Australia has officially banned the upcoming horror game Silent Hill f, blocking it from sale, import, or distribution nationwide. According to the country’s Classification Board, the game crosses content lines too severe to fit within their highest categories. Even the strict R 18+ and X 18+ ratings didn’t cut it!
Silent Hill fans are no strangers to unsettling themes, but this latest installment seems to push things well past familiar territory. In Japan, Silent Hill f earned the rare, adults-only CERO Z rating — the first time any title in the series has been slapped with such a warning. But Australia went one step further. Authorities there refused to classify the game at all, effectively banning its release outright.
This isn’t the first time the franchise has faced trouble down under. Silent Hill: Homecoming ran into similar roadblocks years ago, and only made it to Australian shelves after developers agreed to edit some of its more graphic content. Whether Konami will opt to alter Silent Hill f for the Australian market remains uncertain, but history suggests it’s not off the table.
So, what’s so intense about this game?
Set in 1960s Japan, Silent Hill f features a narrative crafted in collaboration with Ryukishi07. He’s obviously the mind behind the Higurashi no Naku Koro ni horror series. Players will step into the shoes of Shimizu Hinako. She’s a young girl whose seemingly ordinary life in the secluded town of Ebisugaoka takes a sharp, unsettling turn. A sudden, dense fog engulfs the town, accompanied by the appearance of strange, parasitic flowers. As Hinako delves deeper, she uncovers the town’s dark secrets, facing a reality that’s rapidly unraveling into a nightmare.
The game is in development for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S. There’s no official release date yet.
