Silent Hill f (PS5/XBOX/PC) - September 25, 2025

[Petitssk]

Finally Friday, hope I'll be able to give it a go later today, all these impressions really got me craving for it. I want to be scared senseless again!

[Tomiko]

Gamestop had a steelbook case preorder bonus. I was going to do this, but it said you had to pick the case up in store even if you preordered online, and it was "while supplies last." Since the case wasn't guaranteed, I decided to just pick it up this morning at Walmart.

Then I see CheapAssGamer post this:

Each GameStop Store Location Got 2 Silent Hill F Steelbooks Regardless of How Many Pre-Orders It Seems.

If you weren't there at opening I wouldn't bother going in or call to make sure they still have it unless you want just the game.

Oh and please don't blame the GameStop employee behind the counter that didn't do this.

Seems pretty dumb to screw up a big reason people are preordering with them in the first place.

[Gokulo]

I'm way past this point by now, but I had to rant - man, screw the rice field puzzle :D it took me TOO many tries to get the first stage right, after that it was pretty easy, but man, I wasted so many resources just trying it blindly

HOLY S, I think I just reached a mid point and the thing that happened just blew my mind. Totally did not expect something like that.

[Petitssk]

Only gave it a quick try yesterday and I don't even have a weapon yet,

Spoiler: show

but damn, from the chase scene up to the first few enemy encounters in all those narrow paths, this game is tense when all you can do is avoid enemies. That first house you enter, that was amazing, even went for the door downstairs and managed to avoid getting hit. Really drives home the point that I am just a weaponless teenager alleged to be athletic. I kind of miss the American vibes of Silent Hill, but this atmosphere is amazing, kind of makes me wish going weaponless would be an option. Aren't there games like that?

Edit: Anyone experiencing issues with crashes? Had one randomly and updated my GPU drivers (4080). Seems to be rather rare, but still occuring. Just had my second one right after triggering the cutscene with the last scarecrow. Although that's kind of a blessing in disguise; botched that last part so badly that I ended up with all my weapons down in deep red. Was pondering just reloading even though I make it a point not to do that, so having that choice made by the game instead ends up working out alright for me.

Overall, very mixed feelings on the weapon system. I definitely wouldn't mind a game without fighting, but if I have the means, I tend to put everything I meet into the ground.

[Gokulo]

Just finished my first playthrough. Definitely think there's too much fighting. I know you get a lot more additional context on your 2nd run, so I'm not yet judging the story completely. Personally, I was hooked, but I can see how people that have less context/knowledge about Japanese culture will have a problem getting into it.

Edit:
After just starting the 2nd run I can immediately say that the differences are a lot bigger than I expected, damn.

[Mayareira]

Reached 1 mil sales mark, apparently selling even better than SH2 Remake.

That said, I believe it was SH2 Remake that rekindled the interest in the franchise.

[Petitssk]

Seems I got my first missable item during the mountain passage (the horse). Guess I'll pick that up on New Game +, but goddamn, the heavy weapons sure take away from the general sense of fear. Give me the hammer and an axe and even the sturdiest enemies seem to go down with two hits. Still, massive props for the entire school section.

Spoiler: show

Overall, it was probably way too short seeing how it was the first school we got since SH1, but "less is more" was played very well there. Granted, the yard just gave away that fighting was pointless, but the scarecrows in the hallway, damn. First time in a long while that the chance of something being there was more terrifying than something being there. Scarecrows were perfect for that purpose.

But again, don't care afterwards - got 6 repair kits in my inventory and a hammer and an axe.

Edit 2:
Just tearing through the rest of the game right now. Spider, Cherry and Otter as charms is just broken. Switching between baseball bat, axe and hammer, nothing ever breaks. I can just annihilate anything I cross paths with. Healing also gets a boost, so even if I mess up in fights, I am good to go. Hope charms carry over into next game+, but the difference in atmosphere between early game and late game is astounding. I can definitely appreciate the fact that the very limited inventory space may have been intended to prevent hoarding of ammo and healing items, but this game has no ammo and is designed around that caveat, so if I can just get around the one limitation the available weapons have, I can still eliminate a huge part of the fear factor.

To be honest, kind of makes me wonder if giving me an out as far as actual fear is concerned is good game design or not. If I am that scared, I definitely will make use of any means available to me to overcome it, but at the same time, that defeats the purpose of the horror game kind of. I think I may just try a run without weapons in the future or something. Those first few minutes of the games without weapons were incredibly tense.

Edit 3:
Okay, the standard ending on the first playthrough sucks. Great game overall, but fear kind of took a backseat towards the end.

[Mayareira]

Finished in Action / Story / Puzzles: Hard, as recommended by the game.
Played mostly in shorter sessions and enjoyed every bit of it—12 AM, post-flight, lights off, headphones on.

I agree that heavy weapons somewhat reduce the fear factor, especially on Story difficulty, but the psychological tension was always there and always intense. The survival-horror experience truly peaked toward the end.

End Spoilers

Spoiler: show

I was fully expecting some kind of eventual connection to the main series, and I was absolutely stunned by how the story unfolded. I think I would’ve been disappointed by a weak or vague link—but in true reboot fashion, they chose the bold path instead.

I loved it.

Since there’s RPG-ish character progression, I’ll definitely go for the alternate endings.

I can’t wait to replay it in New Game+, being able to trace the connections to the ending now that I know the grim story of Hinako.

Good job Konami, some balls finally. I am super satisfied with mainline getting remade and this new, fresh approach to the franchise.

[Gokulo]

https://www.thepopverse.com/comics-g...-writer-konami

Ah yes, more endings