Play Hellnight Online Free for Sony PlayStation.
Hellnight hits different when it boots instantly in your browser. Released in 1998 on the Sony PlayStation, this retro classic from Atlus is ready the second you press start — no downloads, no setup.
Hellnight, known as Dark Messiah in Japan, is a first-person survival horror video game developed by Dennou Eizou Seisakusho and published by Atlus Co. in collaboration with Konami in 1998.
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| Action | Keyboard | Controller |
|---|---|---|
| D-Pad Up | ↑ | D-Pad up |
| D-Pad Down | ↓ | D-Pad down |
| D-Pad Left | ← | D-Pad left |
| D-Pad Right | → | D-Pad right |
| ✕ Cross | G | Bottom face |
| ○ Circle | H | Right face |
| □ Square | T | Left face |
| △ Triangle | Y | Top face |
| L1 | E | Left shoulder |
| R1 | P | Right shoulder |
| L2 | R | Left trigger |
| R2 | O | Right trigger |
| Start | Enter | Start |
| Select | Space | Select |
| Left Stick Up | W | Analog up |
| Left Stick Down | S | Analog down |
| Left Stick Left | A | Analog left |
| Left Stick Right | D | Analog right |
| L3 (stick press) | X | Stick press |
| Right Stick Up | I | Right stick |
| Right Stick Down | K | Right stick |
| Right Stick Left | J | Right stick |
| Right Stick Right | L | Right stick |
| R3 (stick press) | , | Stick press |
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The Story Behind Hellnight
The game's atmosphere relies on alternating between the puzzles and solutions in certain rooms (the 2D renders) and the dangerous legwork between each point of safety (the 3D world where the creature roams). Kyoji Kamiya, a 28-year-old serial killer who carries a gun stolen from his first victim, who was a cop; Leroy Ivanoff is a 30-year-old veteran Russian soldier that follows the creature deeper into "The Mesh" in a quest for vengeance for destroying his team; Rene Lorraine is a French journalist intent on exposing the secret of the cult that are kidnapping people around Tokyo. It is in these pre-rendered spaces that the majority of puzzles and conversations take place (some puzzles towards the end of the game take place in the 3D world).
The game opens with the protagonist fleeing from a group of notorious cult members through the city streets and escaping on a late-night subway train. The protagonist and Naomi travel deeper into the sewers and find a place called "The Mesh", an underground area full of self-sufficient citizens who have given up their identities above ground to live a more peaceful life. It was then released to most of Europe with the exception of the United Kingdom.
How Hellnight Plays
Having someone in their group negates the choice of another character to join; the character ultimately continues their journey without the player, with their fates being revealed towards the end. Not everyone in the Mesh is friendly; some serve as antagonists to the player's goals, while others can help. The game uses a first-person perspective, very similar to first-person shooter games, only without any means of combat.
The player must be able to interact, take note of clues and find alternative paths to avoid losing a member in the group or other negative phenomena. Only one character may tag along at a time, each having a different ability. After a period of time the characters will get exhausted, and the screen shakes and later flashes red to warn the player that they have reached the characters' limits to run.
Why Players Still Load It Up
It has never been made clear if this is intentional to scare the player with a 'pop-up' cast (the creature 'pops up' albeit animated) or if it is due to budget and time restraints. They are soon confronted by a black-ops squad (secretly sent to destroy the creature from the lab), but the creature wipes the team out within seconds. As he contemplates why they want to kidnap him specifically, the scene changes to a secluded research station.
Kyoji Kamiya, a 28-year-old serial killer who carries a gun stolen from his first victim, who was a cop; Leroy Ivanoff is a 30-year-old veteran Russian soldier that follows the creature deeper into "The Mesh" in a quest for vengeance for destroying his team; Rene Lorraine is a French journalist intent on exposing the secret of the cult that are kidnapping people around Tokyo. The player must click on certain areas that are already designated hotspots; eliminating any need for pixel hunting. Along the way, the player can meet and recruit several people as companions: Naomi Sugiura is a 17-year-old schoolgirl who ended up in the sewers after being chased by a group of occultists.
Hellnight — Frequently Asked Questions
How many players does Hellnight support?
Hellnight supports 1 player(s) in this browser version.
Can I play Hellnight online for free?
Absolutely. The full game loads in the player at the top of this page and runs right in your browser — no installs, no plugins, no waiting.
Do I need a controller to play Hellnight?
No. Keyboard controls work out of the box (see the controls panel), and any USB or Bluetooth gamepad is detected automatically.
Who developed Hellnight?
Development was handled by Dennou Eizou Seisakusho, with Atlus publishing the release.