Silent Hill F: Manifestations of Fear and Trauma

Silent Hill F is the newest entry in the Silent Hill franchise, the first major original release in nearly 15 years since the release of Silent Hill: Downpour in 2012. For those unfamiliar with the world of Silent Hill, this horror franchise extends beyond simple body horror, as the grotesque monsters players will come across represent dark and heavy themes such as abuse, mental health, discrimination and more.

Silent Hill F follows Hinako, a young girl living in Ebisugaoka, a small village in 1960s Japan in the events leading up to her entry into a fog-covered version of her hometown. To deepen the mystery, on multiple occasions Hinako falls unconscious, traveling to an ominous dream world in which a man in a fox mask guides the player through a series of puzzles and rituals, with no apparent explanation early on.

Whether in the fog-covered hometown or the dream world, Silent Hill F creates immersive, nerve-racking environments through world design, music, initially underpowered combat mechanics, as well as the often visceral and violent nature of the monsters that inhabit the story.

The soundtrack elicits fear and anxiety, involving a mixture of ambient sounds, industrial tones, distorted strings, Mongolian throat singing, and more. At times, the player is greeted with soft, choral tracks like the main theme. At other times, when surrounded by fog and advancing enemies, the music changes to unnerving ambient noise, eerie instrumentation, and Mongolian throat singing to convey a ritualistic, cosmic horror feel.

One area of this game that has seen some criticism since its reception is the “clunky” feeling of the combat. While admittedly tedious at times, the combat in Silent Hill F relies primarily on well-timed dodging and various attack types to succeed. The game features an Omamori system, where the player can find and unlock different gameplay charms, that can be paired together in many ways to offer advantages in gameplay and combat.

While traversing the fog filled town (dubbed Fog Town), the player will encounter a variety of enemies. Most common are the Kashimashi, which are faceless, marionette-like women who wield knives and are made of limbs stitched together, resembling a twisted doll. Because of the Kashmashi’s stitched limbs, it often walks in exaggerated, physically impossible ways, bending its arms and back in unnatural and uncomfortable ways as it approaches with its blade.

Other memorable enemy types include the unpredictable and scarecrow-like Ayakakashi, the invasive pot-bellied Irohihi, or the revolting birthing monster. All of these monsters serve a deeper purpose beyond horror, as they are symbolic manifestations of the protagonist’s psyche. 

Hinako is a girl who struggles to conform to the societal pressures placed on her. Throughout the game, she is criticized for her boyish nature, while her individuality is perceived as stubbornness. Meanwhile, in order to get out of debt her abusive, alcoholic father has set up an arranged marriage for Hinako that she has not agreed to.

Some of the monsters in Silent Hill F are representative of Hinako’s aversion to the social pressures of forced marriage and motherhood, while others represent figures in her life like her parents, friends, and schoolmates. 

Hinako’s journal, which can be accessed in-game, describes the Kashimashi by saying “It’s covered all over with sickening wounds. I wonder if it wants to hurt me the same way it was hurt.” This monster may represent what women who submit to arranged marriages become in Hinako’s eyes; a faceless, voiceless doll covered in wounds who literally bends over backwards, devoid of all autonomy.

In her journal entry on the Birthing Monster, a creature representative of motherhood, Hinako writes, “A hideous monster covered in countless skin cysts. It spawns monster after monster from the dreadful-smelling clumps of flesh it drops. Filthy, foul, and repulsive. The wonders of birth do not apply to this.” 

Reflecting on her interpretation from the Irohihi, she writes, “his greedily staring eyes, the greasy palms, the way it acts all chummy with me…All of it is completely repulsive. What’s more, it never bothers with guys. Typical.” This creature appears to show Hinako’s view on the male gaze, viewing her as an object rather than an individual.

It’s here that Silent Hill F shines the brightest. The game uses the backdrop of an eerie town filled with monsters as manifestations of Hinakko’s fears, trauma, and struggle to conform to the societal norms of her environment.

All of this lore was found in the first playthrough alone. Silent Hill F has five different endings, each one with more story to uncover. This is the kind of survival horror game for anybody who enjoys replayability, complex characters, and deep symbology.

Silent Hill F is available on Playstation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. The Standard Edition is sold for $69.99, while the Deluxe Edition is sold for $79.99. 

“Content Warning: This game contains depictions of gender discrimination, child abuse, bullying, drug-induced hallucinations, torture, and graphic violence”