Silent Hill: Townfall: PS5 Review

Developed by Screen Burn
Published by Konami
Platform: PS5

The latest nightmare to emerge from Konami's long-running franchise proves to be a horrifically diabolical entrant into the world of Silent Hill.

Set in 1996 in a spooky Scottish town of St Amelia (are there any other types?), the game puts you squarely in the footsteps of three protagonists, Simon, Zoe and Richard and sets them on a collision course.

It begins in a very familiar way with Simon waking up on the shores of St Amelia with no idea how he got there or what he's doing With just a hospital ID tag and an IV drip hanging out of him, it doesn't look good as he stumbles through the fog - but as his own personal mist clears, he finds a TV set that delivers him a message and sets him off on a quest. However, before too long, monsters emerge from Silent Hill: Townfall to quicken the pace and your own heartbeat.

Putting the game in a first-person perspective adds an element of horror to Silent Hill: Townfall which is hard to escape. The claustrophobia feels real and the sense of atmosphere is wired throughout the game.

What works about this game is the sense of unease that drifts through the fog, permeating every moment of uncomfortable horror - Screen Burn's done much to revitalise the game's concept  and the fact there are multiple endings means that every playthrough feels warranted and worthy - even if it is nerve-shreddingly haunting.

Body horror, medical traumas and general unease all settle in alongside the Scottish setting and what's clear about this gameplay is that Screen Burn has used some pretty familiar tropes to ensure that it makes a superlative entrant into the franchise.

Mixing retro with the unconventional pays dividends here and the game's desire to uproot some of the horror conventions and place them into a disturbing Scottish setting means that what plays out is stellar - if terrifying - stuff.

All in all, Silent Hill: Townfall is the kind of horror game that's perfect for Halloween - just don't be surprised if you leave the lights on at the end of the night.