Silent Hill fans finally got news of their favorite franchise…but will they be happy? At yesterday’s PlayStation State of Play showcase, Konami revealed new details regarding the Silent Hill 2 as well as stealth launched a free Silent Hill experience in the form of “The Short Message” (which can be downloaded here).
Silent Hill: The Short Message stars a young woman named Anita. Drawn to an abandoned apartment block infamous for suicides by a message from her friend Maya, she ends up stuck in a otherworldly realm…where the only clue to escaping this scenario is to heed her friend’s last message “can’t leave ’til you find it”. Will Anita find “it” and return to reality? Only with your guiding hand can she accomplish her task…so get to it!
A completely free experience and exclusive to the PS5, The Short Message doesn’t have any continuity ties to the previous entries, the team at Konami hopes to use the latest technology as well as contemporary subjects such as bullying to craft a psychological horror experience that fans of the franchise would find riveting. The team is clearly putting great effort in the development of this title as Konami released a series of staff commentary which can be found via this officially curated YouTube playlist.
The other major announcement regarding the franchise was the reveal of the combat of the Silent Hill 2. Developed by Bloober Team (Layers of Fear, Observer, Blair Witch, and The Medium), this remake of the 2001 classic where James Sunderland is in the town of Silent Hill to search for his deceased wife get its first major trailer since it was announced in October of 2022. The camera is still 3rd person, although it’s pulled a little tighter cutting James’ legs from view. The combat looks more action oriented, with fans comparing it to the action seen in the Resident Evil Remakes. The new trailer also features familiar monsters such as Lying Figure, Bubble Head Nurse and the Mannequin, although in this trailer James seems to be getting the best of all of them.
Silent Hill: The Message is available now as a free download for the PS5 and Silent Hill 2 is currently still in development for PS5 and PC with no announced release window.
Silent Hill: The Short Message Launch Trailer:
Silent Hill: The Short Message screens:
Silent Hill – Combat Reveal Trailer:
Silent Hill 2 art:
Konami Digital Entertainment Inc. (KONAMI) today announced SILENT HILL: The Short Message, a brand-new entry in the psychological horror franchise, is available now for free on the PlayStation Store. Plus, a new trailer from development studio Bloober Team for the highly anticipated SILENT HILL 2 remake showed off what players can expect from the improved and modernized combat.
Follow Anita, the main protagonist in SILENT HILL: The Short Message, as she is called by a friend to an abandoned apartment complex on the outskirts of town. As she explores her eerie surroundings, she comes face-to-face with a dark truth that she had tried to shut away. KONAMI previously announced several new games and other forms of media that would spearhead a new era of the SILENT HILL franchise.
SILENT HILL: The Short Message is a first, bold innovation for a new generation of SILENT HILL fans, and with its surprise reveal and free launch, it’s the perfect opportunity for new players to get into the psychological horror franchise. SILENT HILL: The Short Message is a short game with a complete story that is independent of the previous and upcoming titles in the series. The game is set in the present day and deals with the theme of slander and bullying on social networking sites – a contemporary theme familiar in modern day society. This is the latest entry in the series in over a decade. We hope that the new generation of players who have not been exposed to the previous games in the series will experience the world of psychological horrors SILENT HILL can deliver.
Take a deeper dive at the creative process that brought SILENT HILL: The Short Message to life via five behind-the-scenes videos with the director, cast, and development team.
- Commentary 01: Production Team Interview – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tmzi0VLlhbI
- Commentary 02: Actor/Director Interview – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUQPIf_YPxg
- Commentary 03: Sound Team Interview – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZM1C6QcJow
- Commentary 04: Developer Interview – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3iLPupH_UNU
- Commentary 05: Cast Interview – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olHdtgZJVU8
SILENT HILL: The Short Message – Launch Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQqkG4wR1dU
SILENT HILL: The Short Message Video Streaming Guidelines: https://www.konami.com/games/silenthill/tsm/guideline/us/en/
A new SILENT HILL 2 trailer focuses on combat, which has evolved from the original game. Iconic monsters make a return, including the Bubble Head Nurses, the Mannequin and more.
SILENT HILL 2 – Combat Reveal Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqUexhXHJI0