Who Goes There Board Game Review

Who Goes There? Board Game: A Deep Dive

Alright, let’s really get into the chilling world of “Who Goes There?” This isn’t your typical family board game night. This one takes you to the frozen wastes of Antarctica, where paranoia is your constant companion. Imagine a group of explorers, snow swirling around them, and one of them… is not what they seem. That’s the core of “Who Goes There?” a board game that blends strategy, deduction, and a whole lot of suspense. It’s based on the classic novella “Who Goes There?” by John W. Campbell Jr., which you might know better as the inspiration for the movie “The Thing.” Get ready for a nail-biting experience as you try to figure out who’s human and who’s a shapeshifting monster.

The Premise: Survival and Suspicion

The game throws you into the shoes of members of an Antarctic research team. A strange creature has infiltrated your ranks, and it can perfectly imitate any of you. Your mission? Figure out who the monster is before it can pick you all off one by one. Everyone has their own secret identity card. Most of these cards label players as humans, and a few of them are the nasty, shapeshifting alien. Now, you don’t know who you can truly trust. Every move, every action, will be viewed with suspicion. It’s not just about surviving the harsh elements; you need to survive the enemy among you.

Understanding the Different Roles

Here’s a quick breakdown of the roles in the game:

• Humans: The majority of players start as humans, trying to work together to uncover the alien. They need to carefully watch each other’s actions and behavior to pinpoint the imposter. They need to be clever and observant.
• The Alien: The alien’s goal is to assimilate or eliminate all the humans. They will try to blend in, sabotaging tasks and making everyone look suspicious to win the game. They must be very sneaky.

Gameplay Mechanics: The Core of the Thrill

Okay, so how does it all actually work? The game is played in rounds, and in each round, players will be performing a series of actions that help them survive. But every choice is a gamble, because the alien could be behind every seemingly innocent decision. Let’s explore some of the key mechanics that make “Who Goes There?” so engaging.

Action Phase: Moving and Interacting

During your turn, you get a few actions to use. You can move around the base, try to repair equipment, search for helpful items, and most importantly, test your fellow players. Each part of the base has different functions and some parts will require you to use some resources to activate the function. The movement aspect allows you to navigate through the Antarctic base, going to the different locations and making sure that you can accomplish different tasks. Sometimes moving can have consequences too, as it might alert the alien of your presence. Each move will need to be calculated because you might get closer to the alien.

The Infamous “Testing” Action

This is where the real paranoia starts. You can use an action to “test” another player, using a blood sample. The result might show that they’re a human… or it could reveal that they’re the alien in disguise. However, be careful who you test, because some of the tests could be corrupted and give a fake result. The test result cards are not only important to identify the alien but also are used as a form of resource. The outcome of your actions determines how far you are from winning or losing. The game can be fast-paced and each action and movement needs to be thoroughly observed. It’s a gamble, but it’s also the only real way to figure out who’s who.

The Resource Management Aspect

This game isn’t just about sniffing out the alien, you also need to manage your resources. You’ll need to gather food to survive, fuel for the base’s generator, and other items that can help you in your mission. If the base runs out of food or fuel, the players can lose. Managing resources also involves balancing between looking for the alien and at the same time making sure that all players are safe from starvation, freezing, and so on. Sometimes some resources may be found by luck by opening a specific crate or locker. And sometimes some resources can be acquired only by completing certain tasks. Each player will have their own responsibilities and at the same time they will need to find the alien by testing each other.

The Assimilation Mechanic

The alien player has a special set of moves. They can choose to assimilate another player, turning them into another alien to spread the paranoia even further. This means a previously trusted ally can suddenly turn against the group, which will increase the tension. The alien’s goal is to make sure the human players are confused. The alien will try to act like a human to make others believe in them. And most of the time the alien might even accuse other people to make other players look suspicious. The alien wins if it can assimilate all the human players.

