Before Summer Game Fest, I honestly wasn’t sure what to expect from Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival.
Hellraiser is one of those horror franchises that either clicks with you or it doesn’t. It has a very specific tone, built around the Cenobites, the puzzle box, and its uniquely disturbing imagery. Because of that, I was a little worried Revival might end up feeling like a fairly generic survival horror game with Hellraiser themes layered on top.
After going hands-on with it at Summer Game Fest, I’m happy to say I was pleasantly surprised.
Hellraiser: Revival Is More Action-Packed Than I Expected
The biggest surprise from my hands-on time was how much more action-driven Revival is than I expected. I thought it might be slower and more focused on hiding, running, and puzzle-solving, but this is a game that actually wants you to fight back.
The gunplay is pretty fun, and that caught me off guard in the best way. Revival still has the disturbing imagery and horror atmosphere you would want from Hellraiser, but it also understands that facing these nightmares head-on can be just as exciting as surviving them from the shadows.
The Puzzles Feel Like A Smart Fit
It also wouldn’t be Hellraiser without the puzzle box, and Revival seems to be making puzzles a core part of the experience rather than just using them as set dressing.
During my hands-on demo, the puzzles reminded me more of adventure game puzzles than basic survival horror “find the key” design. That feels like a smart direction because Hellraiser is built around mystery, temptation, and solving something you probably should have left alone.
I Want To See How Big This Game Gets
One of my biggest questions after playing is scale. Revival already feels more ambitious than I expected, but I’m curious to see how far it goes. Will this be a tight linear horror-action experience, or will we get larger areas to explore? How deep into the Labyrinth are we actually going?
Most importantly, I’m excited to face the Cenobites head-on. Hellraiser is at its best when they feel terrifying, powerful, and almost impossible to fully understand. If Revival can capture that while still being fun to play, it could be something special.
Final Thoughts
I went into Summer Game Fest unsure about Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival, but after playing it for myself, I left far more excited than I expected. The action is stronger than I anticipated, the gunplay is surprisingly fun, and the puzzles feel like a natural fit for the franchise.
With the game now set to release on October 8th, Hellraiser: Revival has quickly become one of the horror games I’ll be watching closely.
If you’re keeping track of everything coming out this year, be sure to check out our full June 2026 video game and tech release roundup for all the biggest launches you won’t want to miss.
