New details about the plot Silent Hill: The Short Messagethe leaked Silent Hill game that has not yet been officially announced by Konami, have come to light through the Annual Reports of the Australian Classification and Classification Review Board for the period 2022 to 2023. Below, the details, although it is important to note that it contains spoilers.
Strong Themes of Suicide, Horror Violence and Strong Language: Psychological Exploration in The Villa
Silent Hill: The Short Message is presented as an exploration-based psychological horror game, where players control characters in an apartment building called “The Villa” in modern-day Germany. The player takes on the role of a young girl named Anita, who must explore The Villa in first-person gameplay to collect clues and discover what happened to her friend.
Shocking Scenes of Suicide and Self-Harm
In one scene, Anita explores a bathroom setting with a bathtub filled with bloody water, blood-spattered tiles, and a razor blade in a bloody sink. Examining the blade, Anita experiences a flashback that reveals horizontal scars on her wrist. The scene continues with an accusatory voice and a hand holding the blade, culminating in a shocking moment where the blade makes contact with the protagonist’s wrist.
Intense and Controversial Narrative about Mental Health
In another scene, through a combination of third-person and first-person perspectives, the main character stands on the edge of the building’s roof, implying that another person, Maya, committed suicide by jumping off the edge. The game addresses themes of mental anguish, abuse, and comparison, leading the protagonist to consider following the same path.
Awareness and Support in the Middle of Darkness
In an effort to address the sensitivity of the themes presented, the game includes black screens with white text after scenes of self-harm and suicide. These messages encourage players to seek treatment and help if they are at risk of self-harm and suicide, and to offer support if they see people around them struggling.
MA 15+ Rating: In the Appropriate Context
The Classification Board considers that depictions of suicide and self-harm in the game occur in the broader context of exploring issues related to mental health, encouraging players to seek help or provide support to those in need. Consequently, the impact of these representations does not exceed the limit for the MA 15+ classification and can be accommodated within said classification.
Silent Hill: The Short Message presents an intense and moving narrative, consciously exploring dark themes and providing a powerful and thought-provoking experience about mental health.
Fountain: Gematsu