Why “Who Goes There?” Stands Out

There are lots of board games out there, but “Who Goes There?” has some unique features that make it incredibly engaging. It’s not just about rolling dice and moving around a board. It’s about reading people, making calculated risks, and adapting to a constantly changing situation.

Social Deduction at Its Finest

The game’s core is social deduction which is very similar to games like “Among Us” or “Secret Hitler.” You need to watch people’s reactions and think about their motivations behind every single action. Is that player really trying to fix the generator, or are they sabotaging it? The game forces you to think very deeply about human behavior and whether you can rely on your gut feelings about other players. There are times that you might make the wrong decision and wrongly accuse a human player but those experiences are part of the fun.

Asymmetric Gameplay

The human and alien players have different objectives and abilities. This creates a very dynamic game experience. The humans will always try to stay united and the alien will always try to blend in. Each side has a unique perspective on the game which makes every match interesting. When you’re the alien, you feel the thrill of being a cunning manipulator, and when you’re a human, you feel the increasing fear of being alone. The gameplay is very different based on the role that you play.

Tense Atmosphere

The artwork, the components, and the game mechanics create a tense and immersive atmosphere. You really feel like you’re trapped in a cold, isolated base with a shapeshifting monster stalking you. The whole game will be filled with paranoia and doubt which will increase the engagement in the game. You need to stay alert and be aware of all the actions of your fellow players. Even the slightest mistake might cost you the game.

High Replayability

Due to the fact that roles are assigned at random each game, no two matches are the same. The hidden roles mean that you’ll never know who to trust. This makes the game exciting every time you play it. The many different ways that the alien can approach the game also ensure that the experience is never the same. Because of the many variables that can influence the flow of the game, you will always want to play it again.

Strategies for Playing “Who Goes There?”

Now that you understand the basics, let’s talk about how to actually win. Here are a few tips for both humans and the alien.

Tips for Human Players

• Observe Carefully: Watch everyone’s behavior and try to notice any inconsistencies in their actions. Do they seem nervous or act suspiciously? Every small detail can be a huge hint.
• Communicate Effectively: Sharing information is important, but be careful about who you trust. Don’t give all your information out to everyone, especially if you think there is an alien among you.
• Use the Test Wisely: Don’t waste your tests randomly. Be strategic about whom you test and when. Think before testing someone.
• Work Together: Humans need to work together to win the game. If you can’t complete all the tasks you are doomed. So, coordinate and complete all the objectives.

Tips for Alien Players

• Blend In: Act like a human. Don’t do anything that seems suspicious. Try to not show any emotions or excitement when you get a great card.
• Create Confusion: Try to accuse other players to make the human players confused about who you are. Make them doubt each other.
• Assimilate Wisely: Don’t assimilate every human that you come across, this will make the players suspicious of you. Be strategic and pick your targets carefully.
• Sabotage When Possible: Find opportunities to sabotage tasks without looking obvious. This can be done by removing essential resources or other important actions.

Beyond the Base Game: Expansions and More

If you are a huge fan of the game you might be interested to know that there are expansions for “Who Goes There?”. These expansions add new mechanics, characters, and other features that can make the game more complex and immersive. If you become a big fan of the base game, then the expansions are something that you might be interested in.

What the Expansions Offer

The expansions for the game add new content to make the game more exciting and engaging. These additions can include:

• New Roles: These might include new types of humans with unique abilities or more dangerous versions of the alien.
• New Items: The expansions will add new items to the game that can be used to make the game more strategic and unpredictable.
• New Locations: You might find yourself in new parts of the base with unique challenges.

Adding expansions can make a base game feel fresh again with brand-new mechanics and goals. The expansions can enhance the gameplay experience and make you want to play the game more.

“Who Goes There?” is a game that stands out because it makes you think in a very paranoid state of mind. You need to analyze all of the players’ actions and be strategic in your approach. It’s not just a game; it’s a tense social experience that will leave you wanting more.