Clive Barker's Hellraiser Revival : une horreur au-delà des limites portée par des créateurs déterminés à remuer nos tripes

This page contains the full transcription of our interview with Aleksandra Pelivanović and Srdjan Nedić, Associate Game Directors on Hellraiser Revival. The conversation gives in-depth insight into the collaboration with Clive Barker, the project's bold artistic choices, the construction of the game's universe, the mechanics inspired by the philosophy of pain and pleasure, and the central role of the Labyrinth and the Cenobites. It is an honest and detailed discussion that sheds light on the intentions behind one of the most daring horror games currently in development.

Eric de Brocart (GAMERGEN.COM): Could you introduce yourselves, please?

• Aleksandra Pelivanović: Yes, I am Aleksandra Pelivanović and I am Associate Game Director on Hellraiser Revival.
• Srdjan Nedić: And I am Srdjan Nedić, also Associate Game Director on Hellraiser Revival.

Eric de Brocart: How did the collaboration with Clive Barker influence the project, and what was the biggest challenge in translating his vision into a video game?

• Aleksandra Pelivanović: It was a pleasure working with Clive. He was mostly involved during pre-production and the early stages of development. He played a major role in shaping the story and its overall structure, and he provided valuable feedback to help us adjust it to the Hellraiser universe. We were very happy to receive his approval, confirming that he saw our story as true Hellraiser.
• Srdjan Nedić: It is a unique franchise, and we had to be absolutely precise to stay faithful to the license.
• Aleksandra Pelivanović: The franchise features a lot of gore, disturbing sexuality, and violence. This was challenging because we aimed for an M rating while still honoring the original work. We faced difficulties, but we believe we found the right balance.

Eric de Brocart: I have to say I was shaken by what I saw. I don’t remember seeing anything comparable elsewhere. When I was in the chair, I saw that and thought “Okay, you know what? What?!” I had to take the headset off. It goes beyond anything I’ve seen so far. Don’t you think it may be too much?

• Aleksandra Pelivanović: We tried to balance everything, but we wanted to preserve the franchise’s gore identity and its disturbing sexual and violent elements. It served our story and what we wanted to convey while staying faithful to the universe. It may be censored or banned in some countries, but that is a risk we accept.
• Srdjan Nedić: The audience will decide whether it is “too much” or not. We have been working on this for years, and what shocks others has become our daily routine.

Eric de Brocart: The game features mechanics where players can inflict pain on themselves, such as tearing hooks from their flesh. What role do these mechanics play in connecting gameplay to Barker’s philosophy of pain and pleasure?

• Srdjan Nedić: We have enemies, like those in the Scarlet Church you saw in the demo, who worship the Cenobites and the idea of pleasure through pain. This will feel unsettling to many players because we are used to enemies who try to avoid suffering. Ours seek it. You try to defeat them, and they enjoy it. This puts the player in a perspective we haven’t seen before.

Eric de Brocart: We saw Cenobites and human cultists. How do you balance these two groups narratively and mechanically?

• Srdjan Nedić: We have human enemies and supernatural enemies. And then we have the Cenobites, whom we do not consider regular enemies but almost divine beings. You cannot kill them. You must learn to survive their presence. Human and demonic enemies fulfil different roles. Depending on the areas, you can rely on stealth or use weapons. We give players freedom in their approach. Switching between human and demonic threats keeps constant tension because each encounter requires a different strategy.

Eric de Brocart: The Labyrinth seems central. Is it just a setting or an entity that shapes the player’s journey?

• Aleksandra Pelivanović: The references come from the films. We wanted players to feel the oppression and anxiety of its corridors. You will return to the Labyrinth several times, and we designed these sequences to remain fully rooted in horror. The atmosphere is very strong, with the layout and the possible presence of the Chatterer. We wanted these moments to feel oppressive and atmospheric.

Eric de Brocart: Have you considered a VR version? It could make the experience even more terrifying.

• Srdjan Nedić: Nothing is planned yet, but we will look into the possibilities. It would definitely be terrifying.

Eric de Brocart: The game will divide and shock players. That is part of its identity. Do you fear that this radical approach might limit your audience?

• Srdjan Nedić: It is an artistic work. We wanted to remain faithful to Hellraiser. Compromises would have taken us away from that. Yes, it will divide players, and it may not be available in some countries. But if we want to do it right, this is the only path. Some will say it’s too gory, too bloody, too sexual, but we know there is an audience that wants exactly this.
• Aleksandra Pelivanović: We cannot please everyone, but we can respect the franchise. That was our goal. Even people who don’t know Hellraiser will be able to appreciate it because the story has depth and coherence.

Eric de Brocart: Doug Bradley returns as Pinhead. What does his presence bring to the project?

• Aleksandra Pelivanović: We worked closely with Doug, the original Pinhead. He truly appreciated our work. He gave us valuable advice, even for animation, such as his posture and the way he walks. It was very rewarding to see his enthusiasm.

Eric de Brocart: How would you like Hellraiser Revival to be remembered in the history of survival horror?

• Srdjan Nedić: As a survival horror that pushed boundaries. And did it well.

Eric de Brocart: If the game was already released, what tagline would you hope to see?

• Srdjan Nedić: My favorite so far, from others, is “This is Hellraiser.” With a period.
• Aleksandra Pelivanović: This is not from me, but from Gamescom visitors. Some walked out saying “This is disgusting.” In the best possible way. That’s exactly what we wanted to achieve.

Eric de Brocart: Could you tell us about the studio?

• Aleksandra Pelivanović: We are around 70 people, but with publishing, producers, translators, and analysts, it easily reaches around 100. We have been working on the project for about four years. We were Mad Head Games until 2020 before joining the Saber family.

Eric de Brocart: When you were chosen for this project, did you say “yes” immediately?

• Srdjan Nedić: Yes, without hesitation.
• Aleksandra Pelivanović: We really wanted to work on a horror franchise. Learning it would be Hellraiser was a major moment. Many members of the studio are fans. For them it was a dream come true. While researching the franchise, I realized how deep and meaningful its message is. It is important for me to create a game that leaves something behind and encourages reflection.

Eric de Brocart: What is the game’s length? And does the difficulty increase along with the horror?

• Srdjan Nedić: In normal difficulty, it takes about 7 to 10 hours depending on the player. Increasing the difficulty makes it more survival oriented and longer. You become more powerful as you progress but so do the enemies. You must rethink your approach. The tension rises throughout the playthrough.

Eric de Brocart: And replayability?

• Srdjan Nedić: There will be no New Game Plus, but we have the Hellraiser Difficulty. That will be something special.

Eric de Brocart: In the demo, at the beginning, I had no weapon. I just had to survive. And even with a weapon it was difficult. Very fun.

• Srdjan Nedić: Yes, and even later, sometimes you won’t really want to fire it.

 Clive Barker's Hellraiser: Revival est annoncé pour 2026 mais vous pouvez déjà l'ajouter à votre liste de souhait sur Steam.

Eric de Brocart Fondateur - Directeur de publication
Magicien professionnel, quand je ne suis pas derrière mon PC, photographe amateur, quand j'ai le temps et surtout un grand passionné de réalité virtuelle.
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