Keiichiro Toyama is a master of fear, bringing the gaming world such titles asSilent HillandSiren.Now, as head of Bokeh Game Studio, Toyama is ready to introduce the world to yet another terrifying IP:Slitterhead.Set in the haunted urban world of Kowlong,Slitterheadsees a mysterious entity called the Hyoki possess ordinary humans to defeat monsters called Slitterheads. As with his previous horror projects, Toyama draws from his own memories of fear to create a game certain to terrify and delight its players.
We spoke with Toyama, among others, aboutSlitterheadfor Game Rant Advance. They talked at length about howSlitterheadwill blend action and horror- the fast-paced possession-based gameplay comes more from the world of action, while the horror arises from the Slitterhead foes and the need to sacrifice innocent NPCs in order to defeat them. Toyama explained that withSlitterhead,as with his previous titles, he draws heavily from his personal fears to create its fear factor.
Keiichiro Toyama On Fearing His Own Creations
Although he is the creator of memorable monsters ranging fromPyramid Headto the Slitterheads, Toyama revealed that he does not often fear the things he creates. Rather, he uses things that he does fear and memories of fear experienced elsewhere in his life, to create games that an audience will find scary:
“I find it difficult to approach my own creations from a third-person perspective… however my stance is to extract and reconstruct the essence from personal memories of fear I experienced in my life. So, when I sense a similar feeling, I take it as an indication that things are going well.”
While Toyama did not reveal exactly which personal fears he drew from when creatingSlitterhead,how horror manifests in the game is quite clear. He describesSlitterhead’stheme as one of “establishing one’s identity,” and identifies “the resulting fluctuations and uncertainties” as something that could induce anxiety and fear in players. The central character, theHyoki, lacks an identity, memories, and anything beyond its purpose of killing Slitterheads. There is a terror in lacking so much that players seeking their own place in life can easily identify with.
WhileSlitterheaddoes draw influence from Toyama’s previous works, particularlyGravity RushandSiren,the director also drew heavily onseinen manga. Seinen, a type of manga designed for an older, typically male audience, is known for containing horrific elements and blending action and horror to tell a story that adult readers can appreciate.
Some of the seinen manga that inspiredSlitterhead,particularly the design of the titular monsters, includeParasyteandTokyo Ghoul.Toyama explained that he looked to seinen manga to create the balance of fast-paced action and chilling horror he wantedSlitterheadto strike. “[Seinen manga] blends elements of battles between supernatural abilities with horror, survival, and suspense,” Toyama said, then explained thatSlitterheadis fast-paced in its gameplay but slower-paced in its story, with this juxtaposition being used to create horror.
Ultimately,Slitterhead’screator concluded, the game does not rely on jump scares but provides its players “the essence of horror within a narrative that evokes anxiety through its unfolding story.” As players learn more about the Slitterheads and the Hyoki, where they came from and why they are attacking Kowlong, their sense of anxiety will only increase. The result is a game that draws heavily on both outside influences andKeiichiro Toyama’s personal fears to both enthrall and terrify its audience.
