Clive Barkers Hellraiser Revival

Ninetoes knows why all the YouTube Streamers got strikes when reviewing the new HELLRAISER: REVIVAL game… and it’s an NC-17 reason.

TITLE: Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival

PUBLISHER: Saber Games

FORMAT: Xbox X

PRICE: $49.99

Hey there, gamers! It is your old pal, Ninetoes, coming to you from Ninetoes HQ with a look at Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival. I’ve got my controller in hand, and my thinking cap on, so let’s get to it!

Before we get into it, when you boot up the game, you will see a warning. At first, I thought it was the photosensitivity warning that is ubiquitous in games today. It is not. It is a content warning about the game’s sexualized content. So, let me add to this: if you have children in the house, make sure they are nowhere near where you are playing. This game should come with an NC-17 rating. This is not me being a prude; this is me stating a definitive fact.

In 1987, Clive Barker unleashed Hellraiser on movie audiences across the country, and we went bonkers for it! Then the sequels came, and we still went nuts! Now, we have a game. Oh, do we ever have a game!

The game starts with a couple, Aidan and Sunny, in bed, getting it on. Sunny sees the puzzle box (you know the one!), and she decides she wants to play. (Why do they always wanna play?) Aidan traces it on her body, sparks fly, and the wall opens up. Sunny runs into the opening. Aidan chases (my man, don’t do it!) Of course, you have to go after her because this is the tutorial part of the game. After the tutorial, you wake up in your apartment, next to Sunny. Then the lights trace down the walls and our favorite four Cenobites (Pinhead, Chatterer, Butterball, and Deepthroat… those are their names according to the internet) show up and offer “Such delights…” Faster than slipping on a greased banana peel, Sunny says yes. Hooks and chains fall, and…well, any fan of the movie knows the rest. BUT…

Aidan wakes up and he is bound to a chair. Apparently, he did something to the box that a cult wants to know. They have big plans, and this is where the game takes you. You traverse a sex cult’s lair, looking for the way out. When you finally get there, you are pulled back in to save Sunny…

The controls in this game take a little getting used to. Once you do, then it is a matter of timing patterns in fights. Sure, you can shoot your enemies with the gun (when you finally get it), but the problem is ammo is VERY limited. Yes, you can craft your own ammo, but finding the necessary items is a grind. Another thing to consider is that your weapons (except for the knife) will eventually break. Repair kits are available, but again, you have to grind. Your health is another thing to keep an eye on, and it will go down fast in a fight (remember the timing thing I mentioned a moment ago?), and you can heal yourself with bandages, with items you find, and (you guessed it) finding them is a grind.

The graphics are well done. They are not off-the-charts exceptional, especially considering this game was made for current-generation consoles and computers. They look like a cross between last generation and the current generation. In a way, the creators missed the mark here. Just a little more polish would have given this game a feel of playing a movie.

The sounds are excellent. The squelches when you stab, the bullet impacts, the blood dripping, the flesh tearing, all come across as if you are in the same room it is being done in. On this point, I have to give the creators high marks.

Then we get the voice acting. Excellent job, and hold onto your hats, Doug Bradley (the original Pinhead) is back to reprise his role! This was an added plus for me. What would have sent this over the top is if they incorporated Christopher Young’s soundtrack from the original 1987 movie.

Two things would make this game sublime: 1) Give me a Jump ability. 2) Let me block some attacks. I have encountered areas where my hands tell me to jump, but nope, denied. And then there are some attacks I wanted to merely block, but have to dodge instead. Otherwise, this game is as close to perfect as a horror game can get!

So, is this worth the money I paid? Hell Yes!

Would I recommend it to others? Hell Yes!

Does it have a good replayability factor? Hell Yes!

If you are a fan of the HELLRAISER franchise, love body horror, love blood, guts, gore, goo, and you love a good shooter and survival horror, this is a must-get for you!

I give this game 4.5 controllers out of 5!

Darren “Ninetoes” Perdue is a book and media reviewer. When he is not reading, he is watching true crime shows, cooking for his family, or working on a plan for universal domination. If you see him on his porch, say hi. He does not bite…much.

PLEASE NOTE: The views and opinions of the staff of Memento Mori Ink do not necessarily represent those of Memento Mori Ink or Crystal Lake Publishing, nor do the views or opinions of Crystal Lake necessarily represent those of Memento Mori Ink or its staff. Thank you for understanding.