The Hunger
- Players
- 2-6
- Best withThe player count this game plays best at.
- 3 players
- Play timeHow long a full game runs once everyone knows the rules.
- 60 min
- AgeThe minimum age printed by the publisher.
- 12+
- ComplexityHow demanding the rules are, from 1 (very light) to 5 (very heavy).
- 2.3 / 5
- Year
- 2021
About the game
The Hunger casts players as vampires racing to build the perfect deck while hunting humans for victory points before dawn breaks. Designed by Richard Garfield, the game blends deck-building, resource management, and push-your-luck movement across a shared map. The more you hunt, the heavier and slower your deck becomes, forcing tough decisions about how much risk to take. Secret missions and card drafting add extra layers of strategy on the way back to the castle. Supporting 2 to 6 players, it delivers a tense race against the clock in about an hour.
Hobbli's Notes
The Hunger's central tension - hunt more and get stronger, but risk being caught by sunrise - is a genuinely clever twist on deck-building. Richard Garfield's fingerprints are clear in the elegant push-your-luck balance. It plays best with a full table where the racing element really comes alive. The horror-vampire theme is thin on story but strong on mood.
What we like
- Unique push-your-luck deck-slowing mechanic drives real tension.
- Designed by renowned game designer Richard Garfield.
- Supports up to 6 players for a lively race to sunrise.
- Secret missions add extra replayable strategic paths.
Keep in mind
- Can suffer from downtime at higher player counts.
- Deck bloat from hunting too much can frustratingly slow you down.
- Vampire horror theme may not appeal to every group.
Who it's for
A good fit for game night groups (ages 12+) who enjoy competitive deck-building with a race element and don't mind a bit of thematic darkness.
