Silent Hill f: 5 Hours In — The Japanese Horror You Didn’t See Coming

Let’s get something out of the way: when Konami plopped the next Silent Hill into the hands of a non-Japanese team and told them, “Make it work. Also, set it in Japan,” fans (me) squirmed harder than a fog-drenched protagonist. My skepticism was intense—the kind you save for “single-ply” toilet paper or cloud gaming promises.

Then I spent five hours in Ebisugaoka, Silent Hill f’s moody, sinuous, strikingly Japanese setting. And I’m here to report: I was wrong. Like, ‘admit it in public on a blog forever’ wrong.

Ebisugaoka: Where Candy-Colored Terror Feels Authentic

If you thought authenticity would be Silent Hill f’s first casualty: surprise! This tiny Japanese town is the most authentic digital Japan since traveling through game worlds with Octopath Traveler. The neon-lit backstreets, ukiyo-e storefronts hiding their secrets, and the everyday weirdness of suburban Japan—it’s all here.

• Atmosphere: It’s oppressive in the way a humid Tokyo summer is, if you replaced the cicadas with supernatural existential dread.
• Attention to Detail: Not a ramen shop or torii gate is out of place. If you’ve lived in Japan, you’ll get flashbacks. Possibly the haunted kind.
• Not Just a Tourist Brochure: There’s grime, there’s history, and there’s body horror encroaching on every side street.

Konami: What Sorcery Is This?

Handing a legendary franchise to a Western studio and asking them to make it ‘Japan as hell’? Bold. Maybe even desperate. But the result is a new spin on Silent Hill’s core creepiness, minus tired American tropes. And yes, the writing and characters—so far—aren’t just disposable English ciphers in a Japanese shell. They feel lived-in, believable, and not written by someone who learned about Japan via sushi menus.

Do You Need to Be a Series Die-Hard?

Surprisingly, no. Veterans get plenty of nods and Easter eggs, but new blood can jump in without suffering lore vertigo (looking at you, Kingdom Hearts). If you enjoyed atmospheric, grounded Japanese townscapes in games like Shenmue, Persona, or Ghostwire: Tokyo, buckle up. Just don’t expect much hand-holding—Silent Hill f is all about dropping you in and letting the unease bloom.

For those craving more Japanese game immersion, my breakdown of Octopath Traveler 0 editions explains how modern Japanese RPGs get it right (and wrong).

My Biggest Complaints (For the Skeptical Crowd)

• Early hours are slow — but that’s horror. Get over it.
• Some dialogue falls flat, more in delivery than writing (YMMV on English dub vs. subtitles).
• Still not convinced an overseas team should make ‘Japanese’ stories? Play it. Five hours in, you’ll probably change your tune. Or at least mumble awkwardly on Reddit.

Verdict: Put Aside Your Prejudice, Bring Extra Pants

Silent Hill f pulls off what sounded impossible. If this is where the franchise is headed, sign me up for a one-way ticket to Ebisugaoka (bring a flashlight and maybe a therapist).

In short: doubt the studio, doubt the franchise, but don’t doubt the game. This is one trip to Japan horror lovers shouldn’t skip—no matter where the developers are from.

Pro tip: Save scumming isn’t just for RPGs, but it won’t save you from this atmosphere. And if you want to check out more console-hopping mayhem, read up on Borderlands 4 on Switch 2 for another wild ride.