Fans of '80s horror franchise Friday the 13th rejoiced in May 2017 when the popular series appeared in videogame format. Friday the 13th: The Game featured iconic locations, intricate details, dozens of Easter Eggs, and an iconic cast which formed its own identity as part of the franchise.
Players of the game would compete as either a counselor seeking escape/survive or the iconic antagonist Jason. While not every movie has been incorporated into a character, all are represented in the game in some form. Assuming the Jason role will place the player in one of a number of incarnations of the villain, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. Evaluating several factors, here is the current list of playable Jason options, ranked from worst to best.
10 Part 6
A major weakness of any version of Jason is going to be the inability to run. Let’s get that out of the way now. While there are abilities that compensate for this handicap, being consistently outrun by counselors indoors and in close quarters is a definite weakness that cannot be ignored.
Part 6 Jason exemplifies this weakness. In addition, he is featured using the spear movie fans will recognize from the earliest part of its corresponding film, which feels as weak as it looks. In addition to its inability to run, this Jason cannot Morph around the map as frequently, confining him to smaller areas of the map more often, and has lower defensive stats than other options, making him easier to deter.
9 Part 7
We really want to like this Jason more than we do. For starters, the incarnation of Jason derived from the 7th film in the franchise features his iconic machete and boasts improved damage with it, in addition to boosted water speed when chasing counselors underwater.
What is lacking, again, is the ability to run. Additionally, while this Jason doesn’t sport decreased defensive stats, it features a decreased resistance to being stunned – meaning that a few well-placed shots with blunt and bludgeoning objects can stop him in his tracks from advancing on potential prey.
8 Part 5
This entry is the first with the ability to run, but it has several drawbacks holding it from obtaining higher recognition on this list.
For starters, Part 5 Jason combines the weaknesses of the last two entries. If the decreased defense isn’t bad enough, this Jason also sees decreased stun resistance, making it the worst at receiving damage. In addition, if you manage to catch a counselor while running, it has a decreased grip strength which causes catching counselors to be less effective.
Fans of the series know that this iteration of Jason was not, canonically, Jason Vorhees. The imposter in the game also manages to bring the least interesting weapon present: Shears.
7 Part 3
This version of Jason is not bad. It ranks low on the list but possesses considerable upsides.
To start, this Jason is perfect for new players. It is able to run, has boosted weapon and grip strength, and only suffers from stun resistance, Stalk, and Sense. While Sense is an extremely useful ability, players can easily perform their functions without relying on it in this form, so it doesn’t serve as a major deterrent.
Being the first iteration of Jason to don his infamous hockey mask, and sporting an ax, Part 3 Jason is a fantastic starter option - it simply lacks a reason for experienced players to stick with it.
6 Part 9
First off, the character model for this Jason is fantastic. The deformities from the film are displayed in exquisite detail. Here’s what lands Part 9 on the bottom half of this list: Low hit points and he can’t run.
To be fair, this is potentially in favor of balance. This Jason has increased stun resistance as well as boosts to the Stalk and Shift abilities. The boosts to these abilities more than compensate for the shortcomings for experienced players. In truth, this is one of the more popular Jason forms for hardcore fans of the game.
5 Part 8
If Part 9 Jason is popular, Part 8 is a verifiable fan favorite. This iteration of Jason is easily one of the strongest in the game. He might not be able to run, but he can swim amazingly fast, quickly destroy doors, and he sports a sweet fire ax which lends itself to some of the most interesting Grab Kills in the game.
While those Grab Kills are great, they can be difficult for newer players to execute. In addition to his inability to run, this Jason has decreased grip strength, making him easy to escape in close quarters.
4 Retro Jason
For strengths and weaknesses, see the entry above on Part 3 Jason. This is simply a skin for that version and has no functional difference. As mentioned earlier, this version of Jason is extremely playable. Add to that the features of this skin and it vaults higher on the list by default.
If you’re unfamiliar with those features, you need to understand that this skin is based on Jason’s appearance in the 1989’s Friday the 13th for the NES. While this Jason sports a blue recolor, it also adds a chiptune style soundtrack to the game which makes for a fantastic overlay.
3 Part 4
What earns Part 4 Jason the third spot on this list? Start with the cleaver called a “pig splitter." Next, check the stats. Part 4 Jason might be slow in the water, but it makes up for this with improved weapon strength and an increased ability to knock down barriers. Furthermore, he can run.
Originally intended to be the final film, it is fitting that the representation of Jason from the fourth installation is such a well-rounded option. You won’t want to take him on maps which have water exits, but he’ll do the job just fine everywhere else.
2 Part 2
From the original final version to the first adult appearance, this Jason is hands down our favorite.
We haven’t mentioned unmasking in this list yet, but if opponents manage to unmask you here, the representation is so true to form, you’ll feel like you’re watching the movies. In terms of playability, he can run. He has more traps. He even has a boost to the Morph ability to ensure that you never waste a trap capture.
What he lacks is water speed and defense. While those are certainly noticeable, the good outweighs the bad here. This is just a fun version to play, and many keep it set as their default.
1 Savini Jason
This always had to hold the top spot on this list. It is as impressive as it is elusive, and no matter how great the representation of the films is in these games, this outlier is a nice change of pace.
As a little backstory, Tom Savini designed this Jason as a representation of what Jason would look like if he had returned from Hell after the events of the ninth film. Initially, this was given as a gift for supporting the development of the game during its initial phases, but popularity dictated that it be offered for sale after the release.
Unlike Retro Jason, this isn’t merely a skin. It has a slew of novel features, as well as unique strengths and weaknesses. Throughout this list, decreased grip strength, slower water speed, and the inability to run have been hindering factors. Savini Jason has all these drawbacks, but that can’t stop it from holding the top spot. It is that cool.