

I enjoy boardgames. They’re cheap, they’re fun and they’re a lot more interactive a way to spend time with friends and family that watching a movie (yes, even a zombie movie). That’s why I’m pleased to bring you Dead of Night, a free, downloadable zombie board game, as this week’s Undead Diversion.

Designed by Simon Spearing, Dead of Night is a game for up to six people (four is the recommended number) that more or less turns Night of the Living Dead into a game. As mentioned, it is free, but it will probably cost you a few dollars worth of printing supplies to print out the rules, tokens and other necessities (or it will cost your employer a few dollars worth of printing supplies…). Sound fun? Continue through to get the rest of the info, including where to download it.

The game resides on a Dead of Night page at the Board Game Geek site (cool site for gamers, by the way!). You can download a handy zip file of all the necessary components (and some cool optional ones) from the the Gaming Dead‘s dedicated Dead of Night link (right-click and “Save As…” on that sucker). It’s about 65 megs. If you like the game and want to meet fellow aficionados, or need help with it, visit one of the still-active Dead of Night forums on Board Game Geek. if you need more info, visit that first link, or read the handy blurb below, from that same page:

Dead of Night is a 1 to 6 player game based on scenarios you might recognize from various zombie films. There is no ‘Zombie Master’ here: all the players are on the same side, all working together to survive, although the option to use other players as zombie bait while you grab all the guns and lock yourself in the cellar is there if you prefer.

Either way, you will need to use strategy and your (fresh and spicy) brains as well as chainsaws and shotguns to make it through the night. Each scenario has a location to be explored, and an objective to be fulfilled, but if things don’t go well just survival may be enough. Cards drawn throughout the game may help or hinder your progress, but as the night draws on you can be sure things are going to get much worse before you see the sun again. The game ends when somebody fulfils the main objective (eg, escaping in a fuelled up vehicle), or at daybreak, which brings respite in the form of an advancing army patrol. If you can survive until the end of the game, you are a winner. The survivor who best fulfils their objectives will come out on top.

I personally haven’t had a chance to play it yet, but if and when I do get a chance, I will try to write up a report. In the meantime, if you try it and like it (or hate it) feel free to leave a comment, or ask me about a guest post review!