Silent Hill f is shaping up to be the darkest and most depressing entry yet

As the first entry to take place in Japan, Silent Hill f isn’t trying to hide just how eerily unsettling it is. The latest reveal trailer gives us a tantalizing glimpse into the new rural setting and some brutally mutated monsters that could only be found in a Silent Hill game.

But really, it’s the rural Japanese setting and the story that has me most intrigued. Silent Hill f is scripted and penned by none other than Higurashi When They Cry creator Ryukishi07. The prolific manga and visual novel writer has crafted some of the darkest stories in the medium. And you can see his twisted influence everywhere within Silent Hill f.

The Higurashi influence is undeniable

Like the quaint rural backdrops that form the suspense-driven events of Higurashi and Umineko, Silent Hill f takes place between a remote mountain pass within the small Japanese town of Ebisugaoka. But this isn’t modern-day rural Japan where everyone carries smartphones and iWatches around with them. Like Ryukishi07’s other stories, this is set right before the internet age, 1960 to be exact.

Ryukishi07 likes to fuse small-town politics with more intimate psychological revenge plots, so odds are high that Silent Hill f is no different. And one thing I like most about Ryukishi07’s stories is how examined every little plot point is. The root cause of the village-wide virus in Higurashi isn’t just left to the imagination. Instead, there are two or three equally valid reasons for its origin. This gives me some hope that Silent Hill f’s fog epidemic will be thoroughly explored in the game’s narrative. Whether the cause of the fog will be made crystal clear by the end is another story.

As the trailer and website indicate, Silent Hill f centers on the protagonist, Hinako. There’s a big emphasis on friendship and betrayal, and even some hints of revenge throughout the trailer. Hinako, up to her wits ‘ end debating the voice in her head, yells “You took every- EVERYTHING from me!” before a fade to black and a gross face-peeling scene ends the trailer. Yeesh, sounds like something from Higurashi all right, and I love it. Expect lots of psychological turmoil and some trippy shock imagery to haunt Hinako throughout Silent Hill f.

Konami issues a content warning disclaimer

The ESRB rating for Silent Hill f isn’t unusual for a survival horror game. An M rating with ‘intense violence, blood and gore, and partial nudity’ doesn’t paint the full picture of what this grotesque and brutally horrific game has in store for us. In fact, Konami has gone out of its way to issue a bold disclaimer at the bottom of its Silent Hill webpage, warning fans about how particularly “uncomfortable” it gets. The disclaimer reads as follows:

This game contains depictions of gender discrimination, child abuse, bullying, drug-induced hallucinations, torture, and graphic violence.

This game is set in Japan in the 1960s and contains depictions based on the customs and culture of that time. These depictions do not reflect the opinions or values of the developers or any individuals involved.

If you feel uncomfortable at any point while playing, please take a break from playing or speak to someone you trust.

This disclaimer lists content quite prevalent with other works penned by Ryukishi07, lending credence to the idea that the Higurashi creator is sticking true to his strengths. But let’s be honest, Silent Hill’s proclivity for body horror fits Ryukishi’s own brand of horror like a glove; the two were practically made for each other.

Keeping the identity of Silent Hill

But this isn’t just Higurashi When They Cry branded onto Silent Hill. As it turns out, Silent Hill was a big influence for Ryukishi07, and he continues to be a fan of the atmospheric horror game series. Ryukishi07 states, “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.”

Likewise, the game’s creature designer, Kera, talks about honoring the series’ legacy while going in a slightly different direction. Kera says, “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’s clear that even despite the new Japan setting, the designers behind Silent Hill f have a fond attachment to the series and wish to preserve the identity of Silent Hill. The difference is that this one might just be the most gruesome, darkest entry in the Silent Hill series yet.