Sauna2000
| Sauna2000 | |
|---|---|
 itch.io version cover image | |
| Developer(s) | 靄 Moya Horror |
| Platform(s) | Windows |
| Release | 3 February 2020 (demo) |
| Genre(s) | Simulation, horror |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
Sauna2000 is a video game under development by 靄 Moya Horror, the production team of Japan-based independent developer Amos Sorri. Described as a "comedic sauna simulator", Sauna2000 is a horror game with a Finnish setting.[1] A demo of the game was included in the 2020 horror game compilation Haunted PS1 Demo Disc by Irish developer Breogán Hackett, prompting the launch of a successful Kickstarter campaign. The game was praised for its unusual setting and light-hearted tone, particularly by Finnish critics.
Gameplay[edit]
Set in the summer of 2000 in the small Finnish lakeside town of Muhvijärvi, the player plans to visit a summer retreat and relax, have a sauna, and drink beer. However, after crashing their car into a moose and finding their summer cabin vandalized, it is up to players to undertake a series of tasks to restore the cabin and set up the sauna. Players can also complete other recreational activities, including drinking, shooting, fishing, and taking photographs of the scenery.[2] However, players are required to complete tasks before sundown, before they are visited by a spirit that will chase and strike down the player.[3]
Development[edit]
Sauna2000 was developed by Amos Sorri, a Finnish developer based in Tokyo. Sorri was inspired to create the game after playing Control, a 2019 video game by Finnish developer Remedy Entertainment that features an inaccessible sauna. Sorri developed the game in a short timeframe of one and a half months, having been given the deadline by Haunted PS1 to include the game in the Demo Disc compilation.[4] Following inclusion in the 2020 Demo Disc, Sorri launched a successful Kickstarter campaign on 23 June 2020 that reached its funding milestone the following month.
Reception[edit]
The demo of Sauna2000 received positive reception. Calum Fraser of Alpha Beta Gamer praised the game for its unusually bright horror tone, stating "it’s a fantastic game with a very unique setting and vibrant visuals that prove that you don’t need darkness and dimly lit corridors to scare people."[5] The game was particularly popular with Finnish critics, who compared the game favorably to My Summer Car, a game with a similarly humorous interpretation of Finnish life.[6] Samuli Leppälä of Iltalehti stated the demo "combines horror, humor and the beauty of a Finnish summer night into a psychedelic package".[4] In September 2022, Sorri released a second demo, Sauna2000 Autumn Night Prelude, described as a "standalone experience that serves as an introduction to the full game", with new and separate content different to the original demo.[7]
References[edit]
- ^ "Sauna2000". Moya Horror. 3 February 2020.
- ^ "Sauna2000, a mysterious horror game that lets you experience a Finnish sauna, has been released". Den-Fami Nico (in Japanese). 30 August 2022.
- ^ "Sauna 2000". Indie Games Jam. 8 December 2021.
- ^ a b Leppälä, Samuli (15 July 2020). "The Finnish sauna game hit hard and hard! - The crowdfunding goal was met" (in Finnish).
- ^ Fraser, Calum (7 February 2020). "Sauna 2000 – Alpha Demo". Alpha Beta Gamer.
- ^ Fräntilä, Jarkko (10 March 2020). "Sauna 2000 is a Finnish sauna simulator that became a viral hit - 300,000 viewers on the video: "What the hell?"". Tilt (in Finnish).
- ^ Moya Horror. "Sauna2000". Moya Horror.