Silent Hill: The Short Message has officially crossed four million downloads on the PlayStation Store, according to a recent announcement from Konami on their official Silent Hill social media account.
This news caught my attention because while everyone was talking about the big PS5 releases last year like Astro Bot, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, Helldivers 2, and Stellar Hill 2, this little free game was quietly building up quite the player base. Released in January 2024, Silent Hill: The Short Message came out months before the highly praised Silent Hill 2 remake that launched in October.
The download numbers tell an interesting story. Four million downloads might not break any records for free PlayStation games, but it’s actually more players than most PS5 games will ever see. For a smaller, experimental project from Konami, these numbers show real success. The fact that Konami chose to share this milestone publicly suggests they’re genuinely pleased with the response.
What makes these numbers even more remarkable is that Silent Hill: The Short Message has received mixed reactions from critics and players. The game currently holds a 4 out of 5 star rating on the PlayStation Store from over 38,000 user reviews, but professional critics have been less kind, giving it a 53 score on Metacritic with several negative reviews.
What Players Experience in This Free Horror Game
The story follows Anita, who receives mysterious messages from her friend Maya. These messages lead her to a rundown apartment building known for dark rumors about suicides. Once inside, Anita’s world turns upside down. She encounters strange, supernatural spaces while being hunted by a disturbing monster. Maya’s final message was cryptic: “can’t leave til you find it” – but what exactly Anita needs to find remains the central mystery.
I found it interesting that this free game has actually attracted more players than the $70 Silent Hill 2 remake, despite the remake receiving much better reviews. This shows how the appeal of free gaming can sometimes outweigh critical reception.
Perfect Length for Curious Gamers
The game offers about two to three hours of gameplay with limited replay value. However, considering it costs absolutely nothing to download, the length becomes irrelevant. It’s perfect for anyone curious about the Silent Hill series or looking for a quick horror experience without any financial commitment.
For PS5 owners who missed this release during all the excitement around bigger titles last year, Silent Hill: The Short Message remains available for free download on the PlayStation Store.
