Looking to try out Slayaway Camp? We’ve got our review right here! Slawaway Camp can be a bloody time if you want it to be. Let’s get stuck in…
Slayaway Camp is the killer-puzzle game from Blue Wizard Digital, founded by Bejeweled creator Jason Kapalka. The series puts you in the shoes of various killers through the game as you play different movies as the game calls chapters. I got the chance to review the extremely unique puzzle game, Slayaway Camp by the studio on Xbox One and I was definitely pleased and surprised throughout.
Slayaway Camp‘s chibi-like art style may not fit the horror genre in your mind but this game is very, very bloody and damn puzzling.
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Slayaway Camp: PG or RAMPAGE!!
Before you launch into the main game you are given an option: PG – Puzzle Game or R – Rampage!!!
As you can see above, the rating changes the game itself but the concept is still there keeping its core puzzle gameplay. You can also change the gore settings at any time in the settings.
Personally, I found this incredibly surprising but it definitely expands the audience this game could attract.
Chibi or Not, These Graphics Don’t Disappoint
The art-style is certainly misleading but in this context I don’t believe it ruins Slayaway Camp in any way. If anything I believe it makes the game and the concept that much more interesting.
Honestly, I can’t think of many horror games that rely on graphics. I could reference Resident Evil but even then I believe that this genre all comes down to the play style and core gameplay of the game within the genre.
As the killer generally in the horror genre, you just want a solid feel as the killer without the player feeling like something is being sacrificed to accomplish this.
The player wants to be indulged into the experience and I believe that Slayaway Camp blends both of its genres of horror and puzzle perfectly and uniquely into a killer-puzzle title.
New Level. New Obstacles to Overcome.
Every single level of Slayaway Camp has different obstacles to overcome from individuals like police officers, SWAT officers to electric walls, holes in the floor and several other factors.
Officers such as Police or SWAT are both threats that can cause harm to you but can both be defeated, if you play your cards right. Police officers can kill or arrest you if you appear right in front of them. SWAT however cannot be killed by your hand and will shoot you if the land in front of their laser sight.
You may crush or kill a SWAT officer by knocking something onto them but their sights can be blocked by other obstacles as well. When the lights are out, you are able to kill SWAT and Police and anyone else without raising suspicion.
Even cats are an obstacle, and not because they kill you but simply because even the killers of Slayaway Camp respect animal cruelty.
Water is another strangle obstacle that can either be a tool for you or a tool against you. You can scare victims into water to cause them to drown but it also works the same way on you. Meaning if you land on water, you will fail.
On top of any of the aforementioned obstacles you may face, some levels are limited to a select number of moves before you automatically fail. These levels tend to be difficult in a different way than the other levels but they don’t test your skills any less, leaving you even less room for mistakes.
Even gum is an obstacle on the streets of New York.
Every movie has it’s own theme, giving theme to some of the obstacles you’ll face as well.
Slayaway Camp has Bloody Kills, Bloody Gorepacks and Bloody Blood
As you progress through the game and get specialty kills to complete, you are given a Kill Bar and when getting that marker in the red zone will earn you coins for your bloody kill, shown below.
There are two types of kills to acquire: Gorepacks and Signature Kills.
- Signature Kills – Each character earned, or purchased in the shop via Mystery Box, has a unique kill exclusive to them
- Gorepacks – Kills that can be purchased in the store to add to your rotation of Kill Scenes.
Coins are used to purchase things in the shop such as murder scenarios. The shop is also home to the Mystery Box that costs 1,000 coins but gives a random reward, as seen below.
What’s your favorite horror movie killer? There’s most likely a version of them you can acquire via the shop.
Ghostface from Scream? Check. Chucky from Child’s Play? Check. And so many more.
In the pause menu, you can even insert what Slayaway Camp calls a Killer Kode, unlocking a new killer. Usually these passwords are a play on words related to the killer themselves.
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Of course there’s more than a handful of original killers to play as also.
The Blockbuster of Your Own Horror Collection
When you start Slayaway Camp, you will only have one Movie to play. Movies are what Slayaway Camp refers to as worlds in the horror-puzzler. Each Movie has several scenes that are essentially levels, up to about 13 scenes per Movie but sometimes more and sometimes less.
Once you complete one of these levels, you’ll be taken back to the Shop where you can view your newly unlocked sequel or spinoff, depending on what you just completed. Although, Slayaway Camp gives off the vibe as though you’re in a movie the entire time.
Aside from the main movies, simply labeled Slayaway Camp with a numeral after it, there are several spinoffs where you play as another themed killer.
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While Slayaway Camp has the option to remove the horror, you can’t remove the fun from this highly addictive puzzler.
Also, everything you view on the main screen menus from everything you’ve acquired to the level selection make it look like you’re at the video store, and I love the 90’s nostalgia.
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