It would seem that we have fully covered the assortment of exciting crossovers from one item to another: the board game that carried the franchise of video games. Imagine all the captivating, adrenalin-pumping action of a video game, but in something you can play at the table with friends. From civilization to the horror-filled halls of Resident Evil, here are some of our favorite digital adventures brought to life in cardboard. So, come take a seat, and we will explore such a thrilling trend together.
The Witcher: A Monster Hunter’s Journey
Now let’s get right to it and start off with a heavy hitter: The Witcher Adventure Game. Based on the biggest video game in the world right now and the best-selling book series by Andrzej Sapkowski, this board game lets you step into the shoes of Geralt of Rivia and other iconic characters from the series. Well, one time when it was already evening, my friends and I got to play The Witcher Adventure Game, and it all started with a good game map, illustrated to be the locations of the continent, which had already drawn us. Each player gets to control a different character, each with special abilities and their own quests. With me playing as Geralt, I just had to do what he does best, hunt monsters while my friends were playing as Triss, Dandelion, and Yarpen, who were trying to accomplish their objectives. The game is true to the spirit of the Witcher universe. We journeyed across the board, chasing up leads, fighting monsters, and uncovering intrigues. One of the exciting moments was when I had to face off with a strong Leshen. I remember the tension when rolling the dice, trying to get the hits needed to defeat this powerful creature. Mechanics in the game that mix exploration with combat reflect this balance of story and action.
Dark Souls: Prepare to Die
Next, let’s move into the dark, punishing world of Dark Souls: The Board Game. The Dark Souls video game franchise has always been equated with the brutal difficulty of punishing players at every turn, despite its rich and immersive world. Our first stab at Dark Souls: The Board Game was an eye-opener. The game, sure enough, captures the degree of difficulty and tension of the source material. We have spent hours during which every move was checked and pondered over, stamina was controlled, and we fought big, muscular enemies. Incidentally, the miniatures are detailed meticulously, as though an attempt was made to reproduce the uncanny and oppressive atmosphere of the real video game. One of those unforgettable sessions was a desperate fight against the Dancer of the Boreal Valley.
Tension was high as we coordinated our attacks and managed our resources, and relief was jubilant when we finally succeeded in defeating her. The game is hard, with a requirement for strategic preparation, which makes it quite a good translation of the basic ethos of the video game.
Living Civilization: A New Dawn
For those in love with strategy and building empires, Civilization: A New Dawn is one board game that tries to let you relive the experience characteristic of this very iconic video game series. Players will try to lead their civilizations from ancient history and into the modern age, making technological, cultural, and warfare decisions before the game concludes. We decided to put that to the test one game night with Civilization: A New Dawn. The modular board and dynamic gameplay mechanics keep you engaged in the game all the time. Each action had to be weighed with consideration, versus diplomacy and conflict. The best highlight of that game night was during a turn in which I, being the Romans, locked horns with the Egyptian empire of my friend over a scarce resource. It’s really deep and complex, much like its video game counterpart, and before we knew it, we found ourselves sucked into the challenge of the build and management of our civilization. The joy of leading your empire on to be the best can be achieved through military might, scientific advancement, or cultural influence, and that makes it a delightful and self-fulfilling affair.
Resident Evil 2: Survive the Horror
Resident Evil 2: The Board Game gives fans of survival horror the kind of experience they’ve come to expect from the classic video game. Cooperative play is the name of the game as players navigate the zombie-infested Raccoon City, solving puzzles and fighting terrifying creatures. That dark, stormy night, we decided to brave Resident Evil 2: The Board Game. Featuring a modular board and highly detailed miniatures, the game sets the atmosphere for what would clearly be a tense and unsettling experience. We controlled each character from the video game, complete with their respective special abilities and equipment, like Leon Kennedy or Claire Redfield. The game’s mechanics very much capture the feel of survival horror. We had to be judicious with our limited resources and decide when to fight and when to run. A running, desperate scramble to try to find an adequate amount of ammo to fend off the hordes of zombies takes place while trying to solve a puzzle to unlock the next area. That tension and sense of urgency the game has really kept us on the edge of our seat, making it a superb adaptation from video to board game.
Bloodborne: The Nightmare
If you’re into gothic horror and quick combat, Bloodborne: The Board Game is the nightmare at your tabletop. If you like gothic horror and action-oriented combat in a quickened fashion, Bloodborne: The Board Game should be your first choice. If you’re a fan of gothic horror and fast-paced combat, Bloodborne: The Board Game brings the nightmare to your tabletop. Based on the critically acclaimed video game, this cooperative game has players exploring the city of Yharnam, battling monstrous foes, and uncovering dark secrets. Our first foray into Bloodborne: The Board Game was a thrilling experience. The game’s beautifully crafted miniatures and richly detailed board captured the eerie atmosphere of Yharnam perfectly. One hunter takes control of a Hunter, working as a team to eliminate foes and fulfill missions. It was created to provide a swift and brutal combat system, much like in the video game. We would be constantly on our toes, making split-second decisions about when to attack and when to dodge. One memorable moment was the time we went up against this Cleric Beast, one of the nasty bosses. It was really mind-blowing, considering the tension within the game and the strategy involved; it made it quite an unforgettable experience.
