When it comes to crafting creative new IPs, it’s no secret that, for some, Keiichiro Toyama comes to mind. From creating the foggy and horror-filledSilent Hillseries to the stylistic and mind-bendingGravity Rushseries, he’s done quite a bit with his career. When he left the now-defunctJapan Studioin 2020, Toyama turned to his Siren co-workers and launched a new studio: Bokeh Game Studio.
Revealed in 2021 atThe Game Awards,Slitterheadmarks the company’s first title and a return to the horror genre. It wouldn’t be likeSirenorSilent Hill, however, but its own thing, with possession, monsters and action galore. A few glances here and there of gameplay showed its fresh take on action/strategy gameplay and intriguing world. Now, upon its release date, it begs the question: doesSlitterheadlive up to the hype or does it fall short?
Slitterhead Revealed At Game Awards
Keiichiro Toyama is best known as the creator of Silent Hill and his newest horror creation has been unveiled.
Possessive Words
The narrative ofSlitterheadtakes place inKowlong(inspired by Hong Kong’s Kowloon) in the ’90s and follows a sentient being called Night Owl/Hyoki that can possess any human and use them. The ones they can’t, called Slitterheads, are monsters disguised as humans that suck out brains. To fight off these creatures, Night Owl uses humans and Rarities, who are special individuals who can use different abilities and skills in combat.
As Rarities are introduced, we see Night Owl learn about the world from their eyes and experiences, both good and bad. In a way, it acts like an ensemble piece, juggling many characters at once and it works well, even if there are some that take a bit of a backseat. Furthermore, the story does take a few twists and turns, even if some are predictable. Still, it’s a solid narrative packed intoSlitterhead, even if it trips up on some of its delivery.
Without going into spoilers much, there’s an element of time-travel revealed rather early in the story. You’ll revisit levels and now have a different objective and goal to strive for. These usually boil down to beating a certain Slitterhead or multiple, but they all have varying outcomes. It’s neat to see how they are executed, though some can be self-explanatory. Unfortunately, it’s a double-edged sword, given that everything now relates to time travel, and thus, dampens the impact of many story beats. This also extends to the pacing, which can feel rushed at times when introducing new things then drawn out at others when going over them.
Tag, You’re It
Slitterhead’s gameplay is a mix of strategy and hack-and-slash similar toFinal Fantasy XVIandGod of War. It’s not super complex, but does require careful timing and strategy. The enemies inSlitterheadcan be difficult, so experimentation is a must on the battlefield. What separates the title from other hack-and-slashes is that you can possess others on the battlefield. While they aren’t as powerful as Rarities, they can be used to get the jump on enemies from behind, block big attacks or act as fodder so you can unleash big attacks with your more powerful characters. It’s honestly a lot of fun just possessing random people and using them against these grotesque creatures.
It’s honestly a lot of fun just possessing random people and using them against these grotesque creatures.
On the subject of Rarities, these special people are where the magic happens in terms of combat. Each of them come with different weapons and abilities that can be used in combat. For example, Julee is quick and uses her powers to help those around her and get long-distance with her Blood Ripper and claws. Meanwhile, Edo is more up-close and personal with his fists and powerful attack boosts. You can choose two to bring with you on missions, so you can mix and match whatever style of combat you prefer. There are a handful of them, with each of them bringing something interesting to the table both gameplay-wise and story-wise. Unfortunately, they are introduced too early and quickly into the narrative, which does dampen their impact overall.
Outside of the combat, you’ll mainly be going around the city of Kowlong finding your next objective or chasing down Slitterheads. The city itself matches the dark and ombré tones of the story, flush with neon signs and apartment complexes. Even the music, done by frequent collaboratorAkira Yamaoka, brings a chill-yet-fervent vibe that sets the tone quite well. You visit the city rather often and it’s full of interesting characters like preppy businessmen and elderly women, all ripe for possession as you jump to and from signs above the crowds below. There’s also challenges like special Slitterheads, finding Hyoki’s Memories and even finding new Rarities in levels that add bits of replayability to levels.
Even the music, done by frequent collaboratorAkira Yamaoka, brings a chill yet fervent vibe that sets the tone well.
Slitterhead Creator Keiichiro Toyama Revisits ‘Kowlong’ in Developers Diary
The developer’s diary dives into Slitherhead’s inspiration for the city of Kowlong.
Taking Control of The Situation
There’s a sense of ambition shown throughout the game, as it does feel at times like a AAA title. Now unrestricted by those standards, the team got to let loose and do whatever they wanted, which helped diversify the project with its tone, setting and mechanics.Slitterheadvery much feels like the Siren series, from its eerie atmospheres and narrative design, which fans of Toyama’s resume will enjoy. Though unlike those projects, while this may be a personal thing, I think it was tame with the gore aspect, which did seem like it would be more present given the introduction and such.
It’s important to note that, at least on my end, there was little spoken dialogue inSlitterhead. Usually, characters just grunted or said phrases instead of the dialogue shown. I did play in English with English audio, so perhaps other languages have full-on voice recordings for gameplay outside of animated cutscenes. While it may not be too much of a problem for some, it’s the fact that all of the dialogue is what propels the story forward and the amount of it present in the game that make the lack of performances ever-present. you may have a level of just characters making the same noises the entire time without a word spoken.
In terms of performance, I ran into few stutters or glitches during my fifteen-hour playthrough. Even when things got tense and I would go to and from various people via possession, it still held up rather well. That being said, the graphics can be muddled in gameplay sequences, often having blurry features or uneven lighting, especially with the citizens. I do have to say that, while they can be repetitive, the designs of the enemies and Slitterheads are gruesome and creative, befitting ofSilent Hill.
Closing Comments:
Bokeh Game Studio’sSlitterheadshows a lot of promise in terms of its unique possession action gameplay, direction, music and overall plot. It’s fun, electric and unlike any other game. New IPs are the lifeblood of the industry and the game is a key example of keeping that saying alive. The reliance on narrative tropes, graphical inconsistencies and dialogue-heavy exposition, however, do keep the title from reaching the heights it seemed destined to climb.
