Silent Hill: Townfall Earns Praise From Critics Ahead of Launch

The next entry in the series, Silent Hill: Townfall, launches in just a few days on PlayStation 5 and PC. The review embargo has already lifted, so we can see how critics rated the joint project from Screen Burn, Annapurna Interactive, and Konami.

The first reviews for Silent Hill: Townfall are mostly positive, and there are no sharply negative scores so far. On Metacritic, the game holds 81 points based on 45 reviews, 34 of them positive and 11 mixed. For comparison, Silent Hill f and the Silent Hill 2 remake both sit at 86, so Townfall falls slightly short of both. On OpenCritic, the Top Critic Average is 82, and 90% of the 31 critics recommend the game. The highest score came from Digital Spy (10/10), while the lowest went to VGC (3/5), The Outerhaven, and DayOne (6/10 each).

Reviewers most often praise the atmosphere of the Scottish town of St. Amelia, the successful shift to a first-person view, and the tense hide-and-seek gameplay. Most complaints target the new ideas: apart from the setting, some outlets feel they fall short of the series' classic formula. Critics also mention that the game withholds too much story information and that some puzzles are exhausting. Below are reviews from some of the best-known outlets.

Digital Spy – 10/10:

The reviewer believes the game merges the best parts of Alien: Isolation and Resident Evil's first-person entries with Silent Hill's signature rusty, foggy identity. Townfall is called a breath of fresh air for the genre and a must-play for horror fans.

GamesRadar – 9/10:

The outlet describes Townfall as relentlessly dark and disturbing, a game that takes its time building a complex story and characters. The reliance on stealth wears thin in a few tough sections, but overall it is a compelling, imaginative experience with real fear, an impeccably crafted atmosphere, and a distressing story of remorse and penance.

PlayStation LifeStyle – 9/10:

According to the outlet, Townfall offers one of the tensest and most compelling survival horror experiences in recent years. However, it will work best for players willing to meet it on its own terms.

IGN – 8/10:

The journalists compare Townfall to a shot in the arm that the long-running series badly needed. The image is inspired by the needle sticking out of the protagonist's wrist.

GameSpot – 8/10:

The reviewer notes that Townfall, like Silent Hill f before it, captures what they love most about the series' comeback. The idea of Silent Hill is being carried across the world and seen through new cultural perspectives in a way that hasn't happened before.

Eurogamer – 8/10:

According to the outlet, Silent Hill's revival continues, with new developer Screen Burn blending stealth, meticulous world design, and a touch of social realism to create a different kind of survival horror.

Push Square – 7/10:

The outlet feels Townfall returns to the series' tried-and-true roots and works best when it replicates what came before. The Scottish setting is called its standout feature, while the other new elements disappoint. It won't go down as a classic, but there is still plenty here for returning fans.

• DualShockers – 9/10
• GameRant – 9/10
• Gameliner – 9/10
• Gamespew – 9/10
• Slant Magazine – 9/10
• GamingBolt – 9/10
• TierraGamer – 8.5/10
• Game Informer – 8.3/10
• TechRaptor – 8/10
• PlayStation Universe – 8/10
• Dexerto – 8/10
• TheGamer – 7/10
• The Outerhaven – 6/10
• DayOne – 6/10
• VGC – 3/5

Townfall follows Simon Ordell as he returns to the island of St. Amelia, trying to understand what connects him to the town and its inhabitants, all while the town lies hidden beneath a thick fog. Judging by the reviews, the series has taken a bold step toward first-person perspective without losing its recognizable atmosphere.

Silent Hill: Townfall releases on September 24 for PlayStation 5 and PC and the game confirmed the previous forecasts regarding the ratings.