Ways Silent Hill f Is Better Than Silent Hill 2 Remake

by

Silent Hill f marks the first completely original installment in the Silent Hill series since 2012’s Silent Hill: Downpour. While there have been updated versions and smaller games released since then, and the Silent Hill 2 remake received positive feedback, Silent Hill f represents a significant new addition to the franchise. 2025 is shaping up to be a major year for Konami, as they’ve also just released their first Metal Gear game – a remake – in quite some time.

What makes the Silent Hill series so compelling is its anthology-style approach to horror – each game tells a unique and separate story. However, this format also naturally leads to comparisons between titles. With the Silent Hill 2 remake having come out recently, let’s take a look at how Silent Hill f surpasses the original, and also where the remake truly excels.

Good: The Opening Song

The Sound Design Is Foreign And Unreal

As a big fan, I can tell you that Silent Hill f is a game you absolutely *need* to play with headphones – even if you already have a great sound system! The Silent Hill 2 remake sounds fantastic, don’t get me wrong, but Silent Hill f is just more genuinely frightening. A lot of the noises and sound design are things a Western audience probably hasn’t heard before, which really adds to the creepiness.

Sounds like bells and buzzing insects, for instance, can surprisingly enhance the player’s experience. However, the real star of the audio is the opening theme, “Mayoi Uta,” which is genuinely eerie and perfectly complements the atmosphere of Japanese horror films.

Good: The Combat Upgrades

Dodging And Countering

Hinako in Silent Hill f feels a little less agile than James in the Silent Hill 2 remake, but both characters are very durable. This is common in horror games, as the genre often uses what are known as “tank controls” – a classic feature. However, Hinako does have a wider range of combat options compared to James.

She can evade enemies faster when her Stamina is full. Well-timed dodges result in a Perfect Dodge, and a counterattack system is also included. To deal increased damage in Silent Hill f, players need to focus on enemies while maintaining high Sanity levels. The item wheel is now easier to use, and all of these improvements will benefit combat overall. These are features that James from Silent Hill 2 notably didn’t have.

Bad: Breakable Weapons

Up A Creek And Without A Steel Pipe

Silent Hill f’s improvements to combat are welcome, but the focus on melee fighting does have a significant drawback. Similar to other Silent Hill games, Silent Hill f includes a weapon durability system, which many players dislike-even in games outside the horror genre, such as The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

In Silent Hill f, players can fix their weapons using Toolkits, but these are scarce, so it’s not a complete fix. The remake of Silent Hill 2 features weapons – both close-combat and ranged – that don’t break, and this was a welcome improvement.

Good: Monsters Are Aggressive

The f Stands For Frightening

Whether this is good or bad depends on what players are looking for in a horror game. If players prefer feeling powerful during fights, the Silent Hill 2 remake might be a good choice, because the monsters are predictable and relatively easy to defeat – they’re mostly slow. They can be frightening, but they aren’t very dangerous.

Silent Hill f’s monsters are naturally aggressive hunters. These creatures, resembling dolls, will lurk on rooftops and pursue you, adding to the game’s fear factor-which is a positive. While some of them reappear in areas, potentially causing frustration, this actually enhances the overall sense of dread.

Good: The RPG Elements

Make Hinako Stronger

Silent Hill f offers RPG-style upgrades for players who enjoy seeing progress in their horror experience. You can find items called Ema to improve Hinako’s Health, Stamina, and Sanity at shrines. Upgrading requires Faith, which acts as the game’s currency and is earned by selling items.

Players can also discover accessories called Omamori, which add unique benefits – for example, one lets Hinako recover health during battles without being stopped. You can improve the slots for these Omamori at shrines as well. To put it simply, the Silent Hill 2 remake doesn’t have this kind of RPG depth.

Bad: An Adult Story Is Better For Some

This Is A Teenage Wasteland

The narrative in Silent Hill f is generally less complex than that of Silent Hill 2. It centers around a teenage girl grappling with problems related to her father, who arrives in her hometown to find it deserted, except for a few acquaintances. Although Hinako encounters new people during her travels, the story primarily focuses on well-known characters behaving as expected.

The Silent Hill 2 remake, however, creates a more disturbing atmosphere as James searches for his wife in the town of Silent Hill. Each person he meets seems lost, unhelpful, and odd. This feeling of uncertainty heightens the fear, making the Silent Hill 2 remake particularly unsettling for mature players. While teenagers might prefer Silent Hill f, the story isn’t quite as gripping overall for a horror experience.

Good: Hinako’s Notebook

Adds Charm To The World

To finish on a high note for Silent Hill f, there’s a sweet detail that makes Hinako a more likable character as a teenager. Whenever she encounters something new, she writes it down in her journal. She also occasionally connects current events to memories from her past.

I remember there being this really cool UFO game that she and Shu used to play when they were kids, and she actually drew a detailed picture of it in her journal – it’s how she remembers it. It’s one of those games that makes you constantly check your journal for clues, which is neat. But James, as the main character in a horror game, just doesn’t have that same playful whimsy. He’s missing that little bit of fun that makes the game special. It’s a key difference, really.

Read More

2025-10-01 10:11