Sea Evil

About this board game

Sea Evil is a 2–11-player, 120-minute horror simulation and tactical hex-and-counter game set aboard a whaling ship on Halloween night in the 1840s.

The ship Ishara is nearing a coastal lighthouse when the waters darken and something strange appears on the horizon. After a floating corpse is brought aboard, its impossible visions of sea serpents, seaweed-like figures, satanic crabs, ancient peoples, Sirens, and a Sea Witch begin to seem terrifyingly plausible.

Each token represents an individual character, and characters have sheets showing personal statistics related to speed, strength, and will to live. The Whalers must navigate the sea, use their harpoon-hunting skills, and endure the escalating threats that emerge with every turn.

• Whaler objective: Reach the shining coastal lighthouse or slay the Sea Witch.
• Evil objective: Destroy the Whalers in the waters.
• Core experience: Tactical movement, individual character statistics, sea navigation, and mounting supernatural danger.

Rather than pursuing perfectly balanced sides, Sea Evil focuses on recreating a frightening experience. Characters and situations are designed to simulate the events of this Halloween-night voyage, with Evil unfolding each turn and creating an increasing potential to destroy the crew.

With its visceral presentation and horror-focused atmosphere, Sea Evil is intended as an intense experience rather than a conventional, evenly matched contest. The publisher rates it X and states that anyone under 18 is not permitted to play; pregnant players and those with a fragile or nervous disposition are strongly encouraged not to play.