Friday the 13th: The Game
- May 25, 2017
- Illfonic
- 11h median play time
Friday the 13th: The Game functions both as a gleefully sadistic multiplayer horror title and a love letter to some of cinema’s most beloved schlock.
Friday the 13th: The Game is a third-person horror, survival game where players take on the role of a teen counselor, or for the first time ever, Jason Voorhees. You and six other unlucky souls will do everything possible to escape and survive while the most well-known killer in the world tracks you down and brutally slaughters you.
Reviews
- gameplay1,124 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Friday the 13th: The Game" is characterized by its asymmetrical multiplayer mechanics, where players can either take on the role of Jason or one of the counselors. While many players find the core gameplay fun and engaging, especially in a group setting, it is often marred by bugs, glitches, and unbalanced mechanics that can lead to frustrating experiences. The game offers a mix of strategy and action, but the repetitive nature of objectives and the lack of updates have led to criticisms regarding its long-term replayability.
“The gameplay is great, and I like the kill animations; very satisfying to watch! :) but I found it difficult to survive as a counselor; I wish they would do something about that.”
“The gameplay itself is a perfect blend of strategy and action.”
“The gameplay is fun and tense, and the teamwork and real sense of camaraderie that I've experienced is second to none.”
“The gameplay was slow and unresponsive, and the concept of the game, a survival horror simulation where players must escape a machete-wielding Jason Voorhees, is interesting but poorly executed.”
“The combination of poor gameplay, toxic community, and numerous bugs outweigh the impressive graphics.”
“The gameplay has gotten repetitive and boring, plus with no new changes or fixing you're basically getting the same thing forever now.”
- stability1,124 mentions
- 1 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 99 % negative mentions
The stability of "Friday the 13th: The Game" is widely criticized, with players reporting numerous bugs, glitches, and server issues that significantly impact gameplay. Many reviews highlight that while the game can be fun, it is plagued by persistent technical problems, including game-breaking glitches and unbalanced mechanics, leading to a frustrating experience for many users. Despite these issues, some players find enjoyment in the chaotic nature of the glitches, suggesting that the game may still be worth trying, especially when on sale.
“I have had no glitches and overall it's just a good experience.”
“Runs great, and there are more players than I thought there would be (I rarely have to wait more than 10 seconds to get into a lobby).”
“A patch fixed the servers and the game runs great so it's really fun.”
“The game is a buggy mess right now.”
“This game is so buggy that I still have trouble playing offline with bots due to the fact the game will get stuck loading the intro scene.”
“The game is riddled with bugs and glitches that cause items to be unusable, Jason's abilities to not work or not be able to attack or grab, the counselors to have tripping fits or get stuck randomly.”
- graphics556 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many players praising the overall visual quality and attention to detail, particularly in character models and environments. However, some users criticize the graphics for being dated or inconsistent, with issues such as poor facial animations and optimization problems on lower-end systems. Overall, while the graphics are generally considered good for an indie title, they are not without their flaws, leading to a varied player experience.
“The graphics are amazing, with dynamic shadows and HD tessellation that really enhance the game's atmosphere.”
“The attention to detail is impressive, with stunning visuals that bring the game's world to life.”
“The graphics are really good, and the atmosphere makes the game fun and challenging.”
“Some of the graphics and cut scenes are so bad it's amazing (Chad's face especially).”
“Buggy, choppy, awful graphics and Kane Hodder is too old for motion capture shooting of Jason.”
“The graphics are so bad on a new laptop I'd rather play Pokémon and I don't do that.”
- humor539 mentions
- 99 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The humor in "Friday the 13th" is largely derived from its chaotic multiplayer interactions, where players often find themselves in absurd and hilarious situations, especially when playing with friends. Many reviews highlight the game's funny glitches, unexpected moments, and the entertaining dynamics of voice chat, which can lead to both comedic and cringe-worthy exchanges. While the game has its share of bugs and a sometimes toxic community, these elements often contribute to a lighthearted and enjoyable experience, making it a favorite for group play.
“It's very violent, but at the same time it's funny, and when you play with friends, it's very exciting and fun.”
“The community makes the game really enjoyable and hilarious.”
“This game is so funny to play and it has a really deep atmosphere which is fantastic close to the movies.”
“The jokes are unfunny, and the only reason why gun media hasn't taken this game down is because the little money they make is what they want.”
“It's not funny.”
