Silent Hill f’s Take on a Key Survival Horror Feature is the Best in the Business

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While it’s not flawless-you could easily find issues, particularly with how it plays-Silent Hill f is, overall, a remarkably strong and impactful horror game. What makes it truly unsettling is its thoughtful exploration of teenage emotions, trauma, beliefs, and the risks of groupthink, and the character of Shimizu Hinako is a genuinely moving and sympathetic protagonist-one of the best I’ve encountered in a horror game in years.

Minor spoilers ahead for Silent Hill f.

It’s true that some of the technical aspects of Silent Hill f could be improved – the camera, for example, can be quite frustrating – but the story itself is very strong. The game tells a compelling story through confusing but effective cutscenes, details hidden in the environment, and cleverly placed Easter eggs. A key way it does this is through Hinako’s journal, which is regularly updated with information about monsters, characters, and places. This seemingly simple feature actually adds a lot of depth to the story and even makes the gameplay more interesting.

Why Silent Hill f’s Journal Is a Masterstroke

Journal Entries Are a Crucial Pillar of Silent Hill f’s Narrative Construction

Hinako’s journal contains important and revealing details you won’t find anywhere else in the game. For example, Hinako sometimes makes choices in cutscenes or conversations that seem confusing-but make perfect sense if you’ve read her journal. Because it’s written from her point of view, the journal gives you a valuable understanding of how she sees other characters, particularly key figures like Shu and Junko, and helps explain her behavior during their interactions.

For instance, I first thought Hinako and Shu were in love. The way they acted around each other at the beginning seemed like typical teenage shyness. But after reading Hinako’s diary about Shu, I realized their connection was much more complex. The awkwardness then made sense as a sign of Hinako’s complicated feelings about gender and how people interact. This didn’t just clarify their relationship; it also gave me a better understanding of Hinako’s thoughts and Silent Hill f‘s overall message.

The journal also uncovers important story details. While players learn some of Ebisugaoka’s history through cutscenes, to truly understand the town’s past-especially how it connects to the game’s supernatural happenings-reading the relevant journal entries is essential. Therefore, the journal is a must-read for anyone who wants to fully immerse themselves in the story and world of Silent Hill f.

It’s worth noting that these journal entries are remarkably well-written and engaging, functioning as strong literary pieces on their own.

Silent Hill f’s Journal Is a Boon for Gameplay as Much as Narrative

The benefits of Hinako’s journal extend beyond just the story; it significantly enhances the gameplay too. This is most noticeable in Silent Hill f’s puzzles, which frequently require you to read text-based clues and use them to solve logical challenges. The journal saves all these clues exactly as they appear, making puzzle-solving much easier without making the puzzles themselves too simple. It’s a subtle but very helpful feature. The journal also provides useful information about enemies, allowing you to develop better combat strategies by learning about their weaknesses and other important traits. Simply put, don’t underestimate the importance of Silent Hill f’s journal-it’s a well-designed and crucial element of the overall game experience.

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2025-09-29 23:23