The creepy, twitchy monsters in Silent Hill f are captivating. Even as they infect Hinako's hometown, the parasitic red spider lilies are pretty even as they transform every surface, from buildings to residents. These blooming creatures are simultaneously gorgeous to look at and fleshy bags of pain that make me retch a little bit. The whole game is soaked in an incredible atmosphere that highlights the "beauty in terror" approach Konami is aiming for. Yet, despite being vulnerable herself, Hinako can perhaps be a bit too proficient at combat as she fights the foes formed by cursed flowers, even in the scariest of situations throughout my five hour hands-on with Silent Hill f.
In one instance, transported to an endless foggy field littered with Hinako's friends twisted into masked scarecrows, one wrong move as I solve a riddle will see them lurch to life, blades spinning. Silent Hill f is set in rural Ebisugaoka in 1960s Japan, meaning the only real option Hinako has for self-defense are destructible melee items she stumbles upon – pipes, sickles, kitchen knives. The only way to fight back is to be uncomfortably close to enemies.
