Silent Hill f has had an incredible year, smashing records and being nominated at the Horror Game Awards for Game of the Year. And it’s not surprising. The incredible story, every intentional detail of the game, and its reflection of womanhood in 1960s Japan make Silent Hill f one of the best games of 2025, and here’s why.
Sakuko’s Untimely Death, Rinko’s Jealousy, and Hinako’s Suffering
At the beginning of the game, one of the very first deaths we encounter is Sakuko, a member of Hinako’s friend group. After her death, she also becomes one of the first boss enemies we encounter, dressed in a shrine maiden kimono.
Rinko is another member of this friend group, who takes on the role of the antagonist in the game. Her growing jealousy of Hinako and Shu’s close relationship is left to fester in her own hell, leaving her miserable and labeled the bad guy.
And then there’s Hinako, the protagonist and the owner of this Silent Hill hell, in which she is trapped. The ending of the game reveals that Hinako is not in fact a high school girl, but a 20-something-year-old about to be married and is having a psychotic break. Hinako seems to be breaking from reality the further she goes through the game, her psyche breaking with every encounter. Sakuko, Rinko, and Hinko are victim to what womanhood was defined, and Silent Hill f does an amazing job reflecting that.
Silent Hill f’s Reflection of Womanhood
Womanhood, especially in 1960s Japan, was oppressive. Some expectations and roles were aligned with a patriarchal ideology in society, something we saw quite often throughout Silent Hill f. From the abuse Hinako sustained from her father to her defiance of societal norms and what it meant to be a woman, the theme of womanhood aligned with the oppressive atmosphere of Silent Hill, which gave the game that much more depth.
Silent Hill f doesn’t have the most positive ending. The post-credit scene reveals that Hinako’s psychological break led her to murder several people, including people at her wedding. This tracks for a Silent Hill ending, as most Silent Hill games don’t end in happily ever after, and the game the devs made is emphasized by the incredible story and every detail that may have seemed small but mattered in the long run.
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