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It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single board game in possession of a Jane Austen fan must be in want of an undead expansion. This is how I initially intended to open this review. To be honest, I hesitated a bit – it's somewhat of a cliché, and not particularly sophisticated upon reflection. Then again, it's amusing enough if you appreciate Jane Austen's work, are in a forgiving mood, and have a good sense of humor – in which case, you'll probably enjoy Marrying Mr. Darcy: Undead Expansion as well.
Until death will do them part
In this game, inspired by the book/movie "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies," the horrifying undead invade and ravage the cheerful characters of our beloved English countryside. Don't worry, they can't kill the main characters, though they freely feast upon any background character they desire. But beware, for the death wandering through Hertfordshire can bring a fate far more terrible than mere demise – it can snatch away your perfect suitor.
The insides of the game
The Undead expansion is fairly simple. It adds 12 new event cards, one "You are Undead" card (essentially the undead equivalent of the "Old Maid" – albeit riskier), and six new bonus cards called "Items." The event cards are the major addition to the game, introducing various undead attacks and raids, along with a few more creative events. The Items are included to provide some balance against the added risk of the events. Each player receives a bonus item, and any remaining items can be shuffled into the character deck.
In terms of new rules, there are almost none. In addition to the 6 Suitors and the "Old Maid" card, a new "You are Undead" card is introduced. During the game, players may become cursed by various effects. A player who cannot cure their curse by the end of the courtship phase will not have the pleasure of being suited and proposed to. They will, however, receive the consolation prize of randomly turning one of the other suitors – even if that suitor has already married another player. The number of points received will depend on the unlucky suitor who becomes forever bound to the undead heroine. Besides these additions, the game plays the same as the original.
Everyone got her own taste
So the Undead expansion is simple, dead simple (pun intended, of course). Almost to the point of being disrespectful to the buyer. This is the expansion’s both strength and weakness – I found myself really enjoying playing the game and complaining about it in equal measure.
What bothered me most was the card printing. The backs of the event cards are slightly darker than in the original game. This means that before drawing an event card, you know whether it's going to be an undead or regular event. The added items have backs completely different from the character deck, and when shuffled in, they stick out and can be seen a few turns in advance. Better design would have provided a much better experience, as I missed the tension of not knowing whether I was headed to a tea party or an undead feast.
Secondly, I felt they could have invested more in the variety of cards. Among the 12 new events, we have 3 undead attacks and 4 undead mob attacks, leaving only 5 cards with unusual events. The situation is similar with the item cards; about half of them simply give you +1 to rolls against the undead. For the money spent, I expected a bit more variety.
Having said all that, I had an absolutely great time playing this game! After all, and this applies to the original Marrying Mr. Darcy too, you don't buy this game for sophisticated mechanics and a highly intense experience. You do so for the atmosphere. I once heard someone describe Pride and Prejudice as "a book which is a cynical parody of itself," and this, in my honest opinion, fits this little game perfectly. You buy it to laugh at it and to laugh with it; you enjoy the ridiculous parties, dances, and whatnot, and while you're aware of how silly you might look exchanging cards in a ladylike manner, you don't really care in the moment.
The same goes for the Undead expansion. The flavor text is excellent, the artwork is lovely, and in a weird way, it feels natural with the original game. I played this game with my wife, who is a real Austen fan, while I myself prefer my romantic novels to include a dead guy trying to eat the heroine's brain, and we both enjoyed both aspects of the game. As this is supposed to feel like a parody (or at least I hope it does), I was very forgiving of all my complaints above.
I think the best part is the sharp jumping between the two extremes. In one turn, I'm organizing a party and excited to be seated next to the dashing Mr. Darcy, and in the next, I'm fending off zombies in the streets, just to come home in time to play the pianoforte as if nothing happened.
Score of the dead
The Undead expansion does exactly what it's meant to do. It's funny, playable, and adds extra spice to the already excellent Marry Me Mr. Darcy. I think it's a bit niche, and I wish they had put more effort into the components and variety, but all in all, I'd love to play it again when the opportunity arises. The extra point is given for the cricket bat item, which gives the heroine +1 against undead attacks if she shouts "tally-ho!" while rolling the dice.
