Horrified (Saturday Review)

Night had fallen over the village of Bodega Bay. Most people were at home, because they knew there were terrible creatures roaming the streets. Only a few brave heroes had ventured out into the cold, dimly lit streets to protect the inhabitants from the horrors that were lurking in the shadows. It didn’t take them long to come across the first fiendish creature. As they looked upon the muddy Creature from the Black Lagoon, they were Horrified by Prospero Hall from Ravensburger.

Gathering Courage

Players begin by choosing from seven characters, each inspired by classic horror archetypes that will feel familiar to anyone who has ever watched one of the many black and white films from the era. Each hero and heroine possesses distinctive abilities, which provide tactical advantages once you know the game a bit better, but for your first game, just choose whoever you can most identify with. You will quickly learn together whether your team choices were good or bad. After all, Horrified is a cooperative game. So you’re all in it together for better or for worse.

The next decision is to choose which two of the six monsters that come with Horrified to bring into play. There is Dracula, Frankenstein’s Monster, The Invisible Man, The Mummy, The Wolfman, and The Creature from the Black Lagoon. Each creature offers different challenges and requires different strategies to defeat it. The game recommends two specific monsters for your first game, but once you’ve become more familiar, the world is your radioactive oyster. In fact, you can make the game harder by playing against three or even four creatures at the same time.

Finally, the game can begin.

Most of the action takes place in the town. It is depicted on a night-themed game board that seems to glow under dimmed lighting and looks suitably spooky. In fact, the sculpted miniatures of the monsters reinforce the horrifying atmosphere. Actually, all components are of very high quality, which you would come to expect from Ravensburger. They’re all well thought-out and allow gameplay to flow smoothly. Different shapes, different materials and everything else make the game almost intuitive.

Monster Menace

During a game of Horrified, you move your characters through the town, collect item tokens and intercept monsters. Throughout, every choice you make is meaningful and requires discussion and cooperative planning. As the heroes and heroines, you must anticipate monster behaviour, coordinate their abilities, and act decisively, balancing immediate threats with longer-term objectives. That requires a lovely mix of tactical and strategic thinking and tight teamwork. Cooperation lies at the heart of the game, and the shared problem-solving produces memorable moments.

Monster behaviour is governed by a deck of action cards, which introduces unpredictability while remaining thematic. The creatures act in a way that mirrors their movie counterpart, while the action card deck creates a push-your-luck tension that greatly rewards careful planning and where missteps often carry dire consequences. Random elements such as dice rolls and card draws increase the suspense. The combination of skill and luck is just right. It ensures that each session remains dynamic and engaging. Players quickly learn the importance of timing, coordination, and prioritisation as the monsters move unpredictably, yet within overall rules that remain thematic and understandable. Players have to figure out their foes’ patterns and develop a plan to effectively respond to the evolving threats.

Every round, the suspense builds. Like with every well-designed cooperative game, you will struggle to win Horrified on your first attempt. Even early decisions can have far-reaching implications. You do really have to work together and weigh the costs and benefits of every action. You will have early successes and feel elated when you banish your first monster. Yet, defeating the second fiendish foe is going to prove a lot harder. It will come down to the line every time, even after many plays.

Reflections in the Fog

The interplay between your heroes’ and heroines’ abilities, the town’s layout, and the monster’s behaviour allows a story to emerge that players who love storytelling games will relish and get excited about. Those of you who love strategic puzzles are encouraged to experiment with different strategies to find a way out of this maze of the constantly changing game state. If you love classic horror movies, then Horrified will allow you to dive into the nostalgia and take on the role of your favourite hero or heroine.

The adaptation of classic horror is handled with care. Horrified preserves the atmosphere of the original films through mechanisms that are easy to understand and thematic. The game board with its glowing night scene and the sculpted miniatures enhance immersion. The six monsters and seven characters, each with unique abilities and objectives, encourage repeated play and exploration of tactics. There is a limited amount of luck, but it does not dominate, allowing you to feel in control while injecting some uncertainty and creating unforeseen, and unforeseeable challenges.

Every shadow, every monster, and every coordinated action contributes to a narrative of tension and accomplishment. Horrified really succeeds as a cooperative experience that appeals to families, casual players, and experienced gamers alike. It offers suspense, engagement, and satisfaction. Above all, after you finished a game, whether you won or lost, you feel like you were the star in the evening’s double feature presentation.

Useful Links

• Horrified: https://www.ravensburger.co.uk/en-GB/products/games/strategy-games/horrified-universal-monsters-26827
• Rulebook: https://boardgamegeek.com/filepage/184667/official-horrified-universal-monsters-board-game-r
• Rules video: https://youtu.be/p4fB42w15Tw?si=_bSdrjDGDEp_rBCM
• Ravensburger: https://www.ravensburger.co.uk/en-GB
• BGG listing: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/282524/horrified

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