On June 10 2022, British video game developer Supermassive Games released their newest horror game The Quarry, which takes place at a summer camp. Despite it being over 40 years since the original 1980 Friday the 13th film, this newest game and others prove that the summer camp setting has remained a popular horror premise.
Whether it's the innate fear of the wilderness or the fact that summer camp is one of the few times kids are far away from their parents, the setting continues to be used in books, movies, shows, and even video games. Some games, like Friday the 13th: The Game, are particularly noteworthy.
10 Otter Island (2021)
Although Otter Island doesn't exactly take place at a summer camp, the setting has a similar vibe because it's a summer vacation house on an island. Developed by Mizzen, who also created the ocean-themed Yume Nikki fan-game Silent Infinity, Otter Island is a short 2021 RPG Maker horror game available on Itch.io that follows three friends named Zachary, Connor, and Jeremy who are staying over at Otter Island, which is owned by Connor's family, for the weekend.
But, while gathering items for their night of drinking beer, grilling food, and relaxing at the sauna, Zachary begins to notice bizarre things. As time goes on, it's slowly revealed that this secluded island has a deadly creature that doesn't want them to leave. Inspired by classics like Ib and The Witch's House, this 30-minute experience has an excellent atmosphere that will keep players on edge until the end.
9 Shtriga: Summer Camp (2014)
Released in 2014, Shtriga: Summer Camp is a traditional hidden object game with a loose supernatural mystery plot. The protagonist is a detective who has been hired to find a mother's missing son, who has recently vanished along with many other kids at a summer camp. According to the kids, they had been seeing a strange ghost, which may be connected to the disappearances.
After the detective crashes their motorcycle into a ghost, they arrive at the camp and must solve both hidden object and adventure puzzles to find the lost kids. While not as in-depth as some other hidden object games, the core gameplay is still enjoyable for fans of the genre.
8 Oakwood (2018)
While indie horror walking sims are extremely common now, some of these games manage to stand out among the rest by incorporating something new. Despite only being about an hour long, the 2018 game Oakwood is an excellent example of this. When the protagonist, Madison, arrives at the abandoned Oakwood campground late, she discovers that her friends have disappeared and the campsite is completely wrecked.
As she explores the forest, the player discovers that the area is now overrun by dinosaurs. Madison must search for her missing friends, avoid the dinosaurs, and escape from Oakwood alive. Although the gameplay is fairly standard for the genre, the game's use of dinosaurs, sound design, and perfect pacing make it all a worthwhile experience.
7 Friday the 13th: The Game (2017)
Unlike the 1989 NES game simply titled Friday the 13th, which was just one of the many terrible LJN games released around that time, the 2017 asymmetrical multiplayer survival horror game Friday the 13th: The Game is a well-made and beloved contribution to the popular Friday the 13th franchise. Taking place in a semi-open world version of Camp Crystal Lake, players control either one of the counselors, who are trying to escape, or Jason Voorhees, who is trying to kill them all.
Despite having a complicated development, the game was an absolute success and proved that multiplayer asymmetrical survival horror games could be profitable. Sadly, licensing issues have led to the game's growth being paused indefinitely.
6 Lakeview Cabin Collection: Lakeview Cabin III (2015)
After the success of the 2013 free Flash game Lakeview Cabin, the developer, Roope Tamminen, created a 2015 sequel titled Lakeview Cabin Collection. In this pixelated survival horror puzzle game, players must navigate four characters through different levels that are each based on classic horror films. The first level, Lakeview Cabin III, is set about a decade after the original game and follows a group of counselors at Camp Lakeview.
While at this summer camp, players control each of these four counselors to either help or hinder their survival against the three antagonists, which includes the protagonist from the first game "Red," his son "Babyface," and his wife "Eleanor." Although this game has multiple unique levels, including a Christmas-themed horror level, this first level is significant for continuing the spirit of the original.
5 Monster Prom 2: Monster Camp (2020)
Created as a sequel to the original 2018 game Monster Prom, Monster Prom 2: Monster Camp is a 2020 multiplayer dating sim where up to four players try to date one of the various available monster-inspired characters. Unlike the original game that takes place at a high school and the goal is to attend prom with the player's crush, this game takes place at a summer camp and the goal is to watch a meteor shower with the player's crush.
Along with plenty of new characters and romance options, this sequel also has some new gameplay mechanics such as a daily campfire event and a drinking mini-game. With plenty of dry humor, random events, and secret endings, players will keep wanting to return to this monster-filled camp.
4 The Quarry (2022)
After the showcasing the launch trailer during the Summer Game Fest Kick-off Event, the latest title from Supermassive Games, The Quarry, released on June 10. Created as a spiritual successor to Until Dawn, this interactive drama horror game follows nine teenage counselors as they try to survive one last night at Hackett's Quarry summer camp, which ends up being filled with werewolves.
Like previous titles from Supermassive Games, players make choices, find items, and navigate quicktime events that determine each character's personality, relationships, and ending. All characters can live, die, or meet some other fate. While the writing is not the best, it's still an enjoyable B-horror film experience.
3 We Know the Devil (2015)
Although it's still rare to see LGBTQ+ characters in Triple-A games, many indie games have begun featuring more LGBTQ+ protagonists in recent years. One of these excellent games is the surreal psychological horror visual novel We Know the Devil, which was released in 2015. Taking place at a Christian summer camp, the game follows three LGBTQ+ teenagers named Venus, Jupiter, and Neptune who are often ostracized by the rest of the camp.
In this magical realism setting, it's normal for everyone to be able to fight the devil, and every group at the camp is expected to do it at some point. With summer camp almost over, it's now time for these three girls to confront the devil. But, depending on the player's choices, this encounter could be a good thing that allows them to fully embrace their unique selves.
2 Camp Sunshine (2016)
Released in 2016, Camp Sunshine is a 16-bit puzzle horror RPG that's inspired by classic '80s horror. The protagonist, Jez, is a teenage boy who has just been dropped off at Camp Sunshine by his mother. During his first night at the camp, he wakes up in the middle of the night and discovers that everyone else has been brutally murdered and, if he's not careful, he will be next.
As he explores the large campgrounds, he avoids the main killer, who is dressed up like the camp's mascot, and slowly uncovers the mystery behind what's going on. Towards the end of 2021, the game received a prequel titled Sunshine Manor, which follows a girl named Ada who is dared to spend a night at the titular manor.
1 Slayaway Camp (2016)
Another '80s throwback game released in 2016 is the isometric puzzle game Slayaway Camp, which has the player control a serial killer called Skullface who kills counselors at the titular campground. Over 200 different levels, Skullface must navigate through the different scenes and kill anyone who stands in his way.
Despite all the gore and death, Slayaway Camp's voxel graphics make the overall experience fairly lighthearted rather than gruesome. With multiple kill scenes, DLCs, and unlockable killers, this weirdly adorable parody horror game can easily keep players coming back for more.
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