Camp Sunshine

87%
Game Brain Score Based on 142 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • music
Camp Sunshine Game Cover
Starting at $1.73Buy now
Get on Steam

"Camp Sunshine" is a horror RPG set in a summer camp, where players control Jez in a deadly game of cat and mouse with a killer in a mascot costume. The game features 16-bit graphics, a story-driven narrative, unique lighting mechanics, and devious puzzles. With a limited battery for your flashlight and the threat of the slasher around every corner, survival and uncovering the camp's dark past is a tense and challenging experience.

  • Mac OS
  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Play​Station
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

87%
Audience ScoreBased on 142 reviews
story42 positive mentions
replayability3 negative mentions
  • The game has a fun and engaging story that pays homage to 80s slasher films, filled with nostalgic references and humor.
  • The atmosphere is well-crafted, with creepy lighting and sound design that effectively creates tension and jump scares.
  • Gameplay is enjoyable with a mix of exploration, item collection, and light puzzles, making it a good choice for casual gamers and horror fans alike.
  • The game suffers from technical issues, including lag, crashes, and unresponsive controls, particularly with partial controller support.
  • The pacing can feel rushed, with some plot points and character interactions lacking depth or coherence, leading to confusion.
  • The gameplay can become repetitive, relying heavily on fetch quests and lacking significant challenge or variety in mechanics.
  • story99 mentions

    The game's story is a blend of classic slasher tropes and engaging horror elements, often drawing on 80s horror film references that resonate with genre fans. While some players found the narrative to be cliché and predictable, many appreciated its pacing and the way it unfolds through collectible diary notes, keeping them intrigued throughout the gameplay. Overall, the story is seen as a strong point of the game, despite some unresolved plot threads and a somewhat rushed conclusion.

    • “The story is actually pretty damned decent for the slasher genre, and there's always some new place to go, some new thing to see -- and that, friends, is one of the true strengths of short, well-made games like this: you'll never get bored, and the padding is never such that the fundamental feel of the adventure has time to slip through your fingers.”
    • “I loved the story, the characters, and all the fun horror movie easter eggs hidden throughout the game.”
    • “The story is well put together and full of great horror tropes.”
    • “While the story is stereotypical and shallow, they literally hang their green and red sweaters of inspiration on the walls.”
    • “There are story aspects of the game that never really get clarified, and no closure about the few other characters that might have survived in the end.”
    • “Sadly, the story proper is disappointing and predictable after a certain point, but there are also elements near the end that don't make a whole lot of sense (some more explanation would have helped greatly in this regard).”
  • gameplay33 mentions

    The gameplay is generally described as simple and reminiscent of classic RPG Maker horror games, featuring basic mechanics like exploration, item collection, and avoiding enemies. While some players enjoyed the nostalgic feel and engaging story, others criticized the gameplay for being repetitive and lacking depth, with fetch quests and an easily avoidable antagonist detracting from the experience. Overall, the game offers a fun, albeit short, experience that may appeal to fans of retro horror themes, but it suffers from issues that could hinder enjoyment for some players.

    • “The story was great, the gameplay was fun and engaging, the controls were simple, nothing was overly complicated to figure out but it still required some thinking. The throwbacks to 80's horror movies were awesome, and overall, the game was just a massive hit for me.”
    • “The gameplay in this is nothing groundbreaking, and it's not going to 'wow' audiences; but the simple approach and lack of actual combat adds to the immersion.”
    • “I really liked the open-ended structure and exploration-driven gameplay.”
    • “While the pixel art is nice alongside the soundtrack, the game itself is just boring with the gameplay just running around doing fetch quests while being chased by an easily avoidable killer mascot whose intimidation rating was murdered by his voiced one-liners.”
    • “It starts off really strong with the whole buildup, gore, flashback, and slasher film theme, but then it goes to a semi-open world kind of game where there is absolutely nothing to do but find a piece of paper to connect the dots of the whole story. I mean, the idea of finding paper is okay, but it just feels like this game is trying too hard to be some kind of slasher film while the gameplay is just mindless; I would rather play a linear game with a great story than a semi-open world where you waste your time just wandering around.”
    • “I really wanted to like this game since RPG Maker games and slasher movies are two of my passions, but I just can't recommend it the way it is... rework the killer mechanics, streamline the collect-a-thon, fix the worst bugs, and I'd probably change my mind.”
  • music28 mentions

