Preview of the new game from the creators of “Silent Hill”

When the first Head cut off The trailer was revealed in December 2021, there was a wave of survival horror that the trailer was dripping with. Mix that with the fact that Hil silentI creator Keiichirō Toyama was leading the development of Bokeh Studios’ new project Head cut off. On June 7, 2024, we got our first look at the gameplay, which, in fact, seemed more action-oriented than a slow, tension-building survival horror game. Based on the mixed reactions, it seems fans weren’t sure what to think about it. But after spending an hour in the field, I can tell you that the idea of ​​game mechanics comes through much more clearly with a gamepad in hand. That said, there is still a long way to go, but I am hopeful.

A slow and linear demo

The general setup is that we play as an unknown entity that has the power to possess and unlock the skills hidden in the blood of viewers. For the majority, this includes a small knife made of hardened blood used for attack and defense. For the demo, we played the opening tutorial level, which took us slowly through the city, which was more of a linear experience. As we possessed more beholders and gathered more memories from our past, our powers increased, from learning how to move in possession mode to learning how to race. This is a slow, methodical approach to a tutorial, but one I found necessary because there’s a lot going on in the skill system of Head cut off.

Closing out the tutorial, our character notices that he can see through Slitterhead’s eyes as they go to attack someone he considers important. As we take charge of them, we realize that some beholders are more in tune with their power, and owning them unlocks incredible blood powers resembling what I can only describe as blood claws. It also shows some cooler mechanics to keep in mind while fighting the monstrosities that Head cut off throws against the player. One of my favorite skills turns the possessed body into a bomb that must be jumped at the last second to do the most damage.

Go forward Head cut off

Then we jumped about halfway Head cut off. Here it was explained that you would have a stable of special characters that you would choose from at the start of each mission. Each character seemed to play very differently. In this preview, I was given two characters: one was the character from the prologue mission and the other was a man with a bloody shotgun. He was much slower to attack but hit harder, because the other character was faster, but his damage was lower. The two also had different skills, but without getting into them too much, they both kept the same general rule: use people nearby as weapons.

In this second mission, we will see better how the boss fights will take place. Head cut off, as well as the speed and speed of the route. First we came across this boss who looked normal but after a short cutscene he transformed into a body horror monster made up of so many arms and blood I didn’t really know what I was looking at. During boss fights, you have to manage how you use beholders, as you have one skill that will summon them and another that will make them swarm the boss. Between that and the use Head cut offIt is an interesting blocking mechanic, where you have to hold your weapon at the same angle that your enemy is attacking from, there’s a lot going on in these fights, almost overwhelmingly so.

Getting around town

After reducing him to half health, the boss escapes, and that’s where we can see him. Head cut offThe main use of the crossing. In addition to allowing people to reach new heights, there is also a grappling hook that you can use to swing poles. But the main method is to quickly switch between possessions and blatant disregard for the life of their body. This is quickly presented to the player as a beholder I had possessed had to jump off a roof to allow me to get close enough to another person. Seeing how the world reacted when my previous character crashed to the ground was really interesting. My new one casually walked away while everyone on the street ran and screamed at the sight of the horror.

This was an important takeaway for me during my time with Head cut off. While it may not be a survival horror game at first glance, it’s still an action horror game, with most of these elements coming from its grotesque characters and the large amount of blood and body horror on display. The amount of detail shown in some of the transformations, as skin splits and heads open like a flower, letting that pustule mass rise with a tongue like a razor whip, is a lot to take in. But I’m definitely here for it.

The verdict?

With the mixed reaction online to the trailer for Head cut off, I’m happy to say that putting it into practice has made it more compelling, although I still feel like there’s a long way to go. I’m interested in how they expand the powers and how character switching will evolve to keep this gameplay fresh. For now, I’m cautiously optimistic Head cut off and all the gruesome body horror he wants to display.

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