Silent Hill f just proved that Konami’s decision to hand the franchise to Taiwanese developer NeoBards Entertainment was brilliant. After receiving four nominations but zero wins at The Game Awards last week, the 1960s Japan-set psychological horror swept The Horror Game Awards 2025 on December 13, taking home four trophies including the coveted Game of the Year. Konatsu Kato’s gut-wrenching performance as protagonist Hinako Shimizu earned Best Performance, while the game also secured Best Narrative and Technical Achievement awards in the first-ever live ceremony held at London’s Kensington Conference and Events Centre.
The sweep represents vindication for a franchise that stumbled badly with Silent Hill HD Collection and Silent Hill Downpour. Critics and players alike praised Silent Hill f for its stunning art direction, deeply unsettling atmosphere, narrative complexity requiring multiple playthroughs to fully comprehend, and Kato’s emotionally devastating portrayal of a repressed teenager navigating supernatural horror and societal pressure. Released September 25, 2025 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC, the game currently sits as one of 2025’s highest-rated horror titles.
Why The Horror Game Awards Mattered More
The contrast between The Game Awards and The Horror Game Awards results tells an interesting story about specialized versus mainstream recognition. At The Game Awards, Silent Hill f received nominations for Best Narrative, Best Audio Design, Best Performance for Konatsu Kato, and Best Art Direction but walked away empty-handed. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 dominated that ceremony, winning Game of the Year and multiple category awards.
But The Horror Game Awards exists precisely because mainstream award shows consistently undervalue horror games. Co-founded by Will Penkeyman and Phil Dickens alongside co-producer Ash Millman, the awards launched in 2022 specifically to address horror’s lack of representation and appreciation. The jury comprises over 60 horror game content creators who deeply understand what makes the genre special, with specialist developer juries for Technical Achievement and accessibility expert juries for Most Accessible Horror Game.
Silent Hill f dominated against stiff competition including Cronos: The New Dawn, Dead Reset, Doom: The Dark Ages, Dying Light The Beast, Escape the Backrooms, Heartworm, Little Nightmares III, Look Outside, No I’m Not Human, R.E.P.O, Resident Evil 4 Remake Gold Edition, The Midnight Walk, and Until Dawn. That it won Game of the Year alongside three additional categories demonstrates how thoroughly it resonated with judges who prioritize horror craft over mass appeal.
Konatsu Kato’s Performance Changed Everything
Konatsu Kato’s Best Performance win represents a historic moment for video game awards. She delivered her entire performance in Japanese as Hinako Shimizu, making her among the first non-English voice actors nominated and winning at major gaming award ceremonies. This recognition matters enormously for international actors whose work often gets overlooked by English-language-dominated awards.
What makes Kato’s performance exceptional goes beyond technical skill. She captured Hinako’s emotional journey through trauma, repression, societal pressure, and supernatural horror with devastating authenticity. Players report feeling deeply connected to Hinako’s struggles, making the multiple endings emotionally wrenching rather than simple branching paths. Kato herself described filming the confrontation scene between two versions of Hinako as so intense she temporarily lost her sense of self and broke down in tears, forcing production to pause.
In a charming twist, Kato recently began streaming Silent Hill f on YouTube despite not considering herself much of a gamer before the project. Her first stream drew over 1.6 million views as fans watched her experience the game she starred in for the first time. The stream demonstrated horror’s universal language as viewers from around the world connected with her reactions, whether pulling away during tense moments, mimicking Hinako’s actions, or scrambling during unexpected gameplay transitions after relaxing during cutscenes.
Setting Horror in 1960s Japan
Silent Hill f’s decision to set the story in 1960s Japan wasn’t arbitrary aesthetic choice. Series producer Motoi Okamoto specifically chose this era because it represents peak female repression in Japanese society while also marking the beginning of women’s rights movements. Hinako’s story explores how she musters courage to combat the intense societal pressure expecting her to become a subservient wife and daughter like her mother and sister.
The game tackles these themes through both supernatural horror and grounded trauma. Hinako resents her abusive father, feels trapped by expectations, and fears her predetermined future in a rapidly changing society. The 1960s setting provides familiarity through recognizable objects like rotary telephones while maintaining distance that borders on mythology, creating unease where familiar things appear in unfamiliar formats.
This cultural and temporal specificity distinguishes Silent Hill f from previous franchise entries set in American small towns. Writer Ryukishi07 and director Al Yang worked extensively to capture authentic 1960s Japanese atmosphere while maintaining Silent Hill’s signature psychological horror. The result earned praise for returning genuine Japanese horror themes that had faded from the series over time.
Technical Achievement and Narrative Depth
Silent Hill f’s Technical Achievement award recognizes NeoBards Entertainment’s impressive work bringing Ebisugaoka to life with nearly photorealistic yet ethereal visuals. The game runs smoothly across PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC while maintaining atmospheric fog effects, detailed character models, and environmental storytelling that rewards careful observation. Motion capture technology allowed Kato to see instant playbacks and adjust performances, creating seamless integration between her acting and Hinako’s digital representation.
The Best Narrative win acknowledges how Silent Hill f demands multiple playthroughs to fully comprehend. Each ending provides new context that reframes everything experienced before, with seemingly inconsequential early decisions determining which conclusion players trigger. Critics noted the game lacks subtlety compared to earlier Silent Hill titles but never spells everything out, maintaining ambiguity that encourages community discussion and personal interpretation.
