Clive Barker's Hellraiser: Revival launched today on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC and Switch 2 — and the reviews paint a fascinating picture. Horror outlets are raving; mainstream critics are more measured.
The scores
On Metacritic the game sits at 69 on PS5 and 74 on PC and Xbox — firmly in “mixed or average” territory. OpenCritic has it at a 75 Top Critic Average with just 61% of critics recommending. But the averages hide a real split.
Horror fans are all in
Insider Gaming gave it 9/10, calling it “an unexpected gem in almost every way” and saying Saber's horror show delivers “a compelling, rich journey through pain and pleasure.” Giant Bomb awarded 4/5, praising its respect for the source material — the Labyrinth, the Cenobites, and the Genesis Configuration puzzle box all get singled out. Dread Central scored it 4/5 too, calling it “bloody, disturbing, and occasionally frustrating” but fundamentally understanding what makes Hellraiser Hellraiser. Console Creatures went 9/10, saying it “doesn't hold back” on the franchise's signature body horror.
The mainstream take
Generalist outlets were cooler. GamingBible gave it 7/10, praising the mythos and puzzles but calling the combat “janky at the best of times.” COGconnected scored 63/100, while DualShockers and PlayStation Universe both landed on 7/10. TechRaptor and Press Start went 7 and 6 respectively. The common threads: strong atmosphere and puzzles, but combat and polish complaints.
What the game is
Hellraiser: Revival is a first-person survival horror game developed by Saber Interactive (World War Z, SnowRunner) in collaboration with Clive Barker himself. Players control Aidan Lynch, who uses the power of the Genesis Configuration puzzle box to rescue his girlfriend Sunny from the Labyrinth. Doug Bradley returns as Pinhead — the original actor — which alone has horror fans hyped.
The game was first teased in July 2025, showed a 45-minute demo at Gamescom, and launched today at $39.99 across all four platforms.
Germany pulls it from Steam
One wrinkle: the game has been pulled from Steam in Germany over rating issues — the USK rating remains unresolved. German players will have to wait.
KongMNG's take
This is the classic horror-game pattern: if you're a fan of the franchise, it sounds like a must-play — every horror outlet agrees it gets Hellraiser. If you're just looking for a polished survival horror game, the mixed scores suggest waiting for a patch or a sale. At $39.99 it's priced like a mid-tier risk, which feels about right.