Discovering Hellraiser

Hellraiser scared me, and I wasn’t prepared for that. The film felt unsafe in a way that was far deeper than the typical array of slasher killers who haunt our dreams, stalk our streets, or rise from campsite lakes. I was sixteen at the time, and horror was my life; however, for many different reasons (of which I won’t bore you with), this movie really got to me. Its themes slid into my psyche to fester and grow, and its gruesome visuals never left my imagination. It’s fair to say it warped me, but only in the best way possible.

The Order of Gash, the film’s denizens of Hell, was different from all other monsters. They were waiting for you to invite them in. You hold the key, shaped like a puzzle box, and your desire alone swings the pendulum between your fate and the depths of Hell. The movie opens with a pointed question, “What’s your pleasure?” then sends viewers on an odyssey of suffering and obscene sights. You lead yourself to Hell, and that really, really bothered me.

The movie quickly became my favorite horror film and remains so today. It was made independently and marks Clive Barker’s directorial debut. All things considered, it’s aged fairly well, and its lore continues to retain its searing impact. It’s the one horror movie that ever gave me nightmares and helped to shape who I’d grow up to be.

The Revival

In an era when horror classics are rapidly being reimagined into video games, I found myself asking, “Where’s Hellraiser?” Especially after playing Outlast, I knew the potential for a genuine Hellraiser experience was there. So imagine my sick delight when they finally announced (this year!) we would get exactly that! Finally!

Ok sure, Hellraiser was technically slated to release on the NES (can you fucking believe that?) and in an extremely bizarre and confusing way it can be played today. Although I’ve never played it (and I’m not patient enough to learn how to), I’ve seen videos on YouTube that showcase the game. Pinhead has also appeared in Dead by Daylight and the fantastic Mortal Kombat clone, Terrordrome. So this isn’t exactly the first time Cenobites have been in gaming.

Saber Interactive is offering fans a unique experience with this game. It’s not a retelling of previous works, nor is it a remake—thank fuck! Instead, it’s a continuation of the story that introduces new elements we aren’t familiar with, such as new lead characters and even a new puzzle box, the Genesis Configuration.

The original four Cenobites, who terrified us in the past, are making a comeback, thankfully. Doug Bradley is back to reprise his iconic role as the Hellpriest, a character that’s defined his career. It’s also refreshing to know Clive Barker himself was involved in this project, which is one of the reasons Doug agreed to return.

First reactions

Based on the demo, the game fully embodies Clive Barker’s provocative vision, which may cause extreme discomfort for more sensitive gamers or those unfamiliar with his work. Fans of Barker’s body of work know he loves blending pseudo-philosophy with overt sexual themes and extreme violence. While it approaches the pornographic at times, it never crosses that line; however, it’s definitely not something you’d want your mom to see when she walks into the room. The demo plunges directly into this controversial nature (woo hoo!), leaving players with a thrilling sense of taboo.

Right off the bat, you (Aiden) and your girlfriend (Sunny) are in the heat of coitus with some lovely BDSM tossed in for spice. You get a feeling this level of kink is just a regular Tuesday night for these two lovebirds, though. In the heat of the moment, Sunny playfully uses Aiden as a pincushion for various piercings, and Aiden utilizes the Genesis Configuration—the new puzzle box from the game—to trace small cuts into her skin. This minor sadism sets a thrilling tone for your upcoming experience, so buckle up.

As her blood mingles with the configuration, it activates a gateway to the Labyrinth of Leviathan, and a realm of hellish delights beyond the ordinary awaits. Sunny eagerly steps forward, ready to delve deeper into this enticing world, prompting you to charge after her.

It’s worth mentioning that your character is completely naked, leaving you vulnerable as you enter the chilling depths of this obsidian hellscape. I admit I felt genuine dread while passing through the narrow halls of the Labyrinth. In the second film, we’re given only a small glimpse into the actual Hell of Hellraiser. Now, for the first time, we’re offered the chance to enter it for ourselves. You are sent into the dark unknown where pain is God. So bid the flesh farewell and abandon all hope.

I couldn’t imagine how trippy this would be in VR.

Along your journey, infernal things are always watching you in the nearby distance. For example, shapes move in spider-like patterns through huge gaps in the walls; I thought maybe it was the Engineer at first, then again perhaps they’re things we’ve never encountered yet. Eerie lights do little to brighten the path around you, and means of torture line the walls enclosing in on your already claustophobic space; you’re in Hell, and you’ve only just taken a few tentative steps into this bold, new existence. If you had any hope of turning around, well, it’s best not to hope here. Also, for comedic effect, I walked face-first into a tangle of dangling chains, which made me feel right at home in Hellraiser.

