I won’t sit here and tell you that I’m a totally stoic horror fan. I don’t miss the big ones, but I’m still a total wuss and trudge through the latest shockingly horrific games at night, which is the only time I get to play anything these days. As we all know, playing horror games in the dark is, like, ten times worse. But when you add more action into the experience, well, I’m all for that. Slitterhead promises action combined with horror, and I’m here for it. But how are the Slitterhead reviews panning out before release? Let’s take a look!
What is Slitterhead?
First and foremost, for those who stumbled upon this upcoming horror game, or Insider Gaming in general, let’s go over the nitty-gritty of Slitterhead. It’s certainly a unique name and immediately evokes images of horrific scenery and, in my eyes, body horror. Well, that’s apt, considering the game is primarily about body horror with brain-devouring parasite-like creatures that hunt and consume humans. But you, you’re unique. You’re a Hyoki, which means you can possess humans, too, but for good. You’ll use various blood-based abilities and possessed forms to defeat Slitterheads in all shapes and sizes as they wreak havoc on the city of Kowlong.
Slitterhead is out on November 8 on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S!
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Should You Play the Horror Game? A Look at Early Critic Reviews of Slitterhead
Now, before you whip out your wallet, especially considering Slitterhead stems from one of the deranged minds behind the original Silent Hill, let’s take a look at a few early critic reviews of the horror game:
I say this as a compliment- Slitterhead is one of the weirdest games I’ve played this entire console generation, and definitely the weirdest game I’ve played this year. Coming from Bokeh Game Studio – a new indie team formed by Keiichiro Toyama, the creator of Silent Hill, Siren, and Gravity Rush – it has certain expectations to live up to, but rather than being a slave to those expectations, it carves out a unique identity for itself. It’s not without its issues, and it certainly isn’t a game that I’d recommend to anyone without any caveats- but if you can look past its issues, there’s a very different and interesting gaming experience on offer here.
It’s horrific, but the crux of Slitterhead is its moment-to-moment action. You’re not a helpless dad stumbling through the snowy town of Silent Hill with a lead pipe in hand, but a small militia of civilians armed with razor-sharp clubs conjured up from their own blood. It’s an incredibly ambitious game that reminds me of a time when this industry was far bolder.
There is something of a honeymoon phase to Slitterhead’s early moments, as you admire Kowlown’s murkiness and the general grossness of the yoghurt monsters. Sadly, this haze also quickly starts to dissipate, replaced by a thick fog of jank. Like its namesake enemies bursting forth from an unfortunate meat puppet, Slitterhead eventually reveals its true nature, and reader, it isn’t good.
Part sci-fi body horror, part thrilling detective yarn, Slitterhead is a story of humanity versus monstrosity in a city where both are plentiful. Bokeh’s debut release bravely takes strides to manipulate, challenge, and evolve how we play horror games, and while some of these risks do not pay off as well as others, Slitterhead’s sheer creative ambition is impossible to ignore.
There’s quite a lot going on here, and sometimes the information is buried in tutorial menus. But it makes for a unique combat system unlike anything else you’ve ever played. One character can drop a blood vortex onto the stage, for example, sucking foes in; you can then switch to an unimportant human, prime them for detonation, run into the middle of aforementioned maelstrom, and possess a different body before they explode.
Slitterhead won’t be for everyone due to its quirks, it’s a bit clunky and reuses content frequently. But behind its issues lies one of the most unique titles of the past few years. With a great mystery story, impressive world-building for a debut, and a possession mechanic that adds an extra strategic layer to combat. Slitterhead lives up to its pedigree.
Is Slitterhead on your radar? Let us know how excited you are for the upcoming horror game in the comments below, or visit our community forum to start a thread discussing this and other horror titles out this year!
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It’s Bokeh even back at Sony these guys had unique games that were specific to certain audiences. Siren had some mixed responses and this is truly a unique game inspired by the Parasyte manga. I hope they make a spiritual successor to Gravity Rush make those anime titles again.
NetEase should buy these guys out Bokeh they could really give them a bigger budget to play around with. NetEase should also look at acquiring Itagaki Games, Kamuy Inc, and hiring Hideaki Itsuno and Yu Suzuki next.