Among all the Silent Hill projects currently being developed by Konami in collaboration with third-party developers, Silent Hill f seems to be one of the most intriguing. Despite being crafted by a Japanese developer, the series has never fully embraced Japan as its main setting — that is, until now.
Serving as the highlight of the latest Silent Hill Transmission event, Konami has revealed more details about Silent Hill f, and at first glance, the game has already gotten the horror aspects down. This survival horror title is being developed by NeoBards Entertainment, with the renowned writer Ryukishi07 penning the story.
Set in 1960s Japan, players will take on the role of a teenage girl named Shimizu Hinako, who resides in a small town called Ebisugaoka. As expected from a Silent Hill game, an eerie and thick fog suddenly envelops the town, triggering a series of horrifying events that Hinako has never encountered before. The first cinematic trailer released showcases an atmosphere that is both breathtakingly beautiful and deeply unsettling.
Interestingly, the dark themes familiar from other projects, such as the Silent Hill 2 Remake, will be the foundation for Hinako’s story. In an official disclaimer, Konami has stated that Silent Hill f will explore heavy themes such as gender discrimination, child abuse, bullying, hallucinations induced by drugs, and explicit violence.
Additionally, Konami has emphasised that Silent Hill f will faithfully depict Japan in the 1960s, including the customs and culture of that era. However, they clarified that the game does not represent the personal views or values of the individuals involved in its development.
“To this day, I remember the feeling of my first encounter with the suffocating and oppressive atmosphere of Silent Hill. It still deeply haunts me, and it still utterly fascinates me. It’s an honor to find myself involved with a series I have so many memories with. I’ve poured all my efforts into this story, so much so that I don’t think I would mind if it was the last thing I ever wrote,” said Ryukishi07.
“To me, the Silent Hill series is more than just a collection of stories, it’s a medium; an amazing, phenomenal way of exploring and experiencing a person’s heart and mind. It’s my hope that players out there will come to appreciate it in the same way. And to all of our overseas friends, I hope you’ll enjoy a look at what Silent Hill might be like if set somewhere a little different, like Japan.”
Silent Hill f is planned for release on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and PC. As of now, no specific release date or launch window has been announced.
