After years in the video game wilderness, Silent Hill finally feels like its back on track (we’ll ignore the recent movie, however), 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 back in 2022. Two of those are now out – 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 studio behind the acclaimed Stories Untold and Observation. And, as seen in today’s new trailer, Townfall appears to take place in a small British seaside town called St. Amelia.
As explained on the PlayStation Blog, Silent Hill: Townfall builds its action – consisting of story-driven puzzles and combat – around a vaguely Game Boy-like device known as the CRTV. Owned by new protagonist Simon Ordell, it’s intended to be a fresh (albeit heavily retro-inspired) take on the series’ iconic handheld radio, featuring both audio and video.
Townfall unfolds in first-person, with players deploying the CRTV to pick up signals around town and reveal more of the story. It’s also used to solve certain challenges – Screen Burn mentions “tactile and intricate” 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 occurs in first-person. Here, players can make use 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 Townfall is one of the “most aesthetic and sophisticated” entries in the series to date. “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 available on PlayStation Store.