For nearly half a century, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre has been a reigning terror of slasher horror cinema – so one might assume there’d be a few video game adaptations of it by now. Surprisingly though, there isn’t all that much. That said, the property has had its fair share of influence throughout gaming, particularly regarding of villains and enemy types. Whereas a lot of stalker/slashers in gaming may pull inspiration from that of Jason and/or Michael, Leatherface is more specific; his animalistic bloodlust and chainsaw-wielding menace are his trademark appeals, which has been adapted numerous times throughout gaming. With Netflix’s upcoming The Texas Chain Saw Massacre movie on the horizon, I thought it would be fun to not only look back on Leatherface’s appearance in gaming, but also to highlight games that have pulled inspiration from him and The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. 

Besides the upcoming The Texas Chain Saw Massacre game being developed by Gun Media, how many Texas Chain Saw Massacre games have been released? Well that would be just the one. The 1983 Atari 2600 title (developed by VSS, Inc). The game involves a point-based system, the player taking control of Leatherface and being tasked with taking down trespassers. As the player cuts people down with a chainsaw, they must also dodge their way through obstacles. The game ultimately did not sell well due to its graphic and upsetting nature; below we’ve included a picture of this game, but do brace yourself for this depiction of this graphic NSFW violence: 

Wow, hope you handled that better than I did. 

Beyond the 1983 game, there are no other main video game entries for that of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. But, like many of his fellow slashers, Leatherface has made several cameos in other games. Having been featured in the popular horror title Dead By Daylight and even making an appearance in Call of Duty’s multiplayer, Leatherface has also been a playable character in Mortal Kombat. In Mortal Kombat X, Leatherface was one of the several out-of-universe DLC characters players could control, with his main weapon obviously being that of a chainsaw. To me, this is the most interesting use of Leatherface in a game, for while it’s cool to see him take on the chasing slasher approach and… wield an AK-47 in Call of Duty, I think it’s wild as hell to see him rip through Sub-Zero. 

But more common than that of Leatherface and The Texas Chain Saw Massacre games is that of what they’ve inspired. Characters that come to mind right away are Resident Evil 4’s Chainsaw Men/Chainsaw Sisters. I know I’m not alone when I say that – when I played RE4 for the first time – the Chainsaw enemy freaked me out. The Chainsaw people are relentless foes; unlike that of many other enemies in the game, they do not slow down. Even if you shoot and keep them down briefly, they get back up and continue their chase. This captures the ferocity of Leatherface, making for a brilliant tribute to the villain. Speaking of Resident Evil, there’s no way I can’t bring up Resident Evil 7: Biohazard. I’m not the first to point this out, but the Baker Family and the atmospheric air throughout Biohazard cries Texas Chain Saw Massacre. The southern gothic dread has a remarkable similarity to that of the 1974 film, immersing the player in an environment where all feels ominous and dangerous – for if a threat isn’t hot on your tail at the moment, it constantly feels as if everything could go wrong in a second. 

I’d also consider Manhunt’s Piggsy to be a nod towards Leatherface. The iconic slasher may never have worn a pig mask in all his bloody endeavors, but the fleshy, gory texture of Piggsy’s mask feels like a callback to Leatherface’s human masks, not to mention Piggsy’s mannerisms (and part of his backstory) echoing that of the slasher. A cannibalistic murderer, Piggsy is so removed from reality, only able to comprehend and act on the drive to kill. His urge to kill is without limits, providing him a terrifying rush of enjoyment. Hell in this regard, Leatherface might be a bit nicer, but we can see how Piggsy plays into the sort of murderous rampage that fuels Leatherface at times. 

Enemies who use chainsaws are a popular archetype in games, with tributes to The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and Leatherface ranging from mainstream titles to indies. One indie game that really caught my attention is Meat Saw; a camping trip goes horribly wrong when you encounter a chainsaw-wielding maniac. While the killer is vicious in his efforts to slay you down, the environment that makes up Meat Saw is fantastic; a grim setting that reeks of blood, morose imagery, and dreadful tension. On a similar note is Chain Saw, another title that involves escaping another chainsaw slasher, but which includes multiple narrative endings to spice things up. There’s also that of Hill Billy Highway Horror (which has a neat Slender-like presentation). As you make your way through the game, the revving of a chainsaw grows nearer and nearer; with limited knowledge of how close the oncoming threat is to you, you need to haul ass before you’re cut into pieces! 

The gaming tributes to Texas Chain Saw Massacre also go beyond that of video games. A particular shout-out I want to give is to that of Magic The Gathering, and a card they released just last fall in their Innistrad: Midnight Hunt set: The Meathook Massacre. Magic has a clever way of paying homage through imagery and card titles, and this is very much the case when it comes to horror and The Meathook Massacre. An obvious nod to that of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, the card offers an ability that “cuts” other creatures’ health, chopping them down into either a weakened state or outright killing them. 

These games not only nod towards the legendary horror franchise, but they also build upon what has been laid out by Leatherface and the archetype he helped shoot into mainstream horror. Crazed chainsaw wielders have been around before Leatherface, but that of Gunnar Hansen’s performance in the original film has cemented the visual of the horrifying chainsaw-slashing lunatic. These games may not be literal Texas Chain Saw Massacre games, but they embody the madness, rush, and atmosphere of the films, as well as everything that makes for its central antagonist. And the games covered here only chip at the surface of all the tributes that exist in the name of Leatherface and The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. 

Between the new Netflix film and the new game coming from Gun Media, I am beyond thrilled to see so much love for The Texas Chain Saw Massacre! What are your hopes for the new game, and which of these games have you played already? If there are other titles that bring The Texas Chain Saw Massacre to mind, make sure to shout those out in the comments!