- Primary Subject: Silent Hill: Townfall [Early 2026 Build / Reveal Version]
- Key Update: Konami officially confirmed a first-person gameplay perspective for Townfall during the February 12, 2026, State of Play, introducing a new "CRTV" tool for detection and puzzle-solving.
- Status: Confirmed
- Last Verified: February 19, 2026
- Quick Answer: Silent Hill: Townfall is a first-person psychological horror game developed by Screen Burn Interactive, set for a 2026 release on PlayStation 5 and PC.
Throughout many generations, the Silent Hill franchise has blessed us with some of the best psychological horror games. And it seems it has no plans to stop, as a trailer for the latest entry, Silent Hill: Townfall, was recently shared, with expectations of a 2026 release.
As for what was shown, it seems the next game is planning to return to the formula fans know and love: exploring a haunted town while confronting the monstrous manifestations of the protagonists' guilt. It certainly looks promising, but an important thing every fan noticed is that it seems that it will be played entirely from a first-person perspective.
Of all the directions that the Silent Hill franchise could go, I believe this is the best one. While third-person gameplay is something many fans are used to and has resulted in some amazing moments in horror game history, everything that can be done with it has already been.
It's refreshing to know that there will finally be an entry that lets us view everything straight from the protagonists' eyes, and honestly, this has been a long time coming. Ever since the apartment sections of Silent Hill 4: The Room and the playable teaser for the extremely promising but never-released Silent Hills project, fans were given a taste of what playing in first-person would feel like. The idea was well-received, but due to unfortunate circumstances, a fully-fledged game played entirely from that perspective never came to fruition.
Now, though, it's finally happening with Silent Hill: Townfall, and fans could not be happier. But what is it about playing from the first-person perspective that makes everyone excited, and why is it good for the game and the franchise as a whole? Well, one reason is that it can do so much to enhance the horrifying atmosphere that the franchise is known for.
Again, this is where Silent Hill 4: The Room and the playable teaser must be brought up, as they made it clear that going first-person really ramps up how terrifying playing a horror game can be. When playing the game in third person, you'll be able to see almost the entire environment your character is in, giving you a little sense of security, as you can at least predict when something might happen.
However, when playing either the apartment section of Silent Hill 4: The Room or the playable teaser in its entirety, that's not the case. Your field of vision is limited to what your protagonists see through their eyes, meaning something could easily sneak up on you from any direction, and you'll have no idea where that will be.
This will require you to be more attentive to your surroundings and rely heavily on the audio design to tell you if something is heading towards you. Essentially, it creates a high level of uncertainty and unpredictability, making for an intense experience that only Silent Hill: Townfall can provide. Such a thing could help the game become the scariest entry in the franchise, and if done right, could lead to more games that match or surpass it.
Another reason why Silent Hill: Townfall going first-person was a very good decision is that it would allow for more interesting puzzles. Aside from the psychological horror, the franchise is also known for its brainteasers. Things like the piano puzzle in the first game or the mirror room puzzle in Silent Hill Origins ensured players had complex yet fun activities to balance with the terrifying moments they were meant to experience, which really helped the franchise to be seen as more than just a scary movie simulator.
They were what helped Silent Hill establish its unique identity, and now that the upcoming game is going first-person, it opens the possibility of even better ones that could propel the next entry and the franchise as a whole to higher levels of success. For instance, you could be forced into a long chase sequence where you need to look around to figure out what environmental set pieces you can use to either stop or kill whatever is after you.
Not only would this provide an experience that is likely not possible, or at least not as good, with third-person gameplay, but it would also allow for a heavier, more horrific atmosphere that only a first-person perspective could provide. It has a lot of potential to develop some of the most unique, fun, and memorable puzzles, which is a good thing for both Silent Hill: Townfall and the future of the franchise.
I do not doubt that going the first-person route is the right call, but I'm hoping that the upcoming game does the decision justice. Silent Hill: Townfall and its gameplay could help propel the franchise to greater heights if done right, and given how Silent Hill 4 and the playable teaser have already helped carve the path towards that, it's likely to happen.
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