Summary
Silent Hill: The Short Messagewas just shadow-dropped in the course of PlayStation’s State of Play showcase on January 31. Konami Producer Motoi Okamoto appeared at the presentation to introduce and announce its immediate, and entirely free of charge, release for PS5 players.The Short Messageis described on the official PlayStation blog as, appropriately, a “short, experimental"Silent Hillspin-off experience in the stylings of the titular psychological/survival horror series. It was also, at least in part, previously leaked, as glimpses ofThe Short Message’s existence and some related material surfaced in the course of 2022, but nothing was officially confirmed until now.
As fans await more information about the highly anticipatedupcoming fullSilent Hill 2remake,Silent Hill: The Short Messageaims to serve as something of a lead-in appetizer. And while it has the officialSilent Hillseal and appears at first glance in many ways to indeed promise this, in practice,The Short Messageplays and feels much more like an entry from theLayers of Fearfranchise than any in the series it is technically part of.
Silent Hill: The Short Message is More of a Layers of Fear Entry Than a Silent Hill One
Layers of Fear and Silent Hill’s Psychological Horror Styling
Layers of Fearconsists of two titles from 2016 and 2019 respectively, and received an updated collection that included all content for both in 2023. The first focused on the tale of a painter, while the second was not a direct sequel, but revolved around an actor whose star power was waning. Falling within the walking simulator genre,Layers of Fearfocuses on exploration and puzzle solving in first-person sans combat. The narratives involve characters' mental anguish and torture over their past guilt and actions, makingLayers of Fearnot unlikeSilent Hillin that respect. However, that’s where most of the similarities in this case end, as once players who are familiar withLayers of FearexperienceSilent Hill: The Short Message, many may agree that, for better or worse, it might as well be anotherLayers of Feartitle.
Silent Hill: The Short Message’s Similarities to Layers of Fear Over Silent Hill Itself
Silent Hill: The Short Messageconcerns Anita, a teenager on the verge of adulthood, who receives an odd and alarming text message from her friend, Maya. Anita is battling depression and committing acts of self-harm due to a number of pressures, particularly regarding the climate of modern social media for people her age. After waking up in a local abandoned and decaying apartment complex, disoriented and confused about how she arrived there, Anita begins to search its eerie echoing hallways for Maya. Players may immediately notice that the environmental aesthetics, gameplay, and other design choices strongly resemble those seen inLayers of Fear. One could easily be forgiven for mistakingThe Short Messageas such if they were unaware of its status as an officialSilent Hillrelease.
The situation is a bit of a roundabout connection as well, given thatLayers of Feardeveloper Bloober Team has been tapped to produce theSilent Hill 2remake, but was not involved withSilent Hill: The Short Message.The Short Messagedoes address some quite serious psychological horror material, though, closely adjacent to what was incorporated inLayers of Fearpreviously. Visually, the game frequently presents players with distortions/hallucinations and shifting room configurations. Admittedly,Silent Hillis no stranger to using similar tricks and components too, but the overall presentation inThe Short Messagecan be said to bear a better resemblance toLayers of Fearupon closer inspection.
None of this is a mark againstThe Short Messagein any way, as it does provide a very solid experience in terms of atmosphere, gameplay, and narrative structure. However, fans who might be expecting a more"traditional"Silent Hillgamemay wish to be aware of the difference, and thatThe Short Messageshares much more in common withLayers of Fearin general.
Silent Hill: The Short Messageis currently available free for PlayStation 5 owners.Silent Hill 2remake is still in development, but a firm release window is yet to be provided.
Silent Hill
WHERE TO PLAY
In Silent Hill, you assume the role of widower Harry Mason, who is trying to get away from the pain of his wife’s loss by taking his daughter on a road trip. After a car accident on the outskirts of the resort town of Silent Hill, you regain consciousness to find that your daughter, who was previously asleep in the backseat, has left–or has been taken–from the scene. To find her, you must go into town and unlock the secrets that linger seven years after a tragic fire scarred the town.The game features formidable monsters, perplexing puzzles, a realistic 3-D town, and, most of all, an acute sense of foreboding caused by Silent Hill’s creative lighting and sound effects. The makers have included four different endings, based on performance throughout the game, so think, be quick on your feet, and hope for the best of all possible outcomes.
