Deadhikers is a cooperative survival horror game set in an isolated wilderness after an attack on a hikers’ camp. The remaining survivors are cut off from the outside world and must search for a way out while something dangerous moves through the forest. There is a story, but it is uncovered indirectly through clues, collectibles, and traces left across the environment. Players are expected to keep moving rather than establish a permanent base.

Hiking Gear Replaces Base Building

Survival depends on supplies carried in the backpack. Players cross swamps, climb steep hills, search abandoned locations, and collect food, tools, medical items, and other useful resources. Inventory space matters, so carrying everything is not always possible. Camps and shelters provide temporary places to recover, but exploration remains the main way to progress through the wilderness.

The Forest Becomes More Dangerous at Night

Hostile creatures roam the area and can attack hikers during exploration. Barkers are one known enemy type, while tougher Night Barkers appear after sunset. These creatures can grapple injured players and continue attacking downed survivors. Later updates also removed the idea that daytime is completely safe, since normal Barkers can now remain active after dawn.

Players can:

• explore forests, swamps, hills, and shelters;
• collect food, tools, and medical supplies;
• manage limited backpack space;
• search for clues about previous events;
• build temporary fires and use camps;
• fight or avoid hostile creatures;
• cooperate with other survivors while escaping.

Scenarios Replace Traditional Levels

Deadhikers does not use a standard sequence of numbered levels. Instead, progression is organized around wilderness scenarios containing objectives, locations, secrets, and survival challenges. A collection system tracks discovered clues across scenarios, allowing players to gradually piece together the history of the area. The map also marks locations and the starting camp to help with navigation.

A typical session involves leaving camp, choosing a route through difficult terrain, gathering supplies, investigating suspicious locations, and returning to shelter before resources run out. Players must also decide whether exploring deeper is worth the risk of encountering stronger creatures. Deadhikers focuses on cooperative exploration, backpack management, environmental survival, investigation, and finding an escape route through a wilderness that becomes increasingly dangerous over time.