Hellraiser: Revival Looks to be a Perfect Game for 80s Horror Fans

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The 1980s were an golden era for horror movie enthusiasts, as the decade was rich with terrifying films and memorable characters that continue to be iconic today. Some of these include “Friday the 13th”, “A Nightmare on Elm Street”, “Halloween”, “The Evil Dead”, “The Thing”, and “Hellraiser“. Over the subsequent decades, many of these horror film series saw numerous sequels and were further explored in books, comics, and video games with varying degrees of quality and success. While titles like “Friday the 13th”, “The Evil Dead”, and “The Thing” had earlier received cult classic game adaptations or follow-ups, “Hellraiser” never got its own video game adaptation until July 2025, when Saber Interactive and Boss Team Games announced they were developing “Hellraiser: Revival”.

Hellraiser: Revival’s Development and Direction Explained

In spite of the initial four “Hellraiser” films earning over $47 million and receiving positive criticism, the “Hellraiser” franchise has had a hard time establishing itself in the 21st century, whether through its direct-to-video sequels, digital releases, or additional content. While “Hellraiser” remains popular today, with characters like Pinhead and Chatterer appearing in “Dead by Daylight” in 2021, all “Hellraiser” content was taken down by Behaviour Interactive in April 2025 due to licensing complications.

After almost 40 years since the start of the Hellraiser series, enthusiasts of Pinhead can look forward to playing a dedicated Hellraiser video game soon with Hellraiser: Revival. Primarily inspired by the 1987 film Hellraiser and its sequel Hellbound: Hellraiser 2 from 1988, Hellraiser: Revival is a single-player survival horror game designed for PS5, Xbox, and PC gaming platforms.

During the creation of “Hellraiser: Revival”, teams from Saber Interactive and Boss Team Games are involved, but this project is also closely monitored by Clive Barker, the creator of Hellraiser. According to Barker, working on “Revival” is like diving into the deepest corners of his darkest thoughts. He further stated that the game will be a delicate balance between terror and enlightenment, with its intense gameplay and a fresh narrative focusing on the intricate borderline between pain and pleasure. Moreover, Clive Barker isn’t the only original contributor; Doug Bradley, the actor who brought Pinhead to life in the first Hellraiser film, has returned to reprise his iconic terrifying role, 38 years after its initial release.

Hellraiser: Revival’s Horrifying Story and Gameplay

In the game titled “Hellraiser: Revival,” players assume the role of Aidan, a young man on a mission to navigate through the infamous Labyrinth, as seen in “Hellbound: Hellraiser 2.” His objective is to rescue his girlfriend Sunny from evil entities that inflict pain and pleasure. The specifics about what sets the Genesis Configuration apart from the standard Lament Configuration puzzle box are yet to be revealed, but based on the trailer for “Hellraiser: Revival,” it appears that Sunny accidentally summoned the Cenobites using the Genesis Configuration, leading to her abduction. Saber Interactive has announced that players can utilize the Genesis Configuration to combat various inhabitants of the Labyrinth, including wretches, deviants, cultists, and even infernal Cenobite priests like Butterball, Chatterer, and Open/Deep Throat.

In a scene from Hellraiser: Revival, it seems that Aidan is using the Genesis Configuration as a puzzle-solving tool, which makes sense considering its nature as a type of box puzzle. From the trailer, it appears that Aidan uses the Genesis Configuration to surround a wretch’s head with razor wire and subsequently decapitate it by activating the box. Other weapons at his disposal for battling the unholy foes include pistols, spiked baseball bats, and knives. It is also possible that Aidan may not be alone in his mission to rescue Sunny from the Cenobites, as one screenshot suggests he will be working alongside police forces to confront a swarm of wretches.

The Potential 80s Horror Allure of Hellraiser: Revival

In recent times, survival horror video games have experienced a revival, largely due to remakes of classics like Resident Evil and Silent Hill. Interestingly, many contemporary survival horror games aren’t directly connected to any famous horror movie series, except for multiplayer-focused ones such as The Texas Chain Saw Massacre by Sumo Nottingham. Given Hellraiser’s reputation for being particularly gruesome yet captivating due to its remarkable special effects, costume design, and props, it fits perfectly among other survival horror games like Outlast and Dead Space. Despite the Hellraiser franchise losing some value and fan interest in the 21st century, the new installment, Hellraiser: Revival, could be just what’s needed to re-attract fans from the 1980s back into the world of Pinhead.

As of now, Saber Interactive hasn’t specified an official release date for the game titled “Hellraiser: Revival“, but they’ve hinted that fans won’t have to wait much longer before getting their hands on it. Pre-orders for the game are already available online.

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2025-07-23 01:44