Texas Chain Saw Massacre Could be a New Angle to Asymmetrical-Horror
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is no stranger to the video game medium. Even though Gun Media recently announced that this IP is their next project, in actuality Leatherface had his first video game back in 1983 for the Atari 2600. Even though it was met with controversy back in the day, gamers seem to overlook this. They assume that Bubba Sawyer made his very first debut in the interactive entertainment industry as a DLC character in Mortal Kombat X and Dead by Daylight. In any case, he is making his triumphant return in the very suitable asymmetric horror-survival sub-genre. This game was apparently being developed on the down-low and a trailer made its debut during the 2021 Game Awards. Gun Media is joining forces with Sumo Nottingham to bring the TCM universe to life across PC and next-gen consoles worldwide.
These developers are well-versed in the asymmetrical survival-horror lineup. Most recently, Gun Media developed the Friday the 13th game, which needed to be shut down due to the legalities happening within that property. They had grandiose plans for that title, but sadly they had no choice but to walk away. Even though this situation has been resolved, it is unknown if they’re going to return to that title or not. At this point, it doesn’t matter since they’re now neck-deep with the Sawyers and their notorious hijinx. There are very few concrete details available for The Texas Chain Saw Massacre game, however, there are a few nuggets of information available to give hardcore fans something to chew on.
A Good Eye for Prime Meat
Even though asymmetrical horror games are getting a little long in the tooth, the Texas Chain Saw Massacre game has the potential to take things in a different direction. Even though Leatherface is the “face” of the franchise, many fans will point out that this horror franchise is actually about the family. So, the question is if whether or not players will be playing solely as Bubba Sawyer/Thomas Hewitt, or will there be other playable characters available, as well? Judging by the trailer, the maps seem to be rather wide-spread which will be wrought with hiding places and nook and crannies. Fields of sunflowers, abandoned vehicles, unkept yards of grass, and other options for stealth seem to be on the menu. So, will Leatherface be the primary villain to play as, or will he be unlockable like Tommy Jarvis was in F13? Perhaps, it’ll be the other way around with the other family members.
Everyone from Drayton Sawyer, Stretch, Chop-Top, and Grandpa is entirely possible to be playable in this game. Because due to the size of the maps, playing as Leatherface and hunting down all the survivors could be a chore. One way to balance this out is having all the Sawyers hunting down the players during the match. Something like a 3V6 scenario. Having each member of Leatherface’s brood having their own abilities and stats seems to make the most sense. Thus, let us not forget the overlooked characters in the sequels/remakes. This includes the Hewitts. Imagine playing as Sheriff Hoytt while shooting off a slew of obscene taunts? Of course, R. Lee Ermey is sadly no longer with us, so maybe that isn’t in the cards. It wouldn’t be the same without him. All of this is just speculation, but it’s fun to think about. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise has enough material to make this game last a long time.
The Many Faces of Horror
The most recent announcement about this game is the fact that Kane Hodder will be portraying Leatherface. Even though he is most well-known as Jason Voorhees and Victor Crowley, he actually played Leatherface during the stunts in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III. However, the character was mostly acted by R.A. Mihailoff, respectively. Therefore, this is the first time Hodder will have the chance to play as the character and to truly make him his own. Then again, Kane Hodder was friends with the late Gunnar Hansen, so perhaps Hodder’s performance will be a reflection of Hansen’s as a tribute? We will have to wait and see. It is not stipulated whether or not this game will be played via third-person or first. Given the history that F13 was entirely third-person, it’s a good bet that the Texas Chain Saw Massacre game will be, too. Thus, if Chop-Top is making an appearance, hopefully, Bill Mosely will return to voice him. That would definitely be a bloody cherry on top.
Now, the survivors will most likely be vastly different from one another. Perks, upgrades, or other RPG elements will most likely be key factors between the characters. It is also not mentioned where in the timeline this game will take place. Whether or not it will be set before or after the Sally Hardesty incident hasn’t been mentioned as of, yet. So, playing as the key characters of the original 1974 movie is currently up in the air. Perhaps they can be coming down the pike as DLC characters in the future. So far, there is a tight lid on everything, but news will be drip-feeding to the public in the coming months. Needless to say, the developers are big fans of this series and they have a healthy respect for not only the artists who were involved but for the fanbase, as well. Gamers have for clamoring for a full-fledged next-gen Texas Chain Saw Massacre game and it looks like we are indeed getting one.
Will The Saw be Enough?
There are still a lot of questions toward this title, mainly due to unbridled excitement. It is going to be interesting how Leatherface and his brood are being to be utilized in this format. The Texas Chain Saw Massacre game is apparently been in development for some time and it is scheduled to be released sometime next year. The developers are shooting for a truly authentic experience with this IP and according to the trailer, it seems that they are on the right track. This game has the potential to stand above the rest of the asymmetrical horror games on the market today.