Fury of Dracula 5th Edition Returns to Hunt

Avalon Hill has released a fifth edition of the hidden movement board game Fury of Dracula. The game pits one player as Dracula against up to four others controlling vampire hunters across a map of Europe.

This is a hidden movement game. Dracula moves secretly, placing face-down location and encounter cards that create dangers. The hunters work together during day and night phases to move, gather supplies, and search. Actions are generally safer during the day. Dracula moves after the hunters' night actions, adding to his trail and placing hidden encounters that can spawn enemies or cause delays. If an encounter card matures and leaves the board, it advances a despair track toward Dracula's victory.

Combat and Tension

Unlike pure cat-and-mouse hidden movement games, Fury of Dracula incorporates a combat system. When hunters corner Dracula, both sides select and reveal cards from their hands to resolve the fight. These cards can be moves or items like holy bullets. The reviewer from IGN states these seemingly simple fights create some of the tensest moments in board gaming, citing a memorable loss where a misread led to defeat.

New Additions in the 5th Edition

The new edition introduces two optional elements for veterans. First is a fifth playable hunter, Jonathan Harker, who replaces another hunter. Harker can deal extra damage and, like his wife Mina, can force Dracula to reveal if he is adjacent. The reviewer notes Harker lacks a unique event card and uses the card of the hunter he replaces. They also feel the game's balance wasn't fully adjusted, finding it harder for Dracula when both Harkers are tracking.

The second addition is a faster game mode designed to cut playtime from a potential four hours down by half or more. This variant removes some cards, blocks off map regions, and starts the game roughly a third of the way in, giving hunters items and Dracula some damage. The reviewer calls it a solid choice for weeknights but notes the smaller map and other adjustments, like instant sea movement, can make hiding as Dracula more challenging.

A Step Back in Artwork

The 5th edition features a significant visual overhaul, which the reviewer believes is a step backwards. The dramatic full-color art on event, encounter, item, and combat cards has been replaced with black-and-white illustrations resembling old Victorian newspaper drawings. The reviewer describes some as looking "a bit corny," comparing the new "Dark Call" card to a more dramatic previous version. Character cards now use sepia-tinted photographs instead of portraits, which the source humorously questions given vampire lore. The map now includes the town of Whitby, important to Bram Stoker's original novel.