Misery loves company, but what about horror? We love scary things. Well, we love fun scary things like Re-Animator or Hugh Grant, not existentially scary ones like climate change. While there’s some comfort being terrified with a group, is it really better? How well do you do IRL when people start panicking? What about if you’re faced with a choice of you or them? Do you really have what it takes to truly survive or will your empathy be your downfall?
These are just some of the questions posed by The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, now available on PS Plus. An asymmetrical multiplayer horror survival, it thrusts players are into one of two camps. The obvious, gut-wrenching survivor team. Or, in a twist for the genre, a team of crazed killers working in unison to hunt them down. It’s the ultimate game of hide-and-seek, and every bit as tense as the legendary film franchise that inspired it.
In a crowded field of asymmetrical horror games, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre carves out its own blood-soaked niche by embracing the terror, grime, and tension of its cinematic roots with shocking reverence. It's rare to see a licensed title so committed to authenticity, not just in aesthetics but in how it feels to play. This isn’t just a tribute to filmmaker Tobe Hooper’s 1974 masterpiece; it’s an interactive extension of his uniquely American horror story.
What sets The Texas Chain Saw Massacre apart from other asymmetrical horror games like Dead by Daylight or Friday the 13th is its bold departure from the 1-vs-4 formula. Here, three killers from the infamous Slaughter family work together to hunt down four victims trying to escape. That extra layer of teamwork on the killer side changes everything. Each family member has a distinct role. For example, Leatherface is brute force, the Cook does surveillance and the Hitchhiker sets traps. A few other family members round out the roster so there’s always a good mix for team comps.
Survivors have skills too. Some take less damage or can stun villains, others have enhanced detection or can pick locks quickly. As in any good team-based multiplayer game, success requires balance, coordination, and communication. This isn’t a power fantasy where a lone killer mows down helpless teens. It’s a cat-and-mouse nightmare with strategy on both sides.
For survivors, tension is palpable. You’re not just running from one murderer, you’re navigating a house of horrors where danger comes from every angle. Stealth is crucial, and so is understanding the map: finding tools, unlocking doors, managing noise levels, and avoiding the bone-chilling rev of Leatherface’s chainsaw. The level design is masterfully claustrophobic. Interiors are cramped, shadows loom large, and escape routes feel like genuine lifelines. It replicates the feeling of being in the film to an unsettling degree.
For survivors, matches begin on meat hooks. It’s a macabre start that sets the tone right away. Once you wriggle off the hook there’s almost no time to think before you hear that chainsaw rev up. Players controlling Leatherface spawn in the basement and begin the chase immediately. Survivors have to sneak and scramble through a labyrinth of tunnels to try to make their way upstairs where even more horrors await.
Crucially, this game doesn't lean on cheap jump scares or over-the-top spectacle. The horror is grounded in realism and dread, true to the film’s tone. Visually, it nails the grimy, sun-bleached aesthetic of 1970s Texas, right down to the stained wallpaper and rusted tools. Sound design is equally meticulous. The chainsaw’s roar isn’t just audio—it’s a psychological weapon. Every creak, whisper, and footstep feels meaningful, keeping tension sky-high.
Horror fans will be impressed how the game honors the source material without compromising fun. The developers clearly revere the original film, and that love translates into every system and mechanic. But they've also built a tightly designed multiplayer experience that stands on its own. Balance matters, and no match ever feels the same.
If you're a fan of horror games, asymmetrical multiplayer, or simply want to immerse yourself in one of cinema’s most iconic nightmares, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre delivers in spades. It’s smart, brutal, and refreshingly faithful — less a video game adaptation, more a playable homage soaked in sweat, fear, and blood.
