Silent Hill f - Analysis and Theories of the next game in the franchise

For years, Silent Hill fans felt orphaned by the franchise and the lack of new games. After the Silent Hills cancellation, a project led by Hideo Kojima, Konami made controversial decisions, prioritizing pachinko machines and pretty much forgetting about the series, much to the frustration of players.

However, in 2022, the company surprised everyone by announcing three new titles, proving that Silent Hill still had a future. Among the announcements were the long-awaited remake of Silent Hill 2, the intriguing Silent Hill: The Short Message, inspired by Kojima's famous demo, and a new chapter for the main franchise, Silent Hill F.

After a long period of silence, Konami finally released a trailer, giving us a glimpse of what we can expect for the future of the franchise.

Check out the trailer below:

Setting and decade

The developers have already confirmed that Silent Hill F will be set in the 1960s Japan, more specifically in the fictional rural town of Ebisugaoka.

This isn’t the first time that the horrors of Silent Hill have gone beyond the town's boundaries, which, despite always being portrayed as an American town, was built with strong inspiration from Western movies. One of the best-known examples of this is the Silent Hill school, based on the one featured in the film Kindergarten Cop.

Also, previous games, such as Silent Hill 3 and Silent Hill 4: The Room, have already shown us that the town's curse can spread to other locations. Heather, for example, faces creatures and even the Otherworld outside Silent Hill. Now, we just have to wait to see how the city will fit into the context of this new Japanese setting.

Gameplay

Although the trailer doesn't reveal much of the real-time gameplay, some scenes show the protagonist holding a pipe, and official descriptions point towards Silent Hill F being a third-person game with a focus on melee combat.

Everything indicates that players will be able to explore the city, solve puzzles, interact with other characters and face creatures. Unlike previous titles in the franchise, the game apparently won’t feature firearms, limiting players to weapons such as knives, axes and the pipe itself. The possible explanation for this choice could be the protagonist, who appears to be a teenager, making the use of firearms inconsistent within the narrative.

Even though the trailer doesn’t make it clear which scenes are gameplay, a few angles suggest moments of direct control over the character. The game will follow a third-person perspective with an over the shoulder camera, similar to what was seen in Resident Evil 2 Remake, The Evil Within and the Silent Hill 2 remake itself. This camera style favors melee combat, which’ll be the main focus of the game.

The trailer also reveals that, as the game progresses, Hidako's clothes can get torn, an interesting detail that shows her as an ordinary student facing unknown creatures and not being able to come out unscathed, something new in the series.

City

Although Silent Hill F carries the franchise's name, its story will take place in Japan, in the fictional city of Ebisugaoka. Even though it’s far from the iconic Silent Hill, the location still keeps one of the most characteristic elements of the series: the dense fog that fills up the environment, increasing the feeling of mystery and isolation.

The trailer reveals the protagonist exploring streets, tight alleys and narrow corridors, passing on to us a strong feeling of claustrophobia. Indoor environments are also shown, such as traditional houses and Japanese shrines, bringing a distinct atmosphere from previous games in the series.

This new setting and approach has led some players to compare Silent Hill F to titles like Fatal Frame, which also explores horror based on Japanese legends and folklore. This setting choice indicates that the game will seek a type of horror rooted in Japanese culture, bringing a new perspective to the franchise.

Otherworld

Just like the fog, the Otherworld is one of Silent Hill's trademarks. Despite the town already having a nightmarish air in its “normal” state, it’s in the Otherworld that the horror reaches its peak. In the classic games of the series, this transition completely transformed the environment, plunging it into darkness and covering everything with rust, chains and corroded structures, making the town even more oppressive and unpredictable.

In the Silent Hill F trailer, we can see a new approach to this concept. As the protagonist runs, the scenery is consumed by red flowers known as higanbana (Lycoris radiata). These flowers take over the floor, walls and even some of the creatures, creating a contrast between beauty and terror.

In Japanese culture, higanbana are closely linked to death, frequently being found in cemeteries and used in farewell ceremonies. They’re said to guide souls to the afterlife, a symbolism that could be directly linked to the game's themes. This aesthetic reinforces the developers' statement that Silent Hill F will be a game where “horror hides in beauty”.

Story

Although there are still very few details about the story of Silent Hill F out there, we already know that the protagonist will be Hinako Shimizu, a Japanese student who, after the mysterious disappearance of her friends, ends up being consumed by an enigmatic fog while searching for them.

In the trailer, some lines directed at Hinako suggest that her friends won’t be by her side forever and that some may even betray her. There are also indications that she’ll need to make a crucial decision. The game doesn’t make it clear what this choice will be, but the developers have already stated that the narrative will address “a beautiful but terrifying choice”.

At the end of the trailer, we see Hinako involved in a macabre cult, where her face is brutally ripped off. This moment suggests that the decision the character will face will be directly related to this cult. It’s worth remembering that, throughout the franchise, several cults have appeared as part of the plot, and Silent Hill F will be, chronologically, the oldest game in the series. This raises the possibility that this cult might be the origin of those we meet in previous titles.

In addition to the cult and the choices that’ll shape the narrative, the game will also address sensitive school issues, such as bullying, something that has already been mentioned on the game's official page as a trigger warning for players.

Music

The soundtrack has always been one of the most praised elements of Silent Hill, with meticulous work going into creating music that fits perfectly into each moment of the game. Much of this merit is due to Akira Yamaoka, the composer responsible for the franchise's most iconic tracks. After years away from the series' projects, including his absence in Silent Hill: Downpour, his return is great news for nostalgic fans.

Yamaoka has always aimed to create universal soundtracks to match the games' ambiance, but since Silent Hill F will be set in Japan, he’ll have the opportunity to explore musical styles more typical of the local culture.

Additionally, the Silent Hill F theme, described as “beauty coming from horror,” will also influence the soundtrack. According to the composer, this concept will be reflected in the songs, suggesting that even in moments of tension, beautiful melodies can be heard, creating a purposefully disconcerting effect.

Even with little information available, Silent Hill F is already making fans have great expectations. The responsibility for the project is in the hands of Neobards, and, since it’s a new main title in the franchise, its success could define the future of the series.

So far, the trailer and statements from the development team have been well received, suggesting a promising path for Silent Hill. Now, all we can do is wait for more news and details about the game.

Silent Hill F doesn’t have an official release date yet, but it’s scheduled to arrive in 2025.

And how about you, are you excited about the release? Is there any information that we missed? Share it in the comments!

Thanks for reading and see you next time!