Silent Hill f Interview: Devs Talk Crafting a New Horror Game With a Younger Protagonist

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At Anime Expo 2025, our team from ComicBook got to chat with some crucial figures behind the eagerly awaited new installment in the popular Silent Hill series. The upcoming horror game created a significant buzz at the event, with a panel held at the JW Hotel and an intricate display set up at the Entertainment Hall. Notably, Silent Hill series producer Motoi Okamoto, scriptwriter Ryukishi07 for the new game, and long-time composer Akira Yamaoka graced the stage to talk about the franchise. During our conversation, we quizzed all three gentlemen about the upcoming game, inquiring about its inspirations and how it differs from previous games in the series. With the recent success of the Silent Hill 2 Remake and the imminent premiere of the Return to Silent Hill film, the franchise is more popular than ever. A remake of the original Silent Hill game has been confirmed, and Silent Hill f is one of the most eagerly awaited horror games slated for release in 2025.

As a devoted fan, I’m excited to share how the team plans to carry forward the captivating energy with Silent Hill f, particularly by broadening the narrative shift in the setting. In this upcoming installment of Silent Hill, we follow Hinako Shimizu, a Japanese schoolgirl from the 1960s who finds herself enveloped in an eerie fog within the fictional town of Ebisugaoka, Japan. This fresh title in the Silent Hill franchise will delve deeper into Japanese identity and culture, moving away from the blend of American subcultures that characterized the series previously. It marks a significant milestone as it will be the first mainline Silent Hill game set in Japan.

Silent Hill f Devs Discuss Making the New Entry in the Prestigious Franchise

In the creation of the fresh adversaries for Silent Hill f, will these creatures predominantly draw inspiration from Japanese culture, or will they retain significant design aspects from past versions, such as the nurses and other iconic monsters that have left a lasting impression on fans?

Motoi Okamoto: The design of the monsters is greatly shaped by the plot’s development as well as Hinako’s emotional struggles and trauma. This creative approach aligns with our previous projects, but it has a stronger emphasis on Japanese culture. The creative process was a collaborative effort among four parties: developers, scriptwriter Ryukishi07, myself, and the primary monster designer. Regular brainstorming sessions were held among these four parties to conceptualize the monsters’ designs.

In the context of Silent Hill being set in Japan now, is it likely that the new soundtrack will incorporate traditional Japanese music, or will it retain the familiar Western style from before?

Akira Yamaoka expresses a slight surprise that the original game scores sounded Western to you, as he intended the music for Silent Hill f to align more closely with its Japanese setting – specifically, the Showa era, which spanned from the 1950s to the 1960s in Japan. While some aspects may seem Western, the overall musical style is meant to resonate strongly with Japanese sensibilities, as the music would be heavily influenced by the culture of that time period in Japan.

In the original series, there were many influences from different forms of media. But for this new version, f, it seems to be heavily influenced by Japanese horror movies, particularly ones like “The Grudge” and “The Ring”.

When you mention Japanese horror, I think you’re referring to the style and approach typically seen in Japanese horror, such as using shadows and emptiness on screen, with occasional hints of something frightening like a hand or an eye appearing unexpectedly. This style is more subtle compared to the “in your face” approach common in Western horror. From my point of view, it’s less about the genre being Japanese and more about the game’s specific presentation style.

In terms of the game “Silent Hill f“, I aim to encapsulate its Silent Hill essence while crafting a horrifying atmosphere. Instead of drawing heavily from Japanese horror, I’m more focused on dissecting and sculpting the game into something that feels terrifying.

Have you run into any unusual difficulties or surprises while creating the game in this fresh environment that you hadn’t anticipated beforehand?

In terms of the scriptwriter’s viewpoint, “fully enjoying” might not be the most accurate term, but for me personally, it was quite relatable and comfortable. If I were to describe a challenge, it would likely stem from my feelings during our first brainstorming session, as I assumed Silent Hill was primarily an American experience. This led me to imagine typical American scenes like cops with donuts or girls fleeing hospitals. However, when we first met, I learned that the game would be set in Japan instead. This took me by surprise, making it one of my biggest challenges, if you will.

As a gaming enthusiast, diving into Silent Hill 5, I’m excited about the choice of a young protagonist. This decision certainly amplifies the sense of vulnerability within the narrative, making the character more relatable and potentially more at risk in the eerie world of Silent Hill.

This shift could change the game from previous entries by adding a fresh perspective, possibly emphasizing fear and confusion as the character navigates through the town’s horrors for the first time. This could also open up new narrative paths, exploring themes that resonate more strongly with youth, such as self-discovery, identity, and coming of age in the face of supernatural terror.

In my opinion, the character Hinako, from the game, seems to be at an age where she may feel the most sensitive and open to influence. It’s likely that setting her at this stage in life will add to her perceived vulnerability.

She’s in a delicate situation, facing numerous obstacles, yet she’s still quite young, which means she has a lot of potential for growth ahead. From my point of view, she may need to flee from certain dangers at times, but instead of only escaping or hiding, I’d like her to find the strength to confront her fears head-on.

In your fictional city, which serves as the setting for the game, it bears resemblance to the Kanyayama district in reality. Was there any significant architectural feature or iconic location from the actual city that you decided to incorporate into your video game?

Motoi Okamoto: Some places stand out, such as the winding, intricate alleyways known as Kinkotsu in Japan, which might be familiar from the game. These authentic streets can be found in the town and have been integrated into the game. Additionally, I think there are extended features, like long stone staircases, too. While they aren’t exact replicas, they have been incorporated into the game in some fashion.

At Anime Expo, Konami showcased fresh glimpses of the upcoming game titled “Silent Hill f” during their panel. The footage emphasized eerie cutscenes where Hinako conversed with enigmatic individuals. A crucial scene centered around Hinako and a mature, sibling-like character named Junko, culminating in one of the novel themes composed by Yamaoka. The exhibit for “Silent Hill f” showcased the monstrous creatures players might face in the game, seamlessly merging classic “Silent Hill” visuals with Japanese influences.

The game titled “Silent Hill f” is set to debut on PlayStation 5 and PC on the 25th of September, 2025, making it perfect for a chilling Halloween experience.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity and was made possible via Konami.

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2025-07-22 00:19