SURVIVE THIS!! - Zombies! 1st Edition (Collected Print)

As much as I try to pay attention to things, I'm often late in the game. Recently Bloat Games did a Kickstarter for SURVIVE THIS!! - Zombies! 2nd Edition. I found out about this a few days after I ordered the first edition of SURVIVE THIS!! - Zombies! in print. While I'm sad I missed the Kickstarter (especially because it added many more classes and had new art and other content), the original is still a fine product and I'd like to talk about it.

The game is divided into four sections. The first is an intro, that while it has some nice fiction, isn't really necessary if you're an experienced rpg player. The following three sections actually go into the rules themselves. The game is based on classic D&D and overall rules light. It's not Pathfinder where there are clearly defined rules for every possible scenario. The game is more complex than Bloat Games other zombie game, The Zombie Hack though. Honestly this game is a more classic and fleshed out take on that release. After the introduction there is a Survivor's Handbook. This includes basics about stats and attributes, hit points, saves, classes, alignments, and what players need to know about combat. The classes are similar to The Zombie Hack:  Fixer, Hunter, Leader, Scavenger, Slayer, and Tracker. The Zombie Master's Guide comes next. This section contains the rest of the rules you need to run a scenario and campaign. The last section of the book is the Zombie Manual (aka the Zombie Monster Manual). Other than voodoo zombies, the zombie variants here are the same as The Zombie Hack. However there are some other interesting and useful stats for enemies. biker gangs, big evil corporations, voodoo priests are all given space. The creepiest foe is the Shepherd of the Dead. These folks aren't harmed by zombies and can actually control them. They feel they are chosen for a divine purpose, which involves collecting zombies and even creating more. While it's only given a page, I really love that there is a slow-turn zombie player option. Get bit, you have 8 in game days to continue to play your character. I think more games need this.

This is a good and inexpensive complete zombie game. If you want a tasty zombie game for cheap, snag it. All this being said, I'm definitely getting the 2nd edition when it's available in print. The rules have been updated and put in line with SURVIVE THIS!! - Dark Places & Demogorgons.