Combat received particular attention for breaking survival horror conventions. Hinako moves with surprising agility compared to traditional shambling protagonists, initially raising concerns about diluting dread. But the action-focused combat earns its place by maintaining narrative atmosphere without becoming overly complex. Players can adjust combat and puzzle difficulty independently, with Story mode allowing focus on narrative while Hard mode tests strategic thinking.
Other Notable Winners
Look Outside by Frankie Smile Show claimed two awards: Best Art Direction (beating Silent Hill f) and Best Indie Horror Game. The indie darling impressed judges with distinctive visual style and creative horror design executed on presumably limited budget. Doom: The Dark Ages took home Best Soundtrack, continuing the series’ tradition of outstanding audio design. The Midnight Walk won Best VR Horror Game after also securing Best AR/VR Game at The Game Awards, demonstrating crossover appeal between specialized and mainstream recognition.
Resident Evil Requiem won Most Anticipated Horror Game, preventing Grand Theft Auto VI from claiming the category. This represents significant community excitement for Capcom’s next mainline entry following Resident Evil 4 Remake’s critical and commercial success. Other winners included No I’m Not Human for Player’s Choice, Little Nightmares III for Most Accessible Horror Game, R.E.P.O for Best Multiplayer Horror Game, and Markiplier for Horror Content Creator of the Year.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to Hideo Kojima, recognizing his contributions to the genre through P.T., Death Stranding’s horror elements, and his upcoming game OD. Black Eyed Priest won Best Indie Developer while Red Barrels secured Best Developer, likely for their continued work on the Outlast franchise.
What This Means for Silent Hill
The Horror Game Awards sweep positions Silent Hill f as a franchise revival rather than one-off success. After years of failed attempts, canceled projects, and underwhelming releases, Konami finally found the right creative team and approach. Trusting NeoBards Entertainment, a non-Japanese studio, to create a game set in Japan initially raised skepticism. But the developers proved cultural authenticity comes from research, respect, and collaboration rather than simply geographic origin.
Multiple Silent Hill projects remain in development, including Silent Hill 2 Remake from Bloober Team which already released to critical acclaim. The success of both titles demonstrates the franchise can support diverse creative visions executed by different studios while maintaining core psychological horror identity. Konami’s multi-studio approach allows experimentation without betting everything on single entries.
Critics who played extensive preview builds praised Silent Hill f’s risk-taking in relocating the series to new settings and implementing more action-focused combat. These changes could have alienated fans attached to traditional formulas, but NeoBards earned their place by executing bold choices with skill and understanding of what makes Silent Hill special beyond superficial elements.
Frequently Asked Questions
What awards did Silent Hill f win?
Silent Hill f won four awards at The Horror Game Awards 2025: Game of the Year, Best Narrative, Technical Achievement, and Best Performance for Konatsu Kato. It was nominated in six categories total.
When did Silent Hill f release?
Silent Hill f released September 25, 2025 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. A deluxe edition launched two days earlier on September 23, 2025.
Who developed Silent Hill f?
NeoBards Entertainment, a Taiwanese developer, created Silent Hill f with publishing by Konami Digital Entertainment. Writer Ryukishi07 and director Al Yang led the creative vision.
What is Silent Hill f about?
Silent Hill f follows Hinako Shimizu, a high school student in 1960s Japan, as her town Ebisugaoka becomes consumed by fog. She navigates supernatural horror while confronting societal repression and personal trauma shaped by Japanese women’s rights movements of that era.
Who is Konatsu Kato?
Konatsu Kato is the Japanese actress and model who provided both the voice and likeness for protagonist Hinako Shimizu. She won Best Performance at The Horror Game Awards 2025 for her emotionally devastating portrayal.
Did Silent Hill f win at The Game Awards?
No, Silent Hill f received four nominations at The Game Awards 2025 including Best Narrative and Best Performance but did not win any awards. However, it dominated The Horror Game Awards with four wins.
Is Silent Hill f a remake or new game?
Silent Hill f is a completely new standalone spinoff story, not a remake or traditional mainline entry. It’s set in a different location and time period from previous games with new characters.
What platforms is Silent Hill f on?
Silent Hill f is available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC via Steam and other digital storefronts.
Conclusion
Silent Hill f’s dominance at The Horror Game Awards 2025 validates everything Konami and NeoBards Entertainment risked with this project. Relocating the franchise to 1960s Japan, entrusting a Taiwanese studio with Japanese horror themes, implementing action-focused combat, and centering the narrative on female repression and societal pressure could have failed spectacularly. Instead, these bold choices created something genuinely special that reminded everyone why Silent Hill matters. Konatsu Kato’s career-defining performance as Hinako Shimizu brought emotional authenticity that elevated the entire experience beyond typical survival horror. Her historic Best Performance win as a Japanese-language actor at major gaming awards opens doors for international talent whose work deserves recognition regardless of language. The Technical Achievement and Best Narrative awards acknowledge NeoBards’ skill executing atmospheric horror with nearly photorealistic visuals while crafting stories demanding multiple playthroughs for full comprehension. After years watching the franchise stumble through mediocre entries and canceled projects, seeing Silent Hill f succeed critically and commercially feels like witnessing resurrection. The game proved audiences still crave thoughtful psychological horror willing to tackle difficult themes through supernatural metaphor. And the specialized recognition from The Horror Game Awards jury demonstrates that genre expertise matters when evaluating what makes horror games exceptional. Mainstream awards serve important purposes recognizing broad achievements, but specialized ceremonies celebrate craft elements casual observers miss. Silent Hill f earned both critical acclaim and genre-specific honors by refusing to play safe, taking creative risks, and trusting that excellence transcends familiar formulas. For Konami’s Silent Hill revival, this represents the best possible start.