It’s neither easy nor advisable to become a member of Hellboy‘s Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defence, given the unique set of skills it takes to face the kinds of otherworldly threats handled by the organisation. But if you have your heart dead set on investigating the things that go bump in the night, then this might just be the tabletop game for you.
The cover of Hellboy: Weird Tales #1. Illustration: John Cassaday (Dark Horse Comics)
It isn’t at all surprising that Mantic Games’ Hellboy: The Board Game hit its £100,000 ($182,489) Kickstarter goal in just under 20 minutes, but what’s impressive is the momentum the project’s sustained in the days since it first launched.
With just over 10,000 backers pledging around £888,800 ($1.6 million) to the game and 11 successful campaigns under Mantic Games’ belt already, it’s all but certain that the game is definitely going to ship – and from the sounds of it, it’s going to offer up an adventure tailored for hardcore Hellboy fans.
Groups of up to four players can embark upon cooperative BPRD missions that will take them into the darkest corners of the world and bring them face to face with all manner of nefarious creatures. Players can opt to play as Hellboy, Liz Sherman, Abe Sapien or Johann Kraus, and can buff out their respective abilities and movesets with a collection of mystical power ups and weapons inspired by the Dark Horse Comics series.
Box art for Hellboy: The Board Game and a painted version of one of the figurines included with the game. Photo: Manic Games
Each set includes six different campaigns for players to work their way through, and with just under a full month left to get behind the project, there’s still plenty of time to hop on the bandwagon and get ready for your first assignment when Hellboy: The Board Game ships early next year.