It’s Friday night at Camp Crystal Lake, which means Jason Vorhees is hungry for some charcoal-flavored counselors. Uh oh! What’s that? The counselors have split up and are searching cabins? They’re trying to find a way out?! Have no fear, for Jason is near and hellbent on getting revenge for his decapitated mother. 

If you’re not already familiar with the game, Friday the 13th: The Game is an asymmetrical, multiplayer survival horror spectacle where seven players control camp counselors on several different maps at Camp Crystal Lake. The eighth counselor? They’re awarded the opportunity to play as the hockey-mask-wearing, knife-wielding Jason. Of course, you’re going to need to have a better understanding of how the game works if you’re going to survive the night and escape.

Getting Started

Seven players begin the match as camp counselors, while one lucky player is chosen to play as Jason. Jason spawns in his shack (where Pamela’s severed head and her sweater are kept), while players are evenly spread throughout the selected map. Each match lasts 20 minutes, where counselors must do what they can to survive. Counselors can collect numerous weapons and items while Jason steadily looks for them. As time ticks on, Jason becomes stronger as all of his abilities fully unlock. The objective of the game, besides the chance of killing Jason, is to survive in whatever way is possible.

The Counselors

How to Play Counselor in Friday the 13th: The Game

There are 14 playable counselors in the game, ranging from male to female, and all with special abilities. Each counselor comes with their own list of stats which lists what categories they are good or bad at. Counselors are ranked on: Composure, Luck, Repair, Speed, Stamina, Stealth, and Strength. Players can choose whichever counselor they desire, along with 3 empty slots to add on special perks that can be obtained by spending CP points. Perks can help to improve certain weaknesses in counselors, while other perks can even enhance their strengths. 

Counselors have several ways of escaping, such as repairing the two-seat and four-seat cars or boat, finding the fuse to phone the police, lasting the entire 20-minute match, or killing Jason. Players can repair the cars by finding the keys, batteries, and gas. The boat can be repaired by finding the gas and propeller. The phone can be repaired by finding the fuse, fixing the phone box, and calling for help.

Killing Jason is perhaps the trickiest option as it requires a specific formula. A female counselor must steal Pamela’s sweater from Jason’s shack and stun him properly with a weapon when the time calls for it. Tommy Jarvis also must be called and he must be the one to kill Jason with an axe or machete.

Playing as Jason

Friday the 13th The Game - PLAYING AS JASON

Arguably the biggest attraction of the game, the player controlling Jason has one simple task: kill everyone. Whether it’s setting traps around the cars or snapping counselor’s necks like twigs, Jason has many tricks up his sleeve to make sure nobody survives the night. Jason starts each map in his killer shack and begins with the Morph ability, which allows him to teleport to wherever on the map. Most head straight for the main house, while others choose to head for the cars and phone to set traps.

As the match progresses, Jason develops more abilities that unlock. These abilities include: Sense, Shift, Stalk, and eventually, Rage. Sense allows Jason to hear the counselor’s noises and feel their fear while Shift allows him to quickly move forward to catch up with a running counselor. Stalk allows him to sneakily follow his victims closely while Rage gives him an extra bout of strength.

Jason has a selection of different skins from movies in the film franchise, all of which include strengths and weaknesses. For example, Part 8 Jason can’t run but has tremendous stalk ability. Playing as Jason can feel lonely at times, but the more you kill, the more Mrs. Vorhees will be cheering you on!

Maps

Ranking the Maps in Friday the 13th: The Game

One of the main reasons this game has achieved notable popularity is the homage it pays to the film franchise. In doing so, all of the maps are based on locations used in the Friday the 13th films. There are eight total playable maps in the game, each with an individual design. These include: Camp Crystal Lake, Camp Crystal Lake Small, Packanack Lodge, Packanack Lodge Small, Higgins Haven, Higgins Haven Small, Jarvis House, and Pinehurst. An unreleased map, Grendel, based on the location in Jason X, was put on hold due to the lawsuit surrounding the game.

Weapons

Hey, batter, batter!

Of course, you’re going to need a healthy stash of weapons to battle the almighty Jason. Counselors have the opportunity to search the map for scattered weapons that can be used to stun Jason and cause a considerable amount of damage. One of the best ways to help you survive is keeping your counselor armed at all times, especially when using a counselor with a high score of strength and luck. While counselors can utilize makeshift weapons such as a tree branch or frying pan, some weapons can be used to possibly help kill Jason, such as a machete or an axe.

The flare gun is one of the most popular weapons. As the second firearm in the game, it possesses the ability to greatly stun Jason. The main firearm is a shotgun, though it only includes one bullet, so make sure you’ve got a good aim at Jason before you pull that trigger.

Jason’s weapon of choice depends on which Jason is specifically chosen by the player before the start of the match. His choice of weapon includes variations of an axe, a spear, a pig splitter, two kinds of machete, shears, and trident. He cannot pick up any other weapon except the one he spawns in with, so make sure you choose your Jason wisely.

Items

Various items are scattered throughout the entire map. Items can be found by searching drawers and surfaces inside cabins as well as on tree stumps and picnic tables. One of the most necessary items in the game is a map, which gives you a better understanding of where you are, and where you need to go. Walkie-talkies can also be found as a way for players to communicate with each other to complete objectives more efficiently. Firecrackers can be found and used to stun Jason when utilized correctly. Note: it’s all about timing! Medical spray can also be found to heal either yourself or a fellow player after they have been injured.

As mentioned before, Jason cannot pick up any new weapon, but he can pick up an item such as throwing knives. He can use these knives to aim at a counselor that he is chasing to injure them and slow them down.

Tommy Jarvis

Hey, Maggot Head!

The cherry on top of the killing Jason sundae is the audacious and a little bit crazy, Tommy Jarvis. Not to be confused with a counselor, Tommy is a playable character in the game that can be controlled by a player after they have either escaped or died. Tommy must be contacted through a radio in one of the cabins to be summoned into the game. Tommy can only spawn into the game after at least 2 players have escaped or been killed. Unlike the rest of the counselors, he immediately spawns into the game with a large map, a walkie-talkie, a med-spray, a pocket knife, and a shotgun.

As mentioned previously, Tommy is a key component when it comes to killing Jason. He’s the only character capable of delivering the final blow, which is obtained with an axe or machete. For this to happen, Jason needs to have his mask knocked off, a female counselor needs to be wearing Pamela’s sweater, and Jason needs to be stunned by both the sweater and a weapon to bring him to his knees.

How to Win

To win, collect useful items and weapons to help you defend yourself. Add on the perfect perks to your counselor of choice to make your strengths even stronger. Repair any of the objectives on the map, hide out in the shadows and cabins while the 20-minute time limit expires, or, gather everyone together to battle and kill Jason. For counselors, the way to win is as simple as it’s been from the beginning: survive. For Jason, it’s even simpler: kill.

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