Kinda Funny Gamescast: Silent Hill f Review – Summary

Podcast: Kinda Funny Gamescast
Episode: Silent Hill f Review
Date: September 22, 2025
Panel: Roger McCorney (Host), Greg Miller, Madeline Stanley (special guest reviewer), Cole “beans”

Episode Overview

This episode features a detailed review of Silent Hill f, the newest entry in the Silent Hill franchise, with special guest and horror game aficionado Madeline Stanley (“madexposure”) providing an in-depth analysis as the only panelist to have completed the game. Roger and Greg support the discussion by posing questions from the perspective of both long-time fans and newcomers.

The review covers gameplay mechanics, narrative structure, combat, puzzles, aesthetics, and how the title fits within the broader Silent Hill and survival horror legacy. It also delves into topics such as accessibility, replay value, and scare factor, making the episode useful for both returning fans and newcomers to the franchise.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Introduction & Context (05:00–07:04)

• Silent Hill f is developed by Neobards with a story by Ryukishi07 (renowned Japanese horror writer).
• The game takes place in 1960s rural Japan, diverging from the classic Silent Hill town setting and thematically exploring the dichotomy between beauty and horror.
• At time of recording, Silent Hill f holds an 88 on OpenCritic and 85 on Metacritic.

2. Gameplay Structure & Experience (08:14–14:00)

• Madeline played the game on the recommended “story mode” difficulty on PS5, finishing it in about 11 hours.
  • “If you do normal or hard difficulty, you might get a little bit longer in there. But I didn't find any of the combat to stick too long for me, which ended up being perfect.” (08:40, Madeline)
• The game allows separate difficulty tweaks for both combat and puzzles, with “story mode” making the experience accessible but not trivial.

Notable Quote

“I really, really enjoyed this game. I think it hits a lot of the things that Silent Hill fans are looking for, but is also an incredibly great starting point for people who have no context for Silent Hill.”
— Madeline, 09:12

3. Combat System & Mechanics (11:17–14:00)

• Combat offers both melee (light/heavy attacks) and parrying, though Madeline notes parrying isn’t crucial unless playing on higher difficulties.
• There’s some discussion online about “Souls-like” elements, but Madeline clarifies:

  “I don’t think this is a souls game. I think people see parry and they're like, okay, that's a souls game. And that's not really very accurate.” (12:10)

• There’s weapon degradation; players can only carry three weapons at once. Emphasis is on resource management rather than nonstop combat.

4. Atmosphere, Narrative & Themes (14:33–23:59)

• The game’s main theme is the dichotomy within the self, explored through protagonist Hinako and her relationships in a small Japanese town.
  • “Dichotomy is the word that I kept coming back to for this game...like ugly versus pretty, traditional versus modern.” (20:45, Madeline)
• The narrative focuses on personal and social expectations, with heavy allusions to Japanese cultural and gender dynamics.
• Two primary world states—a fog-engulfed town and a spiritual/fantastical “otherworld”—each showcase different story aspects and gameplay mechanics.

Notable Quote

“I personally resonated with this story more...there’s so much back and forth that I feel like it keeps you really engaged with the story.”
— Madeline, 22:26

5. Puzzles & Exploration (23:59–29:27)

• Puzzles range from traditional logic-based to combat-integrated setpieces. Only one was frustrating for Madeline, primarily due to overthinking.
• The in-game notebook organizes maps, notes, and context clues (“I love a good notebook with some pictures.” – Roger, 25:37).
• Exploration is optional but rewarding—side paths give narrative depth and context rather than direct gameplay upgrades.

Notable Quote

“From a story perspective, it’s definitely worth it. From a gameplay perspective that kind of depends. You’re not getting experience...so it really is: what do you want to spend your weapons and your health items on?”
— Madeline, 28:37

6. Resource Systems: Health, Stamina, Sanity (32:01–37:41)

• Three core parameters:
  • Health: Self-explanatory.
  • Stamina: Limits actions in combat; protagonist is fragile, so players must balance aggression and caution.
  • Sanity: Decreases when seeing or experiencing disturbing events; low sanity starts draining health.
• Items provide different combinations of healing effects, often requiring memorization for optimal play. Inventory space is limited but upgradable.

