Leatherface makes his way to modern gaming with the release of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre the game. Taking on a similar approach to its predecessor, Friday the 13th: the game, you play the role of either a killer or survivor. Each role gives players unique abilities to aid their comrades to survive the massacre or ensure it’s met.

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is a 2023 survival horror game. It was developed by Sumo Nottingham and published by Gun Interactive. It is available on PC, Playstation, and Xbox.

Editor’s Note: Gun Interactive provided a Playstation review code for The Texas Chainsaw Massacre to support this review. Spoilers for the Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise may be present within this review. 

Leatherface gets a new game on modern platforms in TCSM the game.

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise is getting a second video game adaptation. Tackling some asymmetrical horror, you play as either one of five survivors or three killers and use a unique set of abilities to either escape the Slaughter family or kill the survivors one by one as the latter. The game features several methods of escape and murder and is based on events of the original film.

Escape Texas horror in TCSM, the game.

THE GOOD: There isn’t much regarding TCSM, the game having a story, but some tidbits of the original film are sprinkled throughout the game with easter eggs and such. As much of the game’s base content is focused on the original film, you’ll be playing as survivors and members of the Slaughter family from within said source. Developers Gun Interactive have indicated plans for content based on other TSCM films coming later and confirmed that the game won’t face the legal nightmare that the unfortunately cursed Friday the 13th game was forced to undergo. This is already a massive step up for looking forward to the title’s future. The game’s core premise (what little there is) has you playing as Ana Flores and one of her friends in search of her sister Maria, which leads her to the Slaughter family home. This is a rather sizable one for a single location map with three at launch, including the infamous house, the gas station, and a slaughterhouse.

The Slaughter residence features the home, a surrounding farm, and an underground cellar-like level. Neary, all of which can be explored for an advantage as survivor and killer. You can hide in certain parts of the map to avoid detection, as well as take advantage of using as limited noise as humanely possible, as some of the Slaughters possess sound detection abilities. You can find weapons such as knives to gain a chance to escape upon capture quickly. Survivors like Ana and Connie can take less damage and open doors with no noise detected as unique abilities. Tools to pick locks for a quick escape can be found by exploring the map if you’re careful enough.

One thing that the game nails is the fear factor from the horror elements. A lot of that is in its stellar presentation and art direction. The gameplay keeps you on your toes, with noise detection being a caveat for being able to survive. Like many other asymmetrical horror titles, there’s a skill tree and leveling system that increase in stats as you gain points for winning matches or performing specific mission tasks. DLC will become made available for free and purchase over time, ranging from maps, kill animations, and new characters, among other things.

Play a deadly game of hide and seek to survive in TCSM.

THE BAD: Content is a little barren right now, but it’s a game heavily dependent on a decently active community. Considering the TCSM game still has a good chunk of players active, I think it’ll have some legs to keep running, at least for its first significant batch of content. The pricing is a bit egregious regarding the content, which has since begun rolling out. Content like maps will be free, but others like costumes, executions, characters, and exclusive designs will be priced from $4.99 to $15.99. That is admittedly a tad pricey for a game that heavily relies on an active community, and with not much of a story or campaign attached, it’s an even more challenging sale.

Leatherface is one of many enemies you’ll face against in the asymmetrical horror title.

OVERALL THOUGHTS: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre will be an exciting game to watch. With a reasonably dedicated fanbase, it’s a good early sign for things to come in the future. However, The DLC pricing has already begun to add a bit of a rift within that base. The game itself can be rather enjoyable, mainly due to its solid gameplay and the fact that it nails being a scary game with its’ atmosphere and overall presentation, which can be hard to get right, especially for a game of its type. If you have the time, money, or patience to check it out sometime, it may be worth it. Sign up for a month of Game Pass to give the game a bit of a trial run.