Silent Hill f hasn’t even fully launched and someone’s already modded out the fog, and as much as I’m against this wholeheartedly, even I can admit those graphics are gorgeous with greater clarity

Some eager horror enthusiasts are engaging with Silent Hill f ahead of its intended release thanks to its early access available through pre-orders, although the game doesn’t officially launch until September 25. Nonetheless, there’s already a modification accessible on PC that eliminates the fog from the game, offering a glance at the ’60s Japan backdrop unclouded by the series’ hallmark low-lying mists.

Two points: I dislike this. It’s difficult to conceive of a visual element that is more essential to Silent Hill’s essence than the fog that obscures the boundary between nightmare and reality, particularly now that the eponymous town itself isn’t present in the latest installment. While the fog was initially introduced to conceal the limitations of the PS1’s hardware, it has since assumed an emblematic status in the series, and removing it feels like sacrilege to me.

Yet, darn it, this is somewhat fascinating. I would never wish to complete a full playthrough of a Silent Hill title without that ever-present fog, but it is intriguing to observe a fog-free Silent Hill 2 Remake, or now Silent Hill f, for just a moment to examine what the environments appear like entirely unencumbered. In fact, I’ll just be quiet now and let you enjoy that:

Once more, I would never actually engage with the game this way, but the level of intricacy hidden behind that fog in the standard version is genuinely captivating to observe in full clarity. Now, let’s all return to the fog and act as if none of this ever transpired.

Silent Hill f begins with a “Very Positive” reception on Steam, achieving 88% favorable feedback from horror enthusiasts: “It’s not your traditional SH experience, but it’s quite impressive”

After obtaining an English degree from ASU, I served as a corporate copy editor while freelancing for platforms such as SFX Magazine, Screen Rant, Game Revolution, and MMORPG alongside. I landed my significant opportunity here in 2019 with a freelance news role, and I was recruited as GamesRadar’s west coast Staff Writer in 2021. This means I oversee the site’s western regional executive division, AKA my home office, and write about whatever horror title I’m too scared to complete.