I’m a huge horror fan, but I enjoy horror games at an arm’s length, because I’m a big baby who flings my gamepad in terror every time something even mildly creepy happens. That means I’ll probably never playSlitterheadbecause it’ll probably scare the pants off me and my heart won’t be able to take that, but I’ve been reading everything I possibly can about it (includingour own Axel Bosso’s preview) because it looks so, so cool.
What I’ve found interesting is that most previewers, when writing about the game, refer to its setting as “a fictional Asian city”. Some may go on to mention that it’s called Kowlong, because that’s all the detail that the game’s Steam description and website offer. As someone who’s lived in Asia my whole life and has travelled more in this continent than any other (it’s cheaper), I’m almost offended that I haven’t seen anybody talk about the game’s rendition of Hong Kong, or its blatant references to Hong Kong’s most iconic director, Wong Kar-Wai.
I love that Asian directors are being given their due, because it’s been a long time coming, and this side of the world can so often be ignored when people talk about auteurs. Bong Joon-Ho should be next on the list. Then Park Chan-Wook, please and thank you.
You know what, maybe this one’s on me for hanging out with too many softboy film bros and nerds. In Singapore, where I’m from, every self-respecting cinephile has seen Wong’s entire filmography and talks about it constantly, though an informal poll in TheGamer’s Slack told me his cultural impact is somewhat more limited over in the West. You might not recognise his name, but maybe you’re familiar with his best known works, In The Mood For Love and Chungking Express.
He’s largely focused on his home city throughout his body of work, and his representations of 90s Hong Kong are iconic and unmistakable, which is why I was pointing likethat DiCaprio memethe whole time I read Axel’s preview. Bokeh Game Studio’s founder has directly acknowledged Wong’s influence on the game inan interview with IGN, but honestly, if you’ve ever seen one of his films, you don’t need that context to see what I saw.
For god’s sake, the setting is called Kowlong. It couldn’t more obviously be a mix of Kowloon, the site of the Kowloon Walled City, and Hong Kong. But the game goes far deeper. The screenshots I’ve seen from various press kits make it absolutely undeniable clear that we’re looking at a version of Hong Kong. The city feels completely singular in its architecture and the juxtaposition of modernism and history – there’s just something about Slitterhead’s grimy alleys and neon-soaked environments that perfectly evoke Hong Kong. I can practically hear a waitress cursing me out in Cantonese because I’m taking too long to order.
It helps that the signs show accurate Chinese characters with Cantonese romanisations, which is a dead giveaway.
Wong Kar-Wai’s Fingerprints Are All Over Slitterhead
Perhaps it’s more accurate to say that we’re looking at Wong Kar-Wai’s Hong Kong, because this is how he’s cemented it into the memories of countless fans: it’s vibrantly coloured, bustling, filled with life. But that’s not a homage, it’s more of a general vibe. Slitterhead isn’t just showing you Wong’s Hong Kong, it’s showing you shots taken straight out of his movies.
For example, this shot of a character leaning on a counter is a direct reference to Faye Wong’s character in Chungking Express. The positioning of the hand, the haircut, the fan…they’re the same picture.
This one is obviously the iconic shot from Fallen Angels. The colours, the motorbike, dude’s hair? Please.
A man talking to a woman leaning against the wall of an alley? Come on, now, that’s In The Mood For Love.
And these are the ones I’ve picked up on – there’s certainly more that I didn’t catch or that hasn’t been shown to the public yet. Wong’s influence on Slitterhead is everywhere, and in a way, that makes it one of the most faithful representations of Hong Kong and its culture we’ve ever seen in a video game, even though it doesn’t call its setting that.
We’ve seen countless horror games inspired by David Lynch and other beloved directors, but I never thought we’d see a studio turn its eye to the other side of the globe and give us ahorror gameinspired by Hong Kong’s best-known filmmaker.
Slitterhead
WHERE TO PLAY
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.
