The upcoming Silent Hill f takes the franchise to a place it’s never been before, and the new environment is more than just a change of location…
Silent Hill is widely recognized as a classic survival horror franchise. The name evokes nostalgia and fear in those who know the elements of the series. It is famous for its gruesome creatures, rusty/foggy environment, and supernatural elements. Silent Hill is iconic in many ways. For those who don’t know, it’s also the name of the fictional city where the games occur. Most of the games in the franchise take place in and around Silent Hill, although some games occasionally deviate from this. However, the franchise has never left the United States. However, this is what we can expect in the case of Silent Hill f.
Other locations explored in previous Silent Hill games include the towns of Ashfield and Shepard’s Glen, both of which have similar characteristics to Silent Hill.
However, Konami’s reboot of the franchise, outlined at the company’s live-stream event, will allow the games to explore new locations and playstyles. Among the various games, movies, and experimental experiences, Silent Hill f was announced and was one of the standout titles showcased during the live stream. The game sets a precedent for where the series could go in the future.
“Silent Hill” could be anywhere
Silent Hill’s creatures and supernatural surroundings traditionally come from the depths of the protagonists’ psyches. In the first few games, the enemy types are the player character’s fears, guilt, etc. they revolve around. The town of Silent Hill feeds on these fears because of a curse that lurks in the area. Essentially, a sect attempted to resurrect their god on the sacred land once prized for its mysterious powers by the indigenous tribes. But the ritual went awry, and the area’s power was corrupted.
Later instalments were set in other American cities, but in general, they were all quite similar to the location of Silent Hill.
Silent Hill f takes the series outside the States for the first time. Showing that the sinister villain in the franchise can exist elsewhere. This opens the door to a vast world of possibilities for where a Silent Hill game could take place. As well as what elements it might contain. Potentially, other games could take place in any other country or time. This would free the franchise from the typically gritty urban environments and allow for more variety.
Silent Hill f can reflect on the era it represents
Rural Japan in the 1960s is a unique setting among mainstream survival horror games. This opens the door to a very different instalment of a well-established franchise. Historically inspired buildings, weapons, and items can add to the unpredictability of the experience.
It also allows for the enemy types to be completely different from previous games, as the protagonist will likely have a different frame of reference based on cultural inspiration.
As the earliest game in the Silent Hill timeline, f opens up new ways to explore the story. We could get a new explanation for why these terrible events happen, which will probably be completely different from the previous games. But if 1960s Japan can appear in a mainline, Silent Hill, then the series could potentially go even further back in time in a future spin-off or main title. A Silent Hill set in feudal Japan might be interesting. Or perhaps in the titular city in colonial times. There is still plenty of room for speculation at this point. But regardless of what the future holds, Konami trying to breathe fresh air into the franchise is exciting to see.
