WonderCon 2016: Demoing Cryptozoic’s Ghostbusters: The Board Game II

I was fortunate enough to be invited by Cryptozoic Entertainment to visit their WonderCon booth and try out a prototype build of their upcoming project, Ghostbusters: The Board Game II. The roleplaying game will launch as a Kickstarter campaign on April 11.

Before we dive into the playthrough, let’s start with some background information. The original Ghostbusters: The Board Game also began as a Kickstarter and met its funding goal many, many times over. The fanbase was active and vocal during the development process and Cryptozoic took their feedback into consideration when creating the game.

One thing you will notice right away is that the art and monsters are all licensed. Sony Entertainment gave the team free reign with their licenses, including TV shows, toys, and comics. Each ghost and spirit is taken from that already-developed universe. The creators of IDW Publishing’s Ghostbusters comics provided the art used as a base for the squad’s character designs as well as wrote up the plots featured on the scenario cards.

Let’s talk about these scenario cards for a moment. One side features a little backstory write-up and the other shows a map describing how to layout the playing field at the start of the story. This is particularly interesting as it negates the need for a Game Master. It also allows you play to a single-player campaign (controlling all four Ghostbusters).

After arranging the game board to match what is shown on our chosen scenario card,  we all selected our characters. I played as Winston Zeddemore. Depending on which of the Ghostbusters you choose, you have different skills based on your level (which increases as you gain experience). Working together and utilizing characters’ skills effectively is the key to victory.

Notice how my character’s art is black and white? The card is actually two-sided, with a full-color illustration on the other. There are two different sides to designate your weapon’s attachment: a Slime Blower or a Proton Pack. The difference between the two comes into play when handling obstacles on the map. One is mostly used to remove ooze on the field while the other mainly is used to deal damage to ghosts. You are free to switch between the two on your turn but it will cost you one of your two precious maneuvers per turn.

There were several different ghosts in the scenario I played, one of which was the Street Creeper. The card explaining how the ghost will behave was a great example of the game being its own GM. Even the “random” element mentioned on the card is dealt with by way of a numbered directional board and a simple roll of the D8. Again, I can’t stress how awesome it was that licensed art was used for this game. It made the whole experience feel more authentic.

I was told that campaigns can last from one to four hours, depending on how many rounds you decide to play. I played just shy of an hour at WonderCon and I am sold. This is one Kickstarter campaign that I will definitely keep my eye on.