Shadow Hunters – 2nd Opinion.

This might just be my overarching gaming highlight from the UKGE 2024, and I was stunned to find out afterwards that Shadow Hunters have been around since 2005. I was introduced to the game on a first time meeting with some fellow Insta Gamers and it really was a treat. With 7 of us sitting around the table, I think it helped that all but one of us had never played the game before as it very much kept the intrigue and mystery about the game. It was very entertaining and a fun party-like game.

The Game.

Weirdly, I don’t want to go into too much depth on the rules on this one because I don’t want to spoil too much. It somewhat feels like a classic battle of good vs evil but it isn’t that straight forward. There are three groups of characters (all unique characters) within the game. These are the Shadows, the Hunters and the Neutrals. These are all dealt randomly at the start to each player, and nobody (should) knows what character other players have unless the players want others to know who they are. Everyone has unique objectives to complete.

Classically, it is the job of the Hunters to take the Shadows down as the Shadows being night creatures, and vice versa. Those Shadows want to kill off the Hunters. The Neutrals just get caught up.

The board is very simple. It is made up of a health tracker that indicates every character's health (all have a different health limit). The remaining part of the board is made up of 3 combat zones and 6 spaces (2 spaces within each combat zone). Players on their turn roll the dice and place their counter on the corresponding number. It is then their choice if they choose to act on what they can do in that zone, as well as determine if they want to strike any other characters in this combat zone.

The action could involve collecting gear, or clues as to the other players around you (which is all done secretly), or combinations of this.

Surviving is critical somewhat, but not essential. Not when you are part of a wider team and so you could still win, even if killed off. This would be because your objective was met. Obviously, that does become harder if your character is not actively involved but could happen.

The Creation

I clocked early on that it was a Zmangames product and figured I was in for a treat. They now produce Carcassonne and Pandemic, games I love so I was confident this would go well. I was happy to be proven correct. How I am only discovering Shadow Hunters for the first time is the true mystery.

It is the unique cards that you have the opportunity to gather at the different spaces that really make this one as well as unique characters with differing abilities, not just in what they can do, but also their objective that they are trying to achieve, all a mystery until it happens and the game is done.

Typically this sort of game frustrates me, but I loved it. I normally need to understand the victory condition and therefore be able to figure out what is going on. As well as trying to figure out my own objective, I am also trying to work out what my fellow players are up to to win. Who is my ally and who is my enemy? Do I strike this player or do I not, certainly not knowing at the start if they are a friend or a foe? There is paying attention to every interaction between players to determine what is best for your game. It was a true puzzle/problem solving situation that was highly entertaining.

Then, part way through I picked up a true spanner in the works card which was a weapon that did not give me a choice on whether I attacked or not. I had to attack anyone in the same combat space as me. I had no choice here. It was ok as I was a hunter and this sort of helped me. However from the point of view of making allies, everyone just wanted my character dead whilst holding this piece of kit. I couldn’t blame them.

Game Faults

There are not many in this game, perhaps the only critique is when a player is killed off there is little for them to do in the game from there as they will have to wait for the game to end before they can get involved again. That can be a frustration in any game if all players cannot see it through to the end.

The Experience.

I was in a really good place when playing this one at UKGE 2024. This review is based purely on one play, quite often that is all that is needed. I had gone to the Expo to connect with other gamers and playing this game, Shadow Hunters, very much allowed for that. It was so cool to play a game with people I had met online. Shadow Hunters naturally brings out social interaction. Whether it is in questioning your fellow players or just in funny occurrences/frustrations in someone attacking you. You don’t want your character to die.

I came away from this game thoroughly satisfied with a hugely fun and entertaining gaming experience. The result was irrelevant for me. This is a wonderful social game, even if it's a little dark in concept. It is a game I would love in my collection for playing with family and friends. Simple mechanics with great depth, what more could you want.