《沉默之丘 f》(SILENT HILL f)是繼承經典卻又大膽翻新的恐怖遊戲，它的故事背景設定在日本昭和時代的1960年代，舞台是名為「戎之丘」的偏遠山村。遊戲的女主角是名叫深水雛子的高中女生，她原本的日子平凡甚至帶著一點黯淡，雖然與同齡人一樣經歷青春期的困惑，但生活並沒有什麼特別之處。然而，一切卻在某一天徹底改變，當白色的神秘怪物入侵小鎮後，雛子眼前熟悉的世界瞬間崩壞。戎之丘被濃霧籠罩，居民不見蹤影，留下的只有潛伏在霧中的詭異生物。將跟隨雛子，一邊探索這個逐漸失序的世界，一邊揭開潛藏於小鎮與自身命運中的秘密。

劇情的核心圍繞著「選擇」與「無法逃避的罪惡」，不斷拋給玩家艱難的抉擇，這些決定關乎存活，關乎情感，也關乎最終的結局。必須決定是否直面那些罪惡與悔恨，還是選擇逃避並沉淪於迷霧之中。故事結構承襲《沉默之丘》系列一貫的心理恐怖風格，同時由《寒蟬鳴泣之時》與《海貓鳴泣之時》的作者龍騎士07負責編寫劇本，使得整體氛圍充滿謎團與詭譎張力。遊戲中的事件究竟是真實，還是主角的幻覺，抑或與地方宗教有關，始終沒有明確答案，玩家會在不斷的懷疑與不安中推進劇情。

在操作層面，繼承系列的生存恐怖要素。需要在霧氣瀰漫的小鎮中探索場景、蒐集資源並拼湊出真相，同時還要小心對抗潛伏在陰影中的怪物。採用最新的4K畫質與環繞立體音效，讓玩家仿佛置身於令人窒息的環境之中。每個細微的聲音，都可能來自隱藏在背後的恐懼源頭。角色與怪物的設計由曾負責恐怖遊戲《NG》人設的kera創作，將優美與獵奇結合，呈現出令人既難以直視又無法移開眼睛的氛圍。

音樂方面，邀請到系列標誌性的作曲家山岡晃負責表世界的配樂，而裡世界的音樂則由稻毛謙介、dai與xaki共同打造，並融合日本雅樂的音色，營造出與過往系列截然不同卻又格外契合的聲音體驗。

結局設計十分耐人尋味。第一次遊玩時，只能看到一個固定的結局，這個結局並不會揭開所有謎團，只是將玩家推向更深的困惑。而從第二次遊玩開始，隨著玩家選擇的不同，劇情會逐漸分支，最終走向五種不同的結局。除嚴肅的主線走向之外，也延續系列傳統，特地安排荒誕詼諧的「UFO結局」，讓緊繃的氛圍中多一絲惡搞的幽默。

在市場反應方面，自發售以來，收到以「大多好評」為主的評價。許多玩家讚賞劇情深刻而細膩，認為龍騎士07的敘事風格成功為系列注入全新靈魂，同時山岡晃與音樂團隊的配合讓遊戲在聽覺上達到極高水準。玩家普遍感受到久違的心理壓迫感與日式恐怖氛圍，這點被視為本作的最大亮點。不過，也有人批評操作感略顯笨重，戰鬥部分依舊保留系列一貫的遲緩感，這在部分玩家眼中是一種氛圍營造，但對習慣流暢操作的玩家來說則是缺點。

即便如此，作為系列沉寂多年後的全新作品，《沉默之丘 f》依舊被視為一次大膽而成功的突破。不僅忠於系列的心理恐怖本質，還將舞台徹底回歸日本，讓日式恐怖的核心再次被放大。對於新玩家而言，這是進入《沉默之丘》世界的良好起點，而對於老玩家來說，這部作品則既陌生又熟悉，像是霧中若隱若現的故鄉，既令人懷念，也令人戰慄。

Silent Hill f is a survival horror game that marks both a continuation and a reinvention of the long-running Silent Hill series. Unlike past entries that were mostly set in the fictional American resort town of Silent Hill, this new installment shifts its stage to 1960s Japan, specifically a remote mountain village called Kinu no Oka. At the center of the story is a high school girl named Hinako Shimizu, whose seemingly ordinary and rather unremarkable life is suddenly torn apart when a mysterious white creature descends upon her hometown. The once-familiar village becomes engulfed in an eerie fog, its residents vanish without a trace, and grotesque, otherworldly monsters take their place. From this moment, Hinako’s struggle for survival begins, forcing her to confront not only the horrors that lurk in the mist but also the guilt, regret, and painful choices hidden within herself.

The narrative is written by Ryukishi07, the creator of Higurashi When They Cry and Umineko When They Cry, bringing his signature style of psychological tension, ambiguity, and layered mystery. The player is never entirely sure whether what unfolds is reality, a hallucination born of trauma, or something tied to local folklore and belief systems. This blurring of perception and truth amplifies the psychological horror that has always been the hallmark of the Silent Hill series.

In terms of gameplay, Silent Hill f stays true to its survival horror roots. Players explore the fog-shrouded village, searching for resources, solving puzzles, and piecing together fragments of the truth, all while navigating encounters with disturbing monsters that embody both physical and psychological terror. Combat remains deliberately weighty and uneasy, reinforcing the sense of vulnerability. The game is built with 4K visuals and highly realistic spatial audio, creating an immersive and unsettling experience where even the faintest sound may hint at something stalking just beyond sight. Character and creature designs come from artist kera, known for his grotesque yet strangely captivating style, merging beauty and horror in unsettling ways.

The music plays a central role in shaping the game’s atmosphere. Legendary composer Akira Yamaoka returns to score the “outer world,” while the “otherworld” soundtrack is handled by Kensuke Inage, along with contributions from doujin composers dai and xaki. Their work blends eerie Japanese gagaku influences with haunting modern tones, creating a soundscape that is both culturally rooted and otherworldly.

One of the game’s most distinctive features is its multiple endings. On the first playthrough, players are locked into a fixed ending that leaves many mysteries unresolved. Only by replaying and making different choices can they unlock the full range of possible outcomes, with a total of five endings to discover. Among these is the series’ signature tongue-in-cheek “UFO ending,” offering a jarring yet oddly welcome break from the otherwise suffocating tone.

Upon release, Silent Hill f received “Mostly Positive” reviews. Many players praised the depth of its story and Ryukishi07’s masterful writing, which gave the series a new soul while retaining its psychological horror essence. Akira Yamaoka’s involvement in the soundtrack was also lauded as a return to form, with the music’s uneasy beauty heightening every scene. Critics and players alike noted the striking atmosphere and suffocating dread that only a Japanese setting could bring. Some, however, criticized the controls and combat for feeling clunky—an intentional design choice for tension but one that may frustrate those expecting smoother action.

As the first mainline Silent Hill title in years, Silent Hill f is seen as both a bold risk and a meaningful return. It reclaims the series’ psychological core while exploring a distinctly Japanese setting, bringing out the uniquely haunting qualities of traditional Japanese horror. For newcomers, it serves as an accessible entry point into the fog-shrouded world, while longtime fans will find it a chillingly familiar yet profoundly different vision of Silent Hill—a place where nostalgia, fear, and tragedy intertwine like the mist that never clears.