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Bokeh Game Studio’s Slitterhead was recently announced for a November 8, 2024 release. The game’s development is being led by Keiichiro Toyama, the creator of the Silent Hill, Siren and Gravity Rush franchises. Working with him are composer Akira Yamaoka of Silent Hill fame and Tatsuya Yoshikawa, the character designer of the Breath of Fire and Devil May Cry series. The three developers recently gave comments about the upcoming Slitterhead at a media event.

Slitterhead is a 3D action-adventure game set in the neon-lit city of Kowlong, where players assume the role of the bodiless entity Hyoki. As Hyoki, you possess the bodies of humans to fight brain-devouring parasites called Slitterheads. Using the blood of humans, you create weapons to engage the Slitterheads in fast-paced battle, hopping to different hosts when wounded.

According to Famitsu, when asked about what inspired this human possession mechanic, Toyama replied that Slitterhead’s “fundamental concept is to reinterpret Siren as a modern action game.” Siren, released in 2003, is a survival horror game in which the player uses a psychic ability called “sightjacking” to take over nearby targets’ sense of vision and hearing. This system allows the player to collect information about the game field, such as where important items are located.

Toyama says that Slitterhead will reinterpret and extend the concept of sightjacking. While Siren was less about combat and more about stealth (sightjacking left you immobile and vulnerable), it seems Slitterhead will spin some of the predecessor’s mechanics into a heavily action-focused game (as indicated by the latest trailer). Although Slitterhead is about possessing bodies rather than senses, Toyama mentions that the game will allow players to catch occasional glimpses of other characters’ points of view, “as a form of fanservice” for Siren enthusiasts.

Commenting on the game’s “edginess,” Toyama says he is aware that Slitterhead will not be a title that appeals to the great majority, but at the same time, he does not intend to market it only towards a select few “who get it.” Instead, the creator hopes to show people a new, outside-the-box game that stands out for its entertainment value.

As an aside, Slitterhead’s trailer shows the protagonist possessing a dog, but Toyama has thankfully confirmed that there will be no battle or bloodshed involving animals.

Silent Hill creator says his new title Slitterhead is a modern action-game take on Siren - AUTOMATON WEST

Keiichiro Toyama, the creator of Silent Hill, says upcoming new project Slitterhead is based on reinventing the 2003 title Siren.

automaton-media.com

 

[midnightAI]

The Siren games are some of the best horror games ever made

 

[Mister Wolf]

Good concept but the gameplay looks amateurish.

 

[Hugare]

Its all about the executiom, and from the trailers, seems like it wont turn out good

Toyama is great. I love Silent Hill, of course, and Siren is also pretty good, tho the gameplay in Siren was some of the worse that I've ever experienced. Blood Curse was much better (tho still bad), but the original? Oof

So I trust him to come up with neat ideas, but not with executiom.

 

[mejin]

Flop incoming

 

[Camreezie]

Flop incoming

For real i cant see this shifting much at all

 

[Arachnid]

Cool but maybe you could have just made it a new survival horror game instead. I have no interest in playing DMCxSiren.

 

[consoul]

November can't come fast enough.

Talented people making interesting games. I'm here for it. Doesn't need to be big budget or honed to perfection. I'll take a flawed but fresh horror game over some by the numbers shit any day.

 

[StueyDuck]

The words read as intriguing and fantastic... the trailers say otherwise though.

Both trailers have been... ummm... not on the high end. At least the second trailer showed more to be interested in though

 

[midnightAI]

Cool but maybe you could have just made it a new survival horror game instead. I have no interest in playing DMCxSiren.

There's hundreds of survival horror games though, at least this is trying something different (but yes, a new Siren game would be awesome)

 

[Arachnid]

There's hundreds of survival horror games though, at least this is trying something different (but yes, a new Siren game would be awesome)

Not a hundred by one of the OG Silent Hill creators. He's wasted on some hack and slash title.