Don’t Look Back – The Horror Miniatures Game

The 1980’s either made me or ruined me, I still haven’t decided which. It was the peak of VHS fever, you see, and I ended up seeing way too many movies that I was far too young for

Even as a long time horror fan, I’ll be the first to admit that most of what we watched was dreadful. You basically had the covers and word of mouth to rely on – no YouTube for trailers back then. But when you got a good ‘un it seared its way into your mind forever

This blazing nostalgia is surely part of Final Girl’s great board game success, and Don’t Look Back from Black Site Studios is looking to replicate that in the miniatures arena. The makers themselves describe this as a love letter to retro horror, and as a horror sandbox in which every decision shapes your story.

Don't Look Back plunges you into a world where nostalgia and nightmares collide. A world where the innocence of an era is overshadowed by the spine-tingling fear that something sinister is just around the corner. From sinister killers to cursed monsters and ghosts, you'll face the terrors of a decade that never truly let go.

In this game, survival is a fleeting hope, and your every decision could lead to a fate worse than death. Uncover dark secrets, confront your deepest fears, and remember one thing above all else: Don't Look Back!

This one’s designed for solo or cooperative play for up to four players, and you’ll face relentless killers guided by dynamic, randomly generated rules. You’ll each play as a unique character with their own strengths and weaknesses. The killers also have a vast array of traits, ensuring that no two encounters are ever the same. You can create your own chilling tales with premade scenarios, or tweak them to fit your own favourite horror films (wonder if I can finagle this to create a variant of Critters 3). The eerie town of Northwood in which Don’t Look Back is set seems to be a very malleable setting, and can become as dark and grim as you wish.

The core book contains five premade Plots to get players immediately into the action. Players will also find rules for randomly generating Plots to create many opportunities for replayability! In addition, Don’t Look Back is supported by a host of VHS expansions with additional Plots, Killers, and Characters for even more tabletop horror experiences!

You'll even be able to link 3 or more Plots together and follow both the Killer and the Characters through a series of connected Plots, creating a killer trilogy. With the addition of Trilogy play, the story will continue through a series of Pursuits or Returns. Will the next Plot take place mere moments after the previous Plot, or weeks or even months later?

The miniatures in this are sweet, with lots of detail, and they’ll really suit those hobbyists with paint pots and a keen eye. I mean, you could even craft some of your own terrain for this too if you’ve got the skills (you clever devil). You could knock together the cabin in the woods stylings of Evil Dead II, and if you do, get it on Instagram.

If all of these grim possibilities sound enticing to you, then head on over to their crowdfunding preview page on Gamefound and sign up for notification of when the campaign goes live.

Published 18th Feb 2025.