For better or worse, the price of success in the game industry is ever-increasing expectations. No matter the genre, no matter the size of the game, fans always expect more—and managing expectations is always important. Anything that follows Silent Hill, for example, is met with high expectations. The first three games, especially the first and second ones, reached critical acclaim and commercial success, whereas the fourth one was less successful and others in the franchise even less so. What set the 1999 original apart was its focus on psychological horror and atmosphere, which are arguably more mainstay in horror games today. And while Silent Hill creator Keiichiro Toyama has released games since Silent Hill, his last horror game was Siren: Blood Curse in 2008.
Just like Silent Hill put a unique spin on the horror genre, Toyama's newest project, Slitterhead, is doing the same. Slitterhead seeks to pair horror and action in ways not necessarily common in modern horror games, using seinen manga like Parasyte and Tokyo Ghoul as inspiration. For those unaware, players take on the role of a Hyoki in Slitterhead—a formless, memory-less entity capable of possession—to hunt and kill Slitterheads, who consume brains and steal memories. The Best War Games recently spoke with Bokeh Game Studio CEO Keiichiro Toyama, among others, about Slitterhead—and, of course, we asked what fans of his work on Silent Hill should expect from Slitterhead.
Over the years, plenty of horror games have introduced action elements but few have attempted to treat the two equally. A fast pace can make scares harder to land, while a slow pace hurts action elements. For example, the Silent Hill 2 remake has more action than original, but it's still classic horror at its core. It still feels like a horror game and not an action one. Slitterhead, on the other hand, is more of a balance between the two. Its story delivery follows a slower pace expected of horror games, while its gameplay is more action-oriented. It remains to be seen how that pairing lands, but fans of Silent Hill may still find similar things to love in Slitterhead.
After all, Slitterhead has the added pressure of being the studio's official debut title with big names attached to it, but that doesn't seem to phase the team. Bokeh Game Studio puts its talent at the fore and seeks to foster an environment where that talent can shine, which speaks to the quality of the forthcoming Slitterhead. Moreover, Silent Hill would likely not be so revered today if it didn't push the envelope and if it weren't rough around the edges. That, Toyama says, is what Silent Hill fans can expect of Slitterhead:
From the very first "Silent Hill," we have maintained a commitment to freshness and originality, even if it means being a bit rough around the edges. That attitude has remained consistent throughout my works and in “Slitterhead.”
Everything about Slitterhead, from its horror/action balance and Hyoki/Slitterhead dynamic to its depiction of a city torn between tradition and modernity, is about balance. But balances are not easy and can be rough around the edges. It remains to be seen if this is the only way Slitterhead could be described this way, but based on its pedigree, it seems unlikely. Silent Hill pushed the envelope and put talent, freshness, and originality over the cutting edge, and Slitterhead does too. It's a refreshing take on game direction, and fans will be able to check it out themselves on November 8.
Slitterhead
- Released
- November 8, 2024
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Drug Reference, Intense Violence, Language, Partial Nudity, Strong Sexual Content
- Developer(s)
- Bokeh Game Studio
- Publisher(s)
- Bokeh Game Studio
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 5
WHERE TO PLAY
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
