Resident Evil: The Board Game Series Buying Guide

Steamforged Games' Resident Evil board game trilogy – encompassing Resident Evil, Resident Evil 2, and Resident Evil 3 – offers thrilling cooperative gameplay for 1-4 players. Each game features detailed miniatures, recreating the terrifying atmosphere of the video game series.

Gameplay Overview:

Each turn unfolds in three phases: Action, Reaction, and Tension. Players have four actions per turn, allowing them to move, interact with doors, search for items, trade, use items, or attack. Enemies react during the Reaction Phase, moving towards and attacking the active player, who then rolls dice to evade danger. The Tension Phase involves drawing cards that introduce unexpected events, ranging from benign to catastrophic. Combat relies on dice rolls, comparing results against weapon stats and abilities. Successful attacks may kill enemies, push them back, or miss entirely, emphasizing the unpredictable nature of survival. Shooting also alerts nearby enemies, adding strategic depth.

Resident Evil (2023): The Refined Experience

• MSRP: $114.99 USD
• Players: 1-4 (best with 2)
• Play Time: 60-90 minutes (per scenario)
• Ages: 14+

This latest installment refines mechanics from previous games, introducing new elements. Players explore the Spencer Mansion and surrounding areas as iconic characters like Jill Valentine and Chris Redfield, alongside support characters like Albert Wesker. A flexible narrative allows for varied exploration order. The game utilizes scenario cards for quicker setup, improving upon the previous dashboard-style maps. A notable change is the persistence of zombie corpses, requiring kerosene to burn them and prevent their reanimation as stronger Red Zombies. This entry is highly recommended as a standalone purchase.

Resident Evil: The Bleak Outpost Expansion

• MSRP: $69.99 USD

This expansion adds six new scenarios, two new bosses (Neptune and Plant-42), and new locations like the Guard House and Aqua Ring. It's a perfect addition for fans of the base game.

Resident Evil 2 (2019): The Foundation

• MSRP: $114.99 USD
• Players: 1-4 (Best with 2)
• Play Time: 60-90 minutes (per scenario)
• Ages: 14+

This inaugural title introduces players to the Raccoon City Police Station and Umbrella Corporation horrors. Players take on the roles of Leon Kennedy, Claire Redfield, and others, facing Lickers, Zombie Dogs, and Birkin across eight scenarios. While a solid game, it lacks some refinements present in later titles, such as a linear campaign and less visually clear map tiles.

Resident Evil 2 Expansions:

• Resident Evil 2 The Board Game: B-Files Expansion: ($54.99 USD) Doubles the number of scenarios, adding new items, enemies, and the challenge of escaping Mr. X.

• Resident Evil 2: The Board Game - Malformations of G B-Files Expansion: ($32.99 USD) A smaller expansion for use with B-Files, featuring a confrontation with Birkin Stage Three.

• Resident Evil 2 The Board Game: Survival Horror Expansion: ($54.99 USD) Adds five new characters, enhanced versions of existing characters, new enemies, and a PvP mode. Highly recommended.

• Resident Evil 2 The Board Game: - 4th Survivor Expansion: ($32.99 USD) Introduces Hunk and Tofu as playable characters, along with new modes and challenges. The Tofu miniature is a highlight.

Resident Evil 3 (2021): Open-Ended Exploration

• MSRP: $114.99 USD
• Players: 1-4 (Best with 2)
• Play Time: 60-90 minutes (per scenario)
• Ages: 14+

Resident Evil 3 builds upon RE2's mechanics, offering a more open-ended campaign. Players explore the ravaged Raccoon City as Jill Valentine, Carlos, Mikhail, or Nikolai, facing the relentless Nemesis. The Danger Tracker mechanic increases difficulty as the city deteriorates, influenced by player actions. The Narrative deck adds replayability. While the game components are generally high-quality, the scenario map's material quality is less impressive than other components. This is a strong starting point if you prefer a less linear campaign.

Resident Evil 3 Expansions:

• Resident Evil 3: The Last Escape Expansion: ($44.99 USD) Adds new characters (including Barry Burton), new monsters (Brain Suckers, Giant Spiders), and a permadeath variant.

• Resident Evil 3 The Board Game: City of Ruin Expansion: ($69.99 USD) Introduces nine new scenarios in locations like the City Hospital and Dead Factory, featuring new enemies and a Stage 3 Nemesis.

The Resident Evil board game series provides a compelling and progressively refined experience for fans of the video games and cooperative board game enthusiasts. Choosing a starting point depends on preferred gameplay style: Resident Evil (2023) offers the most polished experience, while Resident Evil 3 provides a more open-ended exploration. Resident Evil 2 serves as a solid foundation, but its expansions significantly enhance the overall experience.