Leaving The Crystal Lake: Camp Keepalive Out Soon

Sometimes I chase references like Alice blundering after rabbits, which is how my mind led me from the recognisable spaces of tactical tale of terror Camp Keepalive to dreamy space pop. It's a short trip, passing between two Crystal Lakes, one of which contains the shimmering plastic detritus of Grandaddy's Sophtware Slump. The game itself has been relentlessly stalking in our general direction since February when I played the demo. The full version of the turn-based horror puzzler is out this Saturday, the 24th, and there are brief thoughts on the full version below.

I played a near-complete version a while ago and was pleased to find that it fulfils the promise of the early levels. The basics of the game, in which camp counsellors must save idiot children from ravenous monsters, become increasingly complex as maps form puzzles in themselves Counsellors and monsters have unique powers, the use and avoidance of which challenges the brain, and the strong theme and deviously puzzling nature of the later levels is fantastic.

Try the demo. Or listen to Grandaddy. It's your call!