Slitterhead – directed by Japan Studio veteran Keiichiro Toyama – looks like a non secular successor to Siren, Gravity Rush, and Soul Sacrifice all on the similar time. This ingenious, uncommon survival horror is far from excellent, with inconsistent visuals, repetition, and a few unrefined gameplay techniques. However in case you’ve been lamenting the lack of PlayStation’s oddball first-party output, that is the closest you’re going to get to it.
You play as an ambiguous, all-powerful spirit named Hyoki, able to possessing people and commandeering their our bodies. A illness is ravaging a fictional reimagining of Eighties Hong Kong, remodeling the general public into the eponymous Slitterheads. All you actually know is that you simply need to wipe these monstrosities out, and so you start body-hopping by means of the group to study extra in regards to the risk – and produce it down.
The story unfolds over a sequence of days in a handful of small, sandbox-style environments. As you progress, you’ll revisit these ranges repeatedly at varied completely different instances. You may freely possess the general public you encounter, and this performs into the sport’s traversal; if you should attain a rooftop, for instance, chances are you’ll accomplish that by inhabiting somebody standing out on their balcony after which working your method up.
Whereas it’s not an identical, this technique will remind you of Gravity Rush. You may leap off buildings after which dispossess your present host simply earlier than they hit the bottom, switching to a different unsuspecting individual to maneuver ahead unscathed. Some chase sequences, that are clumsily executed however cool in idea, see you shortly switching between a string of people to maintain up tempo along with your goal. There’s even an compulsory stealth system, the place you physique hop to keep away from detection.
However there are contrivances to make sure the mechanic works. Hyoki’s motion is restricted, for instance, so you possibly can’t float off eternally searching for new hosts. Equally, the spirit typically finds himself blocked by man-made constructions, like doorways. In some missions, you’ll end up trying to find open home windows to be able to progress. Whereas we perceive there needed to be limitations to be able to create some extent of issue, it feels slightly bit like the principles are all the time bending to satisfy the necessities of the sport.
That is equally true while you attempt to possess a sure one that would simply get you to the place you should be, however they’re inexplicably unavailable. The sport desires you to play it precisely because it’s been designed loads of the time, and that usually leaves little room for experimentation or downside fixing.
It’s a disgrace as a result of, in fight, the sport’s truly empowers you to discover your personal methods. All through the story you’ll encounter Rarities, people you possess who resonate notably strongly with Hyoki. In contrast to the opposite individuals you inhabit, these include distinctive abilities and weapons, and might be completely added to your roster. Tri, a housekeeper, has a pair of bladed oven gloves, for instance – whereas Alex, a physician, is armed with an enormous syringe.
You may often take two Rarities right into a mission with you, and whereas some do require you to pick out a particular persona for plot causes, often you’ll be free to combine and match. This supplies loads of room for experimentation, as a result of glass cannons just like the homeless alcoholic Edo might be paired with healers such because the comfort retailer employee Julee. Every character might be upgraded individually, and comes with distinctive abilities to assist you in battle.
The fight may be very janky, but it surely makes use of the possession mechanic well. You’ll typically discover the surroundings populated with human fodder, and you’ll possess these individuals to attract consideration away out of your Rarities, then change again to take out your targets. You’ll get a small offensive increase every time you hop our bodies, and naturally it offers you the flexibility to maneuver to extra advantageous positions. Blood might be sopped up from the bottom to get well well being.
There’s rather a lot occurring right here, and typically the data is buried in tutorial menus. Nevertheless it makes for a singular fight system in contrast to the rest you’ve ever performed. One character can drop a blood vortex onto the stage, for instance, sucking foes in; you possibly can then change to an unimportant human, prime them for detonation, run into the center of aforementioned maelstrom, and possess a distinct physique earlier than they explode.
There’s a counter system which sees you utilizing the precise analogue keep on with time parries, which provides slightly extra depth to the one-on-one fight. Whereas the animations and contacts by no means fairly really feel strong sufficient to make this an excellent motion sport, the team-building techniques and physique hopping mechanics make it ingenious and distinctive. It’s fairly a tough expertise on the usual issue, so that you’ll must make the most of all of the instruments accessible to you to progress.
Our greatest criticism actually is that all of it turns into a bit repetitive at instances. You’ll must replay sure ranges to find Rarities required to progress the plot, and these phases might be padded with overly lengthy chase sequences, which do put on out their welcome quick.
Equally, it’s fairly a low-budget expertise, with visible novel components used to additional the story and a few fairly dangerous human fashions. The general artwork course is phenomenal, leaning into real-life places like Hong Kong’s notorious Monster Constructing and making them the star of the haunting architectural artwork – but it surely’s a sport that has higher environments than character designs. The soundtrack, in the meantime, composed by the timeless Akira Yamaoka, is a masterpiece all through.
Conclusion
Irritating at instances however fearlessly ingenious, Slitterhead is an absolute must-play in case you’re searching for an authentic tackle the survival horror style. Serving as a non secular successor to fan favourites like Siren, Gravity Rush, and Soul Sacrifice, this haunting story a couple of body-hopping spirit – who makes use of people as fodder to place a cease to the eponymous enemy – is a scintillating albeit sometimes undercooked debut from Bokeh Sport Studios. Repetition and an total lack of refinement do carry it down, however you’ll be hard-pushed to discover a extra imaginative expertise this yr.
