Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival is finally out, and the first official Hellraiser video game has produced wildly different reactions from critics and players. Released Oct. 8 for PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch 2, Saber’s first-person horror game arrives during a particularly busy period for the genre, following recent releases such as Silent Hill: Townfall.
Revival currently sits at 69 on Metacritic for PS5, while its PC and Xbox versions are both at 74. Individual reviews are even more divided, ranging from 4.5/10 to 9/10. Players appear considerably more enthusiastic. At the time of writing, 96% of more than 600 Steam purchaser reviews are positive, giving Hellraiser: Revival an “Overwhelmingly Positive” rating.
Its extreme content is also creating problems outside the game itself. One YouTuber claims his 190,000-subscriber channel was deleted after uploading censored Hellraiser: Revival footage, even as other creators continue showing the game on YouTube and Twitch.
Hellraiser: Revival Reviews Are All Over the Place
While critics largely agree that Hellraiser: Revival understands Hellraiser, opinions differ wildly on whether it’s also a good video game. Insider Gaming awarded it 9/10, praising its survival horror design and calling it an “unexpected gem.” GameWatcher’s review similarly scored it 8.5/10, highlighting its story, brutal combat, atmosphere and treatment of Pinhead and the Cenobites.
The other end of the scale is much harsher. Game Informer gave Revival 4.5/10, citing bugs and frustrating design, while Push Square awarded it 5/10 and described a game where strong moments are frequently undermined by irritating mechanics.
That explains its middling aggregate despite several glowing reviews. The recurring criticism concerns technical problems, cramped encounters and design frustrations, whereas positive reviews repeatedly praise its atmosphere, story and faithfulness to Clive Barker’s material.
Steam players are currently far more united. Reviews particularly highlight the game’s uncompromising gore, strong performance and respect for Hellraiser rather than simply using Pinhead as recognizable horror branding.
Is Hellraiser: Revival Actually Canon?
Revival’s relationship with Hellraiser canon is slightly more complicated than calling it a direct sequel. The developers describe it as a new story set within the Hellraiser universe, drawing primarily from Barker’s original 1986 novella The Hellbound Heart and the first two movies, Hellraiser and Hellbound: Hellraiser II.
It takes place roughly 20 years after the original movie but isn’t presented as a direct continuation of its plot. Instead, characters such as Aidan and Sunny exist within the established mythology of the Cenobites and Labyrinth.
Doug Bradley’s return as Pinhead creates another particularly strong connection. Bradley originated the role in Barker’s 1987 film and hadn’t played the character since 2005.
Barker himself was also directly involved. He helped establish Revival’s characters, themes and rules before continuing as an adviser, while the developers have described his guidance as important to its visual style, lore and character personalities.
Hellraiser: Revival continues Saber Interactive’s recent involvement with licensed horror properties, following games such as A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead. It also builds upon and shows that main publisher Boss Team Games has a handle on famous horror, after this studio released Evil Dead: The Game in 2022.
Hellraiser: Revival Is Already Causing Problems for Streamers
Revival’s commitment to Hellraiser’s sex, violence and body horror has also created an unusual problem for content creators. French YouTuber j0nathan claims YouTube initially removed his gameplay video for nudity despite him blurring the offending section. He says his entire channel, which had around 190,000 subscribers and represented roughly a decade of work, was subsequently deleted.
He also pointed out that other Hellraiser: Revival videos remained available showing the same scene uncensored, questioning why enforcement apparently differed between channels.
That discrepancy is especially noticeable because numerous creators have continued streaming Revival. Twitch tracking showed hundreds of channels broadcasting the game after launch, including several with thousands of concurrent viewers.
Other creators have reported similar problems, however. Players discussing the demo reported YouTube strikes even after using warnings or attempting to censor explicit imagery. Saber’s official guidance makes the risk clear. It says streaming and videos are “allowed and encouraged,” but creators should mark content 18+ and use a sexual themes label where available.
The Last Word
Hellraiser: Revival’s launch reaction seems strangely appropriate for a franchise obsessed with the line between pleasure and pain. Some critics see an excellent, faithful adaptation, while others have encountered enough bugs and frustrating design choices to score it below average. Players currently lean much more heavily toward the former view, with Steam reviews overwhelmingly positive.
Its connection to Barker, Doug Bradley and the mythology of the first two films also gives Revival considerable authenticity. However, its uncompromising approach creates another challenge entirely for creators: its developers, Saber Interactive, may encourage streaming, but the removal of j0nathan’s video and reported channel deletion show that platform rules can be considerably less accommodating.
Featured Image Credit
