Horrified (First Impressions)
29 Oct 2019Horrified is a hyper-thematic replacement for Pandemic, it is faster playing than Pandemic and fills the same niche. It borrows heavily from the universal classic monster movies such as Dracula, Frankenstein, The Mummy, and etc. Each monster provides it’s own mini-game that players have to cooperate to complete. Overall it was a really quick and really fun experience. The game was challenging, but wasn’t too punishing. As a bonus, the art for the game was phenomenal.
Every player character represents an archetype of hero that is running around a map that grows stakes and shotguns from ex nihilo. The players move around the map protecting and escorting villagers, completing objectives to make the monsters vulnerable, or attempting to throw themselves in the way of harm to further the cause. Players also pick the monsters they want to deal with for the game, obviously it is easy to create a randomized set up, and the rules clearly delineates the special setup instructions and provides further details concerning the monsters.
There is the basic pandemic setup, a deck of event cards that supplies the map, that has a special interaction with a monster or a hero, and finally moves and attacks with a set of monsters. This card also features a frenzied monster, a monster who is more likely to perform moves and actions including a monster that already activated that round. Another pandemic staple is a tracker that determines a loss condition when a certain amount of villagers or heroes get hospitalized. Another modified pandemic element is the perk cards, one time use special powers that aid the players in their struggle against the campy dark forces of universal enemies.
A unique mechanic to the game is the items, which players need to collect to protect themselves, use in completing the puzzles and mini-games that make the monsters vulnerable, and ultimately to defeat the monsters in question. The game provides chunky card board pieces to each monster relevant location so that the map and monster cards provide all the relevant information to help you assess the games status and keep personal book-keeping to a minimum.
Turns are quick, players get a certain amount of action points and a special action only they can perform, they use these actions and the consequence of these actions are atomic, the ease of play makes it a good family game and the mixing and matching of different monsters would allow parents to tailor the experience to suit any age of player.
Component-wise this game is amazing. The art is compelling and thematic. It clearly delineates both the theme and the effects. It is text heavy, but the effects are pretty straightforward and should not pose a problem to a native speaker. In terms of non-native speakers.
Thematic minimalism is what I’d describe how they incorporated aspects of the monster’s stories and the named NPC characters, in the game. Each event card dealing with the NPCs outlines the beginning of their narrative, which then organically evolves through the course of their time on the map. Unfortunately the NPCs take a back seat to the generic archetypes presented by the player characters, whom are weighted with women characters. I love the player interaction with the monster however, the Mummy can discover one of the players is the reincarnation of their lost love, or it is revealed that one of the players is the mark for the wolfman.
My friend taught the rules for the game, but the core rules is 6 pages, the rest of the 15 is component pictures and monster specific setup rules and another reference for their special abilities. The rules have diagrams for each component, an the aspects of the two phases (Hero and Monster) are written sequentially, there are only 4 places where the rulebook references another part of the rulebook and it is all terminology or solo play rules.
I would play it again, not sold yet on a purchase (not a must-have), but it is definitely worth checking out if you are into monster movies. This definitely a gateway game.