For a momentthere, it felt like the only profitable way for developers tocreatenew licensed horror games was to make them all asymmetrical multiplayer experiences.I don’tactuallyhave anything against thisparticularkind of gameplay, but Ipretty much had my fill of the genrewhenSumo Nottingham’s excellentThe Texas Chain Saw Massacrereleasedbackin 2023.That’s why I was ecstatic whenHellraiser: Revivalshowed up out of the blue and proved that fan-favorite horror movies can (and should) be adapted into single-player horror experiences more often.
So, in honor ofRevivalbreaking the mold by actually paying attention to the narrative elements that made fans fall in love with this hellish world in the first place, and actually consulting with its original creator, today I’d like to highlight fiveotherClive Barker movies/stories that deserve their own interactive adaptations.
Naturally, this won’t be a comprehensive list of everysingleBarker yarn that couldbe developed intoa fun video game, sodon’t forget tocomment below with your own ideas if you think we missed a particularly interesting story.
With that out of the way, onto the list!
5. Lord of Illusions
As a huge fan of investigative games where playersare put in charge of solvingsomekind ofoverarching mystery (thinkThe Wolf Among Usor evenL.A. Noire), I can easily see how 1995’sLord of Illusionscould makefora compelling adventure title ifadapted bythe right team.
Thatbeingsaid,this onewouldn’t even have to be a straight adaptation of thisparticularstory,as theparanormal detective Harry D’Amouris capable of shooting and drinkinghis way out of nearly any supernatural mystery the writerscanthrow his way.Of course, if it were up to me, the developers would bring Scott Bakula back to reprise his role from the underrated film–possibly in an interactive recreation of theHellraisercrossoverThe Scarlet Gospels.
4. Mister B. Gone
I might be cheating by including this one since it’s technically the only entry on the list that was never even considered for a big-screen adaptation, but eventhe story’s harshest critics have to admit that the metafictional delights ofMister B. Gonecould make for one hell of a mind-bending interactive experience in the vein of theAlan Wakegames.
Think about it:there’snothingstoppingthe literary demon Jakabok Botch frommaking the leapfrom the page to the digital realm.Onceinside a game, it’s only natural that this cruel anti-hero would entice players to help himenacta variety of hellish schemesmeantto bring him back to the physical world.Gameplay-wise, I can see thisone beinga mix of the stealth-action of Cyanide’sStyxtitlescombined withthe darkly humorous puzzles of Shiver Games’Luciustrilogy.
3. The Midnight Meat Train
I’ve always been a fan ofserial killersimulators likeManhuntandHotline Miamithat make you question why you’re having so much funengaging invirtual murder.Couple that with the recent trend of “job simulator” horror where developers subvert expectations by adding scary elements to seemingly innocent labor (thinkofThe Closing ShiftorevenThe Mortuary Assistant), andI thinkyou’ve got a great pitch for aMidnight Meat Trainadaptation.
After all, both Ryuhei Kitamura’s film and Barker’s original story make it clear that the Subway Butcher is working for the greater good, so a grungy urban horror game where you funnel potential victims into the train, execute survivors, and then prepare their meat for your ravenous masters could make for a disturbingly memorable recreation of one of the bestBooks of Bloodyarns.
2. Tortured Souls
We never got to see the rumoredbig screenadaptation of Barker and Todd McFarlane’s bizarre line of demonic action figures, but itwould be a shame to let allofthe established lore and disturbing visuals go to waste!That’s why I think a video game adaptation of this strange world of hellish body modification and disgusting monsters would be a good idea.
In fact, the idealTortured Soulsvideo game could be developed by theverysame team that gave usHellraiser: Revival, with Saber Interactivehavingalreadyproven themselves capable of transforminggnarlybody-horrorand twisted character designs into addictive action gameplay.Of course, I wouldn’t mind a freakier take on a classic monster battler either!
1. Nightbreed
Clive Barker’s 1990 adaptation of his novelCabalmay not have been a huge hitback when it was first released, but the years have been kind to this bizarre monster moviethatfeels more like a spooky take on the X-Men than a follow-up toHellraiser.Whilethere already wasa pair ofNightbreedtie-in gamesreleased backin 1990, I don’t think eitherof themlived up to the potential of Barker’s surreal underworld.
Think about it: a whole civilization of super-powered monsters living on the run from human society is such a great premise for a blood-soaked RPG in the vein ofVampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines.Thatbeingsaid, aNightbreedadaptation could also be reworked into a gory FPS where you huntdownmonsters only to realize lateronthat you’re actually the villain ofthis particularstory, andpossiblyevenswitchingsidesin orderto aid the denizens of Midian.