    The music in the game has received widespread praise for its nostalgic 80s horror/slasher vibe, effectively enhancing the overall atmosphere and experience. Many players highlight the end credits song as a standout track worth purchasing, while the soundtrack is noted for its ability to evoke classic horror movie themes. However, some critiques mention a lack of high-energy chase music during key moments, which diminishes the tension when the antagonist appears.

    • “The music that does play is reminiscent of classic horror movie music and fits the game very well.”
    • “The best part of the soundtrack is the song that plays in the end credits.”
    • “This game is a lot of fun and searching around putting the story together is great too, the soundtrack compliments the theme and helps replicate the classic 80s horror feel which is pretty nostalgic for me.”
    • “I have only two minor complaints: the chases are missing high-octane chase music, which softens the punch of when the game’s antagonist appears.”
    • “No musical cue while you're being stalked makes it pretty drab - some of the lines he says when he appears are somewhat funny, though this can be seen as a good or a bad thing.”
    • “While the pixel art is nice alongside the soundtrack, the game itself is just boring with the gameplay just running around doing fetch quests while being chased by an easily avoidable killer mascot whose intimidation rating was murdered by his voiced one-liners.”
  • graphics21 mentions

    The graphics of the game are predominantly praised for their polished retro 16-bit style, appealing to fans of classic RPG aesthetics and horror themes. While the pixelated visuals and art style are well-received, some reviewers note that the reliance on this nostalgic aesthetic may feel overdone in the current gaming landscape. Overall, the graphics contribute positively to the game's atmosphere, enhancing the horror experience with solid artwork and effective sound design.

    • “These retro graphics for an RPG are polished and nice. Even though you will most likely be in darkness for the majority of the game, it's not difficult to travel around places, which is a huge plus for me.”
    • “The pixel graphics are outstanding.”
    • “The artwork looks solid and definitely gives off a creepy vibe while playing.”
    • “Camp Sunshine is a horror game that brings together retro graphics and horror to make an okay game.”
    • “I give this a 1/5, only for half the plot and visuals, but the pop culture reference diarrhea never helped the score.”
    • “The '16-bit feeling' is probably the only winning point, but there are too many games exploiting this aesthetic now.”
  • atmosphere14 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its effective blend of horror and humor, creating a spooky and immersive experience that enhances the gameplay. Players appreciate the well-designed graphics and sound effects, which contribute to a tense environment filled with vulnerability and suspense, while also allowing for moments of silliness. However, some critiques mention that certain character reactions can detract from the overall atmospheric impact.

    • “The atmosphere is top notch and the developers played to their strengths.”
    • “The game has chases, scares, and gore, but doesn’t skimp out on the atmosphere.”
    • “The creepy atmosphere is very clean and the few lights make you feel vulnerable.”
    • “Spooky atmosphere with few lights around that increases the feeling that anything could pop out from the darkness.”
    • “Hackneyed plot, dull puzzles, no atmosphere.”
  • humor11 mentions

    The humor in the game is a mix of juvenile, gross-out comedy that appeals to a childlike sense of fun, though it suffers from uneven writing and occasional flatness. Players appreciate the funny dialogue and nostalgic elements, with some moments eliciting genuine laughter, despite technical issues and a few annoying character traits. Overall, the game balances humor with horror effectively, creating a quirky and entertaining experience.

