Horrified Board Game: A Comprehensive Review

By: Ravensburger     Players: 1-5     Ages: 10+     Time: 60 mins

Imagine living in a place so wretched that it’s not plagued by one, two, or even three monsters — but seven of the most horrifying fiends imaginable!

In Horrified board game, players will have to work together to rid the town of maniacal or misunderstood creatures…before it’s too late

Dracula, Frankenstein, the Wolf Man, and more, each pose a unique challenge and players must come up with the perfect strategy to contain them all in this thrilling cooperative game.

What Is Horrified? A Game Featuring Universal Monsters

Horrified is a co-op game where players must work together to rid the town of two, three, or four classic Universal monsters. There are plenty of familiar staples of the horror genre in this game like Dracula, Frankenstein, and the Mummy, as well as some more seldom-seen faces like the Creature from the Black Lagoon, and the Bride of Frankenstein. Each monster is defeated in a different and unique way, some methods being more convoluted than others, and it comes down to the players to work together and plan the best way to take them down. While Horrified has intricate mechanics, it avoids being a complex game.

Players will use actions to move around the board to the many different locations in and around the town, collect items, guide civilians to safety, and take the necessary steps toward defeating the monsters. Each monster has its own unique power that players must strategize around. If the players can defeat all monsters in play they win. However, if the townspeople become too panicked and the terror level rises to it’s highest level, the monsters overrun the town and the players lose.

Set-Up 

Players must first choose how many monsters they’ll be playing against and which ones in this coop game. As mentioned, each monster is unique in how they’re defeated and some are easier to defeat than others. Each game can feature between 2-4 monsters depending on how much of a challenge players want (it’s recommended to stick to just two for the first game).

Once the game has been set up specific to the monsters in play, each player chooses a hero at random and places them at their starting location. Item tokens are placed into the item bag and shuffled, then twelve are drawn and placed on their spaces on the board. The perk and monster decks are placed next to the game board, the terror tracker is set to 0, and the game can begin.

Game Components

Horrified comes packed with a variety of components that bring the game to life and enhance the immersive experience. The game board features a modular design, allowing for different setups and increasing replayability. At the heart of the game are the 7 Monster cards, each representing a different Universal Monster with its own unique abilities and requirements to defeat.

Players can choose from 12 Character cards, each depicting scientists, investigators, and other brave monster hunters, each with their own special abilities. The game also includes over 100 Item cards, categorized into spiritual, scientific, and physical items, which players will use to aid in their quest to defeat the monsters.

Adding to the challenge are more than 20 Scenario cards, each providing different objectives and obstacles to overcome. Players track their progress and resources using 5 Player boards, ensuring everyone stays organized. The Monster deck contains the terrifying creatures that players must defeat, while various tokens help track terror levels, health, and other game mechanics. With such a rich array of components, Horrified offers a deeply engaging and thematic game play experience.

How To Play This Cooperative Game

The game is made up of two different phases: one for the heroes and one for the monsters. Players will alternate turns during their phase but can communicate and plan together in order to make the most of the active players’ turn before the monsters can act. A player may take as many actions on their turn as their character will allow. Players can move around the board from one adjacent space to another and take as many items as they wish from a space they land on.

These items all have a power value and are one of three different colours. They are ultimately used to defeat monsters but have a couple of other uses as well. Items may also be shared and passed to other players if they occupy the same space. Once players have enough of the right coloured item, they can start to take steps towards eliminating the monsters. For example, to defeat Dracula players must find and smash four coffins that are placed around the village.

When sharing a space with a coffin, if a player has red items with a power of 6 or more they can trade them in to smash the coffin. Likewise, once a player has advanced enough in their quest to defeat a monster, they can make their way to it and if they meet the requirements item-wise, they can vanquish the monster for good. Horrified stands out among other board games for its cooperative and thematic gameplay.

Once a player has finished their turn, the monster phase begins. This starts with a monster card being drawn from the deck and players following the instructions on it. At the top, the card will indicate a number of item tokens that need to be drawn from the bag and placed on the board. The card will indicate a monster or villager and players must carry out the actions listed on the card, unless the character listed isn’t in play, in which case this can be ignored.

At the bottom of the card are a handful of symbols that indicate which monsters activate, how many spaces they move, and how many attacks die they roll. Assuming the monsters are in play, they will always move towards the character that is closest to them, but like players can only move to adjacent spaces. If a monster shares a space with a character, they roll the number of attack dice indicated.

