Silent Hill Townfall Review: Scotland, Stealth and 5 Endings

Silent Hill: Townfall is a first-person psychological horror game developed by Screen Burn (No Code) and published by Konami with Annapurna Interactive. Set on the fictional Scottish island of St. Amelia in 1996, it follows Simon Ordell as he pieces together his identity while solving puzzles, sneaking past monsters, and uncovering a story about a corporation disaster. The game launched on September 24, 2026 for PC (Steam, Epic Games Store) and PlayStation 5 at $50. Critics scored it 81/100 on Metacritic with 92% of critics recommending it, though Steam users rate it lower at 68% positive ("Mixed").

What Is Silent Hill: Townfall?

Silent Hill: Townfall is a first-person survival-horror game and the second major release in Konami's series revival after 2025's Silent Hill f. Players control Simon Ordell, a man who washes ashore on St. Amelia with no memory except a medical bracelet bearing his name, date of birth, and blood type. The game is built around stealth-focused gameplay — hiding from monsters, solving environmental puzzles, and piecing together the story through notes, audio logs, and '90s-era computer terminals. Combat exists but is deliberately limited, with scarce ammunition and fragile melee weapons encouraging avoidance over confrontation.

The game is developed by Screen Burn (formerly No Code), known for Observation and Stories Untold. Konami published the game alongside Annapurna Interactive as co-publisher.

Key Details at a Glance

Critical Reception: Scores and Verdict

What Critics Praised

Reviewers consistently praised three elements across nearly every outlet:

Atmosphere and Setting

The Scottish island of St. Amelia replaces the series' usual American small town with a damp, isolated fishing village that multiple critics called the scariest Silent Hill setting in years. TechRadar described it as a game to "come for the scenery, stay for the gameplay." The 1996 time period is recreated meticulously, right down to the authentic CRT monitors and period-appropriate technology used in puzzles.

Puzzle Design

Critics widely praised the puzzles as some of the best in the series. IGN said it has "some of the most cleverly designed and challenging puzzles I've experienced in any horror game in recent memory, many involving impeccable recreations of technology from yesteryear." Puzzles use lateral thinking in the classic Silent Hill tradition, starting simple and escalating in complexity. The game includes an optional hint system.

Horror and Dread

The first-person perspective was called "easily the scariest Silent Hill game of the modern era" by gameranx, despite almost entirely lacking jump scares. The tension comes from gameplay: limited resources, fragile health, and stealth-focused encounters where a few stray hits can kill you.

What Critics Criticised

The most consistent criticism in reviews is the stealth gameplay in the second half. Multiple outlets reported that mid-to-late game stealth sections become frustrating rather than tense, with awkward enemy AI and sections that drag on too long. CBC's review headlined "Psychological horror Silent Hill: Townfall ratchets up the scares — and frustrations" set the tone for this wave of criticism. Some reviewers also mentioned resource balancing issues and uneven pacing between the strong first half and weaker second half.

The Steam user score of 68% reflects a wider gap between critic and audience reception than most 2026 releases. Users report technical issues, frustrating stealth encounters, and a difficulty curve that spikes unevenly. The PC Gamer review noted the game "struggles to keep its momentum" in the later chapters.

Gameplay: Stealth, Combat and Puzzles

Combat is deliberately scarce. Players start with near-zero resources and must scavenge for weapons and healing items. Firearms and melee weapons exist, but ammo is tight enough that ambushing enemies from behind or avoiding them entirely is almost always the better choice. Gameranx noted that "it's almost always better to sneak up on and ambush enemies rather than try to fight them head-on."

The puzzle design is the game's strongest mechanical feature. Puzzles require absorbing environmental details and stitching together answers from gathered clues — the classic Silent Hill formula enhanced by period-specific technology recreations like floppy disks, CRT monitors, and dot-matrix printers. The game offers Easy, Normal, and Hard difficulty modes, with an optional puzzle hint toggle.

Story, Endings and Replay Value

Screen Burn's narrative is described as a slow-burn psychological horror story about corporate disaster and personal regret. The game features five different endings determined by player choices throughout the story. A full playthrough reportedly takes 12 to 18 hours, with New Game Plus available after completion. The multiple-endings structure gives Townfall meaningful replay value, though critics disagree on whether the narrative payoff justifies the journey — some call it "genuinely compelling," while others describe the plot as impenetrable.

Pros and Cons

Is Silent Hill: Townfall Worth It?

At $50 with a 12-18 hour campaign and five endings, Silent Hill: Townfall offers good value for horror fans who value atmosphere and puzzle design over action. Critics broadly recommend it: 92% of tracked critics rate it positively, and the top scores (PC Gamer 9/10, NME 100, Digital Spy 5/5) indicate the game reaches genuine highs. However, the 68% Steam user score and consistent complaints about mid-game stealth suggest it is a divisive experience. Buy if you love slow-burn psychological horror with challenging puzzles. Wait if you need tight combat or action-heavy gameplay.

Frequently Asked Questions

When did Silent Hill: Townfall release?

September 24, 2026, on PC (Steam, Epic Games Store) and PlayStation 5. Deluxe Edition buyers gained early access on September 22.

What is Silent Hill: Townfall's Metacritic score?

81/100 on Metacritic (PS5), with 57 of 72 tracked critic reviews rated positive. OpenCritic shows 79% positive with an 82 Top Critic average. Steam users rate it 68% positive.

How long is Silent Hill: Townfall?

12 to 18 hours for a full playthrough, depending on playstyle and exploration. New Game Plus is available after completion.

How many endings does Silent Hill: Townfall have?

Five, all determined by player choices made during the story.

Who developed Silent Hill: Townfall?

Screen Burn (also known as No Code), the developer behind Observation and Stories Untold. Konami published the game with Annapurna Interactive as co-publisher.

Is Silent Hill: Townfall on PC?

Yes. The game is available on Steam and the Epic Games Store for $50 / £45.

What is the setting of Silent Hill: Townfall?

The fictional Scottish fishing village of St. Amelia, in 1996. The protagonist, Simon Ordell, washes ashore with no memory and must solve the mystery of his identity and the town's dark secrets.

Conclusion

Silent Hill: Townfall is a bold, divisive entry in the series revival. Its atmosphere, Scottish setting, and puzzle design are among the best in modern horror gaming, earning it an 81 Metacritic and strong recommendations from outlets like PC Gamer and NME. The flaws — frustrating stealth in the second half, uneven pacing, and a polarising Steam reception — keep it from being a universal classic. But for horror fans willing to meet it on its own terms, Townfall delivers one of the most tense and compelling survival horror experiences of 2026.

Published: October 4, 2026 | Updated: October 4, 2026

Sources: Metacritic (81, 72 critic reviews) — metacritic.com; OpenCritic (82%, 79% positive) — opencritic.com; PC Gamer (9/10) — pcgamer.com; IGN (8/10) — ign.com; Digital Spy (5/5) — digitalspy.com; GamesRadar (8/10) — gamesradar.com; NME (100) — nme.com; TechRadar — techradar.com; ResetEra review thread — resetera.com; gameranx Before You Buy — youtube.com; Steam user reviews — steampowered.com; Tech Insider roundup — tech-insider.org; Shattered.io — shattered.io. All scores and data as of October 4, 2026 and subject to change.