Campfire: Reversed Survival Horror

**Compass** · 30 Dec 2003, 07:12 PM

Just heard about this game and it sounds interesting. It's by the Swedish Daydream Software who brought us Safecracker and Traitors Gate on the PC. I haven't played Traitors Gate yet but Safecracker is a fun puzzle game where, in order to get a job with a premier safe-making company, you're charged with breaking into all their different brands of safes (conveniently located in one mansion) in the span of a single night. It's stylish and addicting from what I've played (though painfully dated in the graphics technology and presentation).

In Campfire you choose between four different serial killers and wreak havoc on your campground prey with assorted weapons (knife, axe, chainsaw, machete). It does indeed sound like more fun than being the hunted (maybe just 'cause we've done that already so many times); makes you wonder why this "reversed survival horror" hasn't been tried before (online RE notwithstanding [is this game out yet? regardless, not really the same thing]).

Anyway, I guess it's still a ways off from completion. IGN has a lil' article.

**Grave** · 30 Dec 2003, 07:47 PM

I don't know, I'm not surprised it hasn't really been tried (that I know of) before. It doesn't sound like it'd be that much fun for long. Whenever I want to prey on the weak and helpless, I'll go beat pedestrians in GTA, thank you. I think the reason we have so many survival games and not many where you're the hunter is because there's so much more to do when surviving. You run, you hide, you look for weapons to defend yourself. Whereas the monster just keeps looking, and when it finds something, it kills it. I guess it's about gameplay variety. If the people you're hunting fight back well, then I guess it's just another action game. And if they don't fight back, doesn't sound like much of an exciting game to me.

I could be wrong. This idea doesn't do much to excite me, however.

**Dolemite** · 30 Dec 2003, 07:49 PM

Cool. I've actually always wanted a Friday the 13th game where you could play as Jason. That would rock.

*EDIT* Looks like you CAN play as Jason...well, sorta. Cute parody, I like the ice skate on the hand.

**Korly** · 30 Dec 2003, 08:30 PM

Horror themed games are my favorite.

Is this for PC or consoles?

**Compass** · 30 Dec 2003, 08:38 PM

Originally Posted by Grave

I don't know, I'm not surprised it hasn't really been tried (that I know of) before. It doesn't sound like it'd be that much fun for long. Whenever I want to prey on the weak and helpless, I'll go beat pedestrians in GTA, thank you. I think the reason we have so many survival games and not many where you're the hunter is because there's so much more to do when surviving. You run, you hide, you look for weapons to defend yourself. Whereas the monster just keeps looking, and when it finds something, it kills it. I guess it's about gameplay variety. If the people you're hunting fight back well, then I guess it's just another action game. And if they don't fight back, doesn't sound like much of an exciting game to me.

I could be wrong. This idea doesn't do much to excite me, however.

Ah, come on, ya gotta use your imagination. There's lots of ways they could keep it interesting.

(For instance): Your victims will constantly be trying to kill and outsmart you, setting traps for you, locking you out of places. You'll have to always stay one step ahead, figuring out how to get to them while they're most vulnerable. They'll want to call for help so you'd have to find and cut their phone line. Or more interestingly, you find the line and intercept their distress call, impersonate law enforcement and tell them you have a deputy just outside their door to rescue them, they just need to open up. Then your reward, when they finally let you in, will be a most gruesome and grisly murder as your victim screams and begs for his/her life. lol. That's a much better reward than a medicinal herb or some ammo for your revolver or whatever you'd get as the hunted in normal survival horror. Then you could use their limbs and innards (which you'd now have as items in your inventory) to try to scare your next victim into surrendering (but of course, you never accept surrenders, always hacking and slicing instead).

This is just some random stream of conciousness stuff I thought of in a couple minutes. I have faith the designers can come up with all sorts of entertaining ideas. Especially if they decide to really go off the deep-end and make the player uncomfortable and sick to his stomach with just how brutal and ruthless he's becoming. There's a lot of potential here. Of course, it could all turn to crap as we all know. I'm hoping for the best though.

**Compass** · 30 Dec 2003, 08:44 PM

Originally Posted by Korly

Horror themed games are my favorite.

Is this for PC or consoles?

It's PS2 only for the time being. And I love horror games in general as well. Didn't mean to insinuate that this "reversed" idea will necessarily be better or worse, just different (which is always good in sequel-happy and idea-stealing videogame land).

**680x0** · 30 Dec 2003, 08:47 PM

Let's hope it does something more interesting than Manhunt

**UndeadKing** · 30 Dec 2003, 09:28 PM

Thank you! I heard about this game some time ago but forgot the title and up until now thought I dreamed it. I love the premise but I won't get excited until it actually get's released.