Resident Evil: The Board Game Series Buying Guide

Steamforged Games has brought several popular video game franchises to the tabletop, including Monster Hunter, Devil May Cry, Sea of Thieves, Gears of War, and the upcoming Elden Ring adaptation. This article focuses on their Resident Evil board game trilogy: Resident Evil, Resident Evil 2, and Resident Evil 3.

Released in 2019, 2021, and 2023 respectively, these games share similar mechanics. 1-4 players navigate perilous environments – dark corridors, burning streets, and sinister labs – recreating the stories of the video games. Highly detailed miniatures represent both the terrifying creatures and the heroic survivors.

Featured Games & Expansions:

### Resident Evil: The Board Game

1See it at Amazon### Resident Evil: The Bleak Outpost

0See it at Amazon### Resident Evil 2: The Board Game

0See it at Amazon### Resident Evil 2 The Board Game: B-Files Expansion

0See it at Amazon### Resident Evil 2: The Board Game - Malformations of G B-Files Expansion

0See it at Amazon### Resident Evil 2 The Board Game: Survival Horror Expansion

0See it at Amazon### Resident Evil 2 The Board Game: - 4th Survivor Expansion

0See it at Amazon### Resident Evil 3: The Board Game

0See it at Amazon### Resident Evil 3: The Last Escape Expansion

0See it at Amazon### Resident Evil 3 The Board Game: City of Ruin Expansion

0See it at Amazon

Gameplay unfolds across three phases: Action, Reaction, and Tension. Players have four actions per turn (move, open/close doors, search, trade, use items, attack). Enemies react, moving towards or attacking the active player, requiring dice rolls to evade. The Tension phase involves drawing cards that introduce various levels of peril.

Combat uses dice rolls against weapon stats and abilities. Success might push back an enemy, kill it, or result in a miss. Even basic zombies pose a challenge. Shooting attracts enemies from adjacent rooms (if doors are open), adding strategic depth.

Each game features multiple scenarios playable as standalone adventures or a connected campaign. Modular tile-based levels represent locations, locked doors, items, and more. Player inventory, health, and other data carry over between scenarios in campaign mode. Standalone scenarios provide starting gear and information.

The series allows for crossover between games. Characters can be mixed and matched across titles, and scenario tiles can be used interchangeably, despite thematic inconsistencies.

Resident Evil: The Board Game

### Resident Evil: The Board Game

1See it at Amazon

This refined entry improves upon its predecessors. Players explore the Spencer Mansion as Jill Valentine, Chris Redfield, Rebecca Chambers, or Barry Burton, and can utilize support characters (Albert Wesker, Enrico Marini, Richard Aiken, and Brad Vickers) for special missions. The game uses cards to represent locations, streamlining setup. The persistent threat of zombies, whose corpses must be burned with kerosene to prevent reanimation as stronger Red Zombies, adds a new layer of challenge. This is a recommended entry point for newcomers.

Expansions:

Resident Evil: The Bleak Outpost Expansion

### Resident Evil: The Bleak Outpost

0See it at Amazon

Adds six scenarios, two new bosses (Neptune and Plant-42), and new locations (Guard House and Aqua Ring).

Resident Evil 2: The Board Game

### Resident Evil 2: The Board Game

0See it at Amazon

The original game in the Steamforged series, featuring Leon Kennedy, Claire Redfield, Ada Wong, and Robert Kendo against Lickers, Zombie Dogs, and Birkin across eight scenarios. While fun, it lacks the refinement of later entries.

Resident Evil 2 Expansions:

Resident Evil 2 The Board Game: B-Files Expansion

### Resident Evil 2 The Board Game: B-Files Expansion

0See it at Amazon

Doubles the number of scenarios and adds new items, enemies, and the goal of escaping Mr. X.

Resident Evil 2: The Board Game - Malformations of G B-Files Expansion

### Resident Evil 2: The Board Game - Malformations of G B-Files Expansion

0See it at Amazon

A smaller expansion for use with B-Files, adding a confrontation with Birkin Stage Three.

Resident Evil 2 The Board Game: Survival Horror Expansion

### Resident Evil 2 The Board Game: Survival Horror Expansion

0See it at Amazon

Adds five new characters, advanced versions of existing characters, new enemies, and a PvP mode.

Resident Evil 2 The Board Game: - 4th Survivor Expansion

### Resident Evil 2 The Board Game: - 4th Survivor Expansion

0See it at Amazon

Introduces Hunk and Tofu as playable characters, along with new modes.

Resident Evil 3: The Board Game

### Resident Evil 3: The Board Game

0See it at Amazon

Features a non-linear campaign, allowing players to choose their exploration path through Raccoon City as Jill, Carlos, Mikhail, or Nikolai. The Danger Tracker mechanic increases difficulty as the city deteriorates.

Resident Evil 3 Expansions: