The Silent Hill games are known for, if nothing else, their opaque storytelling. After completing a playthrough of a Silent Hill game for the first time, you may need to do some extra reading to understand what the hell just happened. Silent Hill f is no different; the game has multiple endings, with storytelling layers that not only encourage a second (or third) playthrough, they practically demand it.
The downside is that Silent Hill f‘s first canonical ending is unsatisfying and may confuse your comprehension of the events of the game. But you should keep going, even if just for an extra hour or two in a new game plus run.
Silent Hill f‘s storytellers explained ahead of the game’s launch that the new game plus experience will expose new layers to its narrative. That’s evident as soon as you start a new playthrough. In new game plus, cutscenes change, new areas of the game unlock, and boss fights differ. Right from the get-go of a new game plus run, you’ll have a different perspective on Hinako’s background, her relationship with her parents, and how the game’s ending scenes recontextualize what you’ve seen (and what you’re about to see) in a repeat run. New game plus is generally paced well with new reveals that will keep your interest.
Jumping back into Silent Hill f for an encore run might be tough for one key reason. The game’s final few hours can drag on, particularly when it comes to combat. The endgame is stuffed with rooms full of enemies that need to be whacked repeatedly with metal pipes, hammers, and baseball bats. It becomes tiresome.
The better news is that Silent Hill f‘s new game plus mode is front-loaded with new details, and new things to see and do. Konami and developer NeoBards Entertainment wisely even explain clearly how to unlock additional endings that will help players better grok the story.
My suggestion? Play Silent Hill f in Story mode for combat, but keep ratcheting up the puzzle difficulty if you plan on repeat plays. The combat doesn’t get better, but the storytelling does, and the fresh batch of cleverly designed brainteasers helps as well. Having now seen multiple endings in Silent Hill f, I have a much better understanding of the story — while also still looking at fan theories and explainers to figure out what the hell is going on.
And yes, like other Silent Hill games, if you stick with the game long enough, you’ll discover quirky new endings and a superpowered weapon. But if you find yourself losing patience with Silent Hill f‘s quirks, there’s always YouTube.
