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 creative, uncommon survival horror is much from excellent, with inconsistent visuals, repetition, and a few unrefined gameplay methods. However should 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 Nineteen Eighties Hong Kong, reworking the general public into the eponymous Slitterheads. All you actually know is that you simply wish to wipe these monstrosities out, and so you start body-hopping by means of the neighborhood to be taught extra in regards to the menace – 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 numerous totally different instances. You’ll be able to freely possess most people you encounter, and this performs into the sport’s traversal; if you want to attain a rooftop, for instance, it’s possible you’ll accomplish that by inhabiting somebody standing out on their balcony after which working your approach up.
Whereas it’s not an identical, this method will remind you of Gravity Rush. You’ll be able to 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 together 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 proscribed, for instance, so you may’t float off without end 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 with a view to progress. Whereas we perceive there needed to be limitations with a view to create a point of problem, it feels just a little bit like the principles are at all times bending to fulfill the necessities of the sport.
That is equally true if you attempt to possess a sure one who would simply get you to the place you want to be, however they’re inexplicably unavailable. The sport desires you to play it precisely because it’s been designed plenty 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 really empowers you to discover your personal methods. All through the story you’ll encounter Rarities, people you possess who resonate significantly strongly with Hyoki. Not like the opposite folks you inhabit, these include distinctive abilities and weapons, and may 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’ll be able to normally take two Rarities right into a mission with you, and whereas some do require you to pick out a selected persona for plot causes, normally 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 may be paired with healers such because the comfort retailer employee Julee. Every character may be upgraded individually, and comes with distinctive abilities to help you in battle.
The fight could be very janky, but it surely makes use of the possession mechanic well. You’ll typically discover the atmosphere populated with human fodder, and you may possess these folks to attract consideration away out of your Rarities, then swap again to take out your targets. You’ll get a small offensive enhance every time you hop our bodies, and naturally it provides you the power to maneuver to extra advantageous positions. Blood may be sopped up from the bottom to get well well being.
There’s quite a bit happening right here, and generally the knowledge is buried in tutorial menus. However it makes for a novel fight system not like the rest you’ve ever performed. One character can drop a blood vortex onto the stage, for instance, sucking foes in; you may then swap to an unimportant human, prime them for detonation, run into the center of aforementioned maelstrom, and possess a unique physique earlier than they explode.
There’s a counter system which sees you utilizing the proper analogue stick with time parries, which provides just a little extra depth to the one-on-one fight. Whereas the animations and contacts by no means fairly really feel sturdy sufficient to make this a terrific motion sport, the team-building methods and physique hopping mechanics make it creative and distinctive. It’s fairly a tough expertise on the usual problem, so that you’ll must make the most of all of the instruments out there 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 may 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 parts used to additional the story and a few fairly unhealthy human fashions. The general artwork course is outstanding, leaning into real-life areas 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 creative, Slitterhead is an absolute must-play should you’re searching for an unique 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 few body-hopping spirit – who makes use of people as fodder to place a cease to the eponymous enemy – is a scintillating albeit often 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 12 months.
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