Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival launched on October 8, 2026 to a sharply split critical reception. Reviewers agree the game looks and sounds like Hellraiser and takes its characters seriously. They disagree on whether its combat, level design and technical execution match that ambition. Scores range from enthusiastic to hostile, so the useful question is which of the game’s strengths and weaknesses matter most to you.
What the game is
Steam describes Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival as a first-person action-horror survival game. You play Aidan, who uses the Genesis Configuration puzzle box while trying to help Sunny escape the Labyrinth, and who confronts a cult devoted to the Cenobites. Saber Interactive is listed as both developer and publisher on the Steam game page.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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Clive Barker's Hellraiser: Revival - PlayStation 5 | $39.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Evil West (PS5) | $52.97 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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Perp The Persistence Enhanced Amélioré(e) Anglais PlayStation 5 | $18.18 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
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Broken Pieces PS5 | $34.64 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
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Hellraiser Legacy: Pinhead | $19.99 | Buy on Amazon |
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The game is available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC via Steam. In a PlayStation.Blog post published July 16, 2026, Saber Interactive representative Emil Esov said the team had worked on the game for “4+ years” (see the PlayStation.Blog developer post).
Where the scores stand
Launch-day numbers come from different sources and measure different things. They should be read separately rather than averaged into one figure.
#1 Best Overall
- A New Story in Hellraiser's Canon – Unwittingly kickstart Pinhead’s ritual to unleash greater pain and pleasure than ever before.
- Harness the Power of the Box – Combine the unique, hellish abilities of the Configuration with an arsenal of earthly weapons to inflict bone-breaking, flesh-searing pain - or is it pleasure? - upon masochistic enemies.
- Fight Against Unholy Enemies – Take on hell's wretches, deviants, cultists, and even its most infernal priests in a story-driven horror survival game.
| Source | What it measures | Reported figure | Date of report |
|---|---|---|---|
| Digital Citizen | Range of early review scores in its launch article | 9/10 to 4.5/10 | October 8, 2026 |
| Pure Xbox | Metacritic score, PS5 platform | 69 (PS5 had the most reviews at that point) | October 8, 2026 |
| Pure Xbox | Metacritic score, PC platform | 74 | October 8, 2026 |
| Pure Xbox | Metacritic score, Xbox platform | 74 | October 8, 2026 |
| Steam | User reviews (player sentiment, not critic consensus) | 96% positive from 476 reviews | Page accessed October 8, 2026 |
The Digital Citizen range is the spread of early scores that its article reports, not a count of every review. The Metacritic figures are launch-day values and will move as more reviews are added. The Steam percentage reflects players who chose to review on Steam, which is a different audience from professional critics.
Why reviewers split
Most of the positive coverage and most of the negative coverage point at the same few features. The difference is which side of the trade-off a reviewer weighed more heavily.
Rank #2
- This physical version of the Evil West includes a Wild Wild Easter pack! Tear off undead new while looking fancy like a devil with a new outfit and five weapon skins.
- Fight alone or with a friend in a stylish, bloody action battle
- Myths i legendy opowiadane w stylizowanym, dziwnym wszechświecie dzikiego zachodu
- Grow with extras, weapons and upgrade tools
- Explore and fight in a story-based campaign to save America
What critics praised
- Atmosphere and sound. Reviewers consistently highlight the mood, visual design and sound design.
- Respect for the franchise. The MeriStation review praises the story and its fidelity to the Hellraiser universe. Its reviewer, Roberto Barragán, wrote: “El juego es una continua celebración de la violencia y el brutalismo. Parece una nueva película de la saga” (translation: “The game is a continuous celebration of violence and brutalism. It feels like a new film in the saga.”). The MeriStation review is published in Spanish.
What critics criticized
- Inconsistent gameplay. Several reviews describe uneven execution across the game’s systems.
- Combat. MeriStation calls combat functional but lacking impact.
- Repetition and length. The same review says some Labyrinth sections become repetitive, and other coverage describes some sections as overlong.
- Technical shortcomings. Technical problems are a recurring complaint in the launch coverage.
The editorial read on the split
Pure Xbox News Editor Fraser Gilbert summed up the early reaction: “One of the games we mentioned in today’s ‘out now’ article is Clive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revival, and looking at the initial reviews that have been published over the past few hours, it’s hard to know what to make of this one.” That uncertainty is the common thread. Players who come for the franchise’s tone are being rewarded; players who expect a tight, polished survival-horror loop are finding more friction.
Recommended Free Tools
MeriStation reports a 14–15 hour playthrough on the highest difficulty. That is one reviewer’s run, not a guaranteed completion time.
Rank #3
- PS5 Features include raytracing modes and immersive haptic feedback for DualSense
- Use darkness and cover to avoid being overwhelmed by the ship's deadly new inhabitants
- Seek out the weapon fabricators to increase your firepower as you journey deeper, into the dark and terrifying depths, but beware ammo is limited
- Gather materials & schematics for weapon upgrades and suit customizations with buffs
- Harvest DNA material to improve health, toughness and defensive capabilities.Survive an ever changing labyrinth. Each and every expedition into The Persistence will be disorienting and different.Death is just the beginning. Fatal encounters will result in Zimri's consciousness being uploaded into a new cloned body, ready to try again, with any upgraded stats, suits & weapon schematics kept to aid the next attempt to save the ship
Age rating and content
The ESRB rates the game Mature 17+ for Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, and Use of Drugs. The ESRB rating page summarizes the premise as a man trying to rescue his girlfriend from supernatural forces.
The developer-provided content description on Steam goes further in naming specific material. It lists torture, consensual mutilation, drug and alcohol abuse, tobacco use, and non-explicit consensual sex, with narrative themes including suicide, domestic abuse, BDSM practices, and addiction. Readers with specific sensitivities should check those descriptions before buying.
Rank #4
- DEEP THRILLING ATMOSPHERE - Explore the sleepy Saint-Exil region through a deep environmental narrative and discover a cult obsessed with sending sinners out to sea and why the military so obsessed with small, sleepy French coastal town?
Price by storefront
Prices below are the US figures shown on the storefront pages accessed on October 8, 2026. Store prices and editions can change.
| Storefront | Edition | Price shown |
|---|---|---|
| PlayStation Store (US) | Standard | $39.99 |
| PlayStation Store (US) | Deluxe | $49.99 |
| Xbox Store (US) | Edition not stated on the accessed page | $39.99 |
| Steam | Not stated | Displayed in yen; not comparable to US prices |
Who should consider it
The split makes more sense once you rank your priorities. Use the reviews as a guide, not a verdict.
Best Value
- Choose it if faithful Hellraiser atmosphere, mood and story matter more to you than mechanical polish.
- Be cautious if you need consistent combat, tight exploration or a technically clean experience at launch, since these are the most frequent criticisms.
- Check the content first if graphic violence, nudity, sexual content or the listed narrative themes are a concern.
- Compare platforms before deciding, because the Metacritic snapshots differ between PS5 and PC or Xbox and were reported on launch day.
Watch for updates to the review counts and scores in the first weeks after launch, since the early figures are still settling.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
