Dead of Winter

Just opened the game and found out that some cards are missingn

GAMEPLAY This game involves you controlling a group of survivors in a post-apocalyptic zombie wasteland in the harshest of winters, hunting for supplies and killing the undead (and sometimes each other) in a fight to survive. You are housed in a makeshift colony and spend each turn either going to one of six locations (Garage, Police Station, Hospital, School, Grocery Store, Library) to look for items, or staying put, fighting the endless hordes of zombies that come your way wanting to ruin your home. Doing this is often a fine balance; players have to send the survivors they control out to look for enough supplies to meet the food requirements of the colony but can't do this too often as they also have to make sure they kill enough zombies every turn; if a location receives more zombies than there are places for it becomes "overrun", meaning it can no longer be accessed and anyone there at the time instantly dies. And if this wasn't hard enough, players also have to deal with "crises", which are certain themed events which require players to stockpile a stated number of a certain resource (tools, medicine or possibly additional food) in that round or otherwise face a cruel punishment which can be as severe as two survivors dying! Whilst doing this, players have to work together to complete a common goal (such as "collect 20 zombie samples" or "survive 10 rounds") as well as their own secret objective (such as "all your survivors must have one item equipped"). However this is not as straight forward as you may first think, as there is a small chance there is a traitor in your midst, which has a secret objective that the common goal must fail... They must go about this subtly though as to avoid getting "evicted" from the colony, forcing their survivors to be confined to the six other locations and fend for themselves... REVIEW I only played this game a couple of times before I wanted to buy it for myself: It's so much fun due to its in-depth gameplay mechanics: As there are so many decisions you have to make every turn, often quite difficult ones, it makes it quite challenging and fun, unlike some board games which follow a very linear decision process every time. This tied in with it's immersive design, with all the items following the zombie/post apocalyptic theme along with loads of narrative listed on the cards (a prime example being the crossroad cards, which are cards read out to each player before their turn, which poses you with a difficult decision with unknown consequences based on a short zombie/apostolic setting/scenario), gives the game a lot of character and your decisions more meaning. The game is also very well balanced; there are dozens of items and characters and combinations of the two to play with, and yet none seems ridiculously overpowered. Furthermore, players which may appear to be losing and have a lot of bad luck go their way can actually still do really well: Just the other day I had someone who was down to their last survivor and last bit of health, only to reveal that they had completed their secret objective regardless, whereas the rest of us with three survivors each and much better items had not! This makes such a refreshing change as some other complex games I've played, where if you don't get off to a good start it's very hard to get going, making it feel like you've lost the game before it's even begun. Due to the fact that you can have a different objectives, both common and secret every game you play (with the objectives being quite varied in nature, from killing certain amounts of zombies, to collecting items of a certain type and so on) the game has a lot of re-playability: I've played several games now and each has been rather different! Admittedly the game is more expensive than most, but it is well worth it. Not only are you getting an awful awful lot of cards, tokens and items for the price (see photos attached) but the game in general is of very high quality. None of the pieces feel flimsy or like they're going to break, with all the cards and tokens being made out of thick durable card: You even get given several plastic resealable bags to sort everything into! My only downside to this game is it can be quite confusing at first, especially to newcomers who haven't played this sort of game before. Having said this however, there is a very informative (albeit long) rule book, and even a video tutorial on the makers website for you to look at if you get stuck along the way. And believe me, taking the time to learn this game is most definitely worth it: Would highly recommend! Pros: # High amounts of re-playability. # Well polished, balanced and thought out gameplay mechanics. # No items or characters are ridiculously overpowered. # High quality board, characters and cards. Cons: # Quite complex for beginners # Can be slightly on the long side, especially if you have several players playing.

I wish there were more stars I could add for this game. It took me forever to learn the rules but it was totally worth it. The creators should be affiliated for the tense and involving gameplay and truly simulates what might actually happen during a zombie apocalypse. You need concentrated time and focus to play this, and you'll feel like you've been put through the ringer at the end of it, but it in the best way possible. The pieces are well made and yes, there are quite a few things to keep in mind while playing, but they all add so much value to the gameplay and are really quite intuitive. Are you searching for something at the library? Well, you're bound to attract attention. Highly recommend it for more seasoned board gamers.

Great game with a lot a re-playability due to the large amount of possible combinations of objectives, personal goals and character choices. There's a lot of strategy involved and you'll often find yourself brainstorming a lot with your friends which adds to the experience. Add to that a potential for PvP with the possibility of having an unknown traitor and you end up with a game with strategy, guessing/fooling and a big variety of things to do. -- Super jeu avec un gros potentiel pour refaire des parties dû à la combinaison des divers objectifs, buts personnels et choix des personnages. Le jeu implique pas mal de stratégie et vous vous retrouverez souvent à réfléchir en groupe avec vos amis, ce qui ajoute à l'expérience du jeu. Ajoutez à ça un potentiel de joueur contre joueur avec la possibilité d'avoir un traitre caché dans la partie et vous avez un jeu avec de la stratégie, de la déduction/tromperie et un paquet de choses à faire.

What makes Dead of Winter truly unique is its semi-cooperative nature. Players must work together to achieve the group objective; whether it's gathering supplies, surviving harsh winters, or fending off zombies - while also managing their secret personal goals. And if there's a betrayer in your group, things get even more chaotic. The constant push-pull between collaboration and suspicion creates an unmatched level of tension and excitement. This is one of the first board games that I remember incorporating this factor and it has bred a whole genre in itself. The gameplay itself is richly thematic and beautifully designed. The crossroads cards are a standout feature, adding layers of narrative depth and moral dilemmas to every turn (much like This War of Mine or FrostPunk). These moments make you feel like you’re living in a gripping survival story rather than just playing a game. The mechanics are well-balanced, and the variety of scenarios keeps the game fresh and replayable. I’ve played Dead of Winter countless times over the years and every session feels like a unique adventure. We’ve laughed, argued, strategized, and even accused each other of betrayal. The game doesn’t just challenge your strategy - it tests your ability to navigate human relationships under pressure. It's what keeps this game in our rotation even after 10 years of playing. If you’re a fan of thematic games with a strong narrative element, Dead of Winter is a must-have for your collection. Just be prepared to question everyone’s motives and ethics, including your own.

Jogo top, toda a questão da cooperação e competição entre os jogadores. Fantástico