Fury of Dracula (3rd Edition) Review

The big surprise about Fury of Dracula is not that it’s good. As the third edition of a well-loved game, it comes from solid stock. No, the big surprise is how much better it is than the previous edition. The little peculiarities that plagued the second edition have been sanded away, while losing none of the atmosphere and tension that has always been the hallmark of Fury of Dracula. This third edition represents one of the best narrative experiences I’ve had in years, and probably the best game of 2015.

Several years after the events of the original novel, Dracula has returned, and those who defeated him the first time are desperate to stop him before he can extend his influence across Europe. Dracula travels in secret, selecting a location card every turn. This creates a trail of locations the four hunters can find, not to mention the traps Dracula left on the trail as well. Of course, finding Dracula is one thing. Defeating him is quite another one, and the only way for the hunters to win. Dracula will win if he can gain enough influence before the hunters defeat him.

This all sounds a lot like other hidden movement games, like Scotland Yard of Letters From Whitechapel. But Fury of Dracula is distinguished by its intense narrative and atmosphere. Drama is created in contrast, and the stretches in this game where the hunters cannot find Dracula ratchet up the drama bigtime. Where is he? Will we be ready when we find him? As for Dracula, he gets the opportunity to scheme in the shadows and quietly spread darkness over the whole map. But when the shadows grow thin, he must be prepared to attack and subjugate his enemies by force.

Dracula is a slippery foe. He is able to transform into a wolf and move two cities away. If combat goes badly he’s able to transform into a bat or mist to get away. Of course if he doesn’t feel like hiding he is also formidable in combat, able to overpower or bite hunters. He receives influence whenever he defeats one, as well as when he is able to hide a new vampire on his trail for long enough. The hunters have their own tools though. They are able to search cities for action cards (some of which actually help Dracula), and to get items to help in combat. There’s a terrific balance here. Both sides have a lot of ways to do what they need to, but it’s all in the execution. There’s never a move so strong that you feel safe that it will work.

As in previous editions, this version of Fury of Dracula revolves around a cycle of days and nights. This is important, because Dracula is more powerful when you fight him at night. The changes to this process in the new edition are some of the best revisions. Each day allows the hunters two individual actions, one at day and one at night. Hunters can only move by daylight, so they must spend their evenings doing something else, like searching or resting. After every hunter has had a chance to take their two actions, Dracula moves, and then the new day begins.

This structure creates some terrific tension, and makes timing very important. Combat with Dracula takes place at the very beginning of day (or dawn) or at the very beginning of night (dusk). That means that if the hunters close in on Dracula during the day, they will be forced to fight him at night time. The opposite is true for Dracula, who can stalk and attack hunters on his turn, but will be forced to fight them as day breaks. The new structure also makes the individual turns go very quickly. In fact the turns zip along to such an extent that it’s easy to not realize it’s your turn again.

The other major improvement is in the combat, which was always a sore spot for people in second edition. It has been redone to emphasize the double-guessing at the heart of the entire game. The hunter tries to play a card based on what they think Dracula will play. If they guessed the right type of card, Dracula’s card won’t have an effect, and the hunter might be able to land some damage. But if they guessed wrong, Dracula’s card happens first. It’s a much smoother way to do things, and it forces you to think like your opponent. The best sign is that at the end of combat, you can tell a blow-by-blow account of the combat without describing anything mechanically.

All of these elements, the hidden movement, the day and night cycle, the rough-and-tumble combat, combine together to create something truly special. Fury of Dracula is one of the best game experiences ever. Every turn for the hunters is heavy with tension. You need to find Dracula’s trail, but the prospect of fighting the vampire is a daunting one. For Dracula, he must always stay one step ahead, balancing when he should play conservatively or go on the offensive. All of these were true in previous editions, but the revised elements make it all a much smoother process. There are no more little mechanical moments where the game hangs up, or the sense that one side is way too powerful. I’ve never played a game that captures that sense of anticipation, dread, and urgency so well.

This version of Fury of Dracula is definitive. It has been improved in almost every way, the only step back being the strip-mall-Halloween-store cover. Everything else about the production is terrific, with improved cards, graphics, and usability. Some people have complained about the newly written rules, but I actually think they have improved them as well. It makes me regret not unloading second edition when I could, because this is the version people will be playing in twenty years.