GamesActionSilent Hill creator’s new action horror game Slitterhead is a rare breed that’s exciting to see: mission-based, manga-inspired, and weird as it is bloodyWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
GamesActionSilent Hill creator’s new action horror game Slitterhead is a rare breed that’s exciting to see: mission-based, manga-inspired, and weird as it is bloodyWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Bokeh Game Studio)
Slitterhead, the latest game from Silent Hill and Gravity Rush creator Keiichiro Toyama, now at his own studio Bokeh, is somehow even weirder than it looks.An accidental revealahead ofSummer Game Festshowed off a game about jumping between bodies and fighting fish- or insect-like skinwalkers as a paranormal mystery simmers in the background. Extended hands-on time at the event proper reveals a game that’s bigger on action than expected, plays better than that trailer suggested, and feels refreshingly focused besides.
This was not the smoothest or most satisfying action game I played at SGF –that badge probably goes to Black Myth: Wukong– with some choppiness in animations and the camera disrupting game flow. But it is mechanically solid enough to prop up the ideas that actually make it stand out. Slitterhead doubles down on its central mechanic, swapping bodies via possession, to a rare degree.
Summer Games PreviewWe’re diving into the hottest upcoming games out of Summer Game Fest. To find all of our hands-on reports, visitGamesRadar’s What’s Hot 2024 hub.
Summer Games PreviewWe’re diving into the hottest upcoming games out of Summer Game Fest. To find all of our hands-on reports, visitGamesRadar’s What’s Hot 2024 hub.
Summer Games PreviewWe’re diving into the hottest upcoming games out of Summer Game Fest. To find all of our hands-on reports, visitGamesRadar’s What’s Hot 2024 hub.
Summer Games PreviewWe’re diving into the hottest upcoming games out of Summer Game Fest. To find all of our hands-on reports, visitGamesRadar’s What’s Hot 2024 hub.
Summer Games PreviewWe’re diving into the hottest upcoming games out of Summer Game Fest. To find all of our hands-on reports, visitGamesRadar’s What’s Hot 2024 hub.
Summer Games PreviewWe’re diving into the hottest upcoming games out of Summer Game Fest. To find all of our hands-on reports, visitGamesRadar’s What’s Hot 2024 hub.
New body, who this
(Image credit: Bokeh Game Studio)
You start as a confused spirit possessing a dog, following scent trails in search of, well, something. Soon you’re rapidly jumping between the unlucky citizens of Kowlong, a fictional 1990s Asian city, slowly feeling out what it means to be… whatever you are. I asked Toyama what type of city he was envisioning, and he said (via interpreter) that he wanted to convey nostalgia for “chaotic” cities, places filled with people and problems and flickering street lights and colorful signs and dingy alleys. “I’m impressed with how people go about their ordinary lives in that kind of setting,” he says.
(Image credit: Bokeh Game Studio)
The idea is to win with numbers rather than raw power, though there are special, stronger characters who are more permanent story additions and better fighters who can support longer duels. These characters eventually form something of a loadout system, letting you choose who to bring with you on most missions and what active or passive skills to equip. That’s right, folks: honest-to-god missions. There are some secret bosses and side quests, but Toyama, seated on the couch near me during my demo, stressed that this is a pretty linear game. I couldn’t be happier to hear it. Not every game has to be massive, and frankly too many games are. Give me a shot of creativity that doesn’t overstay its welcome and I’m on the hook.
(Image credit: Bokeh Game Studio)
Your melee attacks are, at first, fittingly wimpy for someone – rather, something – struggling to puppeteer random old folks and couriers and jaywalkers. Eventually you start to find a rhythm and swing bloody maces and swords with more oomph. Defending mostly boils down to a directional parry system: hold the block button, then flick the analog stick in the highlighted direction of an incoming attack at the last moment. Do it right and you can sneak in a counter. I never quite got fully comfortable with this system, speaking as someone who’s landed a zillion parries in about as many action games, but in a way that made me want to play Slitterhead more, not put the game down in frustration.
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Less survival horror, still horrifying
(Image credit: Bokeh Game Studio)
The titular Slitterheads possess people just like you, but where you keep a fairly normal appearance and fight with weapons and abilities forged from blood, these things conjure up some truly hideous forms. A woman runs at you with a nest of maggots for a head, a long, thin tongue slurping revoltingly down to the ground. The limbs and head of a blue ring octopus erupt from some poor citizen’s ribcage.
One boss I encountered in a later mission, toward the end of my hour-long demo, is what I can only describe as a praying mantis Necromorph with some poor naked soul dangling from its torso. Bipedal lampreys – really just two legs and a long neck barely supporting a toothy mouth – pop up all the time, totally nude and all-too-proudly displaying tiny, terrible butts. It goes without saying that I immediately asked Keiichiro Toyama why these things have tiny, terrible, butts. He laughed and said, “It was just a personal choice. Like with seinen manga, they aren’t just terrifying, they’re kind of funny in a way, you laugh through it.”
If you come into Slitterhead hoping to be scared out of your wits, I think you’ll be disappointed. There’s a horror veneer here, and some truly disturbing creature designs, but it takes a backseat to action as well as an air of mystery that I find absorbing in its own right. Toyama explained that this is partly because survival horror games can have a narrower audience, and with this game he wanted to open up his style to more players.
The tighter nature of Slitterhead, meanwhile, was partly born of its smaller budget and team, but Toyama embraces this as an impetus to leverage rather than a problem. The result is an endearingly odd game that quickly made a fan out of me. The action is a bit messier than I’d like, but it is a type of jank that I adore, and so far Slitterhead strikes me as a straightforward, inventive action horror game that knows exactly what it wants to be and chases that strange idea with admirable focus.
–
Slitterhead is set to release for PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC on November 8. If you’re interested in everything the creator’s had a hand in,from Snatcher to Silent Hill to Siren, be sure to check out the collected works of Keiichiro Toyama.
TOPICSSummer Game Fest
TOPICS
CATEGORIESPS4PS5Xbox Series XPC GamingPlatformsPlayStationXbox
CATEGORIES
PRODUCTSSlitterheadSummer Game Fest 2024
PRODUCTS
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GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension"2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths"1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show"2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie"3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action"4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien"5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite"1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now"2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat"3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses"4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist"5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS
1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
1
Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
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3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
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Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”
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5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”
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Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”
1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
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2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”
2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”
2
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3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
3
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4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
4
The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
5
Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now”
1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now”
1
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2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”
2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”
2
Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”
3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
3
Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
4
Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
5
Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”