After years in the video game wilderness, Silent Hill finally feels like its back on track (we’ll ignore the recent movie for now), and hopes are high that its winning streak will continue as we get our first proper look at the next game in the series, Silent Hill: Townfall.
Townfall was one of three Silent Hill games to be announced by Konami all the way back in 2022. Two of those are now available – the excellent Silent Hill 2 remake and last year’s superb Silent Hill f – meaning there’s just one more to go. And Townfall is, in some ways, the most intriguing of the bunch, given it’s being developed by Screen Burn (formerly No Code), the small Glasgow-based indie studio behind the acclaimed Stories Untold and Observation. And, as seen in today’s new trailer, it also appears to be set in a small British seaside town known as St. Amelia.
Silent Hill: Townfall reveal trailer.
As explained on the PlayStation Blog, Silent Hill: Townfall builds its action – fearing both story-driven puzzles and combat – around a new device known as the CRTV. Owned by new protagonist Simon Ordell, it’s a new (albeit heavily retro-inspired) take on the series’ iconic handheld radio, featuring both audio and video.
Downfall plays out in first-person, and players can deploy the CRTV to pick up signals around Silent Hill revealing more of the story. It’s also used to solve certain challenges – Screen Burn makes mention of “tactile and intricate” “narrative-driven puzzles – and to help Simon ‘see” through the environment and locate nearby threats.
And when those threats grow unavoidable, which could be often given enemies “dynamically hunt” players, combat also unfolds in first-person. Here, players can take advantage of melee and ranged weapons, but Screen Burn stresses the key to success is knowing when not to fight. “Using a combination of the CRTV, some environmental opportunities, and an intuitive peek system,” it explains, “stealth is an equally important strategy needed to survive.”
Silent Hill series producer Motoi Okamoto adds that Downfall is one of the “most aesthetic and sophisticated” entries in the series. “Players who seek a more refined experience will especially appreciate this game,” he concludes, “as it offers intellectual discoveries through puzzles and analysis, while the town’s atmosphere and the portrayal of the Otherworld will entertain players through its aestheticism.”
There’s no release date for Silent Hill: Towfall yet, but wishlists are now on PlayStation Store.
