Steamforged Games' Resident Evil board game series brings the survival horror to your tabletop. Featuring adaptations of Resident Evil 1, 2, and 3, these games offer similar mechanics but distinct experiences. Up to four players navigate perilous environments, battling terrifying creatures with detailed miniatures.
Each turn comprises three phases: Action, Reaction, and Tension. Players perform four actions (move, interact with doors, search, trade, use items, or attack). Enemies react, moving and attacking, requiring dice rolls to evade. The Tension phase draws cards introducing unexpected events.
Combat uses dice rolls against weapon stats. Successful attacks might kill enemies, push them back, or miss entirely. Shooting attracts nearby enemies, adding strategic depth.
These are campaign games with multiple scenarios, playable as standalone experiences or linked narratives. Levels are built using tiles, and progress carries over between sessions. Players manage inventory, health, and other factors affecting future scenarios. One-off games provide pre-set starting gear. Crossover between games is possible, allowing for character and tile mixing.
Resident Evil: The Board Game
- MSRP: $114.99 USD
- Players: 1-4 (best with 2)
- Play Time: 60-90 minutes (per scenario)
- Ages: 14+
This refined entry improves upon predecessors. Players explore the Spencer Mansion, utilizing support characters (Wesker, Marini, Aiken, Vickers) on special missions. A flexible narrative allows for varied room exploration orders, facilitated by card-based map building (unlike RE3's paper map). Killed standard zombies remain as corpses, requiring kerosene to burn and prevent reanimation as stronger Red Zombies.
Resident Evil Board Game Expansions
Resident Evil: The Bleak Outpost
- MSRP: $69.99
Adds six scenarios, two bosses (Neptune, Plant-42), and new locations (Guard House, Aqua Ring).
Resident Evil 2: The Board Game
- MSRP: $114.99 USD
- Players: 1-4 (Best with 2)
- Play Time: 60-90 minutes (per scenario)
- Ages: 14+
The series' origin, featuring Leon, Claire, Ada, and Robert Kendo against Lickers, Zombie Dogs, and Birkin across eight scenarios. A linear campaign progression is a notable difference from later titles. Some minor component issues (dark tiles, missing dial fasteners) exist.
Resident Evil 2 Board Game Expansions
Resident Evil 2 The Board Game: B-Files Expansion
- MSRP: $54.99 USD
Doubles scenarios, adds items, enemies, and the goal of escaping Mr. X.
Resident Evil 2: The Board Game - Malformations of G B-Files Expansion
- MSRP: $32.99
Adds a Birkin Stage Three encounter, played alongside the B-Files expansion.
Resident Evil 2 The Board Game: Survival Horror Expansion
- MSRP: $54.99 USD
Adds five characters, advanced versions of existing characters, new enemies, and a PvP mode.
Resident Evil 2 The Board Game: - 4th Survivor Expansion
- MSRP: $32.99 USD
Introduces Hunk and Tofu as playable characters, adding new horde-based and PvP modes.
Resident Evil 3: The Board Game
- MSRP: $114.99 USD
- Players: 1-4 (Best with 2)
- Play Time: 60-90 minutes (per scenario)
- Ages: 14+
Features Jill, Carlos, Mikhail, and Nikolai, with a non-linear campaign allowing for varied exploration. A Danger Tracker mechanic increases difficulty as the city deteriorates. The scenario map's paper quality is a minor drawback.
Resident Evil 3 Board Game Expansions
Resident Evil 3: The Last Escape Expansion
- MSRP: $44.99 USD
Adds characters (Barry, Brad, Tyrell, Marvin, Dario, Murphy), new monsters (Brain Suckers, Giant Spiders, crows), and a permadeath variant.
Resident Evil 3 The Board Game: City of Ruin Expansion
- MSRP: $69.99 USD
Includes nine scenarios, new locations (City Hospital, City Park, Dead Factory), enemies, and a Stage 3 Nemesis encounter.
