By the critics’ verdict, yes: Silent Hill: Townfall launched to generally favorable reviews, with a Metacritic score of 81 and a “Strong” rating on OpenCritic, where the large majority of critics recommend it. Reviewers overwhelmingly praise its atmosphere, sound and puzzles, and the most common complaint is its stealth, especially sections built around an unkillable pursuer.
This is a roundup of published criticism, not our own review. Here is where the consensus lands and which kind of player it suits.
The Scores
At the time of writing, Metacritic lists Townfall at 81, and OpenCritic rates it Strong, with a top critic average in the low 80s and well over three quarters of critics recommending it (the exact percentage has moved as reviews arrive).
Scores we confirmed directly from the outlets:
| Outlet | Score |
|---|---|
| Eurogamer | 4/5 |
| Siliconera | 8/10 |
| Push Square | 7/10 |
Aggregators also list IGN and GameSpot at 8/10 and GamesRadar+ at 4.5/5, with Video Games Chronicle among the lower scores at 3/5. The spread is narrow: very few outlets called it bad, and a handful called it the best Silent Hill in decades. Tom’s Guide went furthest, calling it “the best the survival horror series has been in 25 years.”
Players are cooler than critics so far. On Steam, user reviews sat at Mostly Positive, around 70 percent, at the time of writing, with Konami acknowledging PC performance problems the same day. Our launch and PC patch report has the details.
What Critics Praised
- Atmosphere. The single most consistent point. GamesRadar+ called the atmosphere “impeccably crafted,” and several reviewers singled out how real the 1990s Scottish town feels. Our guide to whether St. Amelia is a real place explains where that comes from.
- Sound. Reviewers repeatedly recommend headphones. The music is more divisive: GamesRadar+ praised it, while Worthplaying found it short of the series’ best.
- Puzzles. Mostly grounded, investigative and satisfying. Postmode even compared the hardest ones to Myst and Riven.
- The CRTV. PC Gamer called it possibly “the most creative, fun, and useful puzzle solving tool” its reviewer had used. Our CRTV guide explains how it works.
- The first-person switch. Many reviews say the new perspective suits the series, despite pre-launch skepticism.
What Critics Criticized
- Stealth. The most common complaint. GamesRadar+ said a few harsh sections push the game “from terrifying to a bit of a chore,” and Worthplaying said the stealth “wears out its welcome well before the end.”
- The unkillable stalker. Several reviews single out a recurring enemy that kills instantly and seems to hover near your hiding spot.
- Enemy variety. Push Square said it could count the enemy types on one hand.
- A few obtuse puzzles. One late-game puzzle drew complaints from multiple outlets.
- Bugs and performance. Tom’s Guide hit a bug that made a puzzle unsolvable until it reloaded, and the Steam version launched with performance issues Konami says it is patching.
Who Townfall Is For
Based on the consensus, it suits you if you:
- Loved the atmosphere and puzzles of the classic Silent Hill games.
- Enjoy slow-burn horror and do not mind hiding more than fighting.
- Are comfortable with first-person games (see our guide to how Townfall connects to the rest of the series for why that is a big change).
It may frustrate you if you want frequent combat, dislike stealth sections with instant fail states, or are on a PC near the minimum spec; check our PC requirements guide first.
Two settings soften the most criticized parts. You can drop combat to Story at any time without losing trophies, and the Hinted puzzle setting highlights key clues; our difficulty guide explains both. For value, see how long it takes to beat and the editions breakdown.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Silent Hill Townfall good? Critics say so. It holds a Metacritic score of 81 and a Strong rating on OpenCritic, with most critics recommending it.
What is Silent Hill Townfall’s Metacritic score? 81 at the time of writing.
What do critics dislike about Silent Hill Townfall? Mainly the stealth sections, an unkillable stalker enemy, limited enemy variety and some bugs.
Is Silent Hill Townfall worth it for new Silent Hill players? Reviewers say yes: it is a self-contained story, and Tom’s Guide recommended it to both long-time fans and newcomers.