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 followsSilent 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 onpsychological horror and atmosphere, which are arguably more mainstay in horror games today. And whileSilent Hillcreator Keiichiro Toyama has released games sinceSilent Hill, his last horror game wasSiren: Blood Cursein 2008.
Just likeSilent Hillput a unique spin on the horror genre, Toyama’s newest project,Slitterhead, is doing the same.Slitterheadseeks to pair horror and action in ways not necessarily common in modern horror games, using seinen manga likeParasyteandTokyo Ghoulas inspiration. For those unaware, players take on the role of a Hyoki inSlitterhead—a formless, memory-less entity capable of possession—to hunt and kill Slitterheads, who consume brains and steal memories. Game Rant recently spoke with Bokeh Game Studio CEO Keiichiro Toyama, among others, aboutSlitterhead—and, of course, we asked what fans of his work onSilent Hillshould expect fromSlitterhead.
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, theSilent Hill 2remake 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 ofSilent Hillmay still find similar things to love inSlitterhead.
After all,Slitterheadhas 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 foreand seeks to foster an environment where that talent can shine, which speaks to the quality of the forthcomingSlitterhead. Moreover,Silent Hillwould 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 whatSilent Hillfans can expect ofSlitterhead:
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 aboutSlitterhead, from its horror/action balance andHyoki/Slitterhead dynamicto 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 waySlitterheadcould be described this way, but based on its pedigree, it seems unlikely.Silent Hillpushed the envelope and put talent, freshness, and originality over the cutting edge, andSlitterheaddoes too. It’s a refreshing take on game direction, and fans will be able to check it out themselves on November 8.
