based on a real place called Kanayama, Gero, in the Gifu Prefecture.
Written by Japanese author and artist Ryukishi07, the story of Silent Hill f will follow the high schooler Hinako Shimizu, who lives an ordinary life until a mysterious fog engulfs her town and begins to change it in horrific ways. Separate from her friends, she has to find them while trying to escape from the town, all while finding out more about the individual fears that haunt them all.
"When it comes to exploring time periods, if you go too far back in time it obviously becomes so detached from our familiar reality that it basically becomes a fantasy, whereas the present, of course, is very much grounded in reality and there's really no room for interpretation, because everything is very clear cut," Ryukishi07 tells us when we ask about the choice of time period. "I've grown very fond and mesmerized by the possibilities that arise from the period in between the past and present, where those two ideas of fantasy and reality will intersect. [...] When it comes to Silent Hill f the types of themes that I was exploring, the themes that I wanted to portray for Silent Hill f, I believe that the crossroads landed right around the 1960s."
A lot of the psychological horror in Silent Hill f is drawn from the pressures around Hinako to grow up, especially when it comes to the 1960s pressures for young women in Japan. Haunting radio messages, girl mags, and other journal comments often revolve around the expectations society has on the value of women when it comes to marriage and housekeeping.
Silent Hill f's director, Al Yang, also said during the PlayStation June State of Play 2025 that it was "absolutely critical" for the team not to "merely copy" previous Silent Hill games, but to "really understand what key atmospheric elements define the classic Silent Hill titles were, in order to evolve them".
However, series producer Motoi Okamoto has also said that "the influence of Silent Hill 2 is probably the most present" before elaborating that "simply just repurposing Silent Hill 2 too closely will quickly lead players to get bored of the project. So rather than simply repeating, we try our best to make [the series] more versatile."
Silent Hill f gameplay
Like every other Silent Hill game, Silent Hill f is a survival horror game that will have you solving puzzles and trying not to die as gruesome monsters wander around trying to kill you.
Slowly exploring the fogged up map, you're kept on a somewhat rigid path with side bits to explore as you have to make it to each objective, usually following in the footsteps of your school friends. Once there, you have to explore denser areas, ranging from real world locations like schools, to strange foggy expanses, and a huge shrine that seems to fill the role of earlier games' Otherworlds.
Beyond simply enemies blocking the way are plenty of puzzles and riddles. Scriptwriter Ryukishi07 has even been involved with the puzzle design to ensure that no conundrum is there for the sake of it, but actually adds to the narrative design. They always tell you something more about the world, its characters, and the tapestry of relationships they share. So far we've been impressed with the variety of puzzles on offer.
In an official PlayStation blog post following the showcase, Konami producer Motoi Okamoto detailed the team's approach for Silent Hill f's feel and gameplay, revealing that the "puzzles are grounded in psychological anguish and suffering. These are deeply connected to the story by scriptwriter Ryukishi07, as well as elements of Japanese culture, such as scarecrows".
The entire game is limited to melee combat, with most weapons in the real world being destructible too. Hinako has a surprising amount of options during a scuffle, including the ability to perfect dodge to activate slow down, charge up a focus-bar-draining special attack, and to counterattack enemies when they glow a special color. She can even switch between light and heavy attacks depending on how much time you have to wind-up a strike. With narrower streets than the US, the idea is that Hinako "has no choice but to confront fears head-on" and must use "adrenaline" to survive.
Collectibles range from notes that reveal more about the complicated story and recovery items like food. Some of the latter can be traded in at shrines to earn Faith, which can be redeemed to increase Hinako's stats and get equipment that provides buffs, such as enhancing evasion, defence, or stealth capabilities.
There will be multiple endings to Silent Hill f, including the series' iconic UFO ending (more on that below). The first playthrough, however, will always go the same way. Repeat playthroughs will add elements like new branching pathways, bosses, and, of course, lore. It seems that to get the true experience, you'll need to play more than once, suggesting the overall plot of Silent Hill f may incorporate some kind of looping nature.
For more, check out our selection of the best survival games to play today while you wait for Silent Hill f to arrive.
What are the Silent Hill f basics?
The answer to How long Silent Hill f? is, is surprisingly solid with little deviation to a first play through across the board. Depending on what Silent Hill f difficulties you choose, or how much you explore, you might see a small amount of variation but almost everyone seems to get the same play time first go. It's that 'first go' bit that's important though, as there are multiple Silent Hill f endings and you can only get one the first time around, and another needs two previously completed games. So if you want to see everything it could be a long old game.
The first Silent Hill f puzzle
You'll actually be playing for a while before you encounter your first Silent Hill f puzzle, the Silent Hill f Altar puzzle. That will have you trying to work out where to put things but it might take you a while to work out what you need as there's no information initially obvious to help you. That guide will explain all and have you moving on in no time.
How to solve all the Silent Hill f school puzzles
When you reach Ebisugaoka Middle School in Silent Hill f you'll have a trio of puzzles to work though as you explore the building in search of a key to the mountain. First up is the need to find the Silent Hill f School Key so you can fully explore the building. That will have you looking for chrysanthemums and, if you want a few decent items, dealing with a few monsters. After that you'll find the Silent Hill f secret box when you get trapped in a classroom. That's a three stage puzzle as each time you solve the box there's another inside. Completing that will get you the key you need to ultimately open a Silent Hill f locker and then leave the school.
How to solve Silent Hill f otherworld puzzles
You'll visit the Silent Hill f otherworld and the suspicious Fox Mask multiple times and these are the first two puzzles you'll encounter there. The Silent Hill f Shrine Vault will introduce a new monster that makes life harder as you try to solve it. Then, later, you'll need to find the Silent Hill f missing object part, an odd puzzle that's less a puzzle, and more a slightly confusing fetch quest that doesn't give you anything to go on and looks at first like a dead end. There's more to come in this shodwy realm but those two will get you a fair way in.
What's the Silent Hill f scarecrow puzzle all about?
The Silent Hill f Scarecrow puzzle is one of the more confusing tests in the game, with a lengthy series of challenges as you try to identify various two faced representations of your friends from short clues. It's probably one of the least clear puzzles in the game and every time you get it wrong you'll be attacked. With five stages to get through save yourself the trouble and use that guide to work out what's going on.
For more future releases, check out our guides on all the upcoming PS5 games and upcoming Xbox Series X games racing towards us.
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