Silent Hill: Townfall delivers a richly atmospheric horror setting, but endless stealth sections and a shallow combat system drag down the experience.
Silent Hill: Townfall takes you to the fictional coastal town of St. Amelia, whose 1990s Scottish setting immediately gives it a distinct identity. Dense fog and bleak shades of gray alternate with menacing reds and oppressive emptiness. Combined with the new first-person perspective, Townfall creates the kind of desolate, lonely, and terrifying atmosphere the series is known for. Unfortunately, genuine terror is something Screen Burn’s take on Silent Hill doesn’t deliver often enough. Much of that comes down to gameplay that, for better or worse, frequently recalls Alien: Isolation.
Stealth Gets Old Fast
Combat in Townfall is extremely basic. The melee system gives you little more than attacking and blocking, with no dodge mechanic, melee weapons break quickly, and ammunition for the few firearms is predictably scarce. But direct confrontations are really only a last resort anyway. Simon is no fighter like James in Silent Hill 2, and he certainly can’t match Silent Hill f’s tough Hinako.
Enemies in Townfall are usually far more powerful than you, and encounters can turn deadly within seconds. Weapons are primarily there to fend off attacks or get you out of emergencies. Unfortunately, that also means the stealth and hiding sections wear out their welcome far too quickly because there simply isn’t enough variety. Around the halfway point, the constant crouching, sneaking, peeking around corners, and interpreting the radar gradually started losing its tension, until it became outright annoying toward the end. That’s especially true because these sections also become increasingly drawn out.
The small selection of enemy types sometimes patrols at an excruciatingly slow pace, and their behavior doesn’t always make sense. One lengthy section, for example, has you sneaking along a corridor and repeatedly hiding in rooms. Climbing into a locker almost always triggers the creatures. Even when they should be well out of range, the monsters storm into the room and look around in confusion as soon as the locker door closes. Behavior like this undermines the illusion and quickly turns tension into frustration. This section also introduces an invincible pursuer that kills you instantly if it spots you, yet behaves in ways that are often difficult to predict or understand.
Creative Puzzles and a Cryptic Story Keep You Going
Fortunately, Townfall also has plenty of creative ideas and gameplay elements that make it worth sticking with. The CRTV is one of them. The portable mini television doubles as an enemy detector, puzzle-solving tool, and storytelling device, making it one of the game’s smartest ideas. Early stealth sections and puzzles feel fresh thanks to it. As the game goes on, however, the CRTV increasingly gets reduced to little more than a scanner and minigame tool.
I would have liked to see more of the cryptic puzzles and story elements that the analog device repeatedly delivers during the opening hours. These are also the moments when Townfall’s puzzle design deservedly takes center stage. When mysterious figures contact Simon through the CRTV, pay phones, or answering machines, the game does an excellent job of building tension. The environments, wonderfully packed with 1990s technology, are full of clues about the residents’ former lives. If you pay attention, read carefully, and listen closely, you can uncover more about what happened on St. Amelia than the game ever tells you outright.
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From a storytelling and visual standpoint, Townfall has plenty to offer Silent Hill fans. The characters can feel somewhat underdeveloped at first, but their vaguely hinted-at motives and several disturbing encounters keep the narrative engaging through to the end. Even though I never became quite as invested in the protagonists as I did in previous entries, and some twists were fairly predictable, Townfall’s storytelling makes it clear that this is a genuine Silent Hill game. The series’ trademark monster design and grotesque body horror look convincing, although the game could have used a little more variety. Compared with the Silent Hill 2 Remake, I also missed the truly terrifying moments and constant sense of tension that are so essential to the atmosphere of this genre.
Rating
- 2 out of 3 points – recommended with reservations
Verdict: Townfall delivers a strong atmosphere and clever puzzles, but frustrating and unnecessarily drawn-out stealth sections hold back the gameplay.
Pros
- Exceptionally dense atmosphere thanks to St. Amelia and outstanding sound design
- CRTV is cleverly integrated into puzzles and exploration as a versatile tool
- Creative puzzles built around a consistent theme
- First-person perspective fits the game well and enhances vulnerability and immersion
- Convincing monster design in the series’ trademark body-horror style
- Multiple endings and New Game Plus improve replay value
Cons
- Inconsistent enemy detection undermines the credibility of stealth sections
- Slow patrols force you to spend too much time waiting in hiding spots
- Combat lacks tactical depth and offers no dodge mechanic
- Only a handful of enemy types with rigid movement patterns
- The second half falls short of the strong opening
- Occasional technical issues such as frame-rate drops and micro-stuttering
Recommended For
- Fans of atmosphere, puzzles, and psychological horror
- Fans of first-person horror games such as Resident Evil 7 or Amnesia
- Anyone who enjoys strong environmental storytelling and cryptic puzzles
Less Suitable For
- Anyone who can’t stand forced stealth sections and invincible pursuers
- Fans of action-heavy horror such as Resident Evil or Silent Hill f
- Players with little patience for slow pacing and trial-and-error gameplay
Facts and Trailer
| Publisher: | Konami / Anapurna Interactive |
|---|---|
| Developer: | Screen Burn |
| Genre: | Survival Horror |
| Reviewed on: | PC via Steam |
| Available on: | PS5, PC (via Steam, Epic Games) |
| USK: | Ages 16 and up |
| Release: | September 24, 2026 |
| Price: | from $50 |
Update Log
October 11, 2026: Corrected the Related Game assignment to the English game hub.
