Silent Hill: Townfall is a self-contained story, so you do not need to have played any other Silent Hill game first. Konami’s Steam page calls it a “full-length, self-contained psychological horror,” and it does not take place in the town of Silent Hill: it is set in St. Amelia, a fictional island town off the Scottish coast, in 1996.
What connects it to the series is theme and tradition rather than plot. Here is how it fits.
A New Town, Not Silent Hill
The series takes its name from a fictional lakeside town in the United States. Townfall moves the series somewhere completely different: a Scottish coastal community built by a Scottish studio. Screen Burn Interactive (formerly No Code, the team behind Stories Untold and Observation) drew on real places along Scotland’s east coast. Our guide to whether St. Amelia is a real place covers what inspired it.
Like Silent Hill f, which moved the series to 1960s Japan, it takes Silent Hill well outside the United States, and it is part of Konami’s current multi-studio Silent Hill revival rather than a sequel to any single game.
What It Shares with the Series
Even without the town, Townfall is recognizably Silent Hill:
- The radio returns, reinvented as the CRTV, a handheld television that picks up signals near threats. Our CRTV guide explains how it works.
- An Otherworld-style alternate world. Reviewers describe the game shifting into a darker, altered version of its setting, in the tradition the series is known for.
- Silent Hill 2 DNA. Konami producer Motoi Okamoto has said the game has many similarities to Silent Hill 2, and its endings work the same way: shaped by how you behave across the whole playthrough rather than by one final choice. See our endings guide.
- Fog, fear and scarcity. Limited ammunition, makeshift melee weapons and an emphasis on avoiding fights are all series staples; our combat guide has the details.
The Big Difference: First Person
Townfall is played entirely in first person, which the Steam page states directly. There is no third-person option. That makes it the first full-length Silent Hill game played this way, a real break from the third-person camera of the classic games and the recent Silent Hill 2 remake. Our guide to whether you can play in third person covers the comfort settings.
Producer Okamoto explained the reasoning on the PlayStation Blog: the limited field of view makes sound crucial. That is why the game leans so hard on 3D audio and, on PS5, DualSense haptics for enemy footsteps. The game also presents in a letterboxed 2.35:1 aspect ratio for a more cinematic frame.
Should You Play Other Silent Hill Games First?
Not for the story. Townfall stands on its own, with its own town, characters and mystery; our spoiler-free guide to what the story is about covers the premise and cast.
That said, players who know Silent Hill 2 will recognize more of what Townfall is doing with its endings and its alternate world. If you want one game for context, that is the one. If you want to play Townfall first and go back later, nothing in it depends on prior knowledge.
Where It Sits in 2026
Townfall launched September 24, 2026 on PS5 and PC, a busy week for horror that also brings CONTROL Resonant. Our best horror games of 2026 list covers the rest of the year, and the Silent Hill guides hub collects everything we have on Townfall.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Silent Hill Townfall a sequel? No. It is a self-contained story with a new setting and new characters.
Does Silent Hill Townfall take place in Silent Hill? No. It is set in St. Amelia, a fictional Scottish island town, in 1996.
Is Silent Hill Townfall first person? Yes, entirely, with no third-person option.
Do I need to play Silent Hill 2 before Townfall? No. It helps with context, but Townfall does not depend on any earlier game.