Silent Hill f review — a 1960s Japanese horror: is it worth a month of rental

Silent Hill f is a standalone story in the series, not a sequel to the American fog town. It is set in the 1960s in the fictional Japanese town of Ebisugaoka, and the protagonist is a schoolgirl, Hinako Shimizu. The writer is Ryukishi07 (of Higurashi When They Cry), the music is by Akira Yamaoka among others, the developer is NeoBards Entertainment and the publisher is Konami. It launched on 25 September 2025 and sold over a million copies on its first day.

Below is a spoiler-free overview: what works, what does not, how long it takes, and whether it is worth a rental.

Account rental · SteamSILENT HILL ffrom 70 ₴Rent

What kind of game it is

It is a third-person horror game with puzzles, exploration and combat without firearms. Fighting is melee-only and borrows from soulslikes: dodging, parrying, light and heavy attacks. Weapons wear down and break. There are three meters — health, stamina and sanity: fights drain the first two, while sanity also drops with exploration and puzzles.

You save and recover at shrines. There you also turn what you have found into "faith", spent on stat upgrades or on omamori charms with random boons. There are five endings, three of them available only in New Game+.

Scores and player reception

The spread is notable: from 9 out of 10 down to 7 out of 10, and TechRadar gave a mixed 3 out of 5.

What critics praise

• Atmosphere and visual style. This is what reviews mention most: fog, rural Japan, unsettling imagery. PC Gamer loves the town of Ebisugaoka itself.
• Willingness to try something new. Konami said it wanted a "100% Japanese" horror game, and among its strengths Metacritic lists the readiness to experiment, as well as the music.
• Writing. GameSpot praises the writing, and Digital Trends the existential themes and dread.

What critics criticise

• Combat. IGN finds it repetitive and wrote that the game takes a big swing that does not quite land. GamesRadar+ called the fights more irritating than scary.
• Less like the classics. Eurogamer wrote that the music is less recognisably Silent Hill than usual and that the teenage angst grates in places.
• Several runs for the endings. Three of the five endings unlock only in New Game+; according to Inverse, the true one takes at least three playthroughs. For some that is a plus, for others padding.

How long it takes and whether a month is enough

HowLongToBeat data quoted by Stevivor: the main story averages about 10 hours 54 minutes (median 10 hours 35 minutes, over 800 submissions), and a completionist run about 35–36 hours. Other guides give 10–12 hours across 13 chapters, and 30 to 50 hours or more for everything.

Ukrainian, copy protection and multiplayer

• There is no Ukrainian, neither text nor voice-over. Voice-over is Japanese and English (Steam also flags Korean); the interface and subtitles cover English, Russian, Polish and other languages.
• The game is single-player, no multiplayer, so offline rental is no obstacle.
• The Steam page does not list Denuvo. Still, launch the game once with internet before switching Steam to offline mode (see how it works).
• Full controller support, and Steam recommends a gamepad.

PC requirements

OS: Windows 11 64-bit, 50 GB of space. An SSD is recommended at minimum specs and required at recommended specs.

Who it is for, and who should skip it

It is for you if you like horror about atmosphere rather than jump scares: fog, unease, an unfamiliar Japanese take on fear. And if several runs for different endings sound appealing.

Skip it if sharp, varied combat matters to you: that is the critics' main complaint. Also skip it if you expect classic American Silent Hill — this is a different place, a different era and a different story.

Verdict: is it worth a month of rental

Yes, if you are ready for a quiet, atmospheric horror game with imperfect combat. One run is a handful of evenings, and the full story with every ending fits inside a month. There is no Ukrainian, and the game makes you read a lot, so make sure you are comfortable with English or Russian text.

Sources

• Steam store page — languages, requirements, reviews
• OpenCritic — average score, recommend rate, outlet scores
• Wikipedia: Silent Hill f — mechanics, development, review summary
• Review roundup (Space4Games)
• Review roundup (Pure Xbox)
• Stevivor: how long to beat (HowLongToBeat data)
• Deltias Gaming: how long to beat
• Inverse: length and endings
• PCGamesN: length