Silent Hill f moves to 1960s Japan with action-heavy survival horror

Konami's new installment in the Silent Hill franchise, Silent Hill f, launched on September 25, 2025 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, and PC. Developed by NeoBards Entertainment and written by Ryukishi07, the game moves the series out of its familiar American setting and into 1960s rural Japan, where high school student Shimizu Hinako awakens to find her village of Ebisugaoka shrouded in fog and overtaken by a nightmarish cult. The title has been widely praised for its atmosphere, narrative and visuals, but its heavier emphasis on action and melee combat has divided players and critics alike.

Set in a period of changing social expectations in Japan, the game uses Hinako's personal history and the era's gender norms as central themes. Documents and in‑game journals sketch a protagonist coping with family abuse, social ostracism and a town steeped in superstition. The primary antagonists take the form of a cult commonly referred to as the Fox Clan, whose rituals and otherworldly realm figure prominently in the story. Composer Akira Yamaoka contributed to the soundtrack, reinforcing the game's psychological tone.

Gameplay blends classic survival horror resource management...