Games based on horror movies are becoming a regular fixture, and the next franchise to receive an adaptation is The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, which is released later in August of 2023. It had been long rumored that a game based on Leatherface was on the way, but nothing had officially materialized until now. For years, the franchise has churned out sequel after sequel in the film series, but it's only just catching on to the horror game boom now. Sumo Nottingham developed the game, and it has been published by Gun Interactive.
Gun Interactive were also behind one of the best horror games out there, Friday the 13th: The Game which was a massive success upon its release back in 2017, on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. But due to the licensing agreement expiring, the game is due to be removed from sale on December 31, 2023. This leaves a gap in the market for another iconic masked serial killer to take the reins in the gaming world.
Gruesome Kills And Cool Weapons
Fans aren't expecting a nice little friendly tour of the farm or pleasant interactions with Leatherface and his family—they are purchasing the game wanting and expecting gruesome kills with some of the classic weapons used in the film.
Obviously, the main weapon the fans want to see and use for themselves is Leatherface's iconic chainsaw. The sound as the chainsaw is fired up is one of the most chilling things from the original film. The sledgehammer is another one that needs to be featured in the game, as it's a very effective tool in the original movie. A nice little Easter egg would be to include the meat hook to hang a victim from. Likely, these won't be the only tools being used by the killers in the new game.
A Good Story
In the game, players will be tasked with searching for Ana's missing sister Maria. More in depth details have been kept under wraps until the game's release and this is probably for the best as fans don't want spoilers ruining the first-time playthrough.
Fans know what to expect with a Texas Chainsaw Massacre product, but there will be details that will come as a surprise when the player gets going. They demand a strong story that isn't going to tread over old ground. This could be difficult due to the amount of sequels and remakes the franchise has been subjected to. Here's hoping for an immersive horror game and an original take on the first movie.
Leatherface
It goes without saying that fans want plenty of Leatherface in the new game, and they are sure to get it based on the trailers and promotional materials for the game.
Even though the movie features a family of evil killers, it's Leatherface who is the ring leader during the killings, and the game must follow suit with this. Fans will likely want to use his chainsaw to slay his unfortunate victims, and will be keen to explore the killer's lair as well.
Strong Survivors And Victims
The survivors and victims in the Texas Chainsaw Massacre movie sequels don't always possess the most three-dimensional characteristics, which means the audience doesn't always celebrate as much when they survive, and they also don't mourn their loss as much when they perish at the hands of Leatherface and co.
The game version of the classic horror movie must make these characters relatable and likable, as players will potentially be following these characters for multiple hours of gameplay. The victims featured in this new game are not based on the original characters from the first film, which could either be really good or very bad.
Hopefully, fans will take to them quickly as this will impact the enjoyment of the game. The characters are Ana Flores, Connie Taylor, Julie Crawford, Leland McKinney and Sonny Williams. Details on them are sketchy at the moment, so fans will have to wait until release day to find out more.
Killers Old And New
The game features five different killers: Leatherface, who is voiced by horror legend and former Jason Voorhees actor, Kane Hodder, the Cook, the Hitchhiker and two new family members to feature in the franchise, Johnny and Sissy.
Fans know what to expect from three of the killers, but it's the other two who could make or break the game. The characters of Johnny and Sissy have to be strong, no matter what side the player chooses to be on. It has been announced that the gamer will get a choice of whether to play with the killers or the victims. The first time playing the game players will probably choose Leatherface, but there has to be enough interesting features with these new characters to make the fans want to assume their characters and inflict carnage.
Immersive Locations
The original film takes place primarily in one location on a dilapidated rural farmhouse in Texas, where the Sawyer family reside. It's already been confirmed that the events of the game will take place here as well, which comes as no surprise.
Fans want to see and experience the farmhouse in ways that weren't possible during the run time of the film. A big aspect of the game should hopefully be to explore the different locations on the property, whether this happens through the eyes of the victim creeping around it for the first time, or one of the killer's going about their daily activities.
An Asymmetrical Horror Experience
Players who have experienced games like Friday the 13th: The Game and Dead by Daylight are well accustomed to the asymmetrical experience of playing those games, and fully expect the new Texas Chainsaw Massacre game to follow suit with this.
It has been announced that the game will feature co-operative gameplay and PvP combat. The expectation from fans will be that it is on a par, if not better than what they have experienced with other games in the horror genre.
Movie References
Fans don't want the game to follow the original movie to the finest detail, but they do want references and Easter eggs to enjoy that link to the original movie, and also potentially to other horror movies.
Gun Interactive are behind this latest release, and they were also responsible for the hugely popular Friday the 13th: The Game. It would be surprising if they didn't feature a few nods to this game at some point during Texas Chainsaw Massacre's gameplay. The setting and some of the characters from the 1974 movie remain the same, so fans can be assured that references will be plentiful.
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre will be available for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S on August 18, 2023.