There are different types of roleplaying game available, all of them with their own tone and style of play. Some are combat heavy game, some are exploration or social interaction, others are about creating the story of the characters more than following any kind of linear plot. So what should this game be?
The first real question, I suppose, is do I want to capture the spirit and tome of the movies? Well, let's look at that. There isn't much combat in the Hellraiser movies. Plenty of pain and blood, but very little real fighting. In the first movie things just kind of happen to the characters after the catalyst of Uncle Frank and the puzzlebox turn up.
The second movie, Hellbound, is much more about exploration and revelation. It answers questions more than just going for scares (although there are plenty of those!).
Likewise with the third movie, which has a definate feel of investigation about it (albeit with an awful lot of blood!).
And so it goes on. Normal people finding themselves in extraordinary situations, usually as victims. Sometimes bargaining with the Cenobites to find their escape, sometimes being taken, but generally normal folks finding out that there's another world beyond this one and getting done over by it!
Which reminds me quite a bit of the Chaosium RPG, "Call of Cthulhu"...
I like investigation horror games. I like the slow build of tension as the characters find out more and more of what's really going on. But I'm equally aware that there needs to be some physcial interaction in the game too. Whether that is combat or whatever it doesn't matter, but sometimes you need a release to that tension, which comes best from hitting something! But there are very few things in the Hellraiser movies which can be beaten in a fist fight, or shot and killed.
Hmmm... I think I'm going to need some human opponents and maybe some cultists!
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