Silent Hill: Townfall is out September 24, and the review embargo lifted early this week with a clear message: this is one of the scariest games of the year, and one of the more frustrating ones too. The first-person spin-off from Glasgow studio No Code, co-published by Konami and Annapurna Interactive, currently sits at 81 on Metacritic for PS5. Here is what critics loved, what wore them down, and whether it belongs on your list this week.
The Scores So Far
Townfall landed at 81 on Metacritic's PS5 aggregate from roughly 60 critic reviews, with the PC version tracking at about 80 from a smaller sample. None of the early reviews are classified as negative, but the spread is wide.
- Digital Spy: 5/5
- COGconnected: 91/100
- DualShockers, PlayStation LifeStyle, GameRant: 9/10
- IGN and TechRaptor: 8/10
- Metro and Push Square: 7/10
- VGC: 3/5
That range from 91 down to the equivalent of 60 is the real story. Genre specialists are scoring it high, while more general outlets are pulling the average down. OpenCritic's top critic average runs warmer, closer to 90.
For context, 2025's Silent Hill f scored 86 on Metacritic, so Townfall comes in a few points behind the high point of Konami's revival.
What Critics Loved
The praise is remarkably consistent. Reviewers call out the oppressive atmosphere, the sound design, and the way the first-person camera makes every corridor feel like a trap. Moving the series to a fog-choked Scottish town turns out to be a smart swing, keeping the franchise's themes of guilt and isolation while giving it a setting that feels fresh.
A portable TV that doubles as a puzzle tool and a storytelling device also gets a lot of love. Several critics said the game is scarier moment to moment than any recent entry, even if it is not the best overall package.
What Wore Critics Down
The common complaint is stealth, and specifically an unkillable pursuer called The Weight. Multiple reviews describe the same problems:
- Erratic enemy pathing that can leave you stuck in a hiding spot for minutes
- Ungenerous checkpoints
- Respawns that drop you right back in front of the thing that just killed you
Some outlets also flagged frame rate dips, a limited enemy roster, and a handful of launch bugs, including a black screen during one cutscene. The comparison most reviewers reach for is Alien: Isolation, and how you felt about that game's stalker AI is probably a good predictor of how you will feel here.
Price and Platforms
Townfall is a digital release on PS5 and PC through Steam and the Epic Games Store.
- Standard Edition: $49.99
- Deluxe Edition: $59.99, with cosmetics and the soundtrack
- Launch date: September 24, 2026
It launches the same day as Remedy's Control Resonant, which makes this one of the busiest days of the fall for single-player games.
Silent Hill: Townfall looks like a strong pick for horror fans who care more about dread than polish, and a riskier one for anyone who hates trial-and-error stealth. With specific, repeatable complaints showing up across so many reviews, keep an eye out for a patch addressing enemy pathing and checkpoints in the first few weeks.
Are you heading to Scotland on day one, or waiting for a patch? Come talk about it in the NerdBlocks Console Gaming forum.
