HORROR GAMING RICARDO'S 2020 GUIDE TO - Dragon's Lair Comics ...
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
Dragon’s Lair Comics & Fantasy October 2020
RICARDO’S 2020 GUIDE TO
HORROR GAMING
ESSENTIALS:
ARKHAM HORROR
This Halloween, the selections are bigger than ever!
Every year I come across the same problem, “There are only so many hours in
a day — but so many boardgames I want to play” on Halloween, or on
Halloween Eve that I usually end up with analysis paralysis and disregard the
whole thing. Sometimes I start to think about the style of game I would like to
bring to the table either at a party or alone, do I want to play something quick
and easy, often cute in nature…or immerse myself in a slow burn thematic
HORRIFIED
game that takes me well into the early hours of November 1st? This season,
the selection of horror games has exploded with all sorts of games, and I will
use my expertise of the genre to provide you with a concise shopping guide
full of variety and hopefully suggestions that you can use to navigate your
way to a successful night of haunted tabletop gaming for you or your group of
friends! Keep in mind, this year the name of the game (pun intended) is social
distancing so I will be featuring more games of that nature.
Growing up in the 90’s there was a small boom targeted at us young
millennials for quick, gimmicky games that were more toys than decent
attempts at the genre; who can forget the chaotic mystery of 13 Dead End BETRAYAL AT
Drive or the lesser known Ghost Castle? I recall the production these games HOUSE ON THE HILL
made us do with their flimsy cardboard walls and uneven ramps making us
come away from the experience as seasoned production designers. In the
80’s Gen X’ers were treated to the joys of bundled cassette/VHS tapes that
Ricardo’s Guide to Horror Gaming 2020 1
Dragon’s Lair Comics & Fantasy October 2020
promised an “immersive experience you’ll swear was real” gimmick with such classics as the
bombastic Nightmare or the unintentionally terrifying Shrieks & Creaks. Luckily those days are long
behind us and the golden age of boardgames has brought us the next evolution of cardboard
entertainment without the need for gimmicks or other marketed materials; and what was once a
very niche seasonal curio has matured into a vast field of choices we can play all year round! Here
are some standout selections played by and approved by yours truly, to get you in the spirit!
If you are looking for that “classic feel” in your games — retro artwork and gaming style I really
suggest taking a good look at Horrified by Ravensburger.
Horrified
There is a small group of people that will tell you that a “game
using licensed properties isn’t really a good game at all” hasn’t
given this one a good look. Horrified is a game based off the
classic Universal Monsters properties such as Dracula, the Wolf
Man, The Invisible Man, Frankenstein and his Bride… you know
the drill. This game brings it in the art style. When you open this
box you are greeted by a fantastic statement that looks like it was
taken from a silent film. This is a game that will take your breath
away in art style. The goal if the game is very simple, you are a
group of Investigators trying to stop the monsters from
overrunning the town and scaring off the villagers. This miniatures
game has you solving unique puzzles based off the creatures
character and personality. You can mix and match each monster
to your liking to increase the difficulty. This is a great lighthearted game that isn’t very scary or gory,
with some beautiful artwork for the whole family that you will want to play again and again! Great
Co-operative action and plays in about 1 hour. 1-5 Players
Ricardo’s Guide to Horror Gaming 2020 2
Dragon’s Lair Comics & Fantasy October 2020
If you’re a graduate of the “lighthearted” and are looking for something a bit more…meaty,
then I got just the games for you!
Abomination: The Heir of Frankenstein
Honestly, everyone is sleeping on this title. This one’s for those
that want the heavy thematic elements of gothic horror, but also
prefer the Eurogame style of play. Now that I think about it, I
don’t recall there being many Euro style horror games out there,
so Abomination: The Heir of Frankenstein by Plaid Hat
Games is unique in that sense, which is a lot to say since this
game comes out of the same company that publishes Dead of
Winter!
In Abomination, Frankenstein’s monster is in search of a mate,
and you take on the role of a scientist tasked with the duties of
harvesting body parts to bring his creature to life. I picked this game up
early in the year expecting an unbalanced game that was more Euro than theme but
I was shocked at how well it plays. At its core, Abomination is a worker placement game that
has you send your workers to various locations around Paris: The University — which allows you to
teach and gain renown, The Morgue — which allows you to harvest organs from the dead to build
your creature, The Slaughterhouse — which provides you with animal
parts to use instead of human organs, The Gallows —
where only the freshest and bloodiest bodies will be
found, you know… choice cuts, or the Dark Alley —
Where you can take murder into your own hands. You
and your fellow scientists will race against each other as
you try to build and bring your creature to life first, but be
careful as organs you harvest will degrade over time,
causing you to lose points and delay your victory! This
game is not for the faint of heart and the artwork is
pretty R-rated; but make no mistake, Abomination: The
Heir of Frankenstein drips with story and theme wrapped
up in a very Euro package that even the most seasoned of
gamers will enjoy. Plays around 2-3 hours 2-4 Players.
