After spending 30 minutes with a slice of Saber Interactive’s Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival, I was left intrigued by the mix of Bioshock–style gunplay and exploration with mind-bending, graphic horror.
Set about 20 years after the original, with input from series creator and horror icon Clive Barker, this new entry follows Aidan, a former convict, who sets off to retrieve his girlfriend Sunny from the clutches of the Cenobites. My demo started part of the way into the game at a cultist enclave, filled with BDSM-styled devout believers.
The most surprising part of the demo was easily this section in the cultist building. It immediately felt like a horror experience akin to Bioshock. Despite the fear of being caught and overwhelmed, I felt empowered thanks to the multiple weapons I had access to. Aidan was equipped with a pistol, shotgun, and submachine gun, along with multiple melee weapons. These could be used to take down cultists, but they were wearing armor, forcing me to focus on breaking off pieces to actually deal damage.
The other tool at my disposal was the Genesis Configuration, the puzzle box that all of Hellraiser centers around. In Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival, the Genesis Configuration works as a magic tool. For example, allowing you to pull in and throw objects in the environment, but it seems like there will be other powers present in the full experience.
After moving through the lobby of the cultist HQ, I moved into the Labyrinth itself. There were no enemies here; instead, there was an eerie environment and a walking-path puzzle, where I had to maneuver the room with the puzzle box to create a bridge across.
Lastly was a P.T.-inspired looping hallway section, where Aidan got to experience some of the highs and lows of his relationship with Sunny. This includes some graphic paintings and notes to read, going all in on the more seductive and hornier aspects of the Hellraiser series. The atmosphere here was tense, with a few genuinely scary reveals.
I hope the entire experience of Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival can live up to the excellent pitch presented in the demo. The scary atmosphere, exciting combat, and obsession with body horror give it a unique feel among current horror game franchises. My biggest concern about leaving the demo is the narrative — not because I didn’t like what I saw, but because I just didn’t get to see much.
Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival releases on October 8 for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