“However, it is not funny enough to make me forget that I paid thirty pounds to be doing the same thing over and over again without much variation.”
- music369 mentions
- 24 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The music in the game is a significant highlight, effectively capturing the eerie atmosphere of the Friday the 13th franchise with chilling soundtracks and iconic cues that heighten tension during gameplay. However, many players express frustration over disruptive loud music from other players, which often drowns out the intended audio experience, making it difficult to enjoy the game's immersive sound design. Overall, while the original score is praised for its authenticity and ability to evoke fear, the chaotic multiplayer environment can detract from the intended horror experience.
“The soundtrack is amazing and the gameplay is great too.”
“The music really sounds like the original soundtrack.”
“The music cues are always on point, the gameplay is exceptional, and everything about the game mechanics is astounding!”
“The game is completely dead, devs just gave up the game and only the server is working, what's left is a bunch of hackers, spammers, and guys who have music at full volume just to destroy your game because muting a player is not working anymore.”
“Now the game is filled with hackers and people who run around with their mics open blasting some random inaudible god-awful music thinking they are funny, but in reality, they are just ruining the experience for everyone.”
“Every lobby is filled with cringy players that blast terrible music into your ears, making it impossible to enjoy the game.”
- story274 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 74 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The reviews indicate that the game lacks a substantial story, with many users expressing disappointment over the absence of a dedicated campaign mode. While some mention minor narrative elements and character backstories, the overall consensus is that the gameplay is prioritized over storytelling, making it feel more like a multiplayer experience without a cohesive plot. Players who enjoy the franchise may find some enjoyment in the game's references to the films, but those seeking a rich narrative will likely be left unsatisfied.
“The story follows the Incredibles as they try to restore the public's trust in superheroes while balancing their family life, only to combat a new foe who seeks to turn the populace against all superheroes.”
“This game's story is something of a roller coaster and I'm not going to bore everyone with it.”
“Each gameplay is a small horror story.”
“This game has no story mode; this game is crap.”
“The game isn't complete; there will be a single player story mode along with a single player bot local game.”
“I purchased this game due to the promise of a single player campaign/story mode and instead they made a single player version of the same game but playing against bots... what a joke.”
- atmosphere147 mentions
- 59 % positive mentions
- 39 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of "Friday the 13th: The Game" is widely praised for its authenticity and immersive qualities, effectively capturing the essence of the iconic slasher films. Players appreciate the detailed environments, sound design, and music that evoke a sense of dread and tension, making the experience feel like a playable horror movie. Despite some criticisms regarding gameplay mechanics, the game's atmosphere remains its standout feature, providing a thrilling and terrifying experience for fans of the franchise.
“The atmosphere is fantastic, so don't buy an entire seat; you'll only need the edge.”
“The atmosphere of the game is its strongest point in my opinion, feeling more like a movie you can play than a game based on a movie.”
“Friday the 13th excels at creating and maintaining the atmosphere of an '80s slasher film.”
“This game is a broken mess on every level except for its atmosphere.”
“Friday the 13th: the game is pretty mediocre and presents little to none of a horrific atmosphere.”
“Hoping to play a game that actually reflects the movies' scary atmosphere will get you disappointed.”
- optimization136 mentions
- 26 % positive mentions
- 51 % neutral mentions
- 22 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant performance issues, including low frame rates and bugs, even on high-end systems. While some users have noted that the game runs smoothly on lower settings, others express frustration over the need to compromise graphics for better performance. Overall, the consensus indicates that the game is poorly optimized, requiring further updates and fixes to enhance the experience.
“Fortunately, since it is an Unreal Engine game, there are numerous ini tweaks one can make to improve performance considerably.”
“I personally love how the game looks and the fact that it looks great and is also well optimized at the same time is one of the reasons that actually made me buy a game with a price I usually find too expensive for myself.”
“I've had pretty great performance and having the settings maxed, I never saw much in the way of slowdown, even with the rain they added in and I don't have a high-end system.”
“The optimization kinda sucks so you're forced to run everything on low.”
“This game has some of the worst optimization I've ever seen and I see no sign it's going to be fixed anytime soon.”
“The bad optimization on an amazing engine is just depressing and really shows the lack of understanding from Gun Media/Illfonic.”
- replayability88 mentions
- 32 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
Overall, the game is frequently praised for its high replayability, attributed to its variety of characters, maps, and gameplay mechanics that keep matches feeling fresh. While some players note that the gameplay can become repetitive over time, many still find it enjoyable enough to warrant repeated play, especially in multiplayer settings. However, a few reviews express concerns about limited content and server issues affecting long-term replay value.
