Highlights
- The Texas Chain Saw Massacre game may include more movies in the future if it proves successful enough, expanding the content and roster of twisted Sawyer family members.
- Chop Top, from the second sequel, could be a unique character with a similar kit to Hitchhiker but with some differences to stand out.
- Characters like Tex, Babi, and Vilmer from other movies in the franchise could bring their own abilities and weapons to the game, adding diversity and terror to the gameplay experience.
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is one of the hottest horror games of 2023, and it's full of content and clever references to the original classic 1974 film. Developer Sumo Digital made it clear early on that it only had the license to put content from the first movie into The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, but that it is possible for more movies in the franchise to be licensed in the future if the game proves successful enough.
With The Texas Chain Saw Massacre being a hit on Xbox Game Pass and trending among fans, that possible future may prove to be an inevitability, and there are a ton of twisted Sawyer family members that Sumo Digital can choose from should it get the license to even a few of the more than half-a-dozen other movies in the massive slasher series.
Chop Top
Chop Top is likely the most stand-out new Sawyer family member from the first sequel in the iconic franchise, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2. He fits the classic '70s character stereotype of a hippie deeply affected by his time serving in the Vietnam War. He was scarred both mentally and physically, as his name comes from a metal plate put in his head after being injured during service, which is revealed when Leatherface (or "Bubba" as he's called in TCM2) accidentally saws a piece of his scalp off. Considering Chop Top is the twin brother of Nubbins, AKA The Hitchhiker in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre game, he could have a similar kit, with some differences to make him both an alternative for Hitchhiker and his own character.
Tex
The strange series of sequels within Leatherface's slasher franchise is where a surprising amount of massive Hollywood talent got an early start, and Viggo Mortensen's 1990 role as Tex in Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3 is one of the most notable in retrospect. On the surface, Tex is one of the milder examples of a Sawyer family psychopath, which makes him an ideal candidate for someone who lures unaware victims to the house. If Tex were put in a new update for The Texas Chain Saw Massacre game, his abilities could reflect that, and he could potentially even have a special ability that allows him to charm victims. He also wields an axe, which would make an ideal weapon in the game.
Babi
Babi is also from Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3 along with Viggo Mortensen's character, and she's the first child member of the Sawyer family. Her young age doesn't make her any less a Sawyer, though, and she gleefully takes part in the murder and cannibalism along with her kin. It would be uniquely terrifying for victims in the game to be chased by a bloodthirsty child.
Her ability set could be unique since she's a child who could slip into small places, possibly being able to hide and sneak-attack victims or even set traps. The trade-off may be that her size inhibits her speed, or even makes her vulnerable to being easily pushed away by hostile victims.
Vilmer
Alongside Viggo Mortensen, the other most iconic actor portraying a Sawyer family member would be Matthew McConaughey as Vilmer in the fourth series entry, Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation. Unlike Tex, Vilmer is nothing even close to calm and collected, and McConaughey spends a lot of his screen time screaming and rambling like he has rabies.
Vilmer could be one of the strongest attackers in The Texas Chain Saw Massacre game besides Leatherface, with the caveat that he's so loud that victims can hear him coming from fairly far away, similar to Leatherface's chainsaw whirring being a dead giveaway. Whether it's financially feasible to add the likenesses of Matthew McConaughey or Viggo Mortensen to a video game is anyone's guess, but their characters could make for fine additions.
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is out now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.