Gravity Rush designer Keiichiro Toyama has founded the company Bokeh Game Studio, based in Tokyo. For the their debut title, the creative director is reuniting with fellow Konami alum Akira Yamaoka.

The creative partnership between Toyama and Yamaoka first made waves in 1999, when the former served as director and writer on Silent Hill for PlayStation, featuring Yamaoka's iconic music score. Previously the Konami staffers worked together more informally on the point-and-click adventure title Snatcher, with the musician contributing as sound programmer.


Slitterhead, marks Toyama’s latest foray into the horror genre, his first since 2008’s episodic Siren: Blood Curse for PlayStation 3. Titled "Yakushi" in Japan, the story revolves around the threat of mysterious, grotesque human mimics called "Slitterheads." The debut gameplay trailer can be viewed on the developer's YouTube channel.

Bokeh Game Studio's Slitterhead is scheduled for release on November 8th for Xbox Series X|S, PS4 and PlayStation 5 consoles, along with Windows through Steam and the Epic Games Store. The Day 1 Edition includes an artbook with commentary by Toyama and the original soundtrack CD.


From the product page:

Set in the densely cluttered streets of "Kowlong," filled with obscurity and chaos, this battle action-adventure game casts players as the "Hyoki," an entity devoid of memory and physical form. His only motive is to eradicate the monstrous beings known as "Slitterheads" crawling around the city, disguising themselves as humans.

Roaming the vibrant neon-lit cityscape, players must seek out allies among humans known as "Rarities," infiltrate and track dangerous organizations, and engage in battles harnessing the power of blood. As the suspenseful drama unfolds, delve into the mystery behind Hyoki's existence and the appearance of the Slitterheads.

Bokeh Game Studio - Slitterhead

What were the motivations to set Slitterhead in the world of “Kowlong”? We flew out of Japan with Toyama to take a deeper dive into some fragments of his memory, chasing the urban energy & aesthetics that inspired the game. https://t.co/ZBPppIIzQ2… pic.twitter.com/7W4mkW2RsK

— Bokeh Game Studio (@BokehGameStudio) September 18, 2024