Silent Hill f locks every cutscene to 30 FPS on all formats, but on PC, this limitation can be easily lifted with Special K, delivering a smoother experience, although with some caveats.
Yesterday, BenchmarKing reported on their X profile that the 30 FPS lock can be lifted by using the Framerate Limiter function of what is commonly known as the Swiss Army Knife of PC gaming, delivering smoother transitions between cutscenes and gameplay and an overall better experience. If you have never heard of this tool, more information and a download link can be found on the Special K official website.
After testing this out, I can say that removing the lock with Special K improves the experience, but with some caveats. In the opening cutscenes, for example, some sequences benefit more than others from a higher framerate. The sequence where Hinako and her sister have a brief talk, and the following family argument between Hinako and her parents, benefit the most thanks to there being more action on screen and quick camera cuts. The sequence showing Ebisugaoka under the rain, on the other hand, shows less noticeable improvements due to slower camera cuts and a lack of action, limited to the falling rain.
Although I didn't find the Silent Hill f 30 FPS lock for cutscenes particularly impactful, it is definitely surprising that it has been implemented, as it makes transitions from cutscenes to gameplay clunky and somewhat unpleasant. While this stopgap solution is welcome, an official removal of the lock would be preferable, as every cutscene would benefit from running at higher framerates.
Not counting some weird design choices like this cutscene framerate lock, Silent Hill f is a thououghly enjoyable game, thanks to an engaging and memorable story and gameplay that masterfully blends familiar mechanics with some new features. The game is currently available on PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S to all those who purchased the Deluxe Edition. It will launch for everyone else tomorrow, September 25.
About the author: Francesco De Meo has been covering video games and technology since 2012, starting his career at small outlets like Gamersyndrome and GeekSnack. After joining Wccftech gaming section in 2015, he quickly expanded his video gaming coverage with in-depth reporting, interviews with iconic industry figures such as Grasshopper Manufacture founder and No More Heroes creator Goichi "Suda51" Suda, Resident Evil series creator Shinji Mikami, Team NINJA's president and Nioh series director Fumihiko Yasuda, and Silent Hill creator Keiichiro Toyama, reviews and on-the-ground coverage of major industry events such as Gamescom and E3. When he's not reporting or reviewing, Francesco can be found playing the genres he loves most, spending time with his six cats, reading, writing music, playing guitar and drumming for his progressive rock band.
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