Silent Hill: Townfall

Like the intravenous needle permanently jutting out of its hero’s wrist, Silent Hill: Townfall gives this long running series a welcome shot in the arm.

Townfall, like Silent Hill f before it, expresses what I love most about the comeback.

Silent Hill's stellar revival continues as new developer Screen Burn melds stealth, meticulous world design, and a dash of social realism for a different sort of survival horror.

Silent Hill: Townfall is just the right mix of old and new. It has classic psychological horror and grotesque monsters with the added benefit of the CRTV as a new puzzle solving and stealth tool.

Silent Hill: Townfall lacks the spiraling dread of games like Silent Hill 2, where sudden truths clanged like a steel pipe smashing a skull.

Silent Hill Townfall provides players with one of the most hauntingly atmospheric and meticulously detailed settings in the series' history, and delivers an engaging storyline to go with it. Where the game disappoints, however, is in the actual 'game' itself, specifically the stealth sections near the middle and end of the game which completely ruin the momentum and descend into frustration. Without these sections Townfall would be an absolute must-have, but their presence means it has to settle for being a flawed masterpiece.

Returning to the tried and trusted formula of the series' roots, Silent Hill: Townfall is a more traditional entry in the horror franchise that succeeds most when replicating what's come before it. The new Scottish setting is a standout, but its other new elements are a disappointment. Silent Hill: Townfall won't go down as a classic. However, there's still more than enough for returning fans to love.

Silent Hill: Townfall is a great horror game that prioritizes immersion, using small details to make you feel like you’re walking the cold and lonely streets alongside the protagonist.

Silent Hill: Townfall is the best the survival horror series has been in 25 years. Developer Screen Burn takes the series into first-person with a new remote Scottish town setting, breathing fresh energy into the franchise. But while some things change, Silent Hill's phenomenal atmosphere, visuals, and sound design remain. It's a horrific, often unsettling experience, but it's one that I never wanted to stop playing. $49.94 at Amazon $49.99 at Target Check Best Buy

Silent Hill: Townfall will get your heart-pumping at times and delivers plenty of the atmosphere this series is famous for, but that familiarity is also to the game's detriment as its narrative and world don’t offer many surprises. Meanwhile, clunky stealth and occasional design missteps result in a game that's often more frustrating than frightening. Silent Hill: Townfall has its moments, but those expecting the game to live up to this series' recent high standards may want to look for real estate elsewhere.