“The game has a lot of replayability - the variety of counselors, perks, maps, and ways to play mean it doesn't get boring.”
“Overall this is a great game with tons of replay value.”
“Every time you play, you never quite know how the match is going to play out, which lends it a high degree of replayability.”
“The game process is samey, repetitive and replay value is close to zero.”
“Price: the game does not have enough replayability to be priced at $40. The game does not change enough between matches and due to the innumerable number of bugs and glitches, this game is not worth the price. I personally like to get at least an hour for each dollar I spend on the game, and for the first ten to twenty hours the game was fun, I admit, but then it just gets boring and repetitive.”
“The biggest problem I saw with the game was that after a little while, there is little to no replayability.”
- grinding52 mentions
- 6 % positive mentions
- 35 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious and time-consuming, often requiring a significant investment of time to achieve meaningful progress. Many reviews highlight that the grind feels arbitrary and detracts from the overall enjoyment, with some players expressing frustration over the lack of substantial rewards for their efforts. While some appreciate the variety in gameplay, the repetitive nature of grinding for unlockables and achievements is a common complaint.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“A bit grindy... sometimes.”
“One long, tedious grind.”
“It doesn’t fit the game thematically, feels arbitrary, and grindy.”
“The game requires a lot of level grinding, for what seems to be barely any unlockables or anything to motivate you to even level up.”
“Sorry, I'm done with this game: the update took too long for a single feature, now I had to grind 113 levels for a weapons selection: I already said this game is a grind fest, a tedious disaster!”
- monetization25 mentions
- 4 % positive mentions
- 8 % neutral mentions
- 88 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game has been widely criticized as a blatant cash grab, with many reviewers expressing disappointment over its lack of depth and support from the developers. Players feel that the game was released in an incomplete state, with a high price tag and exploitative microtransactions, leading to a perception that the developers prioritized profit over quality and player experience. Overall, the sentiment is that the game fails to justify its cost and is seen as a missed opportunity to honor the franchise.
“Since there are tons of little unlockables, it could even be a free-to-play game with microtransactions.”
“Unless you don't have multiple friends to play this game with, it's just another failed online-only cash grab.”
“This game has been slipping downhill since its release, and this latest move from the team just seems like a blatant cash grab rather than them expressing any kind of love for this series anymore.”
“The game is in no state for such a release, and it's been made clear that it's a dying game, but at this point, it's very obvious that it's just a quick cash grab before the developers drop support.”
- emotional19 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional responses to the game are mixed, with some players experiencing genuine fear and a strong atmospheric impact that evokes a range of feelings akin to classic horror films. However, others express frustration and disappointment, citing technical issues and a lack of engagement that detracts from the overall experience. While some find it to be an emotional rollercoaster worth the effort, others feel disconnected and critical of its execution.
“The emotional impact of this game cannot be overstated, and while there are games that evoke awe and joy, and even a select few that manage to evoke sadness, this game evokes all the emotions that a great horror movie does.”
“This game is an amazing emotional rollercoaster if you're willing to overlook some of its rough edges and are open to the experience.”
“Too scary, I cried.”
- character development4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Character development in the game receives mixed reviews; while some players appreciate the uniqueness and detail of the various Jason characters and their abilities, others criticize the overall character design as lazy and animations as stiff. Additionally, there are concerns about the portrayal of female characters, suggesting a need for improvement in design choices.
“All the different Jasons are unique and very detailed with their abilities and character design.”
“+ Good graphics, character designs.”
“Cons: clunky as hell, animations are stiff, lazy character design.”
“Fire your character designer; I don't want to have a boner while playing as a female counselor.”
Critic Reviews
Friday the 13th review
It needs more maps, but right now Friday the 13th is a gory game of hide-and-go-seek that’s fun with funny people.
75%Friday the 13th: The Game Review - PS4
Friday the 13th is a technical horror show redeemed by a fairly enjoyable core multiplayer experience. The nagging problem with that is that the stars have to align for players to achieve that experience in the first place. Time and effort will likely help make Friday the 13th a stronger package in the future, but time may well not be on its side if the player base dwindles rapidly.
50%Friday the 13th: The Game Review
Lopsided gameplay and egregious bugs almost kill the mood of Jason's murder spree in Friday the 13th: The Game.
69%