The Thing: The Boardgame
- Players
- 1-8
- Best withThe player count this game plays best at.
- 8 players
- Play timeHow long a full game runs once everyone knows the rules.
- 90 min
- AgeThe minimum age printed by the publisher.
- 14+
- ComplexityHow demanding the rules are, from 1 (very light) to 5 (very heavy).
- 3.0 / 5
- Year
- 2022
About the game
The Thing: The Boardgame recreates the paranoia of the classic film as a hidden-role, semi-cooperative game set at Antarctic Outpost 31. One player secretly takes on the role of the shapeshifting Thing, trying to infect the human survivors or stop them from escaping, while the rest work together to manage the base's boiler and generator, feed themselves, and root out the infection through voting and deduction. Every room from the film provides a unique action, adding tense strategic choices to the social deduction core. Supporting up to 8 players, it recreates the film's claustrophobic dread and creeping suspicion at the table.
Hobbli's Notes
The Thing captures the film's paranoid tension remarkably well, layering hidden-role deduction over resource management so that trust genuinely erodes as the game goes on. With room for up to 8 players, it can become a large, chaotic social deduction experience, though that also means longer downtime waiting between turns. It's a strong pick for horror fans and social deduction enthusiasts who enjoy high-stakes accusations and betrayal.
What we like
- Faithfully recreates the paranoid tension of the classic film.
- Hidden-role deduction paired with resource management adds depth.
- Scales up to 8 players for a big social deduction night.
- Strong horror theme with room-based unique actions.
Keep in mind
- High player count can lead to significant downtime between turns.
- Deduction mechanics may feel harsh for players eliminated early.
- Long 90-minute playtime can drag with larger groups.
Who it's for
Best for larger groups of horror and social-deduction fans, ages 14+, who enjoy tense hidden-role gameplay and don't mind a long session.
