Silent Hill f Teams Up with Japan’s Top Indie Game of 2025
Silent Hill f marks the triumphant return of Konami’s iconic horror series, earning rave reviews and quickly becoming one of the fastest-selling entries in the franchise. In a similar vein, Urban Myth Dissolution Center, a captivating mystery visual novel rooted in urban legends and the supernatural, has emerged as a standout success for indie developer Hakababunko, selling over 300,000 copies within just three months of its launch last year. This success has enabled the team to branch out into new formats through various collaborations, including a real-world mystery game. As two of the standout achievements in Japanese gaming for 2025, both development teams, who hold mutual respect for each other’s work, have embarked on an unexpected partnership that features a free spin-off game.
At first glance, this collaboration might seem surprising, but there are deeper connections between these two titles than one might think. Before the release of Silent Hill f, its writer, Ryukishi07, was already well-known for his own series of mystery visual novels, Umineko and Higurashi. Additionally, in the 2025 edition of a prominent Japanese gaming magazine’s annual game-of-the-year rankings, which are determined by developers and producers, Silent Hill f producer Motoi Okamoto highlighted Urban Myth Dissolution Center as one of the year’s standout releases. It secured the third spot in the developer-voted rankings, trailing only Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Ghost of Yotei, while surpassing both Donkey Kong Bananza and Mario Kart World.
For this collaboration, a new piece of artwork has been crafted by Silent Hill f’s character designer and illustrator Kera, and the games will be offered in a discounted bundle on Steam. But that’s just the beginning. A short free mini-game scenario featuring characters from both titles has been released, playable directly in your browser, where Hinako from Silent Hill f finds herself wandering through an abandoned school, encountering various figures and bizarre occurrences.
The Japanese indie gaming scene has been flourishing in recent years, with smaller creators delivering unique experiences that stand apart from those produced by major developers, increasingly resonating with players both domestically and internationally. Konami has actively supported this burgeoning scene by sponsoring game jams and events tailored to indie developers in Japan. With Urban Myth Dissolution Center being one of the most successful and cherished indie titles to emerge from the country in recent years, this collaboration presents an opportunity to shine a spotlight on a game that has captured the hearts of many within the developer community over the past year.
