Slitterhead (XSX) Review

That just sounds gross

Horror games are my jam. That being said, there have been ups and downs in the genre for years. Slitterhead takes me back to a time when horror games were weird. It invokes the same energy as titles released during the 360/PS3 era that just did things other games didn’t bother doing. Granted a lot of those titles failed both commercially and critically, but they still resonate with me. Outside of having one of the most uncomfortable names I have heard in a long time, this latest from Keiichiro Toyama invokes that feeling for better or worse. It does some interesting things while managing to just feel awkward and gross at the same time. It is a wild ride that I think some people will resonate with, but most will just find it forgettable.

A little bit of history first and foremost. Slitterhead comes from the same mind that worked on games such as Siren, Silent Hill, and Gravity Rush. The music is composed by Akira Yamaoka, who is known for the Silent Hill games, and trust me it definitely shines through here. The haunting tones are incredible. There is a lot of pedigree in this game.

MSRP: $59.99
Platforms: Xbox (reviewed), PlayStation, PC
Price I’d Pay: $39.99

The story revolves around an entity named Hyoki. From the start we have no idea who this is, or what its purpose will be. Hyoki has lost all of its memories and the core of the first couple hours of the game is slowly discovering things about its past. This is a novel way to tutorialize the gameplay and it teaches players the core concepts of the title. The narrative twists and turns and I admit, even I didn’t see that coming at times. It is a unique idea that really bears no comparison to anything I have ever played.

Getting into the game itself, it is hard to explain it and make it sound exciting. As mentioned, Hyoki is not a normal character. Instead, you possess other people and move around as them. Think of it like Geist, but only into humans at first. Once inside a body you can move around and investigate as well as engage in combat, more on that in a bit. Quickly I discovered that different bodies had different traits. They feel like vehicles at times where some have more stamina while others have stronger attacks. There are of course special humans, that when you possess them, you get special powers. This game is truly wild.

Combat feels like it wants to be a Souls-style game, but stiff. I could lock onto enemies, there is a dodge, and a parry. You can swap between bodies during combat, thus refilling your stamina or power. It becomes a dance. The special humans unlock new attacks as well, making Hyoki even stronger. There are specific characters throughout the game that will stick around longer, which furthers the narrative. I am skipping around a lot of details to avoid spoilers for sure, but this game does some stuff I have never seen, and that is its shining feature.

The problem is that a lot of these things don’t quite come together in execution. The combat feels stiff and doesn’t really open up a lot as the game does. I found it to be more of a chore than anything else and I actually preferred exploring the city and learning about the origins of Hyroki. Even this part though has its own issues. The style wasn’t the only thing that was brought from the 360/PS3 era. There are a lot of moments where control is taken away from the player that completely kills the pacing. It just feels like a mess at times, and at other times a beautiful disaster. I certainly won’t forget my time with Slitterhead.

Visually the game looks good at first. The world reminds me of Ghostwire Tokyo with dark, rain-covered streets. Everything is neon and shiny. The performance is decent in performance mode, and the fidelity mode doesn’t look better enough for me to use it. There are some weird things that cropped up though, such as NPCs appearing out of nowhere at times. As mentioned, the music is incredible and a highlight of the game. Everything else is, just well, gross. The sound effects are nauseating, and the enemy designs are downright disgusting at times. This game could give people nightmares.

Slitterhead is unique. That is the biggest compliment I can give it. There are things here that I love. The mood of the game, the music, and the concepts. It just doesn’t mesh well into a cohesive experience. It feels stuck in the past, which is fine in some instances, but when it comes to its crimes, it really drags it down. I promise I will never forget this game, and it is included in Game Pass, so definitely give it a whirl if you subscribe, but at full price, I might wait a little while to take the plunge.

Review copy of game provided by publisher.

Good
  • That Yamaoka soundtrack
  • Unique concept
Bad
  • Nothing meshes together
  • Combat feels stiff
  • Bad pacing
6
Decent
Written by
Ken is the Editor-in-Chief of this hole in the wall and he loves to troll for the fun of it. He also enjoys long walks through Arkham Asylum and the cool air of Shadow Moses Island. His turn-ons include Mortal Kombat, Metal Gear Solid and StarCraft.