Bloodborne board game

By: Cmon Games    Players: 1-4     Ages: 14+     Time: 45-75 mins

We are born of the blood, made men by the blood, undone by the blood. Our eyes are yet to open… Fear the old blood.

The town of Yharnam is suffering from a plague that turns people into beasts. It’s spreading rapidly, uncontrollably, and it falls to the hunters to quell it.

Players work together in this campaign-based action-adventure game based on the popular gothic video game of the same name. Bloodborne is full of horrific foes and packed full of excitement. When a Hunter falls in combat, they awake in the Hunter’s Dream, ready to continue their quest. This mechanic, known as combat awaken, adds tension as previous enemies may reappear, influencing the game’s dynamics.

What Is Bloodborne Board Game?

Designed by Eric M. Lang and Michael Shinall, Bloodborne was published by Cmon in 2021 after seeing a highly successful Kickstarter campaign that generated over $4 million. The game was generally well received, especially by fans of the franchise, and is currently looking at a healthy 7.8/10 on Board Game Geek based on over three and a half thousand reviews. There have been several expansions released since the base game that have all added more replay value in the additional missions to play through.

Bloodborne borrows heavily from its video game predecessor of 2015 and puts players in the shoes of a ‘hunter’ as they explore the decrepit, gothic, Victorian-era-inspired city of Yharnam. Its citizens are afflicted with a blood-borne disease that transforms the infected into horrific beasts. It falls to only the hunters to combat these horrors and contain the threat as they explore the city through four different campaigns. In this perilous journey, comrades hope is essential as players must work together to uncover mysteries and survive.

Game Set-Up Featuring Unique Trick Weapons

As with most CMON games, Bloodborne is packed full of components and miniatures that players will need to sift through and organise in order to set-up a game. Players must first choose which of the four campaigns they wish to tackle. It doesn’t matter which order the campaigns are played, but the developers recommend “The Long Hunt” for players first play-through. Each campaign has three chapters, with cards explaining the rules and set-up of each, a mission deck, and an introduction card to be read at the start of the game. 

There are three main things that need to be set-up for each game, the hunter, the hunt board, and the game board. Each hunter receives a deck of twelve cards, a firearm card, a miniature, and a dashboard that will be used to keep track of aspects like HP. The hunt board is used to separate the various decks of cards like the chapter, mission, upgrade, and consumable decks. The module board tiles are then arranged with the help of the chapter card. This dictates any boards that must be used for the chapter as well as what enemies will be encountered, and any special rules. 

Unique Trick Weapons

In Bloodborne: The Board Game, players have access to a variety of unique trick weapons, each with its own forms and powers. These weapons are a key part of the game’s combat system, allowing players to adapt to different situations and take down their enemies. Inspired by the iconic weapons from the Bloodborne video game series, these unique trick weapons offer a range of abilities and playstyles that add depth and strategy to the gameplay.

Some examples of unique trick weapons in the game include the Saw Spear, the Hunter Axe, and the Threaded Cane. Each of these weapons has its own strengths and weaknesses, and players must learn to use them effectively to succeed. The Saw Spear, for instance, is versatile and quick, making it ideal for fast attacks, while the Hunter Axe delivers powerful blows but requires more precision. The Threaded Cane, on the other hand, offers a balance of speed and reach, making it a favorite among players who prefer a more tactical approach.

Moreover, these unique trick weapons are upgradable, allowing players to improve their abilities and increase their chances of success as the game progresses. Upgrading weapons not only enhances their combat effectiveness but also provides a sense of progression and achievement, mirroring the experience of the video game. Whether you’re facing off against common foes or more brutal bosses, mastering your unique trick weapons is crucial to surviving the horrors of Yharnam.

Game Components and Packaging

Bloodborne: The Board Game comes with a wide range of meticulously crafted components that bring the dark, gothic world of Yharnam to life. The game includes:

• 1 rulebook

• 109 tokens (24 with 1 life, 10 with 3 life, 4 with 5 life, 2 with 10 life, 15 insight tokens, 2 broken lamp tokens, 5 survivor tokens, 5 corpse tokens, 12 blood echoes tokens, 7 NPC tokens, 8 chest tokens, 4 frenzy tokens, 4 poison tokens, 6 fog tokens, 1 counter token)

• 20 map tiles

• 1 hunting board

• 4 hunter boards

• 4 trick weapon boards

• 4 help cards

• 25 reward cards

• 36 consumable cards

• 48 basic attribute cards

• 60 upgrade cards

• 6 enemy action cards

• 50 boss action cards

• 11 firearm cards

• 7 enemy NPC cards

• 7 enemy cards

• 5 boss cards

• 4 campaigns (12 chapters, 250 cards)

• 4 bases

• 4 hunters

• 7 enemies (4 copies of each)

• 5 bosses

The game is packaged in a large, sturdy box, with each component carefully organized and stored to ensure easy setup and play. The box also includes a comprehensive rulebook, which provides detailed instructions on how to play the game, making it accessible even for those new to the Bloodborne universe. The high-quality miniatures and detailed map tiles add to the immersive experience, allowing players to fully engage with the game’s dark and atmospheric setting.

How To Play and Defeat Monsters

Each campaign starts with a summary of the threat facing the city, which gives the hunters a starting point in their investigation. It comes down to them to figure out how to solve the problem, uncover the secrets waiting in the city, and defeat monsters they encounter. In each chapter players will have a primary hunt mission that they must complete in order to win the game, and insight missions that will reveal more of the story surrounding the campaign and yield powerful rewards upon completion.

