Zona: The Secret of Chernobyl

About this board game

Zona: The Secret of Chernobyl is an adventure board game for 1–4 players with an approximate play time of 180 minutes. Each player takes the role of a Scavenger trying to reach the sarcophagus of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant before the others.

The sarcophagus can be opened only after a player has collected two Secrets from underground research facilities known as Secret Locations. Everyone must work quickly, however, because the game has a time limit. When the Final Emission strikes, everything is lost.

During each turn, players take two Actions, such as moving, exploring, or fighting. An Event Card is then read by everyone, presenting a short adventure event, while the first player draws and resolves a News Card at the end of the turn.

• Explore an extremely hazardous and isolated Zone.
• Repair equipment and purchase new Items when supplies allow.
• Rest to reduce Fatigue and heal Damage.
• Use character abilities and statistics to face dangers, traps, mutants, and anomalies.

Ten Scavengers are included, and each has a Special Skill, basic Skills, starting equipment, and a Personal Goal explaining their reason for entering the Zone. Attributes such as Awareness, Agility, and Intellect influence how effectively a character avoids danger, fights mutants, or gathers Artifacts from anomalies.

Because every Scavenger brings different abilities, equipment, and motivations, each plays differently. With survival at its core and a race against the approaching Final Emission, Zona: The Secret of Chernobyl combines exploration, adventure events, resource management, and urgent competition in one perilous journey.