Content Warning: This review discusses themes of depression, self-harm, and suicide as they appear in Silent Hill: The Short Message.
Silent Hill as a franchise has more than made a name for itself over the last 25 plus years. Generally the games take place in the town of Silent Hill, a place rife with supernatural occurrences and unexplained phenomenon. Across the series, several characters are seemingly drawn to the town and often encounter horrifying creatures and endure incredible phycological torment, both of which are usually tied to their own past in some way. It all works incredibly well, and I expected more or less the same thing from The Short Message. However, this game doesn't follow an adult with a troubled past into the fog filled town in order to help them confront their guilt, trauma or repressed desires. And there's no ambiguity or elements of the experience left open for interpretation. The Short Message takes a different, more pointed approach, and attempts to tell a story that's more direct and to the point. Something more immediate. Literal. And I largely think it works.
A Different Kind of Silent Hill
Silent Hill: The Short Message puts players in the role of a young woman named Anita, who finds herself trapped inside a decaying apartment complex, stalked by an otherworldly presence, and desperate for a way out. What begins as a simple escape quickly transforms into a journey through Anita's inner turmoil. Unlike the more ambiguous, adult-focused narratives of the mainline Silent Hill titles, this entry grounds its horror in the everyday struggles of modern life, making it both immediate and uncomfortably relatable.
From Fog to Feeds: A New Kind of Terror
What sets The Short Message apart from the rest of the series is just how direct it is with its themes. Classic Silent Hill thrives on metaphor; James Sunderland’s guilt in SH2 or Heather’s identity struggles in SH3 for instance. But here, the story is about depression, social pressure, and suicidal thoughts. There’s no guesswork about what the monsters represent or what the looping corridors mean; everything is tied to the suffocating headspace of Anita caught between her pain and the cruelty of others. It’s heavy, and it doesn’t let you look away. That is its own kind of scary, anxiety inducing horror. But I have to say, it’s also refreshingly honest in a way the series hasn’t tried before.
Less Survival, More Experience
If you come into The Short Message expecting a full on survival horror gameplay experience, you may be disappointed. The game is more so a "walking simulator" and takes place in the first person perspective. There aren't any puzzles to solve or large areas to explore, though there are a few instances you'll find yourself perused by... something. The game funnels you through its story with purpose, which makes it more of an experience than a test of skill. Personally, I found that the short runtime worked in its favor, it never overstays its welcome, and its focus keeps the emotional impact sharp. Still, longtime fans may miss the freedom and layers of gameplay that defined the earlier entries. And if I were to level any real criticism at the game, the times you are chased around the area, they're a little bit to "trial and error" for me, especially the very last sequence where you have to locate 5 items in a large, maze like area and make it to the exit, all while being perused. It's incredibly nerve-wracking and tense. Until you fail and need to retry multiple times. That was the one time I got ripped out of the experience.
Graffiti, Decay, and a Monster That Knows You
Where the game really shines is in its atmosphere. The apartment complex is suffocating, a claustrophobic maze where every corner feels wrong. The graffiti-covered walls and neon-soaked decay give it a grungy, modern personality that separates it from the rusted industrial hellscapes we’re used to seeing in Silent Hill. And then there’s the sound design. Subtle, unnerving, sometimes overwhelming. It kept me on edge even when nothing was happening. Oh, and the creature that stalks you? Horrific in its design and movements. A true Silent Hill staple, in my option. But also deeply tragic once you understand its symbolism.
When Horror Hits Close to Home
What stuck with me most wasn’t the jump scares or the monster chases, it was the game's message. The Short Message doesn’t dance around its subject matter. It’s about suicide, about the crushing weight of loneliness and the harm of online cruelty. But what I appreciated was that it didn’t feel exploitative. I genuinely felt like the developers wanted to tell a story with this subject matter as its driving force, but never used it as a way to drive home any specific message or influence a particular way I thought. In the sort of world we live in today, it takes courage to tell a story like this. I will say, from a writing perspective, I can see instances where people may find the symbolism and messaging a little heavy handed at times. And maybe that's a product of the short run time. However, I feel the game treats the subject with respect and manages to leave you with something important... The idea that even in the darkest moments, connection and self-worth are possible. It’s not just horror for horror’s sake; I really felt like it was horror that says something. The story hit me hard enough that, when the credits rolled, I went upstairs to hug my daughter and remind her how much she means to me. That’s not a reaction I have often with a video game, but it says a lot about the emotional punch this one carries.
A Brief Visit, A Lasting Impression
Silent Hill: The Short Message isn’t the Silent Hill I grew up with, and that’s okay. It’s smaller, more direct, and in some ways, more predictable than the classics. But it’s also brave in how it confronts issues that too many people face in silence. It won’t satisfy players looking for the layered puzzles and ambiguous storytelling of Silent Hill 2, but it will resonate with anyone open to a short, haunting story about what it means to feel trapped inside your own mind. For me, it wasn’t the scariest Silent Hill I’ve played, but it was one of the most human.
"A Message from the Stars, Received" from Silent Hill: The Short Message (2024, Konami). Downloaded via KHInsider. All rights belong to Konami.