Clive Barker’s Hellraiser Revival HANDS-ON Preview: The Most Disturbing Game I Have Ever Played

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In terms of visual impact, the Hellraiser reveal trailer was undeniably intense. However, nothing could have prepared me for the gruesome spectacle of gore and brutality that I witnessed at Gamescom 2025, which left my eyes reeling. My review of Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival is not for the sensitive or faint-hearted, but for those who can endure it, there lies a potential gem of a horror game.

To clarify up front, I’ve never experienced any form of Hellraiser media. I’ve neither watched the movies nor delved into its lore. My understanding is limited to general horror knowledge about the character, so it’s accurate to say that I’m new to the world of Hellraiser.

As a hardcore gamer, I was thrilled beyond words to receive an exclusive invitation for a hands-on sneak peek at Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival at Gamescom 2025! Let me tell you, this isn’t going to be your average gaming experience. If you have a weak stomach, better grab a barf bag – we’re diving headfirst into the nightmarish world of the Cenobites!

Hellraiser Will Raise Blood Pressure and Anxiety

The initial five minutes of the preview demo for Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival are quite explicit, including depictions of graphic nudity, sexual content involving BDSM, intense mutilation, and disturbing imagery that one typically encounters in nightmares rather than reality. This is a follow-up from the Hellraiser reveal trailer that left viewers startled on July 22nd.

In a short while, I’ll have command over Aidan in an all-new Hellraiser tale, which is deemed canonical. As revealed to me by game directors Srđan Nedić and Aleksandra Pelivanović, this offers an ideal entry point for newcomers. The Genesis Configuration – a notoriously cryptic device – has been secretly activated by Aidan and his girlfriend, Sunny. Now, Hellraiser and his entourage of cultists are curious about how you managed to activate it and aim to exploit its power.

On a typical Saturday night, I find myself in an ordeal that’s far from ordinary. I’ve got to wrestle a hook from my own flesh, slice through the stitches of my wounded torso, and yank nails out of my trembling hands – quite the relaxing pastime, really. The game demo offers an astoundingly diverse palette of horror: eerie hallways reminiscent of PT, mind-bending environmental riddles demanding creative problem-solving, heart-pounding chases, spine-tingling jump scares, and an unyielding sense of psychological torment and mental distress.

Reminding you, I almost overlooked the vivid terror – just kidding, those disturbing images are permanently etched in my eyesight. Traversing the Maze has been an extreme test of fortitude, fittingly so since I can’t remember how many internal organs I encountered. The cultists residing here have a strange fascination with art and inflicting pain on others. As you move from room to room, it transforms into a quick contest of outdoing each other.

Each new segment showcases fresh layers of dismantling, mutilation, and pushing the boundaries of human endurance. It’s particularly unsettling when you come across individuals who appear to be alive and in pain. A notable scene from the demo depicts a ‘doctor’ dancing while slicing up a nude woman, securely restrained on a vertical operating table. Her jaw is absent, resulting in her tongue thrashing around like an agitated cat’s tail. Ultimately, I find myself stealthily circumventing the scene-getting close to the gruesome spectacle in the process-and recoil in terror as a pair of hands whiz past me-hers, and she’s still alive.

If You Love Resident Evil, You’ll Love Hellraiser

At Gamescom 2025, Hellraiser took me by surprise as the standout title for me. I had no preconceived notions going in, but now it’s sitting atop my never-ending wishlist. Playing it felt reminiscent of Resident Evil 7 and 8, offering a thrilling first-person horror experience with elements of puzzle-solving, item hunting, and even tactical combat.

This game isn’t like Outlast in terms of horror; instead, it offers weapons early on that require strategic thinking. For example, certain weapons might be ineffective against armored foes. Each weapon has a durability gauge, so overuse can result in its destruction without causing much damage. Towards the end of my gaming session, I even obtained a firearm.

The artificial intelligence of my adversary was clever and would swiftly seek cover when I had a weapon. It skillfully used its surroundings to attempt ambushes from the sides. Yet, nothing I tried seemed effective against The Chatterer. A bit of study reveals it’s not a fresh enemy in the Hellraiser franchise, but for me, it ranks among the most terrifying creatures I’ve encountered. Picture Nemesis, but with unsettling chattering teeth that echoed in my ears like a hypnotic form of torment whenever its canines snapped together.

Don’t miss out on Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival; there’s an eerily appealing quality to it. If the sneak peek of Hellraiser didn’t keep you awake already, chances are you won’t get much sleep thinking about it!

I truly hope you get a chance to experience what I did personally. The game’s colorful display of violence and intense visuals is quite unusual in gaming world. In Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival, you can anticipate a significant amount of gruesome and unnecessary violence, similar to Terrifier. If Saber’s latest horror game manages to maintain its quality throughout the entire playtime, we might not be making our initial trip to hell after all.

Could you share what aspects of the game you’re most looking forward to, through the TopMob forum? For those who aren’t familiar with Hellraiser, here’s some background and tips on how to get ready for the experience.

Additionally, don’t forget to explore additional sneak peeks from Gamescom 2025: Phantom Blade Zero, LEGO Voyagers, Valor Mortis, Super Meat Boy 3D, and Hollow Knight: Silksong.

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2025-08-26 15:31