As board games have become more popular there have been more and more games based off of famous and well established franchises. Video games are no exception in this case. Multiple video games have been transferred to the board and card game format.
Resident Evil is one the most successful and well-loved survival horror franchises in video game history. And now it has been adapted to a card that is released by Ban-Dai entertainment.
Resident Evil the deck building game recreates the moods, themes, and actions of the classic video games in the franchise. Because of its deck building style there are many versions and expansions for the game. All of the versions are combinable to create a larger game.
The first version of the game I bought and the one I am reviewing today is Resident Evil Alliance. What makes this version of the game special is the ability players have to play two characters from the Resident Evil franchise at once.
Resident Evil is one the most successful and well-loved survival horror franchises in video game history. And now it has been adapted to a card that is released by Ban-Dai entertainment.
Resident Evil the deck building game recreates the moods, themes, and actions of the classic video games in the franchise. Because of its deck building style there are many versions and expansions for the game. All of the versions are combinable to create a larger game.
The first version of the game I bought and the one I am reviewing today is Resident Evil Alliance. What makes this version of the game special is the ability players have to play two characters from the Resident Evil franchise at once.
The deck building mechanic works very well with this game. It helps to recreate the gameplay of exploring the classic mansion and stocking up on ammo and weapons you find.
Players begin the game by picking one or two of the character cards to play. Each players gets a set of cards as their starting deck. Each turn, players can buy cards from the different archives based on how much gold points they've acquired for the turn from their hand.
After picking new cards for their deck the players then must choose to explore the mansion deck. Players draw a card from the mansion deck and must encounter whatever monster that comes up. Players can use any weapons they've acquired to kill the monster.
Once a player has defeated a monster they keep the card as a trophy. At the end of the game the player with the most trophies is the winner.
Players begin the game by picking one or two of the character cards to play. Each players gets a set of cards as their starting deck. Each turn, players can buy cards from the different archives based on how much gold points they've acquired for the turn from their hand.
After picking new cards for their deck the players then must choose to explore the mansion deck. Players draw a card from the mansion deck and must encounter whatever monster that comes up. Players can use any weapons they've acquired to kill the monster.
Once a player has defeated a monster they keep the card as a trophy. At the end of the game the player with the most trophies is the winner.
The gameplay is fairly simple and straightforward. This makes it easy for new players and casual gamers to pick it up quickly. And yet there is many choices and strategies to make the game enjoyable and deep.
However, this simplicity in gameplay may make the game a little dull for hard core gamers. The game is a little repetitive at times as players build their decks and explore the mansion. But fans of the horror genre and of the Resident Evil series will still find the game enjoyable.
The best part of Resident Evil The Deck Building Game is the deep theme. The game captures the atmosphere of dread and exploration of the Resident Evil games well. There is also the enjoyable action of shooting infected.
I have a house rule that helps push the game into a more survival horror mood. I make all the players explore the mansion every turn.
The only real big downside is some of the components and storage. The cards are good quality. However, the storage box isn't designed very well. The plastic insert meant to organize the cards isn't sized very well and the fit for some of the cards is far too tight. It makes you worry if the cards will get bent or dented. Lastly, the rulebook is nice looking but not always super easy to read.
However, this simplicity in gameplay may make the game a little dull for hard core gamers. The game is a little repetitive at times as players build their decks and explore the mansion. But fans of the horror genre and of the Resident Evil series will still find the game enjoyable.
The best part of Resident Evil The Deck Building Game is the deep theme. The game captures the atmosphere of dread and exploration of the Resident Evil games well. There is also the enjoyable action of shooting infected.
I have a house rule that helps push the game into a more survival horror mood. I make all the players explore the mansion every turn.
The only real big downside is some of the components and storage. The cards are good quality. However, the storage box isn't designed very well. The plastic insert meant to organize the cards isn't sized very well and the fit for some of the cards is far too tight. It makes you worry if the cards will get bent or dented. Lastly, the rulebook is nice looking but not always super easy to read.
Summing it Up
Resident Evil the Deck Building Game is perfect for casual card and board gamers as well as fans of the Resident Evil video game series. For hard core gamers it may not be a good fit because of its simple and streamlined mechanic. I personally love this game and highly recommend it.
Language: 0
Gore Factor: 3
Sex Factor: 0
Scare Factor: 0
Fun Factor: 4
Overall Rating: 5
Language: 0
Gore Factor: 3
Sex Factor: 0
Scare Factor: 0
Fun Factor: 4
Overall Rating: 5
To learn more about my rating system click here.