Keiichiro Toyama knows horror. From the get-go, he has built a reputation as being one of the masters of the genre. Especially in the case of atmospheric horror, Silent Hill will forever have us looking over our shoulders in the fog. And one only must look at modern horror culture to see his far-reaching influences. The reveal of his new studio’s freshman title Slitterhead at the Game Awards in December, seemed to be planted in horror too, although some noted the lack of gore. But information has been scarce.
A recent interview with Toyama, game director Junya Okua and producer Kazunobu Sato gives us a little more detail about Slitterhead and why we haven’t seen the same kind of terrors we saw in the Silent Hill series. According to Toyama, Slitterhead isn’t exactly a straight up horror game. “It spans over multiple genres where horror is expressed.”
Slitterhead has something for everyone
Wanting to touch a bigger audience, Slitterhead will encompass horror, action and drama. “I wanted a game that could be enjoyed for its action, yet whose concept doesn’t solely revolve around killing enemies. It conflicts the mind, making players reluctant to enter certain fights,” Toyama said.
Okua elaborated, say that they don’t want their players to give up because it’s too scary. However, that doesn’t mean it will be a walk in the park. “There is a terror aspect that I want to include even if the game lays more towards action,” Okura said. “I’d like to include some horror elements in the slower parts, balancing with the frenzy action moments.”
While Slitterhead may not be straight up horror, Toyama would like to get back to Silent Hill someday, or at least what the game accomplished. That, for now, is in the future. Catch up with the first part below and tune in on March 4, 2022, when the second part of the interview drops. We will continue provide updates as it comes available.
Via, pcgamer.com.
