Silent Hill’s New Japanese Setting

Konami‘s upcoming survival horror title, Silent Hill f, has generated excitement thanks to its distinctive Japanese setting and the involvement of renowned writer Ryukishi07.

However, after previews showed melee combat, counterattacks, and dodge mechanics, speculation began to swirl that the game might fall into the Soulslike category. Konami has now moved quickly to dispel that notion.

A Firm Denial

Speaking with IGN, producer Motoi Okamoto firmly rejected the comparison, stating that Silent Hill f is not a Soulslike game.

Okamoto expressed frustration with how the label has become shorthand for any title featuring stamina management or dodge mechanics. He argued that these systems were part of survival horror long before Dark Souls popularised them.

Building on Silent Hill’s Legacy

Okamoto pointed to earlier games in the series as proof that these mechanics are not new to Silent Hill. Silent Hill 4 introduced a charge meter for attacks, while Silent Hill 3 already used a stamina system well before FromSoftware defined its subgenre. In his words, Silent Hill f builds on classic survival horror rather than adopting Soulslike RPG design.

It’s hard to argue with what the developers are saying, but it is clear that the Souls formula have popularised said mechanics at a scale that the Silent Hill franchise has not been able to.

While the combat may resemble other modern action titles, Konami insists that Silent Hill f is rooted firmly in psychological horror and survival tension. Protagonist Hinako Shimizu will embody this balance of vulnerability and resilience, with the narrative focused on dread and atmosphere rather than punishing difficulty.

This can be seen in the weapon degradation system, as well as the general approach of not being able to eliminate all enemies for a sense of calm.

Silent Hill f is scheduled to launch on 25 September for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.