Ok, so we’ve pretty much given the game away in the title…
As we get closer to Halloween we felt it was more than appropriate to talk about the iconic Resident Evil franchise and our Board Game adaptations (it would be rude not to). There’s something really special about getting together with friends, dimming the lights and immersing yourself in a terrifying board game experience, and Resident Evil is perfect for this. Halloween and Resident Evil go together like Zombies and Raccoon City!
First things first; Resident Evil 2: The Board Game and Resident Evil 3: The Board Game are available on our webstore and you should buy them both immediately! They were out of stock for some time through the first half of the year, aaaaages in fact, so we’re super excited to have them back on our (virtual) shelves.
Still here? Ok, we thought that might happen. Here’s 4 reasons why you should be excited about our Resident Evil this Halloween.
1. We've created faithful adaptations of the video games
Fan of the video games? Good. So are we. As with all of our tabletop adaptations, we’ve made sure the Resident Evil 2 & 3 board games are true to the source material. The development team here at Steamforged Games is packed to the rafters with massive Resi geeks (Hi Sherwin!), so you can be absolutely sure we’re not just cashing in on the brand name.
What does that mean for our board games? Well, the core engine driving them both is the tension deck. This replicates the creeping dread and suspense from the video games, where you’ve got no idea what could appear round the corner, in the form of cards that you draw after certain actions.
Some could be as harmless as a door creaking, or the wind shaking some window frames, but you could also have Nemesis bursting into the room! And there’s a limited deck, so each time you draw a ‘safe’ card, you’re more likely to draw a scary one next time. Yikes!
Another feature is limited resources. You’re never blasting away at enemies with unlimited ammo in the games, so we made sure that wasn’t an option here. Guns, bullets, healing items, and other useful stuff are in extremely limited supply, so there’s no complacency with your resources to be had here!
In fact, in their review of Resident Evil 2: The Board Game, Tabletop Gaming said it stands out “in its devotion to its source material. Unlike the trigger-happy combat of many dungeon-crawlers, and in keeping with the video game, ammo is a premium.” Still don't believe us? Dicebreaker recently published an article called 'How much is the Resident Evil 2 board game like the video game?'.
We could go on for days about all the different ways we’ve stayed true to the source material, but we’ve got lots to get through in this blog, so it’s onto Number #2!
2. Both games have lots of incredible expansions
That’s right, you’re not limited to the (admittedly fantastic) core games, both 2 & 3 have brilliant expansions which give you hours, if not days, of new content for your campaigns. Take the B-Files Expansion for Resident Evil 2: The Board Game.
This HUGE gameplay expansion adds six terrifying new scenarios to your campaigns, doubling the number of scenarios in the core game, and giving you over nine hours of extra gameplay.
That’s not to mention the terrifying new enemies, like modified zombies, evolved Lickers, and poisonous Ivy, new locations, and even an appearance from the relentless Mr X himself!
Then there’s the 4th Survivor Expansion, which adds 2 brand new game modes, one of which sees you play as either Umbrella agent HUNK or the legendary Tofu while battling your way through an impossible gauntlet of enemies while trying to escape the overrun RPD building. There’s loads more than that, so check out our webstore for the full selection!
(Image: @AGamingBeaver on Twitter upon receiving KS delivery)
Resident Evil 3: The Board Game isn’t short of expansions either. With the City of Ruin Expansion, featuring nine spine-chilling new scenarios, facing three terrifying new enemy types and two enormous, lethal bosses, and the Last Escape Expansion, which sees you step into the shoes of six new playable characters, including their Advanced Versions, you’ll never go short of exciting content to inject into your campaigns!
3. Resident Evil 3: The Board Game is sitting at a delectable 8.1 rating on BoardGameGeek
Wow, you don’t even have to take our word for it!
High ratings are notoriously hard to come by on BoardGameGeek, so you know it must be good if it’s got 8.1… Resident Evil 2: The Board Game has got a tasty 7.4, too, so you can rest assured you’re getting a thrilling, well-constructed tabletop experience for both.
Get on BoardGameGeek and join the community!
4. The Resident Evil Netflix series
Ok, so it was cancelled after the first season. But that’s still one whole season to enjoy right? There’s such a glut of content for Resident Evil, that there’s never been a better time to get into it! You can now watch it (both in series and films), play it on your console, AND play it on the tabletop.
You could even watch it while playing it… The options are endless.
So, there you have it. 4 excellent reasons why you should be excited about Resident Evil this Halloween. There’s nothing more we can say other than: go check out the full range now!