The whole time you’ll either hear or see your beloved Sunny ahead of you, always taunting you to journey deeper into the realm of tortured souls and save her from this fate. I caution you to watch your step, though, because Leviathan doesn’t like to lose a single soul.

The Labyrinth can be a huge puzzle in and of itself; your steps get rearranged, leaving you genuinely disoriented, walking in circles, and even panicked. It’s a claustrophobic nightmare where you walk alone to the naked gaze of Leviathan.

At this point in the demo, you aren’t given a weapon to defend yourself either, making you feel as helpless as a newborn against the many horrors of Hell and beyond.

Your steps gradually guide you toward Leviathan, almost as if it were by appointment. Gotta admit I felt small and entirely insignificant standing before…it? Him? Soon after, we get a glimpse of the game’s flair for the grotesque as we helplessly watch Sunny willingly submit to the Order of Gash. Their chains rush forward, and their hooks dig deeply into her slender body, pulling and shredding nerves and sanity.

They pull her flesh taut and lift her off her feet with her entrails spilling out. This honestly shocked even me. Didn’t expect to see her guts all dangly, so that was a new take on the familiar chaining scenes I’ve watched across the films. The high level of gore made me think of just how constrained horror movies can be. Things like budgets and props and actors are all to be contended with. Then, even once all of those factors fall into place, you still have to deal with an asshole ratings board that can rip your horror project apart.

A horror game has so much more liberty to be true to the intended vision no matter how grizzly that vision might be. You can rip the face off your lead character without harming an actor. Impale a whole cast of characters with their entrails dangling in the fetid wind, and you never have to pay for a prop. You can get as gruesome and be as twisted as you want to be, and the developers here showcase their satanic imagination on full display here. They don’t hold back, and the human body is nothing more than a canvas for the obscene to carve out a masterpiece of flesh and sorrow. Already from what little I’ve seen, I can say my expectations were not only met, but greatly exceeded.

This Isn’t For Your Eyes

Meanwhile, outside of Hell, an underground cult known as the Scarlet Church has taken a disturbing interest in you, and they immediately prove the Cenobites aren’t the only order to be terrified of here. The cult worships the Order of Gash, and it appears they’re striving to join their ranks or something like that, which is very alarming. The measure of pain a human being can inflict upon another is the stuff of nightmares, and people prove to be some of the scariest monsters found both in and out of fiction. So it is with the Scarlet Church.

To prove their undying devotion to Hell, they systematically carve up their victims and then display the corpses as macabre masterpieces of carnal art. It’s rumored this sort of practice actually happens around certain corners of the world where the elite gather in luxury and human life is cheap in their eyes. The atmosphere feels dangerous, much like the unsettling experience I had when I first watched the movie all those years ago. Of course I loved it.

The Scarlet Church remains shrouded in mystery, and I am already hooked, but I’m left with a lot of questions. Not sure how many answers I’ll get once I play, but it’s one more reason why I can’t wait to dive into this thing after it fully releases next month. It feels like the cult is pretty old, and a lot of the layout of their offices and fetishes remind me a hell of a lot of Dr. Channard’s from Hellbound: Hellraiser 2.

Was he a member of the Scarlet Church, and was this how he knew so much about the Cenobites? Or, upon further consideration, the Scarlet Church looks like it takes place inside an old, abandoned hospital, again harkening back to Hellbound. Could the cult have grown out of the research they discovered from the wicked doctor’s obsessive notes? Is this his hospital? The two may not be linked in the least, but I’d like to think there’s possibly a connection there.

The demo provided a glimpse into what the game has to offer, and I think it’s going to be amazing. The gameplay was smooth, the scares were effective, and I felt sincerely uneasy while playing. Well done! I’m also really glad this is a single-player, story-based game. Too many modern horror games end up focusing on co-op play, which can definitely work in some cases, but not in all. The first-person perspective fully immerses the player inside the nightmarish world of all Hellraiser can offer, allowing for a personal and terrifying journey.

It releases October 8th for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC (Steam). The demo is available on Steam.

Just in time for Halloween and what a Helluva way to ring in spooky season! I’ll see you in Hell, my nasties!

Manic out!