Face Eldritch Horrors in the World of Horror Board Game
- World of Horror is being adapted into a single-player card-based RPG board game by Lost in Cult, in collaboration with Panstasz and Ysbryd Games.
- Set in 1980s Japan, the game draws inspiration from Junji Ito and H. P. Lovecraft, tasking players with investigating mysteries in Shiokawa before the Doom Wheel unleashes an Old God.
- A Deluxe Edition includes exclusive Mysteries and artwork from creators like Hifumi Kono, with pre-orders open now and standard copies priced at $80 ahead of a planned 2027 release.
Lost in Cult, the book publisher and design company behind the likes of Alan Wake: Design Works and game-preservation-adjacent physical releases, has recently revealed that it’s putting out a board game based on the acclaimed World of Horror video game.
Together with the game’s developer and publisher (Panstasz and Ysbryd Games, respectively), Inspired as much by Japanese creatives like Junji Ito (Uzumaki) as H.P. Lovecraft, World of Horror: The Board Game transplants the game’s roguelite structure and cursed seaside town locale into a single-player card-based RPG experience.
“In this single player card-based survival RPG (but be sure to have your friends gather for the experience), players wander the seaside town of Shiokawa,” Lost in Cult said on its official site. “Solving mysteries, combating nightmarish creatures and navigating tough decisions, all whilst racing against the relentless ascent of the Doom Wheel.”
“Horrors stir in the shadows and the ceaseless presence of the Old God looms over their every step. A cold reminder that flesh is a fragile veil and survival is never guaranteed.”
Jump to:
Japan, 198X
The game, both the board and video versions, take place sometime in the eighties, in a Japanese coastal town beset by cosmic horror and supernatural occurrences. Created by Paweł Koźmiński, a dentist from Poland, World of Horror uses a 1-bit art style due to both technical limitation and as homage to horror manga, as Koźmińskii told End Gadget in an interview in 2019:
“Creating art in [Microsoft] Paint is actually really inspiring and somehow relaxing,” he said. “The limits of the program really force you to get creative with it, which is a huge thing. I guess 1-bit black-and-white art is the closest I can get to simulate that comic book feel, too.”
He first released the game on Itch in 2016, before it made its way over to PC as an Early Access release in February 2020. Version 1.0 appeared in October 2023, with the game also seeing a release on PS4 and Nintendo Switch. Version 1.2 was released last month, bringing with it new subway sections and a refined UI, plus two new Old Gods to potentially succumb to.
Grow More Teeth
Koźmińskii originally envisioned World of Horror as a board game, so this marks something of a full-circle moment for the developer. Although the setting and overall vibe of the board game is the same as the video game, the structure is closer to something like Arkham Horror: the player is tasked with moving around Shiokawa, investigating locations, and solving an overall Mystery before the Doom Wheel reaches 100 (unleashing a monstrous god, and thereby ending the game/world).
The player can choose from five characters, each with their own quirks and skills, and must try to keep their Stamina and Reason (sanity) from reaching zero as they uncover terrible secrets and potentially gain grotesque afflictions, like growing more teeth or developing holes in their body. Although presented as a single-player experience, with each playthrough taking anywhere between 30 minutes to an hour, Lost in Cult recommends sharing the experience with friends.
Befitting a game heavily influenced by Japanese horror, World of Horror: The Board Game also comes in a Deluxe Edition featuring three new and exclusive Mysteries, crafted with the help of acclaimed writers such as Hifumi Kono, creator of Clock Tower. This version also includes custom artwork by noted Japanese artists Kanafuro Taro, Kago Shintaro, Noroi Michiru, and Cojima Miyako. All versions of the board game are illustrated by IZMA, a UK-based artist who’s also worked with Devolver Digital and Nosebleed Interactive.
Colored variants of the Deluxe version are also available, including a striking neon 80s boxset limited to 300 copies – and a fitting £249.99 ($335) price tag. The standard version sells for £59.99 ($80) and is now open to pre-orders via Lost in Cult’s website (copies are expected to ship by the start of 2027).
