Last Updated on Sep 4, 2026 @ 17:02:36 PM.
Iconic horror franchises are doing well in the gaming industry right now. From SAW: Genesis being shown off at Gamescom, to Halloween: The Game releasing in a few days, there’s really something for everyone 80s and 90s horror fan, and that’s before we even get to the meat and bones of Hellraiser: Revival.
Anyone that loves ‘old’ horror will no doubt have a soft spot for Pinhead and the Cenobites, to some degree, and seeing Doug Bradley returning for this, after years away from the franchise, is something long time fans can and should appreciate. My biggest worry, when this was revealed, was that whether it be due to ratings boards, a publisher or investor worried about crossing a line or closing off potential audiences, or just the developmental team not ‘getting’ what makes Hellraiser its own unique thing, we simply wouldn’t get a true to form version of it. After playing it for an hour at Gamescom 2026, I can safely say this worry is now gone.
Anyone that knows and loves Hellraiser will tell you that it’s pure violence, sex, degradation and pure adult entertainment, all covered in a thick slime of uncomfortable feelings and the sense of not being quite okay all the time. Hellraiser: Revival manages to take the FPS genre, throw a lot of the above into it, and make it fit the tone of the franchise to a tee.
Taking control of Aiden, a man who has lead a life of complete debauchery, with drugs, sex and everything in between in excess. After a bit of experimentation in the bedroom department goes awry, he ends up on a journey into hell to save Sunny, his long term girlfriend that has been abducted by Pinhead and Co, as the former begins to manipulate him in all the ways fans have grown accustomed to.
During my hands-on, I was tasked with exploring a human sex club, filled with all the rooms and accessories you’d expect in such a place. There were no punches pulled here. As an FPS, you’re doubly charged with walking around and exploring with a gun in your right hand, and the Lament Configuration Box in your left hand, dual wielding very different weapons.
Gunplay in Hellraiser: Revival isn’t revolutionary, but it does pack a punch. Ammo is relatively scarce, so you won’t be able to spray and pray all that much, but when you hit a target, the reaction is pretty heavy. They ‘feel’ each shot that hits them, making it a satisfying time to go ham on them.
The box on the other hand, that’s where it really shines. Used as a weapon, you can telekinetically control items throughout the environment and throw them. Early on in my playthrough I was able to find and pick up all manner of items, but my favourite was the circular blade that I could push through the air at great speed, decapitating enemies at will, all while pummeling them with bullets all over the shop. It’s both satisfying and VERY Hellraiser-esque. It’s not something you’d expect from the franchise, but it just works.
When you’re not in the human world, working your way through one sex dungeon to the next, you’ll be going into hell, looking for your girlfriend and attempting to save her, and this is where the majority of the mind-bending puzzling will come into play. Using the box once again, I was tasked with making way across across a room where a walkway was present, but not quite reachable.
First I tried to jump it and died, as there’s no jump mechanic (which I think is odd), then tried to cheese it, which obviously didn’t work. I then finally came to the conclusion the box was necessary, and holding it allowed me to pivot the platform around, until the walkway was configured in such a way I could just walk from A to B. The thematic relevance of getting the right configuration to progress was not lost on me, and hopefully is present more often in the final game.
Next came the real nightmare though. Hellraiser: Revival isn’t just about FPS gameplay, but much more-so the uncomfortable hallucinations, the feeling of dread and the total lack of control we have as the protagonist. This was evident during the next gameplay segment, where I was forced to time and again run around the same house, our house, as I relived awkward discussions, sexual proclivities and deathly kidnappings of my partner, all whilst trying desperately to save her. Again, Hellraiser: Revival isn’t holding anything back, and you see, hear and are exposed to much more than you may ever have been in another video game, and yet, it’s nailing the franchise it originated from.
Hellraiser: Revival is good, but for more than just gameplay reasons. The FPS gameplay is a little clunky, which makes sense based on the character, but the atmosphere, the willingness to push the line, the design of the environments and the understanding of what makes Hellraiser what it is leaves me wondering just what else they could have in store for us, if they’re showing these slices of the game off already.
Hellraiser: Revival releases on October 8th for PlayStation 5, XBOX Series X|S, and PC.
For your next read, check out our write-up on our Gamescom 2026 preview of Turok: Origins, or what we really thought of Zeverland.
Luke Addison is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Thumb Wars. Having previously been a part of multiple outlets over the years, including building an entire gaming team from nothing to something, he thought it best to forge his own path and answer only to himself. As likely to be found playing the latest game as he is in the kitchen relaxing (by cooking), he always brings the same bold and brash attitude to everything he does, with a heavy leaning on sarcasm and dry wit!
