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When I first learned that Silent Hill f would be taking place in a made-up Japanese locale instead of the iconic American setting the series is famous for, I felt a wave of concern. However these worries about the game not having that distinct Silent Hill vibe vanished the moment I entered the Shadow Temple, which serves as Silent Hill f's interpretation of the franchise's haunted alternate dimension. Armed only with a glowing paper light, I took my first steps and was overcome with a strong feeling of familiarity. I knew this place, but I couldn't recall the source.

Recalling a Forgotten Game

After a moment for foggy recollections of a game I once rented from Blockbuster to come back to me. At first, I struggled to recall the title, wondering if I was mixing it up with a Fatal Frame entry or if I had dreamt it up. However, following a bit of searching, I found the answer: Kuon, FromSoft's forgotten J-horror masterpiece from the mid-2000s.

Kuon's awkward fighting mechanics holds back an otherwise deeply atmospheric game.

Shared Elements

Set in ancient Japan, Kuon shares many traits with Silent Hill f. The story centers on two sisters (although there are three playable characters), and players navigate the vast corridors of the massive Fujiwaya estate and creep through a eerie local temple. Both games revolve around an old ceremony and feature a relatively weak young female protagonist who is unaware of the true evil she faces, solving puzzles and scraping through run-ins with horrific monsters hiding in the shadows.

Notable Contrasts

The biggest difference between Silent Hill f and Kuon lies in the combat system. Silent Hill f is far more forgiving and more accessible (perhaps even too much so), while Kuon is bound to test your patience. The battle system is unfortunate, and this is probably why the game wasn't more popular in the United States. It's not the challenging-yet-rewarding FromSoft combat that's popular now. Kuon's enemy encounters are nightmarish for all the wrong reasons, and at times it's so frustrating that you might consider stopping. Attacking foes is very hard, and while the game includes some unique features (like special combat cards and self-healing abilities), the controls are quite clunky, especially considering 2004.

An Enduring Impact

Despite its flaws, Kuon remains one of my favorite classic horror games, and experiencing Silent Hill f is like revisiting my favorite haunted house. Should you happen to have access to a original copy of Kuon (released in Japan in 2004, but not arriving to the West in 2006), it's worth checking out. However, if you're in the mood for a great Japanese horror experience that isn't overly frustrated, Silent Hill f will undoubtedly deliver. It feels like a modern version of Kuon, that I can suggest to others without the caveat about its brutal combat.

Still, it's worth watching a let's play of Kuon just to witness the main menu's deeply creepy winky face, which continues to disturb me to this day.