It’s October 2018 and you may be wondering why you’re getting a belated review for a game which is now 18 months old? The answer is simple, Friday the 13th: The Game is currently being given away for free as part of the PS Plus lineup for the month of October and I feel it’s time to take another look at it.
The game has changed in a lot of ways since it was released back in May 2017, so we’re going to take a look at what the game is like in its current state and why you should download it today!
The original game:
The game was developed by IllFonic and published by Gun Media and naturally, the game is heavily focused on the ‘Friday the 13th’ movie franchise. It’s a semi-open world third-person survival horror game set throughout the 1980s in a variety of locations in and around the fictional Camp Crystal Lake. A single round consists of up to eight players, all of which are human-controlled via the online service. Seven people take the roles of the fictional camp counsellors and one as Mr Giggles himself, Jason Voorhees.
Whilst playing as one of the counsellors, your job is to survive by any means possible. Depending on what map you’re on, there could be a variety of broken down vehicles which you can fix up, you could aim to try and call the police for assistance, or even escape by foot if you’re feeling confident. However, if you’re extremely lucky, you and your comrades can team up and kill Jason! The final option is extremely unlikely though as you could have Jesse Ventura’s Mini-Gun from Predator and that still wouldn’t be very effective! It’s quite hard trying to kill something that’s already dead.
The real fun comes when you get to play as the man behind the mask! As Jason Voorhees, your role is extremely easy. KILL! As you level up with Jason, you’ll be able to purchase various new ways to slaughter people, which is an added bonus, as it gets a little boring just ripping someone’s arm off after a while. These often lead to hilarious new encounters and it’s always nice to hear your foes scream in fear as you appear right behind them. Whilst playing as Jason, you can hear anybody who is communicating over the in-game voice chat. It can be easy to deceive people that you are a lowly counsellor, just like them, and you have the keys to the car.
New content?
So, what’s changed that would make everyone want to come back to the game and new people check it out today? Quite a bit actually. For starters, the maps. When the game was originally launched there were very few maps for you to play on. There are now 8 different maps to choose from which offer a lot more variety than before. Some are considerably smaller than the others which is fantastic for shorter, more intense sessions. There is also an Offline Mode which has been implemented in which you take the role of Jason as you hunt down various AI counsellors. This is a very refreshing addition to the game as it acts as a fantastic tutorial on how to play as Jason before taking to the online mode to slay your friends and randoms!
In addition to single-player material, they have also added various Challenges. This puts you in a scenario where you play as Jason and you stumble upon an event. You’re presented with 6 objectives to fulfil in each scenario, this breathes new life into the game as it makes the gameplay a little more varied. It also helps to differentiate the game from the similar Dead by Daylight, which coincidentally we received free on PS Plus last month as well!
As far as the lawsuit is concerned, as there has been an on-going battle over who owns the rights to the characters and settings which ultimately ceased all production on new content in all Friday the 13th games, we now know that their will no more material added to Friday the 13th: The Game. However, don’t let that stop you from playing the game as it has plenty to do in it already! Grab some friends and take turns playing as Jason, or just go on a mindless killing spree of random victims online. Most people who have played the game will say that they have had a blast playing this with friends, if not then they’re lying!
Official Trailer:
Final Conclusion:
Friday the 13th: The Game is a great multiplayer focused 1 vs many slaughter-fest of a game. Is it going to be something you play for years to come? Probably not. Undeniably though, it has a lot of charm and can be a blast to play with friends and family, especially those you just want to rip to pieces! There is no better experience than playing as Jason and going in for the kill as your friends scream in horror both in-game and IRL! Plus, IT’S FREE FOR THE MONTH (If you have PS Plus)!
Alternatively, the Friday The 13th: The Game – Ultimate Slasher Edition has recently been released. This version contains all of the previously available DLC, excluding the Kickstarter backer bonuses, and a Limited Edition poster. There is also a Friday The 13th: The Game – Ultimate Slasher Collector’s Edition which contains the game, the DLC, the poster, and an authentic NECA replica Jason mask from Friday the 13th Part III.
Friday the 13th: The Game
£30.99
The Good:
- Many variations of Jason to pick from
- Single Player options now available
- Free for the month of October 2018 (with PS Plus)
The Bad:
- Sometimes Glitchy
- Servers can be an issue with random disconnecting