Each chapter is played over a series of rounds, made up of individual player turns. Turn can be taken in any order and can be switched up each round based on the strategy players want to implement. At the top of the round, players shuffle their hunter deck and draw three cards. These can be played faceup for others to see and used to support the other players on their turns.

On a player’s turn they can take as many actions as they wish. However, to take an action a stat card must be discarded, so the number of actions per turn is still finite. There are five different actions a player can take: move, interact, transform the trick weapon, enter the hunter’s dream, or engage in combat.

For every movement action, players can move two adjacent spaces on the board. When a player reaches the edge of a tile and wishes to move off, a facedown tile is flipped and placed next to the existing one. These tiles may have symbols representing consumables or enemies and if so, players must place the relevant components on the spaces on the board.

Players will normally choose to interact if sharing a space with a consumable. When doing so the player takes a card from the consumable deck and places it on their dashboard. Each consumable is a one-time-use item, with it’s corresponding card dictating when it can be used and it’s effect. Mission cards will also dictate what action to take if a player interacts with a particular space on the board.

Players will be able to switch up their weapon for variety and can also enter the hunter’s dream. In doing so, players have the opportunity to switch up their cards and upgardes to create more strategies and change up tactics.

Finally, players can attack an enemy. Combat is facilitated in part by the players trick weapon dashboard and the cards in their hand. Players will play cards in the various free slots on the dashboard and weigh them up against the enemies card, factoring in speed and strength of the attacks to determine who moves first and how much damage is dealt or if the attack is dodged.

Once a player has completed their turn, any enemies near the hunter will activate. All enemies within one tile that shares an exit with the tile the hunter is on will activate. They’re close enough to be alerted to their presence. The enemy will move one space toward the hunter and attack if close enough. Occasionally, an effect or ability may activate a monster outside its usual turn, and it will move closer to and try and attack a hunter at this stage in the round too.

As the campaign draws nearer to a close, players will encounter boss monsters. These are much more dangerous than regular monsters with two phases, each of which with a unique, and a challenge that’s determined by the number of players.

Assuming players are able to complete the missions and win the game, they will eventually move on to the next chapter. They will all be able to obtain upgrade cards and retain any consumables, firearms, and rewards gained in the chapter they just completed. They will also keep hold of any mission and insight cards earned, as future events may reference past events or change the story or situation. They may also find previous foes reappearing, adding to the challenge and requiring new strategies.

If at any point the players fail in their mission the game ends and they will have to start all over again from the beginning of the campaign and try again.

Expansions and Accessories

Bloodborne: The Board Game offers a range of expansions and accessories that enhance gameplay and introduce new challenges. These expansions build on the base game, providing additional content and variety for players who crave more of Yharnam’s dark mysteries.

Some notable expansions include:

• The Hunter’s Dream Expansion: This expansion adds new characters, quests, and gameplay mechanics, offering fresh challenges and deeper narrative elements. Players can explore new areas and face new enemies, all while uncovering more of the game’s rich lore.

• The Blood Moon Expansion: Introducing new enemies, bosses, and challenges, this expansion ramps up the difficulty and provides a more intense experience. The blood moon rises, bringing with it more brutal foes that will test even the most seasoned hunters.

• The Old Hunters Expansion: Adding new characters, quests, and gameplay mechanics, this expansion draws inspiration from the video game’s DLC, offering a wealth of new content for players to explore.

In addition to these expansions, there are also a range of accessories available, including:

• Premium Dice: Enhance your gameplay with a set of premium dice, designed to provide a more immersive and tactile experience.

• Character Tokens: Represent your characters with detailed tokens, adding a personal touch to your game sessions.

• Enemy Tokens: Use these tokens to represent the various enemies you’ll encounter, making it easier to track their movements and actions on the board.

These expansions and accessories can be purchased separately or as part of a bundle, providing a range of new challenges and gameplay opportunities for players. Whether you’re looking to expand your game or simply enhance your experience, these additions are sure to keep you engaged and entertained as you delve deeper into the mysteries hidden within Yharnam.

Summary

• Faithful to the video game

• Lengthy set-up and playtime

• Great looking components

• Well-crafted miniatures

• Plenty of expansions to try

Who Should Buy This Game?

We think you should buy this game if:

You’re a fan of the video game: The board game does a great job of translating the video game into an analogue version and faithfully recreates the experience as best as possible, featuring unique trick weapons.

You want a game with high replayability: The base game comes with four stories, each with three chapters, but also offers several add-ons for greater depth. Not only that but with the merciless challenge of having to start from scratch if players lose, it provides plenty of hours of entertainment.

You like thematic gameplay: Bloodborne does an amazing job of putting the players in the shoes of a hunter and investigating a gothic city whilst battling all kinds of Lovecraftian horrors. Players must navigate through both transformed creatures and townsfolk alike to survive and uncover the underlying mysteries.

You like big games: There’s plenty included in the box, lots of components that have been well designed, and many miniatures that are exceptionally well crafted.

You might not like this game if:

You don’t like long games: The game takes some time not only to set-up but to play through. It’s not a simple ‘pick up and put down’ game, so players looking for something simple may want to give this a pass.

Also Read: Best Horror Board Games: Our Top 9 Picks

Final Verdict

Bloorborne is a fun yet challenging game that combines action and RPG elements into what is the closest thing to playing the original video game. There will be plenty that fans of the game recognise but will also entertain those who are new to the series, though the sheer scale and play time may intimidate some players! The game offers both a co-op and solo mode, as well as several expansions that put players through the rigor of new and exciting scenarios. Offering plenty of replay value, it’s a great game that packs in hours of entertainment facing such horrific foes.

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