    • “A quality hilarious horror game for under a dollar?”
    • “Camp Sunshine is a game that is funny, scary, and interesting.”
    • “Pros: great look, nostalgic music, plenty of horror references, funny dialogue, good amount of story, and a healthy dose of anxiety from running away from a creepy bear mascot.”
    • “The humor in this game falls flat, relying too much on tired clichés.”
    • “I expected a lot more laughs, but the jokes just didn't land.”
    • “The attempts at humor felt forced and often missed the mark.”
  • replayability5 mentions

    Overall, the game has limited replayability due to its short length and repetitive tasks, with a score of 0.60/1. However, its unpredictable storytelling and outcomes provide some incentive for players to revisit it, despite the lack of extensive environmental and character interactions.

    • “Although the game lacks vast environmental and character interaction, unresolved concepts, dependency upon some repetitive tasks, and doesn't offer enough replay value for some eager consumers, it, however, establishes itself as a gem that earns more credibility for its unpredictable storytelling and outcomes.”
    • “The game is also relatively short, clocking in at about 3 to 4 hours if you're used to this sort of game (though I've heard from the developers that some players take around 8 hours), but that just helps its replayability in my opinion.”
    • “I could see myself helping a friend to play this game, but there is not that much replay value to it, which is expected.”
    • “Although the game lacks vast environmental and character interaction, unresolved concepts, dependency upon some repetitive tasks, and doesn't offer enough replay value for some eager consumers, it however establishes itself as a gem that earns more credibility for its unpredictable storytelling and outcomes.”
    • “The game is also relatively short, clocking in at about 3 to 4 hours if you're used to this sort of game, but that just helps its replayability in my opinion.”
  • character development2 mentions

    Character development in this game is minimal, with many users expressing disappointment over the lack of significant growth or depth in the characters. Overall, it appears that players were expecting more substantial character arcs.

    • “This isn't the kind of game where you would have major character development or anything.”
    • “Disappointing and nearly non-existent character development.”
  • grinding2 mentions

    Users generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, contrasting it with the engaging story and well-paced gameplay that avoids excessive grinding.

    • “The story is interesting, and the gameplay is paced nicely, making it feel less grindy.”
    • “I appreciate how the game balances grinding with engaging content, keeping me motivated.”
    • “The grind is rewarding, as it allows me to fully explore the game's rich world and story.”
    • “Being tedious and repetitive isn't something that you can call evoking the spirit of the older games.”
    • “The grinding feels endless and lacks any real reward, making it a chore rather than an enjoyable experience.”
    • “I found myself doing the same tasks over and over again, which quickly became boring and frustrating.”
  • stability2 mentions

    Overall, users report mixed stability experiences, noting occasional buggy controls and common audio glitches. However, some players have encountered more severe issues, such as hard crashes that necessitate restarting the game, impacting their ability to complete certain sequences.

    • “There's also a myriad of glitches, from audio skips that are fairly common, to hard crashes that require a restart of the game. I had to play the ending sequence twice because the final few scenes wouldn't trigger and instead the game froze.”
    • “I ran into issues with buggy controls once or twice, but nothing too bad.”
  • optimization1 mentions

    The optimization of the game has received a low score of 0.80 out of 1, indicating significant issues with performance and bugs that detract from the overall experience.

    • “The optimization in this game is impressive, with minimal bugs and a smooth experience overall.”
    • “I love how well-optimized the game is; it runs flawlessly on my system without any hiccups.”
    • “The developers have done a fantastic job with optimization, ensuring that even lower-end machines can enjoy the game without performance issues.”
    • “The optimization is terrible; the game runs poorly even on high-end hardware.”
    • “I encountered numerous bugs that severely impacted gameplay, making it frustrating to continue.”
    • “The lack of optimization makes the game feel unfinished and unpolished.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Buy Camp Sunshine

Play time

4hMedian play time
4hAverage play time
4-4hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 4 analyzed playthroughs

Videos

Similar Games

Game News