Slitterhead is an upcoming action survival horror game from Bokeh Game Studios that has been getting a lot of attention lately for the terrifying experience it promises. Structured with a linear narrative, the game was first announced at the 2021 Game Awards and takes place in Kowlong in the 1990s, where humans are mysteriously being killed by monsters called Slitterheads.

The ambitious title is spearheaded by Keiichiro Toyama, known best for creating the Silent Hill series. He's also the CEO of Bokeh Game Studios and recently sat down with Game Rant to discuss the development of Slitterhead. During the discussion, Toyama revealed that the title's early development was designed with an open-map, non-linear narrative structure in mind. Things changed, of course, and Toyama explained the reasoning behind the transition, showing why it was the best decision for the gaming experience.

How Slitterhead's Mission Structure Changed
During the development of any game, it's not uncommon for narrative elements to change. In the case of Slitterhead, one of the biggest changes came with the game's mission structure. Speaking on the changes, Toyama explained to Game Rant that it had to do with the game's pacing:

"I would say that at first we envisioned a more open map structure, whereas we settled on dividing the areas into a mission-based structure. I believe that decision made it easier to control the pacing of the game progression.''

That doesn't mean that players will be strictly tied down to going from A to B. While the game is linear, Toyama emphasized that level designers "had a certain degree of creative freedom with structuring the mission." He also specifically mentioned that NPCs play important roles in the game.

NPCs Won't Be Easy to Ignore
The protagonist of Slitterhead is an entity known as the Hyoki. This character has an important relationship with NPCs in the game. While not every NPC will be seen as vital to a mission's success, some will allow the Hyoki to jump between them. Some of the humans in the game will also come with special abilities that the Hyoki can use to help complete their mission. Diving into this vital aspect of Slitterhead, Toyama Game Rant, "we had to give them significant importance in terms of level design. I believe this was quite a challenge when having to release the game on so many platforms.''

A Slow Burn With Intense Action
When creating Slitterhead, Toyama wanted to avoid the jump scare game design that can bog down the horror game genre. So, while the game will include fast-paced and intense action in parts, the actual horror elements should be more psychological and anxiety-inducing. As a complete package, this should make Slitterhead one of the more intense horror games of the year. Releasing in early November.

Posted: Nov 07, 2024 2:15 pm
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Source: https://www.dualshockers.com/slitterheads-map-structure-explained/