ESH Holiday Gift Guide 2015 | Dead of Winter

Finding the right tabletop game is often like searching for the right pet. When there's a connection, it's easy to tell you've found your match. Combining my love of zombies, co-op games and betrayal mechanics, Dead of Winter was an instant hit with me and has kept me coming back for quite a while. Dead of Winter puts you in the shoes of a group of survivors trying to survive the harsh cold during a zombie apocalypse. WIth a slew of interesting characters, harrowing scenarios and even a dose of dark humor, this is an easy recommendation.

I Recommend It Because:

Barrier to entry is one of the most tough obstacles to overcome for board games. In spite of Dead of Winter being a relatively complex game, it is put together coherently enough that I have yet to find a group that couldn't easily pick up how to play. You'll want someone there who knows how to play to explain, but once it gets going, it's a very easy game to understand. Narrative is very important to me with any kind of game and Dead of Winter is chock full of that as well. Every scenario has flavor text associated with it and the crossroad cards feature included add all manner of random events during play. The stories that come out each time you play keep it feeling fresh for quite a while.

It's Perfect For:

Anyone who enjoys zombies, board games, a good story, secretly screwing over your friends or any combination of those things.

MSRP: $59.95

Available at: Plaid Hat Games, Amazon