Slitterhead Originally Had a More “Open” Map Structure

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As a dedicated fan of horror games and a follower of Keiichiro Toyama’s illustrious career spanning iconic franchises like Silent Hill, I find it fascinating to witness the evolution of his latest creation, Slitterhead. The revelation that this game initially envisioned an open-world structure but transitioned into a more mission-based design is intriguing, especially considering Toyama’s knack for crafting engaging narratives within linear frameworks.

One of the biggest debates in modern gaming is whether a non-linear, open-game structure is superior to a linear, sometimes mission-based one. There are obviously pros and cons to both, with non-linear titles such as Elden Ring inevitably allowing more freedom, while linear games such as The Last of Us Part 1 tend to have tighter narratives and a more natural learning curve. Developer Bokeh Game Studio’s upcoming action horror title Slitterhead will fall into the latter camp, but it seems this was not always necessarily the case.

Recently, Game Rant had a chat with Keiichiro Toyama, the CEO of Bokeh Game Studio and the mind behind the popular Silent Hill series, about the innovative gameplay style of Slitterhead. This upcoming title appears to be an exciting project that leverages Toyama’s expertise in the genre effectively. During their conversation, Toyama shared insights into the game’s development process, revealing that it was originally intended to feature a more open-world map layout.

Slitterhead’s Mission Structure Changed During Development

In the process of creating video games, concepts initially considered brilliant may swiftly turn impractical or inappropriate for the project. The most successful studios are those that can adapt and modify a game’s themes, framework, or dynamics as necessary to produce an outstanding game. Toyama mentioned that originally, Slitterhead was planned with a more open map layout, but for the sake of the game’s rhythm, this design was altered.

Initially, our plan was for a more free-flowing map design; however, we ultimately chose to organize the areas according to missions. In my opinion, this choice streamlined the management of the game’s progression pace.

NPCs Will Play a Key Role in Slitterhead

Although Slitterhead follows a more straightforward gameplay structure, each of the level designers had ample creative leeway when organizing missions. Toyama underlined the importance of non-player characters (NPCs) within the game, particularly noting that the protagonist, Hyoki, can hop between NPCs at will. Apart from typical NPCs, certain humans possess a unique bond with the Hyoki and are called Rarities. Each Rarity boasts its own distinct abilities and talents. This richness in character development suggests that more attention has been given to the design and creation of NPCs than is common for games like this one. Toyama elaborated:

In this game, we found it crucial to pay special attention to NPCs during our level design, rather than just viewing them as elements to fine-tune for processing efficiency. This aspect proved particularly challenging due to the need to launch the game across multiple platforms.

Slitterhead is bringing new ideas to a genre that might get repetitive with similar gameplay elements. Unlike some horror games that rely heavily on jump scares, Toyama claims that Slitterhead will instead use more psychological techniques to create tension in the player. The quick-moving action in the game should offer an exciting contrast to its slower story development, resulting in a unique horror experience. With the game launching early in November, fans won’t have long to see if this different approach proves successful.

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2024-11-01 18:40