Camp Grizzly is a semi-cooperative survival horror board game for 1-6 players.
The year is 1979, players take the roles of Camp Counselors who are being stalked through a maze of cabins and camp trails by 'Otis', a homicidal killer with an unhealthy bear fetish.
Working together, the Counselors explore the camp grounds while searching for a combination of objectives that can trigger one of four different game endings. Those who survive the finale win the game!
It won't be easy. After every round of player turns, the NPC killer, Otis, stalks the closest targets around the board, attacking whenever he gets the chance. Unarmed players PANIC, are injured and forced to run away. Those lucky enough to have found protection are able to fight Otis with a dice roll. Better weapons mean higher value dice and a greater chance of success. Beat Otis and he disappears form the board until re-emerging from the woods on his next turn.
Be warned, as the body count rises, Otis gains strength, moves faster and becomes more deadly. Just when you think you're safe, you may find him waiting right in front of you!
If that's not bad enough, players must draw Cabin Cards which have a wide variety of game changing effects, both positive and negative. They contain Plot Twists, Cameos, weather changes, special Otis cards, clever Campers, helpful Weapons and Items, and fate tempting "foolin' around" cards.
The Counselors won't give up so easily. In addition to their own inherent talents, Survival Cards grant the players unique abilities and tactics to help elude or confront the killer.
Who, if anyone, will survive?
- Unique horror theme
- Semicooperative gameplay
- Horror survival
- Summer camp
- Semicooperative
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Survival — Avoiding a killer at a summer camp
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- Let's talk about the hottest and most popular board games right now.
- We're going to rank them in two categories: how well we liked the game or how badly we want to play it.
References (from this video)
- Thematic horror setting
- Second edition with streamlined rules
- No player elimination
- Difficulty increases as game progresses
- Horror Survival
- Summer Camp (1979)
- Slasher Film
- Friday the 13th
- Halloween
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Semi-cooperative — Players try to survive against a killer named Otis
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- All aboard the mama train!
- I always say a game is a great game and it can be even greater with dice.
References (from this video)
- immersive theme and strong story component
- distinct finale-card mechanic
- thematic consistency with camp survival vibe
- prototype-only impressions; final balance unknown
- slasher-inspired suspense with a narrative arc
- thematic survival horror at a camp
- story-driven with player-specific finale cards
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- character powers and stats — Each player has distinct abilities affecting play.
- Semi-cooperative — Players cooperate to survive but have individual win conditions.
- unique finale card — Each player carries a finale card dictating personal objectives.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- we freaking loved it
- the story part felt like it mattered
- it's very thematic storyish game where, well, you make the story
- combat is fairly quick and it doesn't take like a whole hour to defeat those bad guys
- you will remember everything that you do