Silent Hill f is not a sequel to any of the existing Silent Hill games. Instead, much like Silent Hill 2, it will offer a standalone story, "independent from the series." This was directly confirmed by publisher Konami on X/Twitter, stating that the latest installment of the horror series will be "a completely new title" that "people who have never played the Silent Hill series can enjoy."
This approach isn't entirely new for Silent Hill. While Silent Hill 1, Silent Hill 3, and Silent Hill Origins are interconnected, other games, such as Silent Hill 2, have less direct links to the town. Even Silent Hill 4: The Room and Homecoming partially take place outside the titular town. Konami's statement clarifies that understanding Silent Hill f's unique 1960s Japanese setting does not require prior knowledge of the 26-year-old series.
Silent Hill f transports players to 1960s Japan, where we follow Shimizu Hinako, a teenager grappling with societal and familial pressures. The narrative, penned by Ryukishi07, creator of the When They Cry visual novel series, sets the stage for a compelling story. As shown in the Japanese-language reveal trailer from March, Silent Hill f marks the first Silent Hill game to receive an 18+ rating certification in Japan.
While the game is still in development, its rating may change. Previous Silent Hill games like Silent Hill, Silent Hill 2, Silent Hill 3, and Silent Hill: The Room were rated CERO:C (for ages 15 and up) in Japan, while other entries in the series developed outside Japan received CERO:C or CERO:D (ages 17+). Silent Hill f is rated Mature in the U.S., PEGI 18 in Europe, and CERO:Z in Japan.
Currently, there is no release date for Silent Hill f, and no further information has been released about No Code's upcoming Silent Hill game, Townfall.