Sauna2000
A comedic horror game set in a Finnish lakeside sauna.
Sauna2000 is an upcoming horror game from Finnish developer Amos Sorri, working under his personal brand 靄 Moya Horror. Billed as a "comedic sauna simulator," it takes place in Finland. A demo appeared on the 2020 Haunted PS1 Demo Disc, a horror compilation by Irish developer Breogán Hackett, which led to a successful Kickstarter campaign. Critics, especially in Finland, highlighted its unusual setting and lighthearted tone.
The story follows Jaska, a Finnish man who crashes his car into a moose and finds his summer cabin ransacked. Set in the small lakeside town of Muhvijärvi during the summer of 2000, he must complete tasks to restore and light the sauna before sundown. Players can also drink, shoot, fish, take photos, and talk with characters like his friend Erkki. If tasks aren't finished by nightfall, a piru of Tuonela appears to chase and strike the player down.
Amos Sorri, a Finnish developer living in Tokyo, got the idea after playing Control (2019) by Finnish studio Remedy Entertainment, which features a sauna that can't be used. He built Sauna2000 in just a month and a half to meet the Haunted PS1 deadline. After the demo's inclusion in the 2020 disc, Sorri launched a Kickstarter on June 22, 2020, which reached its goal the next month.
The demo earned positive reviews. Calum Fraser of Alpha Beta Gamer praised its bright horror tone, noting that it proves darkness isn't needed to scare players. Finnish critics compared it favorably to My Summer Car, another humorous take on Finnish life. Samuli Leppälä of Iltalehti called the demo a "psychedelic package" blending horror, humor, and a Finnish summer night. In September 2022, Sorri released a second demo, Sauna2000 Autumn Night Prelude, a standalone introduction with new content, which appeared on the 2022 Haunted PS1 Demo Disc: Spectral Mall.
- developer
- Amos Sorri (靄 Moya Horror)
- genre
- Comedic sauna simulator / horror
- setting
- Summer 2000, Muhvijärvi, Finland
- protagonist
- Jaska
- notable inclusion
- Haunted PS1 Demo Disc (2020)
- Kickstarter launch
- 22 June 2020
Lore & Background
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. Following inclusion in the 2020 Demo Disc, Sorri launched a successful Kickstarter campaign on 22 June 2020 that reached its funding milestone the following month.
Set in the summer of 2000 in the small Finnish lakeside town of Muhvijärvi, the player controls Jaska, a Finnish man determined to enjoy a sauna and a cold beer. After crashing his car into a moose and finding his summer cabin robbed, Jaska must undertake a series of tasks to restore and set up the sauna. Players can also complete other activities, including drinking, shooting, fishing, taking photographs of the scenery, and interacting with characters such as Jaska's Pasanen-like friend Erkki. However, players are required to complete tasks before sundown, before they are visited by a piru of Tuonela that will chase and strike down the player.
In September 2022, Sorri released a second demo, Sauna2000 Autumn Night Prelude, described as a 'standalone experience that serves as an introduction to the f
Reader's Guide
Sauna2000 gained attention for its unusual blend of comedy and horror within a distinctly Finnish setting. The demo's inclusion in the Haunted PS1 Demo Disc helped launch a successful Kickstarter campaign, demonstrating the appeal of niche, culturally specific horror games. Critics praised the game for its bright, vibrant visuals and light-hearted tone, which contrasted with typical horror conventions. Finnish critics in particular compared it favorably to My Summer Car, another game with a humorous take on Finnish life. The game's development by a Finnish expatriate in Tokyo, inspired by a sauna in Control, highlights cross-cultural influences in indie game design. The release of a second demo in 2022 indicates ongoing development and continued interest from the horror game community. Sauna2000 stands as an example of how small-scale projects can leverage compilation discs and crowdfunding to reach an audience, while also showcasing the potential for regional folklore and everyday life to serve as compelling game settings.
Did You Know?
- The game was inspired by an inaccessible sauna in the 2019 game Control.
- The demo was developed in only one and a half months to meet the Haunted PS1 deadline.
- The Kickstarter campaign launched on 23 June 2020 and reached its funding milestone the following month.
- A second demo, Sauna2000 Autumn Night Prelude, was released in September 2022.
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