Gun Media and Illfonic have finally answered our prayers with a release date for Friday the 13th The Game. Camp is officially in session starting May 26th, 2017. The game will be available on Xbox One, PS4, and Steam as a digital download for $40. With a firm launch date in hand now is the time to start strategizing for optimal slaughter potential.
Lucky for us, Gun Media’s Wes Keltner has dropped some stats to help fans figure out which Jason is right for them. Over on the Friday the 13th The Game forums, Keltner posted screenshots from the game’s “select your Jason” section. For added gameplay variety, each Jason was given specific strengths and weaknesses for players to utilize. Technically, there are no “bad” Jason’s, but if you haven’t picked a favorite yet, now’s the time.
Jason Part 2
One of the two “alive” Jason’s available, J2 is set apart from his zombie brethren by his ability to run. Most of the rest can only manage a fast walk. He also starts each match with more traps in his inventory which makes him a good choice for players who want to dive right in to the game without having to learn to use a bunch of abilities first.
Of course there is a downside to being among the living. Namely, a decreased defense ability which lowers J2’s chances of successfully blocking attacks. He’s also significantly slowed down by water so keeping the counselors trapped on land will be top priority.
Jason Part 3
J3 is a killer’s killer. He can run after his victims and once he grabs them they have a harder time wiggling free of his grasp. He also does more weapon damage against counselors making him a great choice for those just wanting to unleash their homicidal tendencies.
For all his combat bravado, J3 is hampered by a decrease to his more supernatural abilities. Both stalk and shift abilities wear off faster once activated making it imperative that he take out his victims as quickly as possible. It’s probably best to pick them off one at a time, however, since J3 is more susceptible to getting stunned by attacks.
Jason Part 6
At first glance J6 has some distinct disadvantages. For one he can’t run, but he also suffers from lowered defense and a longer cooldown on his morph ability. Despite this he is able to sense for victims longer and shift to their locations more frequently than the others. He also begins the match with 4 throwing knives in his possession which sort of negates any close combat issues he has.
This is the best choice for the more tactical killer. Since J6 doesn’t have to waste time hunting for knives like the others he can get right to work finding and toying with his victims. He’s also equipped with a spear to keep those pesky kids off his lawn.
Jason Part 7
J7 is when things become interesting. While he’s still reduced to a brisk walk on land his speed in the water is unrivaled. Keltner hinted that he will actually be slightly faster than the boat, counselors can try to escape in. Which is both interesting and horrifying. In addition, J7 has a faster cooldown on his sense ability and a stronger grip strength once he gets ahold of his victims.
Aside from his lack of land speed, J7 only gets 2 traps to set for counselors. His shift ability also has a slower cooldown. In short, he’ll be a powerful weapon in the right hands, but probably not the best choice for newbies.
Jason Part 8 (AKA Best Jason)
You might have to put your love of the movies aside for this entry, because (at least in this game) J8 is the perfect killing machine. Not only can he stalk for longer than the others, but he’s just as quick in the water as J7. What really sets him apart however, is his increased destruction skill which allows him to break doors/walls faster than any of the others. This makes him a force to be reckoned with across the whole map.
He does suffer from a bit a lower grip strength which gives counselors a better chance of breaking free once captured. Also, his sense ability wears off quickly so he’ll have to act fast once he spots his prey. Really, the hardest part with J8 will be finding his victims, after that it’s only a matter of time before they meet a horrific demise.
Jason Part 9
Focusing more on supernatural skills, J9 seems to play a bit like a roided up J6. He can shift faster and stalk longer so counselors will always have to be on their toes. He also has the highest stun resistance so he can literally take a beating and keep on killing. This will be useful since he only gets 2 traps.
As is typical of the undead, J9 can’t run. Instead he relies on the good old ‘slow and steady’ method of terrorizing his victims. Curiously, one of his main weaknesses is that J9 has less hit points than other Jason’s. This is a matter of serious speculation and debate on the F13 forums since a large part of the terror of being stalked by an unkillable monster depends on said monster actually being relatively unkillable. While the devs have hinted that it would be possible to kill Jason in the game, they’ve long maintained that it’s a pretty rare occurrence. Escape is still a counselor’s best option of survival.
Savini Jason
This Jason is a pre-ordered exclusive designed by legendary special effects guru, Tom Savini. If you didn’t pledge in time you may want to skip this entry because it will only leave you with longing. Not only is SJ the most badass looking Jason in the line-up, he does more damage to both structures and counselors than most others. Combined with his expedited shift cooldown, SJ is pure nightmare fuel. If you want to play as a relentless killing machine this is it.
His (minor) drawbacks, aside from exclusivity, include standard quick walk protocols and a weakened grip strength. Seriously though, nobody’s going to bother carrying their victims around when they can brutalize them so easily. A counselor’s only chance would be to head for the water as SJ swims far slower than his counterparts. That of course relies heavily on a players ability to keep their wits about them when they see this beast coming to rip them apart. Good luck with that.
So there you have it, in an unbiased comparison, Jason Part 8 stands out as the most well-rounded of the bunch. Suitable for various playstyles and ability levels. You can check out Wes’ notes on each Jason for yourself over at the Friday the 13th The Game forums and debate the merits of your favorites in the comments below.
