Halloween (2017) Board Game – Board Game Guys

Halloween is a board game released in 2017, designed by Konstantin Vohwinkel and featuring artwork by Quined Games. The game is geared towards players aged 12 and up, with 2–4 players being able to enjoy it at a time. Halloween falls under the horror and miniatures category, with gameplay mechanics involving action points, action retrieval, area movement, dice rolling, and variable player powers.

Game Components of Halloween

Game board featuring a grid of 4 houses in Haddonfield

Dry erase board for Michael Myers’ movements

Character standees and player boards

Item decks (first aid, toys, weapons)

Car key cards

Dice for combat

Exertion tokens

Michael Myers and victim character cards

How To Setup Halloween

To set up the game, the board is laid out with four houses, each divided into numbered squares. The 2 kids (Tommy and Lindsey) and 2 car key cards are randomly distributed into the bottom 4 cards of the 4 item decks. Each player chooses a character, with unique abilities and limitations. The Michael Myers player receives a dry erase board that mirrors the game board, where they will secretly record their movements.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Game Category: Horror, Hidden Movement

Mechanics: Hidden Movement, Cooperative Play, Dice Rolling, Variable Player Powers

Objective for Victims: Find Tommy, Lindsey, and a set of car keys to escape, or cause enough damage to Michael Myers.

Objective for Michael Myers: Kill enough characters or prevent the victims from escaping for long enough.

Actions: Move, search, climb through windows, attack.

Combat: Dice rolling with 50% success rate.

Line of Sight: Players must manage their line of sight to avoid Michael Myers’ attacks.

Player Experience

Playing as either Michael Myers or the victims provides a uniquely tense experience. The victims must search the houses, manage their actions carefully, and avoid Michael’s attacks. The Michael Myers player stalks the victims, using their dry erase board to track their movements secretly. The game’s use of line of sight and hidden movement creates a thrilling and thematic experience, capturing the essence of the original film.

Pros

Thematic Tension: The game effectively recreates the horror and tension of the movie.

Simple Mechanics: Easy to learn and teach, with streamlined rules.

Unique Characters: Each victim has unique abilities and limitations.

Customization: Players can use custom minis if desired.

Engaging Gameplay: Quick and intense gameplay that keeps players on their heels.

Cons

Luck in Combat: The 50/50 dice rolling mechanic can be frustrating.

Limited Health: Characters can be one-shot by Michael if he is lucky.

High Stakes: Losing a character means losing all carried items and starting over with a new character.

Personal Thoughts on Halloween

This game is perfect for fans of the Halloween movie series and those who enjoy horror-themed board games. It offers a unique blend of cooperative play and hidden movement, making it an exciting addition to any board game collection. The game’s thematic elements and simple yet engaging mechanics ensure it will hit the table frequently, especially around Halloween. However, it may not be suitable for younger players due to its horror theme and complexity.

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