Victims are entirely new original characters: Ana Flores (Mexican-American sister searching for her missing sibling Maria, with abilities tied to resilience and leadership), Connie Taylor, Julie Crawford, Leland McKinney, and Sonny Williams (described as book-smart). Family members include faithful recreations of Leatherface (motion-captured by Kane Hodder), the Cook, and Hitchhiker (voiced by original actor Edwin Neal), plus new additions Johnny and Sissy. No established characters from the film were altered in race, gender, or sexuality.

Character selection uses fixed roles with skill trees for perks and attributes; there is no character creator, pronoun selection, gender-agnostic romance, or body-type customization. The narrative centers on stealth, escape, and pursuit with no social commentary, systemic themes, or identity exploration. Developers emphasized authenticity to the source material, working with rights holder Kim Henkel and researching Texas locations, sounds, and 1970s details for immersion.

A developer statement noted aiming for a "diverse group of friends" that feels natural and correlates to playstyles, resulting in incidental representation fitting the Texas setting and group dynamic rather than activist framing. No consultancy involvement, DEI mandates, or creator statements on challenging norms appear in research. Reception focuses on gameplay, atmosphere, and post-launch abandonment, with no notable "woke" controversies or critic-audience gaps tied to messaging.