SILENT HILL: Townfall tips and tricks: habits that carry a whole run

Spoiler level: light. Tactics and systems only; specific puzzle solutions and ending scenes stay in their own guides.

The habits

1. Save by reflex, not by need. Dial 100 at every phone you pass. The two points you will want a spare save most are mid-story pivots: after crafting the Constructed Mechanical Device in Chapter 10, and before the red crank in Chapter 15 (Trying Again).
2. Raise the CRTV before you cross open ground. It shows nearby enemies on its screen and pulses on the DualSense when something is close. A two-second check replaces a lost hiding attempt.
3. Break line of sight before you hide. Hiding while an enemy watches you enter a locker fails — they pull you out. Turn a corner first, then commit.
4. Read first, solve second. Every puzzle expects its clue material. If a code fails, the game usually wants the discovery step, not a different number.
5. Count your kills. The ordinary endings balance Discoveries against kills. Around twenty kills are unavoidable per the source research; beyond that, every unnecessary fight pushes you away from Justice.
6. Search on your own schedule. Sources document 85 Clues and Documents, and most cannot be recovered by replaying finished sections. Run the chapter-exit checklist before story triggers, not after.
7. Crouch early, lean often. Circle ducks you behind fences, signs and cars; R1 + right stick peeks. Both cost nothing and prevent the fights you cannot afford.
8. Weapon durability is a budget. Melee objects are flimsy and break; firearms make noise and count kills. Flare Guns and thrown objects solve specific problems — save them for those.
9. Use the narrow frame. The 2.35:1 ratio cuts your vertical view, so sweep up and down in new rooms: codes sit on posters, whiteboards and ceiling signs the frame hides.
10. Plan New Game+ from the start of run two. The Dog and Sci-fi endings exist only in New Game+, and both need items planted across all six parts. Read the endings overview before starting it, not halfway through.
11. Tune difficulty instead of quitting a section. The Steam build lists adjustable difficulty; a section that fights you is cheaper to re-attempt at a lower setting than to abandon. Per-tier differences are not yet documented by the sources this site uses.
12. Keep the guides open in order. The beginner's guide sets the base habits, the chapter walkthrough gives the map, and the puzzle pages hold the codes. Tab between them instead of restart-searching.

FAQ

How many endings does Townfall have?

Five: Justice, Forever and Abandoned on a first playthrough, plus Dog and Sci-fi, which require New Game+. The three ordinary endings depend on the balance between enemies killed and Discoveries found; the two special routes depend on collecting specific items across the game.

Do kills really affect the ending?

Yes. Kills weigh against Discoveries. Justice needs significantly more discoveries than kills — roughly, around 80 discoveries leaves room for about 50 kills, and research suggests about 20 kills are unavoidable. Abandoned is guaranteed when kills exceed discoveries. Forever sits between them, and its exact threshold is not yet established.

How do I save the game?

At any phone, dial 100. It is the same payphone system that gives you 900 for emergency services and 010 for the operator. Phones are placed along the main route, so save every time one is nearby.

Can I go back and collect missed items later?

Mostly no. Sources report that most collectibles cannot be retrieved by freely replaying a finished section. Check desks, drawers, notice boards and computer inboxes before crossing a chapter boundary — the practical sweep order is in the collectibles checklist.

Why won't a puzzle accept a code I already know?

Townfall gates progress on discovery, not just input. If the linked clue (a card, note, email or CRTV signal) has not been collected and read, the correct code can still fail. Go back and find the clue material, then re-enter the answer.

How long is the game?

Shorter than most modern horror releases. A speedrun under four hours unlocks the Fleeting Visit trophy, so a first run that searches thoroughly and avoids spoilers lands well above that number — but a focused second playthrough for another ending can fit in an evening.

What platforms is Townfall on, and how much is it?

It launched on Steam (Windows) on September 23, 2026 and on PlayStation 5 a day later, published by KONAMI and Annapurna Interactive, at $49.99. It is single-player. There is no Mac or Linux build listed on Steam.

Is there New Game+?

Yes. The Dog and Sci-fi endings are New Game+ exclusive, carried by items spread across all six parts: coins for Guide Dog banks, books behind specific doors, and a Strange Access Card from the hotel button door. The full routes are mapped in the endings guide.

What does the CRTV actually do?

It is a portable television and the game's danger radar: tuned correctly, it shows nearby enemy positions, delivers story fragments and carries puzzle signals — the opening hotel door is unsolvable without its channel 60 broadcast. On PS5 it also pulses the DualSense when enemies are near.

Which difficulty should I choose?

Whatever lets you enjoy both halves of the game — stealth and puzzles. The Steam build lists adjustable difficulty among its features, but the sources used here do not yet document what each tier changes, so this guide makes no per-difficulty promises.

Sources and verification

• PowerPyx all endings guide — ending names, balance rule, kill estimates, New Game+ requirements.
• PowerPyx walkthrough — phone numbers, Fleeting Visit trophy, collectible behavior.
• PlayStation Blog official gameplay explainer — CRTV, stealth, hiding and control details.
• Steam store page — price, platforms, adjustable difficulty category.

Compiled 26 September 2026 from the sources above. Answers in the FAQ reflect documented sources, not independent threshold testing on this site.