When a lauded Jehovah goes independent to create their own project , the resolution are always fascinating . More importantly , they ’re typically quite eldritch . We ’ve antecedently seen this with games likeDeath Stranding , butSlitterheadis the latest introduction into that nonconcentric pantheon .
Slitterheadis a unexampled action horror game from Keiichiro Toyama , the music director behind classic like the firstSilent Hill , Siren , andGravity Benjamin Rush . What Toyama ’s squad at Bokeh Game Studio has make is unlike anything else I ’ve played before . Slitterheadis imperfect , as its activity gameplay does n’t all hit the mark , and Bokeh ’s ambition seemed to be a little bigger than what it could achieve as an main studio apartment working on its first secret plan .
I do n’t rue playingSlitterhead , though , as it ’s the kind of noisome , originative experience you only get from creators who are not worried about holding anything back now that they ’re on their own .
The cycle of violence
InSlitterhead , players control a spirit sent back in clip and immobilise in an eternal battle with hemipteran - like wight called Slitterheads that deplete people ’s brainiac and then possess them as mimics . The character intention of these Slitterheads are all outstanding , as is Akira Yamaoka ’s soundtrack . WithSiren , Toyama showed adeptness at creating a nonlinear tale , andSlitterheadis quite similar in that manner , as all of its missions are set across the span of three day .
It ’s shoot for the stars , but ca n’t quite get there .
Slitterhead’snarrative is nonlinear in terms of when event take plaza on the game ’s timelines , and its degree often loop back in on themselves . That can get repetitious , but this approach leads to some unexpected twists as players learn more about the spirit ( eventually refer Night Owl ) , the Slitterhead threat , and the “ Rarity ” humans with particular power that Night Owl possesses . LikeThe Last of Us Part 2,Slitterheadis ultimately a history about cycles of violence and how inexperienced person can be caught in the crossfire of those struggle .
Night Owl has no trouble jumping physical structure to soundbox for its personal profit . After letting actor wallow in those mechanics for some clip , Slitterheadeventually call for a step back and critiques that in a thinking - provoking way . By the end of the escapade , I rightfully came to like for some of the Rarity mankind as Night Owl did , and I find myself pass over to the bodies of random civilians less .
Slitterhead’snarrative is ultimately held back by its production economic value . The game is not fully voiced , but presents its dialog like it is . While this is likely a budget constraint for an independent studio , focusing on written dialog at the bottom of the screen in the middle of a scrap could be tough . Some moments could have had more emotional impact if they were fully voiced and not just gage by a grunt audio clip . That ’s emblematic ofSlitterheadat large : it ’s spud for the star , but ca n’t quite get there .
Body-hopping horror action
Slitterheadis not a survival horror game likeSilent HillorSiren . This is a full - on activeness game with elements of physical structure horror as players track down and kill the titular monsters . Sometimes , these creatures will take the initiative and flak players ; at other time , they will take to the woods aside when spotted . I relish chase down Slitterheads , intensely hop from body to consistency to keep up with them as they jumped across rooftops , down to street level , and try out to get out of sight . If they did , I then had to sightjack their perspective , Siren - style , and discern where they were in the surroundings to kick off the chase again .
It ’s a feeling I ’ve only have from superhero games with chases likeBatman : Arkham KnightorMarvel ’s Spider - Man , and the one standout expression ofSlitterhead’sgameplay . Eventually , the enemies I chased did get punt into a corner and transformed into monumental , bug - like creatures for me to take down . In these moments , Slitterhead’sapproach to scrap does not always pay off .
There ’s not much fight depth in the way of jazz band because the melodic theme inSlitterheadis that instrumentalist will be hop from body to body to attack the beast from unlike angles . Each homo the Night Owl possesses creates a “ stemma weapon ” to oppose with and can apply special ability at the toll of their wellness . Rarities have even more powerful power and passive buffs , attain them much more effective than a random human off the street .
This eubstance - skip armed combat certainly is n’t like anything I ’ve played , but its gaud wearing thin as fighting does n’t feel very good . Slitterheadlacks a accurate ringlet - on organization , only focusing on an foeman when histrion hold down the unexpended initiation to defend or queue up a peculiar power . It ’s potential to deflect enemy attacks , but that ’s never really necessary on normal difficulty , and the timing of when the deflect index appears is off . fight can also be cheese with certain Rarity abilities on normal difficulty . The legal action not feeling heavy in a revulsion action plot is certainly a braggy cerise flag .
Repetitive to a fault
Slitterhead’sgameplay at last does succumb to its repetitiveness . Although the story is challenging , its chases are tickle pink , and body - hopping during combat is novel , the latter two thing do n’t develop throughout the secret plan as the story does . Yes , I got accession to Modern rareness with different abilities , but the manoeuvre of the Slitterheads I was fighting did n’t change much .
Over time , I also unwrap certain Rarities were near than others , so I startted find fault unique duos to contribute into each level with me . Then , those levels were just string of the same sort ofSlitterheadfights repeatedly , only occasionally come apart form for a unique set bit or cinematic . Considering that the combat itself already was n’t quite that polished , I started to have less and less fun asSlitterheaddragged on .
Despite those qualms , I appreciateSlitterhead’sboldness and the fact that it ’s not quite like anything I ’ve act before . That sentience of bauble motivated me to see where the dangerous undertaking goes next . I ’m curious to see others ’ analysis ofSlitterhead’sstory , and I hope the ideas that this game introduces with its nonlinear structure and body - hopping gameplay are set forth upon in future game .
Slitterheadmight not perform its visual modality in a milled or polished manner , but I remember Bokeh ’s efforts . We ask this industry ’s bright minds to keep experimenting with fresh estimate and essay to push gambling forward . Those efforts can sometimes be passing flawed , as they are here , but they also drive as an artistic culture medium to new heights . Toyama ’s latest does n’t last up to the high streak ofSilent HillorSiren , but it ’s just as creatively inspire as those classics . That ’s why I ’m still happy that this biz got made — even if it ’s not very proficient .
Slitterheadwas tested on Xbox Series X with a code provided by the publishing firm .
