After numerous asymmetrical multiplayer horror games failed to catch on, it was refreshing to seeClive Barker’s Hellraiser: Revivalas a standard single-player horror title. Clive Barker has a notable history in gaming, with cult classics such asClive Barker’s UndyingandJericho.Hellraiser: Revivalwill follow the single-player moldestablished by Barker’s prior games, and all this has me looking back on the disastrous multiplayer horror game trend.
2017 saw the release of the console versions ofDead by Daylight(first released on PC in 2016) andFriday the 13th: The Game, which remain the best asymmetrical multiplayer horror games. Many titles released afterward attempted to emulate their success and quality, but to no avail. WithHellraiser: Revivalbeing a single-player game, hopefully, this trend stops because, after eight years,not one gamehas been as good asDead by DaylightorFriday the 13th.
No Other Games Compare
WhileDead by Daylightwas first released in 2016, it wasn’t until the console ports came out in 2017, along with the release ofFriday the 13th: The Gamejust a month prior, that asymmetrical multiplayer horror titlesreally exploded in popularity, and it’s easy to see why. Both games share a common aspect.
Sadly, Friday the 13th: The Game had its servers completely shut down on July 23, 2025, following licensing issues.
Dead by Daylighthas restrictive objectives and gameplay mechanics, including repairing generators, hooking people, and using the trap door as a last resort. However, what makes it fun to play again and againis the characters. There arenumerous killersand survivors, each playing very differently, and combined withDead by Daylight’sunique perk system, the game offers a great deal of variety.
Friday the 13th: The Game, on the other hand, is lacking in the character department, but theobjectives and mechanics are incredible. Each game feels different with the randomization here, and when combined with the often huge maps,Friday the 13thwas much more fun to play, at least for me, thanDead by Daylight.
While the servers forFriday the 13th: The Gamewere shut down at the end of last year,Dead by Daylightisstill going strong with new updatesand remains one of thebest horror games you can play right now. Asymmetrical multiplayer horror games were the hot new thing in 2017, and obviously, future games will follow suit.
All Future Games Failed To Live Up To Expectations
Often Imitated, But Never Replicated
After the success of these two incredible games, more asymmetrical multiplayer horror titles were released, likePredator: Hunting Grounds,Evil Dead: The Game,The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, and evenKiller Klowns from Outer Space: The Game.PredatorandKiller Klownswere even developed by thesame studio that madeFriday the 13th, andTexas Chain Sawhad the same publisher as Jason’s infamous multiplayer horror romp.
Unlike other game genres, such as battle royale, which have had numerous breakout successes over the years, the only majorly successful asymmetrical multiplayer horror games were the first two.
Neither side created a game equal toFriday the 13thorDead by Daylight. Unlike those games, which were highly addictive due to their freshness, these titles often grew stale aftera couple of daysof play.Friday the 13thmade incredible use of huge maps, allowing for tense cat-and-mouse chases between Jason and the counselors.
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, on the other hand, offered limited maps to explore, and while it makes sense considering the IP, it grew old quickly compared tothe sheer number of possibilitiesthroughFriday the 13th. None of these titles ever achieved the commercial success ofFriday the 13thorDead by Daylight, withEvil Deadgetting pulled from digital storefronts and Gun Interactive ending future updates and support forTexas Chain Saw.
Hellraiser: Revival Signals The End Of The Asymmetrical Multiplayer Horror Experiment
It’s Game Over
After so many asymmetrical multiplayer horror games these past five years, it’s telling thatHellraiser: Revivalis anentirely single-player experience. Sure, Clive Barker games have always been single-player, but considering the last one came out in 2007 and famous horror IPs are consistently being turned into asymmetrical titles, this should be a sign of major change.
Unlike other game genres, such as battle royale, which have had numerous breakout successes over the years, the only majorly successful asymmetrical multiplayer horror games were the first two. After five years of failure after failure, studios need to realize that they must dosomething else with these iconic horror IPs.
A newFriday the 13thgame just got announcedat this year’s SDCC, butFriday the 13thwas one of the originators of this sub-genre. People want a new asymmetricalFriday the 13thgame, especially after the servers for the original title shut down. Besides that case, studios must move on from asymmetrical horror games tied to a famous IP, and with the single-playerHellraiser: Revivalon its way, hopefully, they’ve adjusted.
