The year is 2012. Konami announces various SILENT HILL titles, a movie, and a re-release of SILENT HILL 2 & 3 on the ill-fated HD COLLECTION.

The year is 2022. Konami announces various SILENT HILL titles, a movie, and remakes of SILENT HILL 2 & 1.

SILENT HILL: F is, at the time of this writing, the most recent entry to the series. Even after the unfortunate cancellation of SILENT HILLS back in 2015, it is unbelievable that the franchise has finally come back after the surprise 2022 transmission and high praise for last year's SILENT HILL 2 remake from Bloober Team.

SH:F is the brainchild of series producer Motoi Okomoto and ryukishi07 (best known for the HIGURASHI series of visual novels) and developed by NeoBards Entertainment (RE: RESISTANCE & RE:VERSE), in an attempt to bring the title of the series to other parts of the world, in this case, 1960's Japan. The game is centered around young teenager Hinako Shimizu, who is living against the odds in a society with certain expectations for women, along with her friends Rinko, Sakuko and longtime friend Shu.

However, this is where the simplicity ends, as SH:F is very decieving from the cover. As per tradition, nothing is ever as it seems, but is now taken to an extreme in SH:F. It starts off fairly subtle from the begining, gradually going to show you what it truly is attempting to say at the end of your first playthrough. There is a shocking level of worldbuilding in a game that is essentially a spin-off, with little to no connection to the rest of the games in the series, and that is the game's strongest suit. Yes, I did say first playthrough.

The whole town of Ebisugaoka is chock full of details, from posters, writing and even the decor that you can spot around the town. It is a town that truly felt lived in at some point, and seemingly hides a lot of mythology under the mountain that it rests nearby. Religous symbols are scattered in small places of worship around the town, giving it a sense of deeper history.

It is not without saying that the game's equivalent of the Otherworld is done with some amazing taste, incorporating temple elements with deep oranges, reds and yellows, echoing the fires and rust of the Otherworld from past games. It is a perfect blend of regality and religion, with deep sense of a forboding, sinister nature belied within.

Same can be said about the monsters, as they are all done with the same amount of taste, especially for the macarbe. Twisted limbs, amorphous masses and contorted visions of the world around Hinako are typical for the series, but are all well done and executed.

Oh, and the music. Franchise maestro Akira Yamaoka returns with music for the fog world portions of the game, and is joined by series newcomers Kenske Inge, Dai and Xaki for their contributions for the music of the Otherworld. Much of the music takes heavy inspiration from traditional Japanese music, which is all pleasent on the ears for the classic blend of melodies and the macarbe. Though, the music does seem to take a bit of a backseat, but with compositions so new after so many years, it will take time for it to grow onto me.

The one and only negative I have to mention is the combat. This is the most combat intensive game of the series, complete with weapon management, specific items you collect from save points to help increase your stats with a variety of effects, and a stamina bar. Some longtime fans do see it as a pain point, despite the puzzles being very plentiful and being absolute brain teasers. The major issue is lesser of the combat mechanics, but moreso of the hoardes of enemies that can swarm Hinako, at times being really overwhelming on higher diffuculty settings. Situations where you have your back against the wall against enemies that can combo you does lead to issues with the system as a whole, especially when you only have enough stamina (and perhaps weapon durability) for one enemy at a time. At times, it feels really fluid, other times, it feels unfair and very punishing.

Finally, one issue other fans of the franchise has with this title is the requirement to play the game 4 totals times to get the true ending. Traditionally, the ending is determined by the actions you take, and while it remains the same here, it is all dependant on what ending you work towards to and how much more of the story is unraveled. Even certain notes and documents can only be found on subsequent NG+ runs, which can be bothersome to some. Personally, I do not mind it as it allows for a fresh experience each run, but I can understand why people feel that way.

To sum it up, SILENT HILL: F is indeed a welcome entry to the greater pantheon of the franchise, but not without some small flaws. It is a strong step in the right direction going forwards for the series. With the recent annoucement of the SILENT HILL 1 remake from Bloober Team, and TOWNFALL in the near future, it seems like a good time to be a fan of the franchise now.

8/10.

30 years after the events that had transpired in RESIDENT EVIL 0, 1, 2 and 3, on top of all other adventures in-between then and now, RESIDENT EVIL: REQUIEM is here to act as a kind of bookend to the truth of the Raccoon City Incident, as well as make ties to a loose end that has been present since RESIDENT EVIL 7: BIOHAZARD.

The game follows FBI investigator Grace Ashcroft, who is sent to a site of another murder, itself tied to a series of murders that had been occurring for some time. Grace is still attempting to move on after the tragic death of her mother Alyssa (RESIDENT EVIL: OUTBREAK/FILE #2). Meanwhile, in the years following RESIDENT EVIL 6, DSO agent Leon S. Kennedy is investigating a series of deaths that are all tied with people who had survived the Raccoon City Incident, but when he gets word of a remnent of Umbrella rearing its head, he sets off to find the answers and eventually crosses paths with Grace.

This is where the game introduces shifts in not only perspective, but in gameplay: Grace's side is more akin to classic RESIDENT EVIL, with limited supply of ammo and healing, forcing players to use their wits and to choose their fights carefully. With Leon, it's more in-line to RESIDENT EVIL 4, complete with one-liners and a parry system. It would be an area of concern to have two drastically gameplay styles, but it never gets to that level as both characters do have dedicated times for their respective scenarios. The early game is largely focused on Grace's plight and her wits in a survival situation, while Leon offers the feeling of catharsis, allowing players to waste away at enemies we had to hide from previously. Late-game is able to balance both characters to a respectable degree.

Much of Grace's gameplay loop is akin to classic RESIDENT EVIL, complete with save rooms, backtracking, item management and crafting. There was a lot of thought and an interesting creative choice when it came to the mixing system for her scenarios, which I thought was a neat little way to incentize going back place to place for. When it comes to Leon, if you've played RESIDENT EVIL 4, you know what you're getting yourself into.

To get into the presentation, it's all really good to look at, but it's what I come to expect from the RE Engine, now almost 10 years on. Perhaps the most visually striking was the ruins of Raccoon City, and being able to head back there after the destruction was indeed a sight to behold. The game also controls just as well as past titles have in this generation of RESIDENT EVIL games.

However, when it comes to the story itself, it somehow leaves more questions than answers. Without having to spoil anything, it does leave a bit to be deisred, especially when it comes to attempting to address a dangling plot thread that has been present since RE7. For those who know, you'll know what I'm talking about. It also seems to downplay a little bit of the whole Umbrella issue, but I will stop here for those who do not wish to be spoiled.

To sum it up, RESIDENT EVIL: REQUIEM is indeed a solid entry, but it is biting off more than its undead jaws could chew. As much as this title is attempting to tie some loose ends, there's still a lot to be discussed when it comes to the other legacy characters and how they fit into this going forwards. No doubt DLC at some point will address this, but as it is for now, it is a solid title. Not top 5 material, but by no means a bad game at all.

7.9/10