The Scarlet Church
The Scarlet Church is a cult of real people, led by a charismatic figure named Marlowe, who want to establish contact with the Cenobites. The dev diary says they seek to use the Genesis Configuration to create a debauched paradise for themselves.
They are the human threat, and they are the faction the demo is built around: the official demo description says it lets you face off against the Scarlet Church for the first time. Demo footage shows masked cultists in studded leather, and their internal propaganda, including a red banner reading OUR LEADER, is part of the environmental storytelling.
The Unworthy
The Unworthy are the most interesting idea in the game's bestiary. The dev diary describes people who once sought greater experiences but were denied by Leviathan, the creator of the Cenobites and ruler of the Labyrinth. Saber calls them Hell's rejects.
They are drawn to the Genesis Configuration as a potential path to redemption, and they will instinctively seek out Aidan to get it. So they are not attacking you because you are the hero; they are attacking you because you are carrying the thing they need.
The Cenobites
The Cenobites are the otherworldly faction and, per the dev diary, deliberately not the simple villains. Saber likens them to monks interested in exploring sensation and pushing the boundaries of what is possible, quoting the 1987 film's line that they are "demons to some, angels to others".
That framing matters mechanically: the diary says the Cenobites are integral to saving Sunny's soul. Pinhead, the Hell Priest, is their most famous face and has his own page at The Hell Priest.
How they fight you
The one confirmed combat statement is that you fight back against the Scarlet Church and the Unworthy by dual-wielding weapons on R2 and box powers on L1. Nothing official describes the Cenobites as combat encounters.
⚠️ Unconfirmed. Community playthroughs describe melee enemies that close distance, a stealth layer where crouching in darkness helps, and enemies that can be avoided rather than fought. Consistent across reports, but not a first-party enemy list.
FAQ
How many enemy types are there?
Three factions are confirmed. The number of distinct enemy units inside them has not been published.
Can you avoid fighting?
The Switch store tags include Stealth, and demo footage shows a crouch-in-darkness mechanic. No first-party statement confirms full non-lethal routes, and the cast behind these factions is on Characters.
Are the Cenobites bosses?
Nothing official describes any Cenobite encounter as a boss fight.
Is the Scarlet Church in the demo?
Yes. The official demo description says you face off against the Scarlet Church for the first time in it. See Demo.