NPCs in video games can be many things: friends, allies, enemies, or even lovers. But in Bokeh Game Studio’s debut horror-action titleSlitterhead,they are something entirely different: bodies for the player character—the shapeless, memory-less Hyoki—to possess. Players progress throughSlitterheadby possessing different NPCs and using their unique abilities to defeat the titular monsters. To accomplish this, the Bokeh Game Studio team carefully worked to develop NPCs that feel different from those usually encountered in games.
TheSlitterheaddevelopment team spoke to Game Rant about the development of their studio’s first new IP. They explained that the possession-based gameplay, an extension ofthe “sightjacking” system fromSiren,necessitated NPCs with well-developed backgrounds and personalities who players could connect to. The depth of the NPCs contrasts the Hyoki, an “entity without an identity” defined solely by its goal to eliminate the Slitterheads.
Creating These NPCs Was A Major Development Challenge
Keiichiro Toyama, the creator ofSlitterheadand CEO of Bokeh Game Studios, described the development of NPCs as one of the greatest challenges he experienced while making the game. “NPCs are usually considered as aspects to adjust when balancing the processing load,” Toyama explained. “[but] in this game, we had to give them significant importance in terms of level design.”
Throughout the game, there are dozens of NPCs that the Hyoki can inhabit. The team had to consider factors such as how each NPC moves, what abilities they have that the Hyoki can tap into, how they react to facing Slitterhead foes, and more. Toyama cited his previous projectGravity Rushas a major inspiration, feeling that that game had “numerous interactive NPCs” similar to his goal forSlitterhead.
The NPCs The Hyoki Can Possess Each Feel Unique
Because the Hyoki is such a blank slate, the cast of NPCs it can possess is the game’s primary source of richness and depth. Each possessable NPC in the game has a rich, thought-out background that players can discover as they progress throughSlitterhead’sstory. Toyama discussed how the team carefully considered each NPC’s role, not just in the story, but in the world of Kowlong:
“It was important to ensure that the NPCs felt very natural in the environment. For instance, while the front of the brothel is glamorous, the back room features the sex workers casually wandering around in very relaxed attire.”
Slitterheadlayers are encouraged not to stick with one NPC but possess a variety of them as they move through the game. Available options aren’t limited to humans, either - theHyoki can possess several dogsthat allow it to “track scents and access new developments or hidden areas.” These dogs quickly became a favorite on the Internet following their brief appearance in one ofSlitterhead’searliest trailers.
NPCs Are Used To Create Both Intrigue And Horror
However, the game does feature a profound horror element - players may have to sacrifice their new NPC friends to the Slitterheads in order to progress further. AlthoughSlitterheadfeatures the fast-paced gameplay of an action title, its story is one of deep and abiding horror and anxiety. Those familiar with Toyama’s previous work, such as theSilent Hillseries,should be prepared to experience horror and tragedy alike in the mysterious, haunted world of Kowlong.
Among the many possessable NPCs inSlitterheadare Rarities, which differ from standard NPCs in one key way: they retain consciousness when possessed by the Hyoki. Toyama revealed that “this dynamic significantly impacts the narrative development, creating powerful twists in the story.” He encouraged players to seek out these Rarities, whose personalities and histories will impactSlitterhead’sstory in a way far beyond what the average video game NPC can do.
