Silent Hill f Feels Like a Modern Kuon — FromSoftware’s Forgotten J‑Horror Returns in Spirit
Silent Hill f shares clear design echoes with FromSoftware’s Kuon, a 2004 Japanese survival-horror game set in Heian-era Japan. Both games use a haunted manor and a nearby shrine as central locations, feature ritual-driven plots, and put players in the shoes of underpowered teenage protagonists who solve puzzles and face hostile monsters.
Overview
Kuon was developed by FromSoftware and first released in 2004 in Japan; it reached the US and Europe in 2006. Silent Hill f is set in a fictional Japanese town and includes a location called the Dark Shrine that functions similarly to the franchise’s traditional Otherworld. Both games emphasize atmosphere, exploration, and puzzle solving over high-powered combat.
Key similarities between the games
Concretely, these elements overlap:
- Setting: Both center on a large manor and an adjacent shrine as primary, interconnected locations.
- Tone: Each title uses J-horror motifs and ritualistic backstory to create tension and dread.
- Characters: Kuon follows two sisters as core characters (with three playable characters total), while Silent Hill f similarly places a teenage female protagonist at the narrative center.
- Gameplay focus: Exploration and environmental puzzles are primary, with combat presented as a dangerous, avoid-when-possible mechanic.
Major difference: combat
However, the clearest factual difference is combat design. Silent Hill f uses a more forgiving, modernized combat system that is easier to manage. By contrast, Kuon’s combat is often described as difficult to execute: hit detection and responsiveness in Kuon were criticized even at release, and the encounter design tends to be punishing. Kuon does include unique mechanics such as combat cards and self-healing, but the overall control feel limits combat accessibility.
Additionally, contemporary coverage noted Kuon’s combat issues; for example, a professional review categorized parts of the controls as “janky” in the context of the game’s 2004 design and expectations. See this review for more on those technical details.
How to access or experience Kuon today
Kuon was released on PS2. Physical copies are limited, especially outside Japan, and the title is primarily circulated via secondhand markets and retro-collection sources. If you want to experience Kuon without owning the disc, one option is to watch recorded playthroughs and preservation uploads; this can give a clear view of the game’s atmosphere and mechanics without requiring original hardware.
Kuon title screen reference
For those studying aesthetics, Kuon’s title screen includes a distinctive image that has been noted for its unsettling look. A direct video showing that title screen is available here:
In summary, Silent Hill f and Kuon share concrete design DNA: haunted manors, shrines, ritual narratives, and underpowered protagonists. Yet, the main measurable divergence lies in combat systems and player accessibility, with Silent Hill f using a more approachable modern design while Kuon retains older, less forgiving mechanics.
