Steamforged Resident Evil 2 The Board Game: Core Game

Product Information

This board game is a beautiful homage to Resident Evil’s classic survival horror feel. Whether you’re a fan of Resident Evil or not, if you’re fond of horror or tactical scenario-based adventures, this may very well be for you! For some of us, the main element of this game is nostalgia. Regardless to the survival horror elements, the one thing you’ll feel if you’ve played the original is nostalgia. But what is Resident Evil: The Board Game? And, more importantly: Can you survive the horror? What is Resident Evil: The Board Game? Where Resident Evil 2: The Board Game shines is as a cooperative experience for up to four players. Some missions even feature scenarios that split the party, further adding to the tension of the experience. Stepping into the boots of your chosen S.T.A.R.S. character and heading into the mysterious Spencer Mansion, your exploration of that sinister place will be divided into turns.

Tension cards change the game state to keep you guessing at what will happen next, and immerse you in the fight for survival. The mansion is only the beginning. You might think an isolated building at the edge of the grounds would be untouched by the evils elsewhere; a lonely safehouse. You’d be wrong. Setup is swift because each scenario begins with just a few tiles. As you explore and open doors, you’ll build out the map, opening new pathways and discovering useful items … and deadly enemies. Are you brave enough to explore this strange world and face these two huge new bosses, so large they take up multiple squares?Feeling brave, Survivors? Then let’s head where few others dare to tread. Deep into the darkness, where mutant monsters make their lairs… TheMalformations of G Expansion will definitely require the same standard of player interaction and engagement as the core game, and will demonstrate how unforgiving the game is should you waver. Being young was awkward, when you weren’t hiding behind the controller that is! Remember not knowing how to talk to someone you liked? So you’d awkwardly sort of be around them and existed continually, never making progress or effort to let them know you were there? The T-00 Tyrant doesn’t. He has no fear. No reservations. He’s a successful go-getter and a man on a mission. He knows what he wants, and he wants you. (Dead!)

That’s been your overview of how to play Resident Evil: The Board Game, but stay tuned. We’ve got new mechanics to explore and bosses to encounter in future articles coming very soon. Well, in Resident Evil board games, enemies don’t take their own turns. Instead, not unlike a turn-based strategy computer game, enemies will react as part of your turn. We’ll cover that in more detail in the reaction phase, below. Much like the original, one key may open many doors, and the advantage to having the sky view of the game is that you can see where the key is needed. Also, being able to see the whole map lets you see the essential and non-essential items hidden amongst the bodies; red being essential and white being non-essential. The only thing is, the essential stuff is usually in a room five infested corridors away, and with four moves per turn, it’ll feel like an uphill struggle. And hiding inside the essential items are herbs, first aid meds and other single use items that you’ll be great full for, but won’t help you progress the scenario. Comparing it to the Original Resident Evil 2: The Board Game was designed by Mat Hart, Richard Loxam, and Sherwin Matthews, and it is published by Steamforged Games. He can be defeated, but death is not an insurmountable obstacle for this big fella! The next time he is said to spawn, he will appear again with his spirits as high as ever. In later scenarios within the B-Files there is the introduction of the 'Marked for Death' mechanic and the 'Mortally Wounded' status, where players are given one of these tokens and inevitably have a bad time!

Customer Service

So, let’s walk through how to play a turn in Resident Evil: The Board Game, to see how those pillars are realised on the tabletop... Player Turns Following the highly-rated Resident Evil 2 (2019) and Resident Evil 3 (2021) board games, Resident Evil: The Board Game (2023) brings the sinister Spencer Mansion to the tabletop in a terrifying open world campaign. If you find yourself in the same square as an enemy — whether they’ve moved toward you in a previous turn, or you’ve stepped in voluntarily — you’ll need to perform an evade roll to get past them. Fear is an interesting thing. Some people are terrified of heights, some of enclosed spaces, some of needles. It affects us differently and some fears seem irrational to outsiders looking in. Some genius at Capcom noticed this and considered what the most common irrational fear was and decided to slap it into the Resident Evil 2 original video game. And now, Steamforged Games have lovingly hosted it within Resident Evil 2: The Board Game as a mini boss expansion in Murder from Above! The B-Files Expansion for Resident Evil 2: The Board Game gives you the other side of the story to the core's, centring entirely around the adventure from the other side of the police car. You inevitably go through Raccoon Police Department, the sewer systems and Underground Laboratory. All through which your new admirer is hot on your trail. There are fewer scenarios in this expansion, but don't think the Resident Evil universe has given you a break because of this! You'll still have the disgustingly hideous monstrosities from the core game to deal with, alongside Birkin Stage 3, who is as deadly as ever.

So, whether you’re here to see what’s different or curious whether tabletop Resident Evil is right for you, welcome! Let’s see what Sherwin, Lead Designer, has to share...

About Us

He can be defeated, but death is not an insurmountable obstacle for this big fella! The next time he is said to spawn, he will appear again with his spirits as high as ever. In later scenarios within the B-Files there is the introduction of the ‘Marked for Death’ mechanic and the ‘Mortally Wounded’ status, where players are given one of these tokens and inevitably have a bad time! So, if you’re thinking we’ve recreated fast paced action and resource management, but are wondering where the atmosphere is, look no further. The undead aren’t the only danger roaming the mansion and its grounds. Strange creatures lurk in the darkness, watching and waiting for their moment to strike. The Murder from Above Expansion was clearly made for the fans; an inclusion of the iconic encounters to truly reflect the video game feel. Resident Evil 2: The Board Game is already a great reflection of its video game counterpart, but this expansion really captures some of those more iconic moments within the story! An unlikely presence holds this place in its thrall — a plant grown to monstrous size, its lethal vines trailing through the building just waiting to lash out. And beneath the simple structure, a deadly aquatic predator prowls the flooded halls, searching for any sign of life…

A thud from the next room might put your character on edge, and make them not want to leave their current tile. Another card might suggest corpses are especially sinister in the low light, and apply additional modifiers to the characters creeping around them. If you’re a Resident Evil 2 fan and you like co-op board games, you should definitely get this game. If you’re a fan of survival games, definitely get this game. If component quality is extremely important to you, you shouldn’t buy it right away, but I still recommend giving it a try since the gameplay is so good.The crow enemies in particular add a tonne of reply-ability in terms of players developing their own scenarios, as they spawn on tension cards in the main game but could just as easily be included in a custom set up. Combine that with the extra mini-boss and you’ve got way more opportunity to play! Engagement and Player Interaction Because Resident Evil: The Board Game builds on the tried-and-tested survival horror engine of the previous two board games that kept players on the edge of their seats, all while introducing brand new mechanics (like puzzles!) and a stage-reveal map system to keep you on your toes. Think of it this way: Anything you’d need to press a button on your console’s controller to do is an action. There are even a few cards that break the fourth wall, including one that cautions you to keep quiet when discussing your plans, in case enemies hear... That’s not to say the team can’t take a break or stop to discuss the matters at hand, but everyone needs to contribute, everyone needs to survive. The moment you take you eye off the ball, you’re zombie chow! Final Thoughts on Resident Evil 2: The Board Game