Notable Quote

“She’s just a little teenage girl. She’s holding these heavy pipes. She gets tired easily...you run out of stamina and she just gets scared and stands there.”
— Madeline, 32:46

7. Difficulty, Boss Battles, and Accessibility (38:20–40:09)

• On Story difficulty, bosses are generally approachable but still engaging—especially the final boss.
  • “I am also a well-known boss battle hater...but I found these to be good.” (38:32, Madeline)
• The game provides customizable challenge to cater to both horror veterans and story-driven players.

8. Performances, Voice Acting, and Presentation (40:02–41:41)

• Both English and Japanese voiceovers available; tone is intentionally unsettling, echoing the franchise’s tradition of ambiguous, off-kilter delivery.
  • “At first you might be like, ooh, I don't know if this is good line delivery...but I ultimately think that's actually what the game wants you to feel.” (41:09)

9. Scare Factor and Horror Tone (41:41–44:48)

• The game leans less on jump scares and more on creeping dread and psychological discomfort.
  • “I went to bed feeling sick to my stomach two nights in a row.” (41:43, Madeline)
• Compared to P.T. — while not reaching the same intensity, Silent Hill f carries an “off-putting, dreadful” vibe throughout.

10. Replay Value & New Game+ (45:01–49:12)

• The game supports multiple playthroughs—New Game+ introduces new notes, cutscenes, and context for alternate endings.
  • “It’s meant to be played more than once to get more context about what’s going on.” (45:01, Madeline)
• At 10–12 hours per playthrough, the cast agrees a second run feels reasonable.

11. Final Thoughts & Must-Play Verdict (45:01–47:34)

• Madeline scores the game 9/10 (“amazing”) on the Kinda Funny scale.
  • “A must-play for horror fans...If you’re new to Silent Hill, I think this is a great place to come in.”
• The group praises Silent Hill f’s balance of franchise heritage and accessibility for newcomers.

12. Community Q&A (50:48–51:35)

• Madeline confirms the game is appropriate for first-timers to the series—prior Silent Hill knowledge not required.
  • “You can definitely play this as your first.”

13. Quick Review: ‘No, I’m Not Human’ (53:04–61:00)

• Greg gives thoughts on indie horror No, I’m Not Human, a Papers, Please-style, “trust no one” paranoia simulator. He praises the concept but finds replay loop repetitive.
  • “Not a ringing endorsement, but I’ve enjoyed my time with it. ...it’s cool. ...really creepy off-setting, you know, off-putting vibe.” (60:06)

Memorable Moments & Quotes

• On Accessibility & Inclusivity:

  “I’m really appreciative they did different combat and puzzle levels because I think that makes it easier for lots of people to kind of join in on this franchise.”
  — Madeline, 45:01

• On Silent Hill f’s Scare Factor:

  “There are moments where I genuinely did scream and kind of run away or kind of freak out...But mostly I was like, oh, I just feel sick about what’s going on...”
  — Madeline, 43:05

• On Playing for Endings:

  “I don’t like that generally because I don’t have that much time to play games to begin with...But I don’t mind putting 20 hours into this game and giving it two playthroughs.”
  — Madeline, 48:03

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Silent Hill f Review begins: 05:00
• Base impressions & playtime: 08:14
• Combat, parry mechanics, Souls discussion: 11:17–14:00
• Score & what makes it amazing: 14:05–17:03
• Theme, story, setting, dichotomy: 17:35–23:59
• Puzzle design & notebook system: 24:12–26:22
• Exploration and rewards: 28:37
• Health, stamina, sanity system: 32:01–37:41
• Boss difficulty & accessibility: 38:20
• Voice acting & presentation: 40:09–41:41
• Scare factor & psychological horror: 41:41–44:48
• New Game+ & replay value: 45:01–49:12
• First-time player question: 51:00
• Mini-review: No, I’m Not Human: 53:04–61:00

Conclusion

Silent Hill f is lauded as a major success for both genre veterans and newcomers. Its strong atmosphere, stellar sound and visual design, engaging story, approachable yet challenging gameplay, and replay value make it a standout entry—maybe even a new starting point for the franchise.

Madeline’s final verdict:

“A must-play for horror fans...I think this is a great place to come in...I’m excited to play New Game+ and see the new clues and cutscenes.”

For more from Madeline:

• Twitch: madexposure
• Twitter, Bluesky, Instagram: @madexposure

Next episode: The Kinda Funny Podcast.