If a player is hit, they must discard an item for each successful hit, but if they can’t or choose not to then they are knocked out and sent to the hospital. In addition, if a player or villager is defeated the terror track moves up one level. This indicates the panic level of the villagers and if this rises too high, the players lose the game.As the game goes on, villagers will appear at certain locations on the board. These villagers will have a location they need to make their way to and if players choose to use their actions to chauffer them to safety, they will receive perk cards for doing so.

These perk cards work in a similar way to characters’ special abilities and allow players to make powerful moves. These cards can be incredibly useful but in acquiring them, players may have to temporarily defer their main task of defeating the monsters. This can be a risky move as it gives the monsters extra chances to act, but the perks the player receives may make all the difference in winning or losing the game.

The game continues with players and monsters exchanging turns until one of three things happen: if the terror tracker reaches it’s limit or there are no more cards in the monster deck the players lose. If the players are able to defeat all the monsters before either of these conditions are met, the players win! 

The odds certainly seem stacked against the players, but if they work together and strategise properly, with a little luck and the right moves players can normally pull through. Not only are there several difficulty levels for players to try and dozens of monster combinations, but there are a few different iterations out there for players to try afterward, focusing on Greek and American monsters.

Maniacal or Misunderstood Creatures

Horrified features seven iconic Universal Monsters, each bringing its own unique set of challenges and abilities to the game. These maniacal or misunderstood creatures include:

• Dracula: The Lord of the Undead, Dracula has the sinister power to control the minds of villagers, making him a formidable foe.

• Frankenstein’s Monster: Created by science gone wrong, this creature possesses superhuman strength and agility, making him a tough opponent to defeat.

• The Invisible Man: Master of stealth and deception, the Invisible Man can move undetected and strike from the shadows, adding an element of surprise to the game.

• The Bride of Frankenstein: As the companion to Frankenstein’s Monster, she has the unique ability to heal and protect, complicating the players’ efforts to defeat her.

• The Mummy: This ancient Egyptian creature can curse and entomb its victims, bringing a mystical and dangerous element to the game.

• The Wolf Man: A shape-shifting creature with the power to transform and attack with ferocity, the Wolf Man is a relentless adversary.

• The Creature from the Black Lagoon: An aquatic monster with the ability to swim and attack from the depths, adding a unique challenge to the game.

Each monster’s unique power and abilities ensure that no two games are the same, providing endless replayability and strategic depth.

Family-Friendly

Horrified: Universal Monsters is designed to be a family-friendly game, suitable for players aged 10 and above. The game’s theme and mechanics are accessible and enjoyable for players of all skill levels, making it a perfect choice for family game nights.

The cooperative nature of the game encourages teamwork and collaboration, fostering a sense of unity and shared purpose among players. This makes it an excellent option for families and groups of friends looking to work together to overcome challenges.

The game’s components and artwork are visually appealing and engaging, capturing the essence of the classic Universal Monsters without being too intense or scary for younger players. This balance ensures that Horrified is not only a thrilling and strategic game but also an inclusive and enjoyable experience for all ages.

Final Verdict: A Great Family Game

Horrified is a great co-op game on many levels. Not only is it simple to learn, but whether you’re a hardcore or casual gamer, the game pulls you in with its artwork and theme, which do a great job at setting the scene. The level of replayability with it’s combinations of monsters and number of characters to try is impressive, and it offers enough of a challenge that it feels tough but fair. Although most monsters can be defeated by just collecting enough of the same items, it’s still a fun experience and a must-play for horror fans.

Summary

• Great thematic art and components

• Easy to learn

• Cooperative game with fun gameplay

• Plenty of replayability

• Great for horror movie fans.

If You Liked This: 

If you enjoyed Horrified, below are some similar games we’re sure you’ll enjoy:

Forbidden Island: Work together to find 4 hidden treasures and escape from a mysterious island before it sinks to the ocean bottom. Each player has a specific role to play and must use their skills to their fullest to find the treasures and succeed.

Jaws: Battle the famous great white shark both on land and sea. Find the sharks location while saving swimmers then take the fight to the ocean in a climactic battle on the Orca.

Alien: Fate of the Nostromo: Playing as one of the members of the iconic crew of the Nostromo, players creep around the ship collecting items, carrying out missions, and of course avoiding a xenomorph.

Pandemic: Work together to treat and cure diseases before they spread too far. Travel the world and use special abilities to contain, treat, and cure four diseases.

The Goonies Never Say Die: Embark on a perilous adventure full of dangerous booby traps and treacherous treasure-filled caverns. Overcome cryptic puzzles and deadly challenges with teamwork, strategy, and Data’s clever contraptions!

These board games provide similar enjoyment and social experiences, making them perfect for playing with friends and family.

Also Read: Top 5 Star Wars Board Games

Horrified Board Game FAQ