Hellraiser: Revival is a survival horror game with a difference – it doesn’t pull any punches. From the depictions of murder, sex, drugs, the iconic Pinhead and everything in between, it doesn’t seem to let up during your entire playthrough. After you’ve made your way through the Labyrinth for the first time, and come the other end needing hearts to complete Sunny’s revival, you’ll have to head up the hill and then down into the basement of the Cult compound.
Here, you’ll end up meeting Bruno again. The same Bruno you shot in the head earlier on. If you’re here, you’re likely struggling with the game’s first real boss fight, but by the end of the guide, you’ll know exactly what you need to do in order to beat Bruno in Hellraiser: Revival.
How to Beat Bruno in Hellraiser: Revival
A surprising return, all things considered, but seeing Bruno again is good, if only to let out your frustrations on him for all the carnage and suffering he’s caused. It’s also not a one-and-done event, as he returns several times throughout the game, each time being more of a pest and changing things up.
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Fight #1
The first fight will take place in a tiny little room in the basement of the Cult compound, and it can be a little intimidating trying to figure out how to beat Bruno when he’s constantly stalking you, like the Chatterer only moments ago.
In short though, it comes down to dealing as much damage as possible, as quickly as possible. Hopefully you made good use of Zora when you met her again shortly before entering the basement, and have access either to a stockpile of ammo, or the recipes to quickly craft them. Otherwise, the melee weapons will have to do. If you’re here only with your basic knife… well this is going to take a while.
Throughout this first fight he will taunt and goad you, trying to get into your head and make you let your guard down. Don’t do it. He will also move with surprising speed, aiming to grab you and hurt you. If he does grab you, and it’s to be expected due to the small area you have to move around, then hammer R2/RT to escape, and then move quickly away. Make constant use of the evade button R1/RB to avoid this completely.
At this point, I’d suggest unloading the contents of both your pistol and shotgun on Bruno, as even on the lower difficulties he has a massive health bar, and you can quickly take some real damage if you’re not careful. It’s likely that this won’t be enough though, so take out any heavy weapon you have, and swing away. Make sure not to get too greedy though, as through your attacks he will still grab you.
Once you’ve done enough damage, he will melt into the floor, turning into a puddle of blood, and attempt to grab you from below, following you around the room. Again, make use of the evade button and keep out of his reach until he returns to his human form. Once this happens, unload any more ammo you may have crafted in the meantime into him, or slash away with your weapons.
After you’ve hurt him enough, you’ll be able to Banish him, effectively killing him and sending him back to Labyrinth. For now, this means you now know how to beat Bruno in Hellraiser: Revival, but don’t worry, as he points out as he gets taken away, this is only temporary. Before you continue on trying to find the Statue’s Missing Part, make sure you pick up Bruno’s Scalpel from the bubbling mess of viscera on the floor!
Fight #2
The second and final fight comes much later in the game. You’ll have beaten both Charlotte and the Sister of Mercy at this point, so you’ll understand the mechanics of close-quarters fights, which just like his first, this definitely is. Found right after finding the missing bell to be able to get into the elevator as you hunt Marlowe down, this fight is broken into two phases, and two locations.
The first phase is simple enough. You are showered with ammo of all types in the areas leading up to this, and the big blood graffiti message certainly gives it away its coming, so you should be well-prepared. If you haven’t been using the Lament Configuration Box, you’ll also have full, or nearly full, suffering meter to use the Hell Chains with, which is a huge help.
When the fight begins, pepper Bruno with all your weapons. He’s slow moving early on, so doing plenty of damage is easy, and easier still if you use the Hell Chains to hold him in place. There’s fire barrels in the area that can be used as explosive and fire damage too, but if you’re good with your shots, and have sufficient weapon upgrades installed, the first phase of this fight can be done within minutes, or even quicker on the easier difficulties.
Once his health is down to half, he’ll make a subtext-filled comment about your stamina and sink into a puddle of blood, escaping through the hole in the wall on the left of the room. Heal up, reload if you have any ammo left, scour for more items in and around here, and then follow him through to start the second phase.
This second phase is in a much bigger area, what looks like a construction site if anything, with a huge monolith in the middle. He’s a little quicker this time around, but the method stays the same. Make use of your weapons (the Dragon Breath Shotgun rounds are perfect here), and pick up anything you see as you go, as you’ll need it. There’s also a few sharp items you can use the Box to throw at him.
As his health drops, he will become more frenzied, culminating in him grabbing you from below and dragging you into his puddle of blood. Hammer R2/RT to escape as normal, and then keep the damage up on him. Eventually, he’ll begin to flash blue and you’ll be able to banish him, but not all is what it seems this time round. Either way, this is the final time you fight him, and he’s beaten for good. So that’s how you beat Bruno in Hellraiser: Revival (twice)!
For your next read, go check out our review of Hellraiser: Revival, or our tips and tricks we wish we knew prior to playing.
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!
