Slitterhead, developed by veterans from Team Silent, Project Siren, and the Gravity Rush series, sparked significant anticipation when it was revealed, with many eager to see what these horror greats could deliver. Given the developers’ pedigree, it promised a unique horror experience. But with the first gameplay look at Summer Game Fest 2024 and some mixed hands-on previews, it seemed we were in for a mostly awkward and strange experience. After roughly 15 hours of play, I’m here to tell you things are far worse than I had anticipated.
At its core, Slitterhead attempts to weave a narrative steeped in psychological and body horror elements. The game opens with an intriguing premise involving the Night Owl, a supernatural entity capable of possessing various beings, from dogs to humans. Much like how the game thrusts players into the thick of it, the narrative quickly reveals itself to be disjointed and sometimes incoherent.
The journey begins when the Night Owl, having lost his memory, encounters Julia, a person who, when possessed, gains supernatural abilities—such as blood claws and blood saws that serve as ranged attacks. Together, they decide to embark on a mission to eradicate Slitterheads, grotesque beings that hijack human bodies and transform them into killing machines.
“…the narrative itself struggles to keep them—and the player—engaged.”
As the duo progresses through the game, they encounter other intriguing characters who join their party, like Alex and Edo. Alex wields a blood shotgun, adding a unique punch to combat, while Edo serves as a blood monk with fighting abilities that enhance the game’s supernatural elements. However, while these characters add some variety to the story, the narrative itself struggles to keep them—and the player—engaged.
Dialogue is a significant issue in Slitterhead. Conversations often feel long-winded and poorly translated, resulting in exchanges that consist of one or two words punctuated by grunts, with some fully voiced in English and others left untranslated. This lack of cohesive dialogue fails to build any connection with the characters, rendering their journeys shallow and unimportant. Instead of drawing players into the narrative, the dialogue acts as a barrier, making it difficult to grasp the stakes or care about what happens next.
Visually, Slitterhead makes a solid first impression with its creepy aesthetics and moments of striking body horror. The first encounter with an enemy is genuinely unsettling, setting a tone that feels ripe for horror. However, as players progress, the environments quickly feel lifeless and uninspired. While fleeting hints of deeper lore are embedded within the settings, the lack of context or storytelling severely hampers immersion. Slitterhead’s world feels like a missed opportunity in a genre where atmosphere is key, lacking the memorable locales that other horror games have crafted and used to enhance their narratives.
“Slitterhead’s world feels like a missed opportunity in a genre where atmosphere is key…”
The combat mechanics in Slitterhead don’t improve matters. The system feels unresponsive and clunky, which is particularly disheartening during encounters with enemies. Attacks lack the weight and impact players typically expect from an action game, let alone one in the horror action genre. This results in a frustrating experience that undermines the excitement of combat. The introduction of characters like Alex and Edo was initially exciting, as I hoped it was just Julie who felt one-note, with attacks lacking weight.
Sadly, every character within the combat system fails to deliver the necessary thrills and engagement. Throughout these combat encounters, I often found myself battling not just the enemies but also problematic camera angles that obscured visibility in tight corridors, making navigation increasingly difficult and undermining the intended tension of the game.
The mission structure also contributes to the game’s issues. Players alternate between open-section exploration and narrow stealth segments, punctuated by poorly implemented conversational cutscenes that slow down any momentum and lead to moments of frustration. While some missions allow players to roam expansive environments in search of Slitterheads, others force them into confined spaces where the Night Owl cannot possess anyone. These stealth segments are plagued by poor AI pathing, with characters occasionally standing in T-poses until detected, forcing me to restart sections. This erratic gameplay flow disrupts pacing, creating an experience that often feels like a chore rather than an engaging adventure.
Ultimately, Slitterhead serves as a cautionary tale of high expectations meeting harsh realities and a reminder that even the most anticipated projects can falter in execution. With a repetitive gameplay loop, clunky controls, and monotonous cutscenes, it’s hard to view Slitterhead with anything other than disappointment.
