Survival horror games are one of the hardest genres for new players to get into, for several reasons. Those averse to the horror genre overall, including movies, will be too afraid to jump in. Even those who like horror may struggle in this subgenre, because of the low resources and abundance of enemies.
Those are two things that plague the latest Silent Hill entry, Silent Hill f, which goes beyond the previous title in terms of difficulty. The Silent Hill 2 remake and this latest entry both do the franchise justice, but it can be daunting to start Silent Hill f even with the difficulty settings. Here are some things that make it more challenging than its predecessor.
Resource Management
My Kingdom For A Bag
One of the best things about the Silent Hill 2 remake is that the inventory was limitless. Players could acquire as many bullets as they wanted for their handgun, or as many health items as they could carry. More horror games should do away with inventory limits, even if someone carrying truckloads of bullets in their pockets doesn’t make sense.
Unfortunately, Silent Hill f brought the inventory system back, and it’s very hard to get used to. Certain items can permanently increase inventory limits, but they are few and far between. Players will often have to leave items behind because they are short on space, and there is no inventory box, unlike in the Resident Evil series. For a game where resource management plays such a big role, Silent Hill f certainly punishes players for hoarding items.
No Guns
Melee Or Bust
Most Silent Hill games give players a good amount of melee weapons such as bats, in addition to ranged weapons like guns. Ammo is always scarce, even more than in a Resident Evil game, but careful planning can make these weapons effective. Saving guns for the bosses in the Silent Hill 2 remake, for example, was always a good idea.
Unfortunately, this new release is completely focused on melee weapons. Even in the post-game, Silent Hill f does not give players a gun. It’s not impossible to beat without guns, as players simply have to learn the new controls, but it is certainly not as adaptable as the Silent Hill 2 remake was.
The Breakable Weapons
Back In A Bad Way
A lot of the Silent Hill games have used breakable weapons, ranging from pipes to pieces of wood. The Silent Hill 2 remake thankfully did away with this system, offering players only a select few melee and ranged weapons. Breakable weapons are back in a big way in Silent Hill f, which makes things harder since there are no guns. Weapons can be repaired though.
However, resources are still limited. so it’s not like players can buy Toolkits to repair their favorite weapons nonstop. Also, players are forced to choose between three weapons at a time, and there can be long gaps between finding new weapons. This resource management applies to the weapon system too, and it seems a bit unfair when enemies are more aggressive.
Enemies Will Stalk You
Good Luck Fighting
If players had to use their weapons in Silent Hill f against the enemies from the Silent Hill 2 remake, it would be a piece of cake. Most of those enemies went down in a couple of swings and were easy to maneuver around. This included the enemies that spewed acid-like goo on James. However, the enemy types are more varied in Silent Hill f, plus they are far more aggressive.
The first doll-like enemies carrying knives will have players wet themselves every time one pops around a corner, and that’s only one example. Wearing headphones is a must in this game, as they can help players determine if they are being followed. There are new combat moves to counter and dodge attacks, but these upgrades can be hard to master in Silent Hill f. Monsters can respawn more frequently in certain areas, which makes those feel less special.
The Stamina Meter
Attacks Must Be Planned
Silent Hill f has a few upgrade paths beyond the inventory limits, which is good, but there is a catch. Finding Ema and praying items away at save points can increase stats like stamina, which will essentially level Hinako up. While health was a stat in the Silent Hill 2 remake, James did not have stamina. Players could swing their melee weapons, run, and dodge all without getting out of breath in the Silent Hill 2 remake.
The inclusion of the stamina meter in Silent Hill f makes combat harder on top of players having to worry about weapon degradation. Also, players cannot stomp on downed enemies and get a free non-weapon action.
No Flashlight
An Iconic Item Is Lost
One of the most iconic items in the Silent Hill series is the flashlight. It’s often one of the first items players can find in the games. In the Silent Hill 2 remake, it was necessary because not every player was happy with the overall lighting design.
On the plus side, the shading of Silent Hill f’s world is much easier to see. However, there are a few areas where a flashlight would have come in handy and could have prevented enemies from sneaking up. Players get a lantern in the other world for a bit, but then lose it again. This is the 1960s, so maybe that’s why it’s gone, but surely Konami could have found a way to give players a flashlight. While the loss of the flashlight is not as bad as any of the previous gripes, it’s still sad to see it gone.