Silent Hill: The Short Message

Silent Hill: The Short Message
Developer(s)Konami Digital Entertainment
HexaDrive
Publisher(s)Konami
Director(s)Motoi Okamoto
Rika Miyatani
Producer(s)Motoi Okamoto
Programmer(s)Yuya Yamaguchi
Artist(s)Chihiro Tanaka
Writer(s)Kiichi Kanoh
Motoi Okamoto
Composer(s)Akira Yamaoka
SeriesSilent Hill
EngineUnreal Engine 5
Platform(s)PlayStation 5
Release31 January 2024
Genre(s)Psychological horror
Mode(s)Single-player

Silent Hill: The Short Message is a 2024 psychological horror game co-developed by Konami Digital Entertainment and HexaDrive and published by Konami. The game was announced and released for free for the PlayStation 5 on 31 January 2024.

The plot follows a teenage girl named Anita after she receives bizarre text messages from her deceased friend Maya, who committed suicide, and must look for things that serve as clues in an abandoned apartment complex in Germany, while occasionally evading a monster covered in cherry blossom petals (later officially revealed as "Sakura Head" following a poll)[1] that pursues her at certain moments and cannot be attacked. The game is played from a first-person perspective with no combat involved.[2] Bullying, the impacts of social media, and suicide are the primary themes of the game.

Silent Hill: The Short Message received mixed reviews; while some critics praised its visuals, atmosphere, themes and the game's free price tag, others criticized its gameplay, dialogue and chasing sequences.

  1. ^ Liu, Stephanie (21 February 2024). "Silent Hill: The Short Message Monster Named 'Sakura Head'". Siliconera. Retrieved 29 March 2024.
  2. ^ Foster, George (31 January 2024). "Silent Hill: The Short Message Finally Revealed, Releasing Today For Free". The Gamer. Retrieved 1 February 2024.