Ghost Stories
- Players
- 1-4
- Best withThe player count this game plays best at.
- 4 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).
- 2.9 / 5
- Year
- 2008
About the game
Ghost Stories is a brutally difficult cooperative game where one to four Taoist monks defend a village from Wu-Feng, the lord of hell, and his waves of ghosts. Each turn players roll colored dice to exorcise ghosts appearing on the board, using village tiles like the cemetery and herbalist to recover and gain advantages. Players lose if too many tiles become haunted, the deck runs out, or all monks die, and must ultimately defeat Wu-Feng himself to win. It's an intense, punishing co-op experience wrapped in striking dark fantasy artwork.
Hobbli's Notes
Ghost Stories has a reputation for being one of the toughest cooperative games out there, and that difficulty is exactly the draw for groups who find most co-ops too easy. The art and theme are genuinely unsettling in the best way, though it can be a rough introduction for players new to cooperative games.
What we like
- Genuinely brutal, challenging cooperative gameplay that rewards teamwork.
- Strong dark fantasy theme with striking, memorable artwork.
- Solid solo mode for lone Taoist monks.
- Varied ghost powers keep every game's threats feeling different.
Keep in mind
- Notoriously difficult and can feel unfair or punishing to newcomers.
- High difficulty may frustrate more casual groups.
- Dice-based exorcisms introduce noticeable swinginess.
Who it's for
Best for experienced gamers 12+ who enjoy challenging, punishing cooperative games, solo or in groups up to 4.
