Silent Hill: Townfall, released Thursday, takes the horror series to a fictional Scottish island for the first time. The BBC review praised its tense atmosphere and inventive design, but found some encounters frustrating; weapons degrade and ammunition is scarce.
Set in 1996, the game follows American Simon Ordell, who washes ashore on St Amelia with a hospital ID band and an IV drip; why he is there is revealed gradually. Developers drew on Fife’s fishing village of St Monans, and director Jon McKellan said he wanted the setting to feel authentic rather than rely on Scottish stereotypes.
A handheld CRT device gives Simon a fuzzy view of nearby monsters to help him avoid them, while later sections use cruder technology and slow the gameplay. The reviewer’s PS5 playthrough ran well, although the article cited reports of performance issues from other players. Video Games Chronicle’s Chris Scullion called some powerful-enemy encounters “deeply frustrating”; journalist Vikki Blake said the game exceeded her expectations.
