In the face of danger, do you run, or do you fight? As the Final Girl, you are the last one standing. With nothing between you and the ruthless killer who has already decimated everyone around them, you know it’s do or die – kill or be killed … and you aren’t ready to lay down and die tonight.

What Is It?

Variable Player Powers – Each Final Girl is unique. They have various benefits they can get for each victim they rescue, and then an ongoing ability once they’ve rescued enough people.

Pick-Up and Deliver – There are potential victims scattered throughout the Final Girl’s location, and it’s up to her to convince them to follow her to the exits before the killer can reach them.

Action Selection / Hand Management – Each turn the Final Girl can play as many action cards as she wants in order to take actions such as moving, attacking, decreasing the horror level, and more. She can then purchase action cards (based on how much time she has on her track) to use in the next round. The Final Girl wants to both play cards effectively and learn how to manage her hand so that there is never a dull turn.

Dice Rolling – When triggering actions, the Final Girl will roll dice to determine the success of those actions. In some cases, the Final Girl will need to discard cards to get a success.

Who Is It For?

  • 1 Player – This is a solo only game, and it works really well as such
  • Players Who enjoy sort of “min-maxing” their turns to determine their best options, and strategizing on their own; Fans of hand management
  • Ages 13 & Up – Both the theme and the weight of the game might be a bit much for younger audiences
  • Fans of the horror genre, because the game utilizes it so well

PROS

  • Aesthetics – Love the art on everything, very nice style
  • Graphic Design – Good choice in symbology, everything is very clear cut on action cards
  • Components – Nice quality across the board. I love the magnetic boxes, the chunky dice, and the solid wooden pieces
  • Replay Value – Even with only 1 Feature Film box I think the game can be different enough with every play, from which Final Girl you use to changing difficulty, to changing which action or item cards you go for
  • Flow – The game plays smoothly and gives you a bunch of options/choices turn to turn
  • Theme – Shines through so well, really works hand in hand with the gameplay to create an incredible, atmospheric experience
  • Rules – The rules seem long for a small box game, but they are thorough, and there’s a handy index for finding what you need quickly

CONS

  • Components – I wish the Final Girl and Killer figures that came in the basic game were a little more exciting than the wooden meeples (minis are sold separately)
  • Expansions – I’m personally not a huge fan of having the core box separate from anything playable, but I do understand the model, so that you don’t necessarily need to jump in with every feature film box at once (can keep initial costs down, which can make it more accessible). I guess I just wish the core box came with a small scenario or something so you could get a feel for the game
  • Luck – While the dice rolls can create some fun tension that can really fit the horror theme, they also make the game pretty swingy at times, meaning you can have some really great or really bad games all depending on rolls. Luckily, there are some ways to help mitigate this at times

Final Thoughts

I am such a sucker for the horror genre. Horror movies and video games are my favorites, and I even dedicate all of October to playing “spooky” board games specifically. While I wouldn’t call Final Girl “scary,” per say, I think that it encapsulates this theme perfectly and I am obsessed with that!

On top of that, I think the gameplay works really well with the theme, and you can really get into some tense turns, debating what your best actions are now, what to try and prepare for the next turn, and more. It’s also worth noting that you should never underestimate the power of discarding cards to get a success and/or to gain extra time, it can really come in handy!

Personally, I tend to gravitate toward really short solo games that play quickly and have little setup/upkeep, so this one is a bit long for my taste. But, I definitely think that it is worth the time if you’re a diehard horror fan. Overall, I certainly recommend the game!

Additional Information:
My Final Rating – 7.5/10

Designers – Evan Derrick, A. J. Porfirio
Artists – Tyler Johnson, Tumo Mere,
Vladyslava Ladkova, and Roland Macdonald
Publisher – Van Ryder Games
MSRP – $19.99
(Core Box and each Feature Film expansion sold separately)
Website

*I purchased a core box and single expansion, and was provided an additional expansion to do this review*

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