Fans of Konami’s Silent Hill franchise will be excited to know that the newest installment of the series has been revealed, as the next Silent Game, Silent Hill f, brings the psychological horror experience to 1960s Japan.
Fully unveiled with a new trailer and discussion by the developers during this latest Silent Hill Transmission digital livestream event, the newest installment in the long running survival horror franchise will see players transported away from the typical fictional western town majority of the games have been set in. Instead, players will travel back to sometime in the 1960s where a young schoolgirl named Hinako experiences unexplainable events and situations that defy any law or explanation known to man.
Here’s the official synopsis as released by Konami:
“Shimizu Hinako was an ordinary teenager living an ordinary life.
That is, until her town suddenly becomes shrouded in fog, and her life quickly becomes a nightmare.
Now, she must explore her once-familiar home while solving puzzles, fighting bizarre creatures, and doing everything she can to survive… ultimately facing an inescapable decision.
This is a story of choices, both beautiful and horrifying.“
Written by Ryukishi07 of Higurashi When They Cry fame, Silent Hill f will be the very first time the series jumps from America to Japan, and the Japanese writer expressed his excitement on getting a chance to write a brand new game.
“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.
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.“
Also returning to help compose the score for the game is the legendary Akira Yamaoka – who has scored every major installment of the Silent Hill series and was a member of the original developers of the first four games – collectively known as “Team Silent”. Yamaoka-san expressed his excitement for making a new game that is set in his native country of Japan.
“Although this is set in Japan, we focused on portraying it in a way that is based solely on the conception of Silent Hill.
While incorporating plenty of Japan’s unique identity, we sublimated it as fiction and expressed this unique culture as entertainment. By doing so, we believe we were able to blend the charm of Japan in a new way into the unique worldview of Silent Hill.
We hope that through this game, you will enjoy the look and feel of what makes this title truly ‘Silent Hill’.“
Creature and Character Designer kera also expressed excitement over creating the monsters and characters that will appear in this brand new chapter in the franchise.
“I love the Silent Hill series, and it’s been a big influence on me. In particular, I am constantly remembering Silent Hill 2, and the messages on the walls, the music, and the monster designs.
So, when it came to Silent Hill f, and bringing the setting to Japan, we had to come up with something that felt just a little different, and I had to really think about how to get that feeling.
The monster designs were the hardest. I had to consider everything that’s come in Silent Hill before, and figure out how to take this game in a different direction, but still be Silent Hill. It might not be the exact same blood-smeared, rusting scenery, but I sincerely hope you’ll enjoy our vision and the world we’ve created.“
You can watch the full Silent Hill Transmission event below.
Silent Hill f will be released soon for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC
