Konami wants to set the record straight: Silent Hill f is not a soulslike. Despite featuring a stamina bar, dodges, and counterattacks, the producer insists these mechanics were present in the series long before FromSoftware popularized them. Launching late September, the new psychological horror stands on its own legacy.

Silent Hill f is aiming high, bringing psychological horror back to life in 1960s Japan. Set in a small town steeped in both tradition and nightmares, the game follows teenage protagonist Hinako Shimizu. Scheduled for release in late September, it is expected to be a must-play for survival horror fans. Yet Konami wanted to clear up one big misconception.

Silent Hill f is Not a Soulslike

Speaking to IGN during Gamescom 2025, producer Motoi Okamoto directly addressed a label often floating around online: “It’s not a soulslike.” He acknowledged that elements such as stamina bars, dodges, and counterattacks are now tied to the subgenre popularized by FromSoftware, but reminded players that these features have been present in action-horror for decades. He pointed to examples like the charge meter in Silent Hill 4 and the stamina system in Silent Hill 3.

Okamoto also highlighted how Silent Hill 2 had melee-based combat very similar to what’s seen in the upcoming Silent Hill 2 Remake. Players can perform light and heavy attacks, dodges, and counters, all with deliberate weight and limited range. A Focus mode extends the timing window to dodge or counter effectively, and all of this is tied to the stamina bar, which dictates how many actions can be performed in combat.

“This is one of the things we see on the internet [the term soulslike]. I think it’s a misleading label. Players see a stamina bar, dodges, and immediately call it soulslike. But honestly, many of these mechanics come from the classic Silent Hill games.”

The debate arose after word spread that Konami was designing the combat to be more challenging “to appeal to younger players.” However, the publisher insists the soulslike tag doesn’t apply. Silent Hill f positions itself as an action horror game with its own unique identity, not a clone of another subgenre. It launches September 25 on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S.

Source: 3djuegos