Since its release on the 25th, Silent Hill f has become a rather divisive affair regarding its combat. While some players find the focus on melee skirmishes refreshingly engaging, others feel the heavy emphasis on action strips away the psychological dread that defined the classic Silent Hill experience.

As of September 30th, just one week after launch, Silent Hill f holds a 'Mostly Positive' rating (79% positive) on Steam with approximately 6,400 reviews. Combat remains the primary point of contention. The game pushes a melee-heavy system featuring pipes, kitchen knives, axes, and hammers, bolstered by tactical flourishes like tight-window dodges and well-timed parries.

Our protagonist is Hinako Shimizu, a high school girl navigating the rural Japan of the 1960s. The internet had already turned the idea of a 'powerful schoolgirl wielding a lead pipe' into a meme well before launch, and frankly, the actual gameplay doesn't stray far from that bizarre expectation.

Those enjoying the action praise the satisfying 'hand-feel' provided by the parry, counter, and perfect dodge mechanics, noting that weapon durability adds a layer of genuine tension. Many suggest this is the most action-oriented entry in the series to date, boasting a pace that keeps things moving, with some even comparing the intensity of the boss encounters to Dark Souls.

Conversely, the dissenting voices are loud. Critics point to clunky animations and the frustration of weapons clipping through tight indoor environments, which ruins the flow. Furthermore, the stamina management required for combat feels fundamentally at odds with the series' psychological horror roots, with many finding the weapon durability system simply tedious.

The criticism often shifts depending on the chosen difficulty. On the story-focused setting, combat becomes trivial, turning the protagonist into a one-woman army, whereas on the 'Challenge' difficulty, the repetitive late-game encounters feel like a slog. Interestingly, players find the tight, claustrophobic encounters with two standard mobs in narrow alleys far more punishing than the boss fights, a trait that certainly mirrors the soulslike genre.

The developers were keen to state in pre-release interviews that 'Silent Hill f is not a soulslike.' Yet, by leaning so heavily into dodge and parry mechanics, they have inadvertently invited these comparisons. Whether intentional or not, that is the impression currently lingering in the minds of the players.