Ricardo’s Guide to Horror Gaming 2020 3
Dragon’s Lair Comics & Fantasy October 2020
GRINDHOUSE
Fans of 80’s horror pulp will feel right at home here, Alas! Take the Saw
films and marry it with the plot of The House on Haunted Hill and you have
Grindhouse by Everything Epic. In Grindhouse you play a character 10
million dollars in debt and your only lifeline to get out of it is a mysterious
letter sent by an even more mysterious host inviting you to spend the night
at his mansion…if you survive you win 10 million dollars. The point of the
game is to survive 5 rooms, with as many limbs attached as possible to
score victory points at the end. This is a luck based game that has a certain
gameshow quality to it. You might be asked to nominate players to attempt
a task, only to have the tables turned against the others just as quickly. This
game does provide some fun nods to classic horror tropes that a horror fan
would find very amusing but the art style might put off more sensitive people
with depictions of bloody severed limbs everywhere. This game comes with
a very nice play mat and components are very good quality! This game will do well
for competitive gamers looking for a fun and quick fix. Plays around 15-30 minutes. 2-6 Players.
Ricardo’s Guide to Horror Gaming 2020 4
Dragon’s Lair Comics & Fantasy October 2020
The “Arkham Files” Series:
Cosmic horror has never looked this good! Fantasy Flight has done
some amazing things to the world if H.P Lovecraft with their Arkham
Files series by Fantasy Flight, consisting of a massive series of
games such as Mansions of Madness, Arkham Horror,
Eldritch Horror, Elder Sign, Final Hour, & the immensely
popular Arkham Horror Living Card Game. These games
offer a great amount of playtime, cater to various styles of
gameplay ranging from RPG, dice throwing, miniatures and
card drafting. You are sure to find something for everyone
with these sets of games. The best part of this series is that
they can be played with a single player, without affecting the
deep narrative these games provide. Mansions of Madness
gets a special mention as it’s the only game in the series (at the
time of this writing) that implements a digital app. This app is free to
download on a wide range of devices and allows the players to setup
and hit the ground running in minutes! The app acts as a digital
bookkeeper — keeping track of all player and monster stats as well as
generating the rooms and providing the puzzles for each game. The Arkham
Files series by Fantasy Flight provides some of the best co-operative narrative
play I’ve encountered, and remains my favorite go-to every year, with incredible
replay value as well as the perfect quarantine game. Plays in 2-4 Hours 1-6 Players.
Ricardo’s Guide to Horror Gaming 2020 5
Dragon’s Lair Comics & Fantasy October 2020
Dungeons & Dragons Adventure System:
Castle Ravenloft
What if your gaming group or your own taste gears more towards the
traditional Role Playing Game? You should check out what D&D is doing
in the boardgames arena! Wizards of the Coast has created something
called the Dungeons and Dragons Adventure System which allows you
to take one character, and as you level them up and play, you can take
them from one game box to the next, seamlessly! In Castle Ravenloft you
play as adventurers exploring the lair of a mysterious count who’s at the
center of wild disappearances and paranormal activity that
has been terrorizing a remote village for quite some time.
This game is perfect as a dungeon crawler and
thematic adventure as well as the ultimate DM kit
with all the miniatures, tiles, and cards you would
need to run your own adventure based off this
campaign. This immersive game is perfect for
introducing players into the world of Dungeons & Dragons
via an innovative Betrayal at House on the Hill-meets-HeroQuest style hidden room tile system; as
well as weaving a classic gothic horror tale told through a progressive chapter scenario book that is
sure to delight fans of the genre. No DM needed! 1-5 Players. 1-3 Hours per scenario.
Ricardo’s Guide to Horror Gaming 2020 6
Dragon’s Lair Comics & Fantasy October 2020
Betrayal at House on The Hill
Betrayal holds a special place in my heart. It was one of the very
first games that I played that introduced me into the world of
tabletop gaming as I know it. After my first few games, I had seen
the garden of paradise beyond Monopoly and LIFE and I wanted
more! Just as CATAN did almost 2 decades ago, heralding the
first major boardgame renaissance, Betrayal at House on The Hill
is currently doing just that for modern gamers, many experiencing
the joy of the hobby for the first time. In Betrayal, you assume the
role of investigators that wind up at a mysterious rundown
mansion with a dark and uncertain past that you will soon
discover as you make your way through this labyrinth of rooms and
hallways, revealing items and artifacts that will aid you in the discovery of the mystery
surrounding the house. The core game has 50 different scenarios each with different ways of
triggering them that will guarantee a new final act for many sessions to come. The Final Act can
vary anywhere from escaping a collapsing house, avoiding a gang of werewolves, and escaping a
horde of zombies! Any lover of horror tropes will feel right at home here! (another pun!)
For the sake of brevity, I am currently enjoying my own
play through of its reboot, Betrayal Legacy, which dives into the
backstory of the same house as you customize its inhabitants
and build the rooms that will eventually become the house in the
original game, but it requires at least 13 sessions to complete
therefore not quite suitable for a single session on Halloween
unless you have completed the full story and want to show-off
your very own customized board, or you want to begin your own
legacy. Original Betrayal 3-6 players. Legacy 3-5 Players. Both
games last 1-3 hours per session.
In closing, these are just a handful games that I recommend that can make for a fun and
exciting evening alone or with a group of friends that will provide you with many hours of fun!
Many of these titles can be found at your local Dragon’s Lair Comics & Fantasy! So come
down and tell us what you’re looking for and we will find the perfect game just for you! If you
have any questions about these games or want more suggestions, call us! We’re more than
happy to hold them for you! This has been your fellow boardgame expert. Until next time…
Ricardo
Ricardo’s Guide to Horror Gaming 2020 7
You can also read
