I played three hours of Silent Hill: Townfall, and I’m certain of this: the Silent Hill series is having an evolutionary moment. Coming off the heels of Silent Hill f, the biggest departure from the 27-year-old series’s formula both in location and gameplay, Silent Hill: Townfall continues that trajectory, uprooting the series from its titular American town and plopping it in 1990s Scotland. Townfall, like f, is mechanically and thematically different from the franchise’s usual tropes, placing an emphasis on its region as the foundation for its horror, rather than that of an individual. It’s shaping up to be a well-needed pivot to keep the franchise trudging forward through its own fog.
Silent Hill: Townfall exemplifies Konami’s latest strategy in tossing the keys to developers from around the world to carry its flagship horror property, taking a more liberal approach in allowing studios to evolve the series, rather than limiting it to its past iconography. For an in-depth preview, including some insight from Townfall’s writer and director Jon McKellan, check out my full write-up here.
Watch my video preview below to see the game in action as I talk about my hands-on experience with Silent Hill: Townfall, from combat, to stealth, to the CRTV–the game’s coolest feature.
As Simon, an American who suddenly emerges from the sea on the docks of St. Amelia with an IV bag attached to him and a patient bracelet around his wrist, I scoured through the harbor town, reading every sign and taking in all its rich detail. Exploring this town is intimate, and that intimacy is owed to the game’s first-person perspective. From its emphasis on exploration, to stealth, and the utilization of the CRTV, the shift in perspective is justified.
The CRTV–the game’s standout feature and tool–is a handheld TV and FM/AM radio. It’s woven into nearly every aspect of the gameplay, from puzzle-solving, to combat, to delivering its story. The CRTV isn’t just a tool; it forces you to engage with the setting, the dangers that surround you, and the mystery you’re unraveling.
Between engaging with the CRTV and sneaking around gurgling monstrosities, Silent Hill: Townfall is the most mechanically varied in the series, which is a highlight for me. Screen Burn Interactive’s Silent Hill: Townfall is shaping up to usher Konami’s psychological horror franchise into a potential renaissance.
Silent Hill: Townfall is expected to release September 24 for PlayStation 5 and PC.
