It has already been four years since From Software graced us with the beautifully brutal Bloodborne in 2015. While everyone eagerly awaits any sort of news about a sequel (even almost ruining Easter eggs for Sony), a board game based on the smash hit action-RPG is well on its way to satiate those who hunger for more things related to Bloodborne. It’s also probably setting some sort of record for board games on the Kickstarter platform.
Board and tabletop games manufacturer CMON has opened the Kickstarter up for Bloodborne: The Board Game. (Note that this is separate from Bloodborne: The Card Game, which is already available for purchase from CMON’s website.) Apparently, within 20 minutes of the campaign going live, its funding goal of $200,000 had already been met. As of this writing, over 11,000 backers have pledged in excess of $1 million within 24 hours . Good hunters everywhere are ready to take the fight against Cleric Beast and other bosses to the board, so it seems.
In Bloodborne: The Board Game, “1 to 4 Hunters must explore the town of Yharnam and fight their way through beasts, monsters and frenzied townsfolk to survive the night and uncover the source of the madness that consumes it.” An average game will take 60-90 minutes, so this is something you can expect to finish the same night that you start. There are four different scripted campaigns to play through, which are each composed of three chapters, including different enemy behaviors. Thus, each playthrough should be memorably unique.
There are five different player pieces to choose from, each a variation on the standard Hunter from the game, with one that is exclusive to the Kickstarter edition of the game. There are 28 enemy pieces (seven different types), including the mob of enemies that can be seen in the opening section of Bloodborne, beast patients, church servants, minions, scourge beasts, and church giants. There are also five large boss pieces, which include iconic bosses such as the Cleric Beast, Father Gascoigne in two forms, the Blood-Starved Beast, and Vicar Amelia. As the game is diceless, there are over 200 cards, which includes enemy stat and AI cards to provide for many combinations and a whole lot of variety. Over 40 tokens are included, to keep counters and other stats going.
CMON stated that this is its 37th Kickstarter campaign. So, it seems the company knows exactly what they are doing. A complete schedule of key dates has been laid out, as have multiple stretch goals (all of which have been met as of this writing). Chalice Dungeon rules have been unlocked, which provides a modular way to play the game, much like the Chalice Dungeons allow Hunters to play procedurally-generated dungeons in the PS4 game.
As a result of this early success, it is entirely possible that we will see many more stretch goals to come. Currently, seven sets of four figures including additional regular enemies and items have been unlocked. That’s an addition 28 figures that are now included with all pledges of at least $90. In addition, two bosses have been unlocked: Beast-Possessed Soul and Undead Giant. 12 tiles and seven enemy action cards unique to the Chalice Dungeon rules have also been unlocked, as have two additional Hunter cards.
If you want in on the card game action, head on over to the Kickstarter. There are only two pledge levels. Depending upon when you’re reading this, the discounted pledge of $90 may already be expired, as it was planned to only be offered for the first 24 hours of the campaign. The regular pledge of $100 nets you the same goodies as the $90 pledge, so this still represents a good deal for the price.
Do you plan on re-visiting Yharnam via Bloodborne: The Board Game? Or is the price too high for your liking? Considering all the materials that go into making a board game as detailed as CMON makes, some may say the asking price is fair. Others may want more play time per game. There are a lot of factors that go into making a fun board game, and it appears CMON have it nailed, but time will tell when Bloodborne: The Board Game launches around May 2020.
