Slitterhead: Edgy Innovation in Gaming

Silent Hill’s creator, Keiichiro Toyama, is setting a unique tone for his new horror-action game, Slitterhead. Read on to learn more about his comments and why he said that Slitterhead is a fresh and original game that may be “rough around the edges.”

Slitterhead Creator is Committed to Fresh and Original Ideas, Despite “Rough Edges”Slitterhead Marks Silent Hill Director’s First Horror Game Since 2008’s Siren

Slitterhead, the upcoming action-horror title from Silent Hill creator Keiichiro Toyama, is set to launch this 8th November—despite Toyama himself admitting in a recent interview that it may feel "rough around the edges."

"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," Toyama said in an interview with GameRant. "That attitude has remained consistent throughout my works and in ‘Slitterhead.’"

To the unfamiliar, Toyama and his studio, Bokeh Game Studio, have poured themselves into this project that blends horror and action with a strikingly raw and experimental edge. However, the legacy of Silent Hill, Toyama’s directorial debut back in 1999, is undeniable. The first game redefined psychological horror, with many emulating what the first three games in the series did for the genre. Toyama, however, hasn’t solely focused on horror since then. His 2008 title, Siren: Blood Curse, was his last foray into the genre before moving on to work on the Gravity Rush series, making the weight of expectation for his return to the genre ever more significant.

It remains to be seen exactly what Toyama means by "rugged around the edges." If Toyama is comparing their small, independent studio with "11 to 50 employees" to major AAA game developers with hundreds or thousands of employees, then it’s understandable to perceive Slitterhead as such.

However, considering the involvement of industry veterans like Sonic producer Mika Takahashi, Mega Man and Breath of Fire character designer Tatsuya Yoshikawa, and Silent Hill composer Akira Yamaoka, as well as the promising gameplay blend of Gravity Rush and Siren, Slitterhead is looking to truly be fresh and original as Toyama said. Players will simply have to wait for the game’s release to see if the "rugged edges" are merely a sign of its experimental nature or a genuine concern.

Slitterhead Takes Players to the Fictional City of Kowlong

Slitterhead is set in the fictional city of Kowlong—a portmanteau of the words "Kowloon" and "Hong Kong"—an eerie Asian metropolis that combines the nostalgia for the late 1990s with supernatural elements inspired by, according to Toyama and his co-developers in an interview with Game Watch, seinen manga like Gantz and Parasyte.

In Slitterhead, players take on the role of a "Hyoki," a spirit-like entity capable of possessing different bodies to battle against terrifying enemies known as "Slitterheads." These enemies are not typical zombies or monsters; rather, they are grotesque and unpredictable, often transforming from humans into otherworldly forms that seem both horrific and strangely humorous.

For more on Slitterhead’s gameplay and story, check out our article below!