The divisiveSilent Hill 2remakeis right around the corner, and for those who are still excited about it, it’s certain to scratch that horror itch. However, for those who were left more than a little disappointed after its initial reveal and subsequent trailers, there’s a good chance that horror itch will remain unscratched. Fortunately, there’s anotherhorror-focused titlefrom one ofSilent Hill’s original creators also releasing this year, and it’s the perfect game forSilent Hillfans.
Whileearly previews ofSilent Hill 2’sremake have done a lot of damage control, there are still those who are unconvinced and are waiting for the horror game of the year to pop up. Luckily, that aforementioned perfect action horror experience is releasing in November and is even being created by Keiichiro Toyama, the creator of theSilent Hillfranchise. For fans ofSilent Hillwho aren’t quite ready to accept Bloober Team’s remake into their hearts just yet, then this new horror IP might be the next best thing.
It’s Being Developed By Silent Hill & Gravity Rush Creator Keiichiro Toyama
Slitterheadis the next game fromSilent Hillcreator Keiichiro Toyama and his new studio, Bokeh Game Studio. However, unlikeSilent Hill,Slitterheadis far more of an action-oriented game, with a huge focus on melee combat, as well as the ability to possess and control the majority of NPCs and characters available in the game. It takes place in a neon-lit Chinese-inspired city in the 1990s, and is being described by its developer as a “battle action-adventure game.”
Is the Silent Hill 2 remake justified?
The Silent Hill video games still give me nightmares when I think about them. Second only to the Resident Evil franchise in terms of games that haunt me, this has me equally excited and nervous about the upcoming Silent Hill 2 remake. While I think that the premise of this game can absolutely thrive in today’s world with a bit of updating, there is something about changing such a classic that worries me. That said, I am very eager to play it, and I do think it is warranted and justified to find a way to bring this game to a new generation of players.
Toyama has spoken on multiple occasions about howSlitterheadis different from theSilent Hillfranchise, but still leans heavily into the horror that made those games so immersive and fantastic in the first place. He wanted to shift the focus to a more action-orientated game, believing that players are more accustomed to action games, andhe wanted to makeSlitterheadas accessible to as wide an audience as possible. In an interview withIGN, Toyama stated that despite expectations, he knew what his team’s strengths were and that’s why they went the direction they did, stating:
Since I’m known as the creator of Silent Hill, I’m aware of the fact that many people are hoping for something closer to a horror adventure game […] The problem is that horror adventure games are kind of similar to extremely spicy food. People that are into it love it, but other people don’t really bother to try it out. That’s why we decided to keep the essence of horror games while making a game that feels good to play […] Since many of our team members worked on the Gravity Rush series, we already had a team that knows how to develop good action gameplay.
Slitterheaddefinitely puts a greater emphasis on action than theSilent Hillfranchise and the upcomingSilent Hill 2remake, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t as scary. Fans of theSilent Hillgames, especially their atmosphere and creepy settings, will have a lot to look forward to withSlitterhead, as its dark and foreboding city offers a wealth of nightmarish monsters and gore-soaked horrors for players to contend with. It is being compared toGhostwire: Tokyoand its perpetually dark city, althoughSlitterhead’screature design is definitely closer toSilent Hill 2’soverall aesthetic thanGhostwire.
Slitterheadisn’t an open world likeGhostwire: Tokyo, although it is set entirely within a city. Instead, it is broken into stages, some of which are large and have explorable areas.
For players who aren’t a fan ofthe changes Bloober Team have made with theSilent Hill 2remake, or just the general direction of that remake, then they should check outSlitterhead. Not only is it from the original creator ofSilent Hill, but it is offering something new and creative within the horror genre.Silent Hill 2fans will still have the remake to enjoy, and hopefully, those not currently sold on it will be impressed come launch day, but if it does end up not meeting expectations, thenSlitterheadis definitely one to keep an eye on.
