Here are New Details and Images of the Resident Evil 3: The Board Game Kickstarter
Earlier this week, Steamforged Games, the creators of Resident Evil 2: The Board Game and Horizon Zero Dawn: The Board Game (to name but two) announced that they were launching a new Kickstarter campaign later this month for Resident Evil 3: The Board Game, based upon the original 1999 classic. At the time of the announcement, we didn’t know all that much about the game, but now a few days have passed, we have learned of some new juicy details about the mechanics of the game and the characters that will feature.
Resident Evil 3: The Board Game will be playable with 1-4 players and a campaign that can last up to 19 hours according to Steamforged Games with individual scenarios to add to the meaty, narrative campaign, though no one will expect you to sit through for that whole time in one sitting, so you’ll be able to come back and finish up whenever you choose. No doubt you’d be able to adapt and customise to your own play-styles to have shorter games if you wish.
The four playable characters in the base game include Jill Valentine, Carlos Oliveira, Mikhail Victor and Nicholai Ginovaef. However, I would assume that additional playable characters will be unlocked via stretch goals and expansions such as Brad Vickers, Tyrell Patrick and Murphy Seeker. Perhaps we may even get Marvin Branagh, Dario Rossi and Barry Burton (who appeared at the very end of the original game).
Players will work their way through the campaign with a mechanic that raises the danger level as you progress called the Tension Deck, not only with the increasing number of zombies and other enemies from the game as they respawn, but also the stalking threat of the Nemesis. Sticking true to its survival horror roots, players must also manage resources, make decisions on the fly and tackle “curveballs” which “will surprise players with unexpected threats” forcing the player to adapt.
There has also been a cosmetic change to the board game, following fan feedback from Resident Evil 2: The Board Game with many players feeling that the tiles were too dark. Now of course, the streets and locations of Raccoon City are very dark and dingy, so that identity must be kept, but the folks at Steamforged Games are making a compromise for Resident Evil 3: The Board Game. Steamforged Games said that:
We’ve spoken at length with members of the community and discussed the tiles in some depth. It’s clear, now, that whilst the philosophy of creating darker artwork is fine, the effect that worked so well on-screen didn’t translate to the tabletop in quite the same way—nor was it a visual effect board gamers were used to.
So, when it came to designing game tiles for Resident Evil 3: The Board Game, we listened.
Of course, it wouldn’t be Resident Evil without darkness.
That’s why the tiles for Resident Evil 3: The Board Game still have a dark sense and feel, and feature spotlit sections to contrast with the shadows.
However, we’ve also made the tiles significantly brighter.
The new designs are less visually jarring and more in keeping with other games a tabletop audience might be familiar with.
Additionally, Steamforged Games has announced that backers of Resident Evil 2: The Board Game Kickstarter who back at the S.T.A.R.S level pledge for Resident Evil 3: The Board Game will receive a special set of Raccoon City Kickstarter tiles for free. Though it would be nice that all previous backers who return for this new campaign would all get the tiles as a reward for their continued loyalty in helping making the campaigns happen. Still it’s nice for Steamforged to offer that as a reward.
Also, when the campaign was announced, there was a stretch goal that would unlock an alternative Jill Valentine miniature once the campaign reaches 2,500 Followers, which at the time of writing, the campaign has almost doubled that requirement and Jill has now been unlocked.
Resident Evil 3: The Board Game campaign will launch on Kickstarter on April 28th and the estimated release date is March 2021. You can follow Resident Evil 3: The Board Game campaign here, so you will know the moment it officially launches. You also check out some additional images on the miniatures and cards below.
