One image shows a skeletal insect-like monster erupting from a corpse, while others appear to be inspired by scorpions, squid, and perhaps the cordeceps fungus, which inspired the last of us’ infected enemies. We also see an image of a figure with a sword, which may refer to the previously announced action-adventure approach to the unnamed game.
Speaking of the main influences on the monstrous designs and the game in general, Toyama revealed that death game comics and everyday life have had a significant impact on the creatures and mood of the title.
“I often read comics as a form of entertainment,” explains Toyama. “Recently you see a trend for ‘death game’ content. These works tend to add entertainment to somewhat brutal worlds, so of course I took that approach. The view I have of horror is that the everyday life is shaken. If you show scary things, it should question our position and prompt us to question the fact that we live peacefully. “
Japanese death game comics recently gained more Western attention thanks to the release of Netflix’s Alice in Borderland – an adaptation of the eponymous manga, in which characters are seemingly transported to another Tokyo and forced to take part in deadly challenges.
An insightful interview with our own Keiichiro Toyama, who describes how he got into the games industry and what we have in mind for our new project.
We focused on our creative director, Keiichiro Toyama. #BokehGameStudio #BGS https://t.co/EeTeoGc81W
– Bokeh Game Studio (@BokehGameStudio) February 15, 2021
While discussing what other elements Bokeh Game Studio wanted to include in its first game, Toyama insisted that he wanted fans to feel excited despite the horror-driven aesthetic and story the team would use.
“I’m going back to my roots, towards horror, for example,” Toyama added. “But instead of something deeply rooted in horror, I want to keep an entertainment note. While keeping elements of horror away, I want players to feel thrilled playing the game.”
This latest tease comes two months after Toyama revealed that Bokeh’s first horror action adventure game would likely be out sometime in 2023. Speaking to IGN Japan, Toyama said the game would “appeal to fans of my previous work,” and that it should come to PC and “as many console platforms as possible.” Bokeh was announced in December and brings together a number of developers from Sony Japan as a new indie studio.In other Silent Hill news, a recent interview with series composer Akira Yamaoka was pulled after seemingly teasing that Konami was working on a new entry in the franchise. Konami denied it had asked for the clip to be removed, with the uploader telling IGN that a “third party” had asked for the interview to be removed.
Tom Power is a freelance writer from the UK. follow him Twitter