Unlocking the Past: How to Complete the Altar Puzzle in Silent Hill f

The highly anticipated return of the classic horror franchise, Silent Hill f, is proving to be a true test of a player’s wit and nerve. Early in the game, in the unsettling Shrine Path area, you’ll encounter a challenging obstacle that requires more than just combat prowess: the Altar Puzzle. This brain-teaser requires you to correctly place five distinct offerings on a series of podiums. The solution is different for each difficulty level, so you must carefully inspect the clues provided to you on the small piece of paper in front of the altar. This guide will walk you through the solution on all difficulties, ensuring you can continue your terrifying journey through the haunting Japanese countryside.

Story Mode

The easiest version of the puzzle is a simple test of observation and pattern recognition. The paper in front of the altar will give you a clear visual guide, showing you which items should be placed in each position. You must look for a specific type of braided knot on each of the five items and match them to the corresponding symbols on the sides of the five podiums. It’s a straightforward puzzle designed to ease new players into the game’s mechanics without much frustration. If you follow the pattern, you will succeed. The solution, in order from back left, back right, front left, front middle, and front right, is as follows:

• Back Left: Dead Rat
• Back Right: Dried Fish
• Front Left: Robe
• Front Middle: Vase
• Front Right: Chopsticks

This is a simple puzzle that is perfect for new players or for those who want to experience the story without the frustration of complex puzzles.

Hard Mode (Default)

This is the standard difficulty, and it is a significant step up from Story Mode. The puzzle is not about matching patterns but about understanding a cryptic clue on the paper. The clue is a poem that references five different Japanese plants: a chrysanthemum, a bamboo leaf, a plum blossom, kudzu, and a pine. You must now find the subtle images of these plants on the offerings and place them on the correct podiums. The solution, in order from back left, back right, front left, front middle, and front right, is as follows:

• Back Left: Dried Fish (has a subtle pattern of pine needles)
• Back Right: Robe (has a floral pattern of plum blossoms)
• Front Left: Chopsticks (has a bamboo leaf design on the side of the box)
• Front Middle: Vase (has an image of a chrysanthemum on the bottom)
• Front Right: Dead Rat (is wrapped in kudzu leaves)

This is a much more challenging puzzle that requires a keen eye for detail and a solid understanding of the game’s world. If you are having trouble, you can always refer back to your journal, which provides some clues about the correct order.

Lost in the Fog Mode (New Game +)

This is the hardest difficulty, only available after you complete the game for the first time. The puzzle is now an inference riddle with no direct visual cues. The clue is a short story about the five plants from the hard-mode poem, describing their relationships to each other. You must use the story to deduce the correct placement of each offering. The solution is as follows:

• Back Left: Dried Fish
• Back Right: Dead Rat
• Front Left: Chopsticks
• Front Middle: Robe
• Front Right: Vase

Once you place all five items in their correct positions, the puzzle will be solved, and you can continue your journey into the heart of the terrifying Shrine.