The lurid environments of Hellraiser: Revival might evoke a sense of déjà vu, reminiscent of titles like Resident Evil Village, but this horror survival game strives to continue the sadomasochistic legacy of Clive Barker’s Hellbound Heart. While players search for crafting supplies in grim locales, the game often feels like it's bleeding from some of its own miscalculations, yet it promises to show players some truly disturbing sights.
Hellraiser: Revival seeks to reestablish the distinct pleasures of the flesh to maximalist degrees, beginning with the story of Aidan Lynch, a medical doctor turned biker gang enforcer. After a passionate encounter with his partner Sunny, they experiment with an ornate puzzle box that summons the Cenobites, leading to Sunny's horrific demise. Aidan is subsequently kidnapped by a cult led by Marlowe, who aims to become a Cenobite himself. With the puzzle box in hand, Aidan discovers he can bargain with the Cenobites for Sunny's return, at the cost of flesh.
A Waste of Good Suffering
Initially, Revival lunges for the throat with a surprising amount of explicit content. However, the game's core mechanics, particularly its gunplay, prove to be unsatisfactory. Enemies lack proper feedback for player actions, making combat feel like a chore. The shooting mechanics, described as akin to a knife fight against spongy opponents, often leave players feeling like they are wasting precious ammunition. This reliance on shooting falters, especially when compared to survival horror traditions that emphasize conserving every bullet.
The game attempts to fit the frame of titles like Resident Evil, focusing on ammo crafting and puzzle-solving. However, a reviewer noted a wish for mechanics closer to Condemned: Criminal Origins, which emphasized melee combat. Thankfully, as the game progresses, the gunplay becomes less pronounced. Aidan acquires new abilities, offering more magically powered alternatives to shooting, which enhances the decadent nature of the game and aligns it more closely with the source material.
Amen
After navigating sewer tunnels and urban dungeons, players enter the Labyrinth, the homeworld of the Cenobites. This area is a visual feast, described as genuinely beautiful despite its vulgarity. The intricate clockwork, the sounds of the Chatterer, and the digital portrayal of Pinhead actor Doug Bradley's expressions contribute to a faithful recreation of the Hellraiser universe. This reverence for detail is compared favorably to RoboCop: Rogue City.
As the story progresses, Revival begins to mirror the basic components of the first two Hellraiser films, though it doesn't introduce many novel elements. The soundscape, filled with jangles, skitters, and groans, is remarkably well assembled, complementing the on-screen horror. While the game may not add much new to the Hellraiser lore, its greatest sin is chaining itself down with attempts to mimic more popular games, rather than fully embracing its own unique identity. The Cenobites are presented as arbiters and observers of depravity, fitting their established roles. Ultimately, Hellraiser: Revival offers a gruesome journey that, despite its mechanical shortcomings, captures the spirit of its iconic source material.