You get the axe in Silent Hill: Townfall by finishing the game once and starting New Game Plus; it does not exist on a first playthrough. Launch guides agree the main pickup is in a garage off Shore Wynd in the Shorefront District (South) early in the run, with a backup spot later on if you miss it.
Below: exactly how to unlock it, both locations as early player guides describe them, the trophy it awards, and what the axe actually does to St. Amelia’s monsters. This covers the launch version on PS5 and PC (Steam and Epic), released September 24, 2026. Locations are light on story spoilers, but the backup spot does mention which character you control in that section.
How to Unlock the Axe
The axe is a New Game Plus reward, so the steps are simple:
- Finish the game once. Launch guides from several walkthrough sites say any ending counts. One early guide ties the unlock to the default first ending specifically, and says a screen after the credits tells you the axe is now available.
- Start New Game Plus from the main menu. It creates a new save and starts you from the beginning of the story, so your first-run save is safe.
- Pick it up early in Part 1. The first location is in the opening area of town.
Difficulty does not matter. Our New Game Plus guide explains what else carries over (very little) and what the mode adds, including the secret endings covered, without spoilers, in our endings guide.
Axe Location 1: The Shore Wynd Garage (Part 1)
This is the spot to aim for, because it gives you the axe for almost the entire run.
Early player guides describe it in consistent terms:
- It is in St. Amelia’s Shorefront District, South, near the start of the game.
- Look for a garage or storage unit off Shore Wynd, before you turn onto the main street. One guide describes reaching it through a wooden door at the end of an alleyway just past a flare pickup, which leads down to a row of storage units.
- The axe sits inside. Guides mention different visual tells: one describes it on a table under a red light with a garden gnome nearby, another says the right unit has a parked bicycle beside it.
Guides differ slightly on whether the door is already open; one notes that if it is closed, there is a prompt to open it. If you are unsure which unit you are in, open the map. Simon marks areas he has searched and doors that are locked, which makes it easy to rule out the ones you have tried. Our map guide explains every marking.
Axe Location 2: The Backup Spot (Part 2)
Mild spoiler: this location is in a section of Part 2 where you play as Zoe, the nurse Simon hears through the CRTV.
If you missed the garage, launch guides describe a second axe in the back garden of the house next to Mister Stewart’s house, leaning against a wooden shed by the fence. The same guides note it is especially useful here because Zoe does not have access to firearms in that section, so a melee weapon that never breaks matters more.
The Trophy: Here’s Simon!
Picking up the axe earns the “Here’s Simon!” trophy (achievement on Steam), described on the published trophy list as simply “Obtain the Axe.” The name is a nod to Jack Torrance’s famous line in The Shining.
It is one of several trophies that are only realistic on a second run. The published list also includes “Future Hardware,” for obtaining a weapon called the Pistol-3000, which launch guides say appears only after you have seen one of the secret endings. Our trophy guide has the full platinum route, and the axe fits naturally into the New Game Plus leg of it.
What the Axe Does (and What It Does Not)
The axe is the best melee weapon in the game, according to every launch guide we found, for two reasons:
- It never breaks. Townfall’s normal melee weapons, like planks and pipes, wear out and snap. The axe has unlimited durability, so blocking with it costs you nothing. Our combat and weapons guide explains how durability and blocking work on a normal run.
- It hits much harder. Most guides describe it killing standard enemies in a single hit. One early guide is more specific: one stealth hit or two normal hits for the faceless enemies, and a single hit for the chargers, however you land it.
The big exception is what guides call “the big guy”: they are clear the one-hit kill does not apply to it. That most likely means the game’s unkillable stalker, which reviewers say cannot be fought off at all, so do not walk into those sections expecting the axe to end them. Hiding and distractions still apply there, as our bosses and monsters guide explains.
Because Townfall’s endings take into account how aggressive you are across a playthrough, carrying a weapon this strong does not mean you should fight everything. If you are chasing a particular ending on your New Game Plus run, keep that in mind. For every other Townfall guide, see our Silent Hill guides hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you get the axe on your first playthrough? No. Every launch guide agrees it only appears in New Game Plus, which unlocks after you finish the game once.
Where is the axe in Silent Hill Townfall? Early guides place it in a garage or storage unit off Shore Wynd in the Shorefront District (South), early in Part 1 of New Game Plus. A backup axe is described next to Mister Stewart’s house in Part 2.
Does the axe break? No. Launch guides describe it as having unlimited durability, unlike planks and pipes.
Can the axe kill the stalker? No. Guides say its one-hit kills only work on regular enemies, and reviewers describe the stalker as impossible to kill with anything.
What trophy do you get for the axe? “Here’s Simon!”, awarded for obtaining the axe.