Following a much beloved game series that first launched in February of 1999, Silent Hill f has recently made its mark throughout the internet upon its release on September 25th of this year (save for those who had early access). Characteristic to the Silent Hill series, the new game makes the best use of psychological horror, ambience, and gameplay to create a worthwhile gaming experience with many brain-wracking puzzles and exhilarating combat sequences. The new game did not fail to impress with its own unique array of grotesque, eerie monster designs and skillful storytelling. The one thing that makes Silent Hill f stand out from the rest of the Silent Hill franchise is its unique setting in 1960s Japan, which is a divergence from the usual western-centered Silent Hill universe. The game follows the story of Shimizu Hinako, a high-school girl who is plunged into a terrifying, monster infested version of her rural hometown, Ebisugaoka. Hinako is forced to venture through this nightmare with the company of her friends, Sukako, Shu, and Rinko (although one could hardly count it as company, since they make an appearance only in brief instances and cutscenes), as well as a mysterious character widely known as “Fox Mask.” Shimizu Hinako is presented with the challenge of fighting off various horrific-looking enemies, and piecing together elements of her past.

Silent Hill f is complex and extremely symbolic with its storytelling, often requiring players to make it through the game to truly understand the full story. Although some may be frustrated with this aspect and perceive the game as slow-paced, one could argue that this adds a layer of depth to the game, and leaves it open to interpretation in a variety of ways that connect back to the characters, their experiences, and real-world universal themes. Additionally, the game is able to keep players on the edge of their seats throughout, requiring them to use their sharper instincts to solve puzzles and connect pieces of the story together. Players themselves can toggle the battle and puzzle difficulty if they find themselves stuck on a particular part of the game, but the additional challenge sometimes makes for a much more fulfilling experience. Players are given various items to maintain their sanity and health bar, and to offer to a hokora shrine–which serves to save in-game progress and provide additional buffs–further providing players with an incentive to explore the foggy and intricate town of Ebisugaoka. 

The game’s depictions of gender discrimination, child abuse, bullying, drug-induced hallucinations, torture, and graphic violence may sound off-putting, but the game developer, NeoBard Entertainment, did an awfully good job of using these otherwise horrific elements to their advantage. Instead of making it an off-putting experience, these elements actually contribute to the game’s charm in the way that they are used sparingly and symbolically, ultimately contributing to the game’s horror factor without ruining the experience. Throughout the game, these elements are used to paint the picture of a troubled girl fighting against the status quo of 1960s Japan, with each setting and dialogue in the game presenting new explorable terrain and lore. Crucial to the story-building of the game are the different characters, which I’ll talk about without giving away too much for those who may want to experience the game for themselves.

Hinako, first from the left, is the game’s protagonist, and who you’ll be playing as. Growing up, she was perceived as a tomboyish individual who was frequently seen playing with boys, often leading her to be ostracized by other girls her age. Hinako is known for having a rebellious streak, often causing her mom much distress and making her dad furious. Much of her respite could only be found in her sister, Junko, whom Hinako describes as the golden child. Angry at the world around her, Hinako refuses to bow down to the social norms of 1960s Japan and often struggles to fit in with the conventional behaviors expected of girls her age. Next to Hinako is Shu, who is Hinako’s childhood friend and “partner.” Shu is the son of a family of doctors, and often helped Hinako with frequent headaches by giving her various medicines, one of them being a pill used as a pain killer that can be found all over the game and used to heal. This pill is also later revealed to be the cause of Hinako’s drug-induced hallucinations. It is clearly implied in the game that Shu has unrequited feelings for Hinako and can initially be perceived to be a reliable companion. As the story progresses, Shu is by Hinako’s side for most of the game, and like Hinako, tries to figure out what happened in Ebisugaoka. Next to Shu is Rinko, another one of Hinako’s friends. Her relationship with Hinako is complicated, as it is said that they often argue but always end up being friends again. Throughout the game, it is made clear that Rinko holds extreme feelings of jealousy towards Hinako. Rinko seems to harbor feelings for Shu and therefore feels inferior to Hinako and her bond with Shu. These resentful feelings in Rinko are no secret as the game progresses and Shu stays largely oblivious to this one-sided hatred. Last from the left, we have Sakuko, who can be described as laid back and seeming to always have her “head up in the clouds.” Sakuko is the daughter of the head priest running the Sennensugi Shrine in Ebisugaoka and she’s very in touch with her spiritual side which is seen in a specific fight sequence in the game. Each of these characters hold their own complexities, further adding to the game’s themes of peer pressure, isolation, unhealthy relationships, and selfishness. 

Another drastically important character in Silent Hill f is “Fox Mask,” who is unarguably the most obscure and untrustworthy character in the game (besides Rinko).

It’s not hard to see why he’s referred to as “Fox Mask,” as he wears a fox mask throughout the entire game. This is befitting of his character, as the player is unsure of his true identity (revealed later in one of the endings), and because of his elusive and mysterious nature. Whenever Hinako passes out or sleeps in the game, she gets transported to another world that is described as a sort of purgatory, the same world in which she encounters Fox Mask. While in purgatory, Hinako is guided by Fox Mask through the dark towards unknown locations. What makes him worthy of wariness is the several warnings displayed by Hinako’s childhood doll–believed by many to represent a deeper part of Hinako’s subconscious–which repeatedly tells her to not trust him, among other things such as his lack of transparency and suspiciously kind behavior. As the game progresses, it is revealed that Fox Mask is portrayed as a suitor and the man that Hinako seems to have been married off to by her father. Fox Mask plays the most crucial role in the game after our protagonist and he is later identified more precisely as Kotoyuki Tsuneki. His character helps unravel the story through symbolic rituals associated with marriage in 1960s Japan, which are shown through Hinako’s distorted perception of marriage. In the end, it is up to the player to decide if Fox Mask is a trustworthy character or not, but his crucial role in the game is undeniable. 

Last but not least, we have Hinako’s parents, the origins that help explain Hinako’s frustrations and resentment. Hinako’s father, Shimizu Kanta, is an abusive husband and father, often relying on alcohol to solve his problems. The classic example of a patriarchal husband, he took on a large debt that he pays back by selling his daughters into marriage. Hinako’s mother, whom she perceives as “pitiful,” does little to protect her daughters and simply tells Hinako to apologize to her father whenever she stands up for herself or when he loses his temper. Hinako resents the both of them, her father for ruining the family, and her mother for doing nothing to save it. Upon making a realization of her family’s reality, Hinako looked up to her sister for comfort until she was married off and never seen the same again. In the game, it is clear that both Hinako's parents, society, and even her sister, try to force the idea of marriage, because it is what is expected of her. This pressure that came with the risk of losing the only life she had ever known, including her friends and identity, or a life she could have had, or wanted, drove Hinako into an unstable frame of mind that led her to express her dilemma as the distorted world of Silent Hill f.

All in all, the game is a well-written expression of the pressures that came with marriage in the 1960s, and the setting of a small rural town in Japan added a new twist to the Silent Hill franchise as well as a culturally rich experience. There are a plethora of things to be discussed about this new release, especially with the game’s symbolic storytelling and its alluring complexity. This article simply touched the tip of the iceberg, and I will leave it to you to explore the game further (there are 5 endings!). 

Take these additional images of some of the monsters and sceneries seen in the game. 

SOURCES:

1. https://www.silenthillmemories.net/shf/characters_en.htm 

2. SILENT HILL f on Steam 

3. Shinto Motifs in Silent Hill F

4. Silent Hill f - Wikipedia