We love video games here at Dread Central, and every time we hear about one so different and unique that it stands apart from the rest, we feel we just have to know more. So when we heard about the first 16-bit horror RPG, Camp Sunshine, which is now on Indiegogo, we decided to track down the game’s two designers, Paul Kay and Joshua Howard, to get the lowdown.

Dread Central: So, why did you choose to go the retro 16-bit route?

Paul Kay: Mainly as a result of my childhood spent squirreled away playing Final Fantasy, Chrono Trigger, Chronicles of Gaia, etc. Those games have always stuck in my head because of the effort those guys went to, to create graphics that still stand the test of time today!! When I first got into making games, I naturally sided with hand-drawn graphics rather than rendered because it was great to make little demos that reminded me of growing up. Oh, and also because I could never get to grips with 3D modelling at all!

Joshua Howard: We both grew up in the 8-bit/16-bit era. So, naturally, that is the style we gravitated towards a bit more.

DC: Is it hard to create a genuine horror game with a visual style that many see as being more suited to family-friendly games?

PK: Yes and no. Firstly, this kind of visual style is often tied to the more fantastical plot lines, but we wanted to base this firmly in reality. So I think that gives us a nice little boost! I can’t remember seeing a toilet in Pokemon, or a decapitated sprite, so we just had to get them included.

We’ve got some great mechanics in the game that hopefully will have you on edge for the majority of the game. Our killer can jump out at you from anywhere, and when he does, it’s time to RUN! You’re also armed with a flashlight that needs a steady supply of batteries; otherwise, you’ll be navigating the camp by the streetlights alone!

JH: It does create some limitations. Those limitations make you work a bit harder to achieve the look you want. It also makes for a nice contrast of bright colorful characters and gory pixelated blood.

DC: Will the player need to explore the camp to discover secrets about what’s going on?

PK: Most definitely! So far we’ve got 30 different locations in the main camp for players to explore that are filled with puzzles, characters to interact with, and of course Isaac to avoid, too! The player has to search the camp to uncover the history of our slasher, and he does this by finding diary pages of the original owners of the camp. These take you through key moments in the formation of Isaac Illerman, and when it’s all pieced together, you’ll be able to end the night of terror.

DC: Can you talk about the killer, Isaac Illerman?

PK: Other than that he wears a bear mascot costume? That would spoil the story too much! The players have to work their way around the camp in order to uncover Isaac’s past … in that way you’re watching him turn into a killer, which is weird, but a good weird!

JH: He’s a troubled boy… that’s all I can say for now!

DC: Where does Camp Sunshine stand alongside upcoming camp-based horror games like Friday the 13th and Dead by Daylight?

PK: Both of those games look fantastic, and finally we’ll get our hands on a good Friday the 13th game by the looks of it! Both of those games are way above us, as we’re only two middle-aged chaps who sat in our houses coding and doodling away. The thing we’re really proud of in this game is the story; not only do you have the cat & mouse aspect of a slasher game, but you also get to explore the history of the summer camp. It’s a game we’re really proud of!

JH: I believe our little game stands out as being one of the first 16-bit horror RPG’s. For us, we want people to experience the story and find out where everything started.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qr7y7OHCFOg]