Claustrophobia (2009) Board Game

Claustrophobia is a board game that was released in 2009 by designer Croc and published by Asmodee. It is a two-player game that falls under the categories of adventure, exploration, fantasy, fighting, horror, and miniatures. The game features dice rolling, grid movement, line of sight, modular board, scenario/mission/campaign gameplay, and variable player powers.

Game Components of Claustrophobia

Character cards: Each human character has six slots for assigning abilities.

Dice: Used to determine character abilities and resolve combat.

Tiles: Depicting tunnels and rooms, which are pieced together as the humans explore.

Miniatures: Representing human characters and demons.

Rulebook and Scenario book: Containing setup instructions and various scenarios.

How To Setup Claustrophobia

To set up Claustrophobia, players first create the board by piecing together the tunnel and room tiles. Each human character is assigned abilities by rolling dice and placing them in the corresponding slots on their character cards. The demons are placed according to the specific scenario being played. The game includes multiple scenarios, each with its own setup instructions.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Character Ability Assignment: Dice rolls determine character abilities at the start of the game.

Combat: Simple die rolls resolve combat between humans and demons.

Movement: Players move their characters from one tile to the next.

Wound System: Characters with wounds in their ability slots are unable to act and can eventually die if all slots are filled.

Objective: Humans aim to survive and complete scenario-specific objectives while fending off demonic attacks.

Player Experience

Claustrophobia offers a fast-paced, fun gaming experience with easy-to-learn rules but deep tactical maneuvers. Players must practice strategic planning to succeed, as the game pits skilled human fighters against hordes of demons. The game has a dungeon-crawl vibe, similar to Space Hulk, but set in a fantasy Hell environment.

Pros

Amazing production values: High-quality components and artwork.

Fast game with easy rules: Quick to learn but with significant depth.

Fun gameplay: Encourages multiple plays.

Cons

Odd theme that doesn’t feel effectively communicated: The Hell setting could feel more generic and less thematic.

Personal Thoughts on Claustrophobia

Claustrophobia is ideal for fans of dungeon crawl games who appreciate stunning components and enjoyable gameplay. Despite some thematic issues, the game delivers a thrilling experience. If you enjoy tactical games with a fantasy setting and don’t mind the quirky theme, Claustrophobia is a great addition to your gaming collection.

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