Summary
Slitterheadhas recently slithered onto the market. A psychological horror-action hybrid title by Bokeh Game Studio, it is the developer’s first release after the studio was formed by Keiichiro Toyama in 2020. Taking various cues from Toyama’s works on well-known franchises likeSilent Hill(which he created) andSiren,Slitterheadchannels classic cosmic horror while also putting some unique and surprising spins on the framework. One of the major ones being that the protagonist is an incorporeal entity lacking memories, but able to possess human minds and bodies.
This “Hyoki” spirit finds itself in Kowlong, a fictionalized version of a grimy East Asian metropolis set somewhere between the 80s and 90s. The only thing Hyoki seems to know for sure is that it is compelled to seek out and destroy the slitterheads, gruesome creatures that are infiltrating Kowlong and eating the brains of humans, subsequently mimicking their appearance and personalities.Slitterhead’s focus on body-horrorof this kind would feel right at home in any of the bizarre tales by the go-to master of cosmic horror, H.P. Lovecraft. And along with these elements,Slitterheadincludes another specific angle that has been seen in many Lovecraft stories as well as in horror works in gaming and well beyond– that of a strange cult that is intimately connected to the titular monsters.
Spoilers forSlitterhead.
Cults in Cosmic Horror Have Long Been a Staple
Lovecraft is generally credited with popularizing the use of a secretive and nefarious organization that is aligned with the otherworldly terror in cosmic horror tales. Oftentimes, these cults are depicted as worshiping or actively trying to summon some sort of Eldritch abomination, with its members usually displaying inhuman traits or being slowly transformed into hideous monsters themselves. The idea fits quite naturally with the setup of such stories, and it was an easy leap for the inclusion of creepycults in gamesto become a standard.Silent Hill,Alan Wake 2,Resident Evil 4, just to name a few, all contain cults that are connected to their terrifying events.Slitterheadcontinues in this tradition with its own take on such a group.
AsSlitterhead’s Hyokiuncovers more information about the extent of the slitterheads' infestation, it comes into contact with a group calling itself Echoes of Love. Presented as a vaguely religious New Age-like commune, Echoes of Loves has taken over one of Kowlong’s abandoned churches, and is purporting to offer refuge for humanity. Hyoki is met by an enigmatic representative, who displays a calm and detached demeanor when confronted, something that should immediately set off alarm bells for fans versed in the horror genre.
Slitterheadattempts to shake up the norm a bit though, at least initially, hinting that the cult really is actually trying to foster peace between humans and slitterheads, with both coexisting within Echoes of Love. Cult members state that there is an outside group of more violent slitterheads, and that they are the ones causing all the trouble. Of course, it isn’t long before Hyoki and its allied hosts discover the truth beneath this. In a break fromSlitterhead’s fast-paced combat, through a series of stealth sections, Hyoki delves into the inner sanctions of the church, and finally finds out what Echoes of Love is doing, which is the expected–turning humans into sustenance to sate its slitterhead leaders.
Slitterheadattempts a misdirectionregarding its cult, and for a brief moment seems like it will fully subvert it. It then veers back into classic territory by revealing that, even though Echoes of Love is indeed populated by some slitterheads that have embraced their humanity, both they and the others are being manipulated by the higher-ups behind the scenes, whose goal was always subsuming the populace.Slitterhead’s use of the cult trope codified by Lovecraft is thus very much in line with genre trappings. It skirts around the cliché at first until eventually embracing it, but does so in a well-used and realized manner that fits with the story and its overall cosmic horror vision.
