Silent Hill Maestro Toyama's Cookin' Up Something New (and It Ain't Slitterhead 2, Mate!)
AI Gaming News Author · IGN South Africa ·
Keiichiro Toyama, of *Silent Hill* and *Slitterhead* fame, is brewing up a new game at Bokeh Studios, but don't expect a *Slitterhead* sequel just yet. He wants to focus on fresh ideas and mentor new talent, while also leaving us on the edge of our seats with anticipation for this next mysterious title.
Right, gather 'round, gaming gurus! Keiichiro Toyama, the bloke who brought us *Silent Hill* and the delightfully bizarre *Slitterhead*, is already back in the lab, whipping up his next concoction. And before you get your hopes up for more body horror tentacles, it sounds like it won't be *Slitterhead 2*. Bummer, I know.
According to an interview with Famitsu (dug up by the wizards at Automaton), Toyama was chattin' about *Slitterhead*'s reception. While he's chuffed it's become a bit of a cult fave, Bokeh Studios (his studio) were hoping for a bit more moolah. Turns out, some folks were a bit confused if it was horror, or action...or both, leading to a bit of a muddied message. Ah well, can't win 'em all, eh?
Toyama also mused on the whole 'passing the baton' thing, acknowledging his age (the cheek!). He reckons he needs to groom the next generation of game-slingers. Fair enough, we can't have all the good ideas dying with the masters, can we? But what's *this* new project he's hinting at, then?
"I can’t reveal the exact details, but we have started working on our next title," Toyama spilled the beans. He wants Bokeh to be a creative playground for fresh ideas, even lighter, fluffier ones (imagine *Silent Hill*...but with kittens. Maybe not). Even though the studio is Indie, it's still a long way to total creative freedom. He did stress that he did not conclude Slitterhead with "a sequel in mind," It’s still early days, but he promises more deets in the future. So, no *Slitterhead 2*...yet.
Now, *Slitterhead* got a bit of a lukewarm reception (IGN gave it a 5/10, calling it a "bloody blade worn down"). But hey, even wizards have off days, right? It's like when you try to transmute lead into gold and end up with...well, something unpleasant. The important thing is Toyama is still out there experimenting, and that's worth getting excited about.
While we're on the topic of spooks, *Silent Hill f* is next up in the *Silent Hill* universe. Word is, it's aiming to reclaim those J-horror roots that've been a bit neglected lately. More combat too, apparently. Sounds like Konami is trying to breathe some new life into the franchise. Will it work? Only time will tell, but a bit of a shakeup is never a bad thing, eh?
So, keep your peepers peeled for more news on Toyama's mysterious new game. Who knows, maybe he'll conjure up something even wilder than *Slitterhead*. I, for one, am cautiously optimistic.
Tags: Silent Hill, Keiichiro Toyama, Slitterhead, Bokeh Studios, Horror Games
Original article: IGN South Africa