Before opening the doors to the pleasures of heaven or hell, here's some interesting titbits.
While this is the first video game in the franchise, there was a cancelled NES game back in 1990, simply called Hellraiser.
Unlicensed SNES game Super 3D Noah's Ark began as a Hellraiser project.
Pinhead officially appeared in the DLC for Dead by Daylight in 2021, until his removal in 2025.
On the flipside, he featured in 2015 fanmade one-on-one fighter Terrordrome: Rise of the Boogeymen, which also included other horror icons such as Michael Myers, Leatherface, Ghostface, Candyman and Freddy Krueger.
Anyway, FPS is developed by Saber Interactive and while never confirmed, takes place about 20 years after original 1987 film.
Summary
When not inside Labyrinth, game is set in Clairport.
Aidan Lynch is a member of biker gang The Hell Raisers (honestly), and while having sadmasochistic sex with his girlfriend Sunny (going by Yoon Sun-Hee), Aidan cuts her with the Genesis Configuration, inadvertently summoning the Cenobites.
The Priest rips her ass apart with hooked chains and Aidan is knocked unconscious.
In his pursuit to rescue better half, Aidan takes on Marlowe's fanatical cult the Scarlet Church, tames The Unworthy and faces his dark past.
Miscellany
Combat involves firearms (shotgun, pistol, assault rifle, shotgun etc) and melee weapons (knife, baseball bat, cleaver etc).
Pea shooters can be upgraded and melee break over time, which can be repaired using a kit.
Bottles are thrown to distract enemies and gun-toting cultists primarily behave like the humans in Uncharted/The Last of Us.
Items are crafted by scavenging resources and basic bastards can be stealth killed.
Lock picks are used to, well, ya' know, but tool is easily destroyed if not given respect. One thing's for sure, Aidan ain't no Jill Valentine.
'Banishing' regular enemies recovers health and suffering (which is the GC's energy).
Telekinesis is ripped straight from Dead Space, but using the GC to solve puzzles and as a weapon was satisfying.
We can also quick turn, something that Silent Hill: Townfall bizarrely deemed unnecessary.
It doesn't happen very often, but the rooms in Aidan's apartment loop, smacking very much of P.T.
Resident Evil 4 (2005)
Game may have the gritty design aesthetics of the Condemned series, but game takes huge chunks from Capcom's masterpiece.
Aside from breaking loot boxes, inventory screen is IDENTICAL, right down to auto sort, moving and rotating stuff.
Rather than the Merchant, we get chain-smoking Eremite Zora Beckett.
As a nice touch, two trophies/acheievements are named after quotes:
What're Ya Buyin? and What're Ya Sellin?
Hehehe, thank you!
Finally, survival section in a cabin (in the woods no less), encourages you to board up windows, a la RE 2 (2019).
Bosses
Bruno (basically Frank The Monster), Charlotte, Sister of Mercy and Marlowe.
We also have to take care of mini boss the Embracer on three occasions. Tumour is protected by impenetrable armour, but arms not so.
Pain
The first thing that bothered me is how are the original Cenobites still alive?
An explanation was provided in Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth for Pinhead (sorry Clive) coming back, but Female Cenobite, the Chatterer and Butterball were killed by Channard in Hellbound: Hellraiser II.
(Frowns).
Melee combat sucks harder than a veteran prostitute and awkward camera doesn't exactly help.
The Priest and Female Cenobite are used sparingly, which is shame as script (written in collaboration with Barker), is impressive.
Jesus wept!
As with all bosses, the second encounter of Bruno as a blood monster glows blue when defeated. But bastard can only be banished when clutching the GC, as holding a gun or melee weapon does jack shit.
I haven't tried this myself, but trophies/achievements What're Ya Buyin? (spend at least 666 coins) and What're Ya Sellin? (earn at least 999 coins through sales) are apparently bugged on PS5.
Charlotte can get stuck on the top of a cliff and even becomes stationary in the centre of arena. In both instances - bitch is invincible.
Issues might be patched later on, but even so - no fucking excuse.
Pleasure
Even though he's no spring chicken anymore, Doug Bradley is excellent.
Environments may get repetitive, but visuals are surprisingly clean and detailed.
The Labyrinth shifts and changes to disorientate, all while the Chatterer gives chase.
Other times, it's about negotiating traps.
In the real world, rotating and splitting the GC to solve door puzzles is great fun. Other brain teasers involve placing key items in the correct order.
Cut scenes contain all the essential ingredients you'd expect from IP, such as domestic violence, BDSM, mutilation and drug addiction.
Ooh la la moments are very mild and in terms of nudity, The Outlast Trials is way more explicit.
Climax
After feeding her Marlowe's heart, a heavily pregnant Sunny is fully regenerated. As if by magic, the Cenobites arrive and to fulfil his end of the bargain, Aidan allows Sunny to eat his hand. The Priest reveals the Church misinterpreted the Rite of Rebirth and the GC actually identifies a Revenant Mother.
The Priest kneels over her and his face dissolves. Aidan tries to intervene but the Chatterer throws him into the Labyrinth.
By the time he returns, Sunny has given birth to an ascended incarnation of The Priest, possessing Leviathan's powers of revelation.
Sunny reveals she agreed to join the Cenobites from the very beginning and manipulated Aidan into resurrecting her.
The Female Cenobite invites Aidan to join them, but Zora encourages him to choose his own destiny.
Endings
Enlightenment of Flesh: walking towards the Female Cenobite before the gap seals deprives him of tongue. As they enter Leviathan's body, Aidan's eye turns black.
Stay Human: if we wait until the wall closes, he stays with Zora and is optimistic about starting a new life.
Verdict 6/10
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