Overview
At a glance
Is this game right for my group?
ABG editorial scores on a 1–5 scale.
Harder to teach
High replayability
Highly interactive
Scales well
Deep strategy
How it plays
How does it play?
Claustrophobia 1643 is a miniatures-based survival game set within the catacombs. The box contains miniatures which are placed on large tiles showing the dungeon spaces.
Core mechanisms
Key systems that shape the decisions players make.
Grid Movement
Move pieces between adjacent spaces on a regular grid.
Modular Board
Build the play area from interchangeable sections that vary between games.
Dice Rolling
Roll dice to introduce uncertainty into actions, production, movement, or resolution.
Multi-Use Cards
Use the same card in different ways, making each play a trade-off.
Variable Player Powers
Each player has different abilities, restrictions, or strategic advantages.
Read the full game description
Claustrophobia 1643 is a miniatures-based survival game set within the catacombs. The box contains miniatures which are placed on large tiles showing the dungeon spaces. Also included are character dashboards, counters and markers, and dice. One player controls a small group of determined humans, while the other plays an almost unending army of demonic creatures. The game is thematic and highly asymmetric: human characters are stronger, but the demon characters are more numerous. Gameplay is very straightforward with a minimum of rules, and each game plays in an hour or less. In essence dice are allocated after rolling to perform actions, while cards or special abilities are also available. The game is about managing decisions and choosing what to do with the resources that you have, managing difficult events and out-thinking your opponent. Combat is handled by dice. Complexity is low, with the focus on theme and building towards a tense, climactic ending. Claustrophobia is played through scenarios of which there are several in the rulebook (20). Generally speaking the human characters are attempting to complete a task (e.g. escape the catacombs, close a portal) while the demons are focused on stopping them. There are varying win conditions depending on the scenario chosen. —description from the publisher