Silent Hill f could be the Siren game we've been waiting for

I love the survival horror genre, big time. It’s my go-to genre no matter how I’m feeling. It can be my calm, just as much as a dopamine boost.

At the forefront of my survival horror love is Capcom’s Resident Evil and Konami’s Silent Hill. However, there is another survival horror series that won my heart many years ago, and that’s the forgotten Forbidden Siren (or just Siren in North America).

Originally released in 2003 on the PlayStation 2, Forbidden Siren was created with Keiichiro Toyama at the helm, the writer and director of the original Silent Hill. So, it’s no wonder that this game connected with me the instant I picked up the DualShock 2.

Forbidden Siren leaned into its stealth mechanics, and with it being heavily inspired by Japanese horror folklore, it was an instant recipe for success for those who loved a bit of sneaky shenanigans and shivers down their spines.

There’s something unique about Japanese horror, especially when it comes to the supernatural. Which is why the West has tried many times to replicate that form of horror with a plethora of Hollywood remakes.

It also had a very unique gameplay feature of being able to see through the possessed enemy's eyes. While that gave you a clue how far or near an enemy would be, it also provided an unparalleled level of unnerving tension that has not been successfully replicated since.

Forbidden Siren would spawn a direct sequel in 2006 on PlayStation 2, followed by a remake of the original game in 2008 for the PlayStation 3. Sadly, however, 2008 would be the last new release we’d see of this cult Sony first-party classic series.

It’s unlikely that Sony will revive the Forbidden Siren series. If that were to happen, I would have thought rumours would have been making the rounds long before now, especially if Sony wanted to capitalise on the success of the Silent Hill 2 remake, a game similar to Forbidden Siren, by exploring the psychological nature of horror.

Thankfully, there is another game that not only looks to focus on psychological horror, but is soaked in Japanese folklore, and that game is the upcoming Silent Hill f from Konami.

Silent Hill f is set in 1960s Japan, a twofold first for this series. It’s not only the first time we’re visiting this decade in the series, but Silent Hill f is also the first game to be set in Japan, which is somewhat surprising considering that it’s a native Japanese property.

In Silent Hill f, you play as a high school teenager named Shimizu Hinako. Her small hometown is shrouded in a mysterious fog, and horrific creatures roam the streets that appear to have a connection to her past. You know, typical Silent Hill stuff.

While it’s a new setting for Silent Hill fans, judging by the gameplay trailers, it looks like it still nails the vibe of the series. It has an eerie mist, horrific creatures, and its world looks to be a manifestation of Shimizu's subconsciousness.

No Silent Hill experience would be complete without the legendary talents of Akira Yamaoka, a composer who has been with the series since the very beginning, adding that ever-so-important audio ingredient that instantly reminds you of the nightmare world you're about to enter, even before gameplay begins.

While I am always hyped to play any new Silent Hill game, I still proceed with caution. If the likes of Silent Hill: Book of Memories and Silent Hill: Downpour have taught me, it’s not always a nightmare I want to visit.

That being said, I’ll have all my fingers crossed that when Silent Hill f arrives on 25 September 2025, it knocks it out of the park, and hopefully, it will remind Sony that Forbidden Siren is a series that deserves another crack of the survival horror whip.

The classic PS2 version of Forbidden Siren is available on modern PlayStation consoles and is included in PS Plus Premium. So why not give it a go, to see what all the fuss is about?