Silent Hill: The Short Message Image
Metascore
52

Mixed or average reviews - based on 22 Critic Reviews What's this?

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  • Summary: Anita came to an abandoned apartment to meet her friend Maya, and somehow woke up to find herself trapped in it. She must escape her own fears and the monsters lurking in the corridors, discover the truth behind the events she's trapped in, and try to escape before her own trauma consumesAnita came to an abandoned apartment to meet her friend Maya, and somehow woke up to find herself trapped in it. She must escape her own fears and the monsters lurking in the corridors, discover the truth behind the events she's trapped in, and try to escape before her own trauma consumes her will to survive. Expand

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Silent Hill: The Short Message - Launch Trailer
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 22
  2. Negative: 9 out of 22
  1. Mar 14, 2024
    80
    Even if it's destined to suffer the same incomprehension as many of its predecessors do, Silent Hill: The Short Message is a fairly decent return of one of the most important franchises of the survival horror genre. While it lacks several spine-chilling elements from previous entries that used to make Silent Hill the most horrifying game series out there, it presents many sensitive themes for today's standards. Its teenage story has a daring approach and sets the bar for what we should expect from the psychological factor of the series in the near future.
  2. Feb 2, 2024
    75
    A free adventure that tries to recover the narrative essence of Silent Hill, with the collaboration of two veterans of the saga: Masahiro Ito and Akira Yamaoka. It has some great moments and ideas, but also some flaws in its design and execution, and it will inevitably be compared to the unforgettable P.T.
  3. Feb 18, 2024
    70
    I was streaming the game, and it wasn’t until someone came in and told me what I needed to do to find the keys to the exit that I could eventually make my way to safety and the end of the game. And honestly? It was worth it. Silent Hill: The Short Message isn’t a game about retribution like Silent Hill 2, and maybe that’s what people wanted or were expecting. Instead, it ends with a tearful conversation between Anita and Amelie that lends itself to the final sentence of the content warning you will see time and time again.
  4. Feb 2, 2024
    50
    Silent Hill: The Short Message diverges from traditional Silent Hill experiences, offering a brief, two-hour narrative focused on character Anita's personal struggles and insecurities. Set in the eerie Kettenstadt building, the game attempts to blend psychological depth with the franchise's hallmark uncanny atmosphere. However, it falls short in gameplay depth and environmental interaction, especially when compared to predecessors like PT. The game's simple exploration mechanics, predictable narrative twists, and lack of engaging puzzles lead to a somewhat detached experience. Despite decent graphics and an attempt to tackle complex themes, the game's execution and lack of immersive elements leave it feeling underwhelming. While it represents an experimental approach by the developers and is commendable for its ambition, Silent Hill: The Short Message ultimately fails to deliver the profound impact or memorable gameplay that fans of the series might expect.
  5. Feb 2, 2024
    45
    Silent Hill: The Short Message is a boring, contrived, borderline offensive experience.
  6. Feb 11, 2024
    40
    SILENT HILL: The Short Message speaks to the transcendental nature of P.T. for the survival horror genre as we know it today—a monument of great cultural importance within the industry, now lost thanks to Konami. Above all, it demonstrates the enormous magnitude of P.T. as a unique work, imitated a thousand times but never equaled. What we get in 2024 is a tasteless simulation, lacking any genuine, reflective, or penetrating qualities.
  7. Feb 1, 2024
    30
    The Short Message is desperate to be understood and devoid of novelty, leaving no room for interpretation, no sense of lingering mystery, and no strong impression for anyone who may be playing a Silent Hill game for the first time. Its unintended short message ends up feeling unfortunately obvious: Do not download.

See all 22 Critic Reviews