Silent Hill f’s 13 chapters — structure, length, and flow

Silent Hill f structures its story across 13 chapters that track Hinako Shimizu’s path through fog‑choked Ebisugaoka and the neighboring Dark Shrine. You won’t see chapter cards on screen; instead, progress is defined by major area transitions. If you’re planning a playthrough of Silent Hill f on Steam, expect a focused campaign that commonly lasts around 12–15 hours, depending on difficulty and how thoroughly you explore.

Silent Hill Chapters list (in order)

The game’s community and guides consistently refer to the following 13 chapters, each mapped to a distinct area shift. Parentheses indicate in‑game terminology you’ll see on objectives or maps.

How chapters work in Silent Hill f

Progression is linear but framed by location. While you’re given a steady checklist of objectives, Silent Hill f doesn’t flash chapter titles between scenes. Instead, each major area change—shifting between Ebisugaoka’s streets and fields and the subterranean Dark Shrine—functions as the practical boundary between chapters. This keeps the narrative flowing while still giving you clear mental checkpoints.

That area‑first structure also mirrors the game’s design: story beats, encounter pacing, and puzzle types tend to cluster by location. “Fog Town” sections emphasize navigation and survival on the surface, while the shrine sequences lean into ritual spaces and multi‑step puzzles.

How long the story takes

A typical first run lands in the 12–15 hour range for the main story. Your time will expand or shrink based on:

• Puzzle difficulty selection (Story vs. Hard vs. a tougher mode unlocked after one clear).
• The time you spend reading documents and exploring optional corners of each area.
• Comfort with the game’s combat rhythm and resource management.

Plan a little extra buffer if you prefer the traditional, less‑guided puzzle experience or if you chase collectibles as you go.

Puzzles and difficulty across chapters

Silent Hill f threads a dozen major puzzles through its chapters, with two additional puzzle challenges appearing only in New Game+. Hinako’s in‑game journal automatically tracks puzzle entries and aggregates clues as you discover related documents, which cuts down on back‑and‑forth through menus.

• Story puzzle difficulty: simpler logic, stronger in‑game hinting; the journal highlights key words and phrases.
• Hard puzzle difficulty: Journal highlight assistance is removed, and most puzzles gain at least one extra step or item layer.
• Lost in the Fog difficulty (unlocked after clearing the game): minimal hinting; some solutions expect knowledge beyond what the game surfaces.

Because puzzle complexity and guidance change by difficulty, the same chapter can feel brisk on Story and substantially denser on Hard or the post‑game mode.

Early chapter beats (spoiler‑lite)

If you want a sense of the chapter flow without story spoilers, here’s how the opening trio sets expectations:

• Chapter 1 — Ebisugaoka: A grounded introduction to Hinako and the town, culminating in a harrowing first chase and your initial healing items (red capsules) and key item storage.

• Chapter 2 — Dark Shrine Path: The tone pivots into ritual spaces and hands you the first altar‑style puzzle with object placement and symbol matching.

• Chapter 3 — Ebisugaoka Fields (Fog Town): Surface exploration returns with a longer navigation section and a first major boss encounter that tests your timing and positioning.

From there, chapters continue alternating between the surface (alleyways, school, mountain path) and deeper shrine sections (corridors, worship hall, main hall), before converging on late‑game rooms and a final approach through the shrine.

Planning your run

If you’re primarily here to map your session breaks, the chapter list above functions well as a pacing tool. The first three chapters establish mechanics and tempo; the middle stretch (Chapters 4–9) mixes longer shrine puzzle runs with surface detours; the final third (Chapters 10–13) accelerates toward resolution with tighter spaces and fewer distractions.

For a first playthrough that favors narrative momentum, consider Story for action and Hard for puzzles to maintain friction without turning every lock into a roadblock. Once you’ve rolled credits, New Game+ adds two extra puzzle entries and a tougher puzzle setting for a second run.

Silent Hill f’s chapter structure is deliberately understated, but the 13 area‑anchored segments create a clean arc: a town slipping into unreality, a shrine that refuses to stay buried, and a series of spaces that echo Hinako’s shifting headspace. Use the list to chart your progress—or to carve a weekend into manageable, fog‑soaked chunks.