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Last year was packed with excellent horror titles. From the top-notch Silent Hill 2 to smaller games like Crow Country, we had almost 12 months full of some of the scariest experiences in recent memory. However, 2025 has been lacking in that department. Even if there are a few on the way, the first half of the year has been mostly horror-less. But you know what they say: quality over quantity, and the title that embodies this is Silent Hill f. After watching all the information about this entry and looking at the recent previews, I’m convinced this new game of the legendary psychological horror franchise will be the most terrifying experience of 2025.
You Can’t Go Wrong With Japanese Horror
As someone who’s always preferred Japanese horror over Western horror, Silent Hill f is a match made in an eerie heaven. Contrary to the scary stories we have on this side of the pond, J-Horror focuses more on its atmosphere, tense moments, and psychological horror elements. Most of the things we see made here in the West tend to rely on jump scares and loud sounds, which usually make the whole experience feel cheap. And while the series has always been crafted in the East, it had many Western elements that hurt it. Thankfully, Silent Hill f is returning to its roots in a literal sense.
Instead of going to the titular town, we’re now in a mountain village in 1960s Japan, which is the perfect setting. It gets even better because the writer behind Silent Hill f is Ryukishi07, who worked on the Higurashi series, which is, in my opinion, the standard of J-Horror. I mention this because when it comes to worldbuilding, Ryukishi07 does it like no other, and we can already see it in the trailers. We can see this with the creatures, the fog coming down the rural mountain village, the themes it touches upon, and just the whole atmosphere that is powerful enough to raise all the hairs in your body.
Yet, this is not me undermining what the series has done in the past. But with the recent previews, many believe Silent Hill f is on par with Silent Hill 2 from 2024, and an already solid contender for GOTY, which is what the franchise desperately needs after Homecoming and Downpour. And you know what? After a year without so many horror titles, I feel that the wait will be worth it once we step into Ebisugaoka for the first time.
The Ratings Don’t Lie
If this isn’t enough to convince you that Silent Hill f is aiming for the scariest experience of the year, just take a look at the ratings. As you know, the series has never shied away from delivering horrifying stories. Yet, Silent Hill f might take the throne as the eeriest and most disturbing of the franchise. Last year’s remake got a CERO:C rating, which should be 15+ in Western terms. However, Silent Hill f got CERO:Z, making it the first official 18+ game of the series in Japan. While I won’t list all of the things that caused this game to get the abovementioned rating, you can check them here, but be aware that they can be disturbing for some people.
In any case, Silent Hill has returned to its well-deserved spot as one of the scariest horror franchises in the market, and Silent Hill f could be the one game that returns the crown to its rightful owner. Still, we’ll have to wait and see just how well it performs. Yet, by the looks of it and what some outlets have been saying in recent previews, quoting the younger gamers, we are back.
