by JakobLenz

First time reviewer here! I do not own any other solo games, so for me Final Girl is a first in several aspects. But:
- I used to create horror scenes with my sister's dolls based on the Goosebumps series, 30 years ago. My main themes graduated to Poltergeist, Alien, Halloween, the Shining... after starting uni. Final Girl is PERFECT to experience again the same feelings of doom, dread, hope. Hope is crucial, because in a single playthrough your hope will be crushed over and over again. And while it happens, the game will give you PLENTY of excuses to imagine HORRIBLE, HILARIOUS, GORY, HEARTWRENCHING scenes. From friends transformed to villains, 7 of those that die in traps destined to kill you, while those 7 friends would've been game over. Ships that explode, leaving you less and less options to escape. Exciting 1vs1 with horrifying killers that will one-shot you with a bad set of dice. I keep coming back because the system is punishing, and that lets your imagination roam. If you know games that can stimulate filmmaking in that way, please let me know.
- The packaging and the maps and the materials are part of the experience, so you're never left aside: while unpacking, while putting it all in. As empowering as some of the Final Girls are, the feeling of inescapable dread and gory demise do not leave your mind.
- The game isn't complex, but might have a lot of info to remember at all times as a lone player. Still, learning is an important part of this game: taking calculated risks, trying to be humble and really recognising when you are able to sacrifice time and cards to aim for more powerful actions or higher success rates is also part of the journey.
- Different map and killer mechanics are also a plus- I havent played yet any of the 'basic ones' (Hans or the Wolf) but I'm guessing they will also have flavor and replayability. The starting arrangement of the map can definitely affect the outcome, so do not aim for the hardest one if you aren't familiar with the setting! The game offers 5 possible starting configurations, different powers for each killer (and an epic power that is particularly excruciating), different cards for the map, different items... It can take a few games to really be proficient in a setting, anf that still doesn't ensure success.
All in all, this game reminds me of a horror escape room that might not have the hardest mechanics, the most elaborate puzzles, but that it stills offers plenty of instances to scream in despair, laugh at your good (or bad) luck, and see how A LOT of people are vanished from existence in many spectacular ways. There's nothing quite like this!

A 9 as final score: 8 for mechanics and packaging, +1 for my special attunement to its theme.

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