Humans set off into the stars in search of high-powered fuel and found it in the remote corner of the universe on the small planet PK-L7. Their discovery of Xenium — a dark, oily compound deep below the planet's surface — was everything they hoped for. But they found something else, too. The Xenos attack was brutal and unrelenting. While the scientists and soldiers have held them off the best they could, the Xenos are still coming...
Zombicide: Invader is a cooperative game in which 1-6 players face Xenos, an unfathomable swarm of infected Xenos controlled by the game itself. Each player takes on the role of one to six survivors in a sci-fi setting being overwhelmed by these Xenos. The goal is simple: Choose a mission, complete its objectives, kill as many Xenos as possible, and (most importantly) survive!
Survivors will fight Xenos, rescue each other, recover vital data, unveil dark secrets, and much more! Survivors can be civilians or soldiers, each with specialized skills. They all play together as a team, trading equipment, and covering each other. They use whatever weapons they can get to kill Xenos and slow the invasion. The better the weapon, the higher the body count, but the more Xenos will appear, attracted by the onslaught! Survivors must also be mindful of their location as conventional weapons work fine indoors, but the planet’s oxygen-starved surface, they'll need to arm themselves with more specialized weaponry. Lasers, anyone?
Most of the time, Xenos are predictable, but there are a lot of them and they use nasty tactics not encountered in previous Zombicide games. Only through cooperation can players achieve the Mission objectives and win.
- cooperative gameplay
- varied scenarios and replayability
- complex setup and rule-heavy
- can be harsh for new players
- cooperative survival against zombie invaders
- science-fiction zombie invasion with modular map
- Array
- Gloomhaven
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- cooperative play — team-based objectives against adversaries
- Dice-driven combat — combat relies on dice rolls with modifiers
- Modular scenarios — scenarios and map layouts vary for replayability
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- start small and make your way up
- be patient with kids' attention span
- let them see you enjoying this
- don't let them win
- let them win sometimes
- don't be scared off by heavy games like Gloomhaven
References (from this video)
- Content-rich with numerous expansions
- Tense and engaging cooperative play
- Missions with randomization provide replay variety
- Can be chaotic and requires strong communication
- Less narrative-driven than some story-heavy co-ops
- zombie containment and base defense in a sci-fi setting
- space-plant/facility environment on a planet; sci-fi zombie outbreak
- scenario-driven with randomization and variable board setup
- Black Plague
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- AI/enemy management — zombies spawn and react to player actions; high-tension play
- character abilities and equipment — each character has unique abilities and gear options
- cooperative play — players work together to complete missions against zombies
- Dice-based combat — combat resolution via dice with variable weaponry
- modular/randomized board — doors and rooms reveal content with each game, creating variety
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- we finally boiled it down
- this is board games for couples
- spirited away is a great movie and Spirit Island is what I'm trying to get ready to play
References (from this video)
- Intense cooperative play
- Thematic setting
- Flexible scenarios for groups
- Setup and rules can be complex for new players
- Can be time-consuming
- zombie apocalypse with sci-fi elements
- modern urban environment facing a zombie invasion
- cooperative, scenario-driven campaigns
- Zombicide (original)
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
- Character progression — Characters gain equipment and upgrades through missions.
- cooperative play — Players collaborate to survive zombie outbreaks.
- Dice-based combat — Combat resolved via dice and card modifiers.
- tiles/ modular board — Board built from modular tiles creating varied layouts.
Video topics + discussion points
Quotes (from this video)
- we've partnered with just the bestest of people the most generous of companies the board game publishers to bring you an amazing crisp
- Sick Kids is a hospital where I just can maybe I'm not sure sick kids is a hospital sick his hospital and there's a donation actually sick kids fun story sick kids actually saved my life when I was younger
- spread the love that's what we're here to do
- next week the gift-giving begins