Fallout: The Board Game
For players who adore post-apocalyptic adventures, Fallout: The Board Game can be an all-encompassing experience. Derived from the videogame series “Fallout,” this game allows gamers to explore the wasteland, complete quests, and face factions. We decided to spend one weekend playing Fallout: The Board Game, and it allowed for a completely unique experience with a modular board and branching quests. Each player plays as a vault dweller or a wanderer of the wasteland on a game board and in a fight against other creatures, with loot to be taken. Perhaps the most fun had in the game lies in a questing system that is easily as open-ended as that in the videogame. We found ourselves really making choices that would have far-reaching effects, affecting how we finish quests and the world around us. One great example of this is a quest that prompts you to decide whether to side with the Brotherhood of Steel or the settlers. The depth of the game narrative and the strategic decisions had it feeling like we were truly living out our own Fallout story in real life.
XCOM: The Board Game
For those gamers more interested in tactical strategy and an alien invasion, XCOM: The Board Game is going to be a wonderfully intense cooperative experience. Clued around this series of popular video games, the players work together in order to defend Earth from an invading alien force. Our in-your-face, sweaty-palms game night with XCOM: The Board Game promised to be an immensely intense and highly immersive experience. The game comes with a companion app that drives the alien invasion, making it a dynamic and unpredictable challenge. Each player assumes the role of several different roles, meaning that players within the XCOM organization are a Commander and a Chief Scientist, with their own unique responsibilities and tasks. What this real-time addition added to the game was tension and pressure. We had to marshal our forces, on the fly, to make tough decisions and react to the alien threat. One of the more intense moments came as we struggled in a ground battle against a UFO, focusing our research on new technology to be able to better withstand the alien attack. By far, XCOM was a game that toed the line between strategic planning and real-time action to perfectly convey the essence of the video game.
Gears of War: The Board Game
For the more action-oriented and action-heavy cooperative fans, Gears of War: The Board Game is an excellent translation of the video game series to board game format. Players control the COG soldiers, who battle the monstrous Locust Horde in a desperate battle for survival. That fateful, action-packed night, we chose to try our hands at Gears of War: The Board Game. A modular board, along with a detailed set of miniatures, brought the war-torn, gritty world of Sera to life on our very gaming table. Each of us took control of the different soldiers, using their special abilities and weapons against the unyielding grasping of the Locust forces. The designers aimed for a fast, vicious combat system to capture the intensity of the video game. We were always making plans and coordinating our next move to take down the enemy. One such pulse-pounding moment is when we faced a wave of Locust drones and had to simply use cover and teamwork to survive. It’s quite a thrilling experience when tactical depth and high-octane action are perfectly joined together.
Horizon Zero Dawn: The Board Game
For fans of awe-inspiring landscapes and high adventure, how about a lovely adaptation of this well-written video game in Horizon Zero Dawn: The Board Game? Players take the role of hunters from the numerous tribes in play, navigating an apocalyptic battlefield full of robotic creatures. Our first exposure to the hunt in Horizon Zero Dawn: The Board Game was such a visually and mechanically remarkable experience. That video game world with breath-taking beauty has really been translated well through the game, with its craft miniatures and well-detailed board. Each player takes on the role of a different hunter, one in control of your own set of skills and equipment to slay the robotic beasts. The heavy strategic depth in the game mixed with cooperative gameplay was great. We really had to plan our hunts well, deciding where to strike and when to lay traps. One of the big memorable battles was the Thunderjaw, where we had to face off, battle to battle, using all our resources and skills to win. It interwove exploration, combat, and strategy in a brilliant adaptation from video game to the table.
Closing: The Best of Both Worlds
From monster hunting in The Witcher to surviving in those Fallout wastelands, video game–themed board games bring brand new ways to experience our most-loved digital experiences. It’s just not that these games put the player into the essence of those video games, but in new and awesome ways get one to interact with the most loved characters and worlds. Be it saving the world in XCOM, battling zombies in the Resident Evil series, leading your people from humble beginnings in Civilization, or exploring the gothic horror of Bloodborne, there is a board game out there that will bring this thrill to your table right. So next time you’re planning a game night, consider diving into one of these awesome adaptations. You are going to relive the excitement of your favorite video games and get memories and stories created with friends. After all, what’s better than combining the thrill of video games with the camaraderie of board games? Console, tabletop, game night!
