Spoilers ahead for the original Silent Hill trilogy
Silent Hill f is just around the corner, as Konami is gearing up to bring horror fans a brand-new chapter in the long-running franchise. Until recently, there wasn’t that much known aboutSilent Hill f, except that it was going to be set not in the titular town ofSilent Hill, but 1960s Japan. Of course, this isn’t the firstSilent Hillgame to leave the town where it all started, but opting for Japan is definitely a bold move on Konami’s part.
Set in the fictional Japanese town ofEbisugaoka,Silent Hill ffollows protagonist Hinako Shimizuas she works to solve the mystery of her town that has now become overrun with horrifying monsters. Based on trailers that have been released for the game,Silent Hill fis promising plenty of spin-chilling body horror and heart-stopping encounters. This fresh setting not only adds a fresh sense of eeriness, it leaves the door wide open for theSilent Hillfranchise to expand even further beyond its original setting.
Thanks to Silent Hill f, Japan Could Be the New Ground Zero for a Fresh Offering of Terrifying Stories
The Original Silent Hill Trilogy Made the Town its Centerpiece
The firstSilent Hillintroduced the sleepy, yet sinister, titular town. On the hunt for his missing adopted daughter, Harry Mason uncovers a cult. InSilent Hill 2, James Sunderland searches for the source of a letter sent to him by his deceased wife Mary, only to uncover that he was her killer all along.Silent Hill 3brings things full circle, as Heather Mason, Harry’s now teenage daughter, stars as the main protagonist after the murder of her father.
This original was fertile soil for horror stories to grow, but after a while, there was only so much that could be done with the location. At some point, there’s an argument to be made that continuously returning to Silent Hill may feel more like recycling old material than introducing something new. Now thatSilent Hill fis located in Ebisugaoka, the series has a brand-new well of inspiration to draw from.Japan has a rich history of ghosts and demons, and while the Japanese influence can definitely be felt in the original trilogy’s enemies, seeing such creatures on home turf could give an extra layer of meaning to the various in-game enemies.
After the success of theSilent Hill 2remake, Bloober Team will also be remakingSH1.
Silent Hill f Could Be the Start of a New Nightmare
Right now, it’s unclear ifSilent Hill fis set to be a trilogy like the original three games, but it definitely has the potential to recapture the feeling of being in a mysterious new town filled with horrors around every corner.The town of Silent Hillis iconic, butSilent Hill fmay set the stage for Ebisugaoka to be special in its own right.
Silent Hill fwill launch on September 25 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
Just Because Silent Hill f Isn’t Set in Silent Hill Doesn’t Make it Any Less Effective
One of the biggest draws of theSilent Hillgames is also their stories. The psychological horror showcased throughout every chapter is a defining part of the franchise’s identity, and it already looks likeSilent Hill fwill have plenty of mind-bending scareswaiting for players.
Horror fans eager to find out whatSilent Hill fis all about only have to wait a few more months. Until then, returning to Silent Hill inBloober Team’sSilent Hill 2remakecould be a great way to hold oneself over. Between theSilent Hill 2remake andSilent Hill f, Konami seems to be aiming for a blend of both classic and fresh stories set in the series' terrifying universe.
