Bloodsuckers Card Game Review

“Listen to them, the children of the night. What music they make!”

Why yes I did just start this review with a quote from one of the greatest books of all time “Bram Stoker Dracula”

It’s not a secret I have a let’s say fascination with Vampires. So I was ecstatic when I got Bloodsuckers The Card Game for review!

What’s In The Box

Gameboard
Rulebook
Guide Mat
51 Hunter Combat Cards
51 Vampire Combat Cards
32 Character Cards
4 On Your Turn Cards
20 Action Tokens
10 Hunter Attack Counters
10 Vampire Attack Counters
6 Blood Tokens
6 Adrenaline Tokens
1 Die

Fireside Games Says

Bloodsuckers is a highly thematic strategy card game for 2 to 4 players ages 13 and up.
Play as either vampires or vampire hunters fighting to control the most locations within Blackwood. Unleash powerful card combos to attack your opponent but beware as your strength rises and falls with the time of day. Battle alone or alongside a teammate to recruit the innocent bystanders at the church, graveyard, nightclub, police station, and hospital.

Win the battles and claim the most locations to declare victory in the fight between the living and the undead!

The Game

From the makers of “Castle Panic” Fireside Games

In Bloodsuckers, you will play as either the Vampires or the Hunters, and face off against each other in a series of battles. The player who wins the most battles, wins the game.

Game play plays out in series of rounds

Step 1. Perform 3 actions.
Actions:
Play 1 combat card
Move a character
Draw a card
Activate a token (Blood or Adrenalin)
Give a teammate a character
*you may perform an action multiple times*
Step 2. Discard any number of leftover cards you want and draw up to a full hand (five cards).
Step 3. Unstun any stunned characters.
Step 4. Rotate the Clock Dial signaling the end of your turn.

You play until someone has control over a set number of territories; either two out of three, or three out of five.

You must pick your side, are you Team Human or Team Vampire. If your playing with 3 or 4 players, you will have to help or hurt you teammate. And of course try to hinder the opposite side as much as you can.

There are five locations in town. You meet your enemy and do battle for control of that section of town.

Combat is card-driven and there are four types of Combat cards: Attack cards, Strike cards, Dodge cards and Impact cards. Attack cards increase your attack value on a bystander. Strike cards will kill characters unless they have a Dodge card to get out of the way. Vampires might even Strike with a Bite that can turn a character into a vampire. Impact cards might modify attack values or allow you to draw cards.

The player with the highest attack value after eight turns wins that bystander. If you win more bystanders than your opponent you win the location. You can even tie by both sides winning the same number of bystanders at a location. If you win three of the five locations on the board, you win the game.

So, as you can tell this is a VERY strategic game. You must think about actions before you take them, you must plan out what your going to do well in advance. Which leads to some tense situations and game play.

Final Thoughts

The artwork is top notch, from the box to the cards. Amazing all the way around. I really love The easel board that lays out the sections of the city and also acts as event tracker, this to me was very unique, as I cant recall any other game that features an easel design for a part.

But all is not well in the land of bloodsucking. My biggest complaint with the game is one that I have with a lot of card game (and you really can’t get away from) is Luck. Lady luck must shine on you big time, are you might find yourself behind and your opponent pulling ahead of you. There are cards to help this, of course. But over all it’s all about the luck of draw. As I said I know there other game where I have said this is the problem. It’s all in the cards and no way around that. Of course if you listen to the podcast you know my “Luck” with the “RNG” anyway so that might play into my feelings!

Overall I would say this is a great game to pull out on your game nights. It’s plays 2-4 and features some great “Screw over” mechanics that you all know I love. (Well if you would play with my group of friends, you know we do love those screw over cards!)

Bloodsuckers can be purchased via Amazon or direct from Fireside Games

More information and a how to video may be found on the official page from Fireside Games

I’ll leave you with one more quote from the master Mr. Stoker