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Ryan Newell
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I was browsing through a games store almost two years ago, completely unfamiliar with every single box that I picked up. I had recently decided that I wanted to venture into hobby gaming for when I had friends over, but I really had no idea where to dive in (this was before I had discovered boardgamegeek or any other information resource). But I was determined to leave that store with something and my decision was going to have to be based 100% on how intrigued I was by the box.

After about half and hour, I spotted a box featuring a blood-soaked zombie snarling at me while his undead peers shambled towards the Monroeville Mall. The taglines read Survival is in the Betrayal and Will you survive in a shattered world?

It was Mall of Horror. My search was over.



I wanted to get into hobby gaming because I had been reminiscing about how much fun I had playing games in the past. I especially enjoyed a period in my mid-20s when four friends and I would regularly drink a few too many while playing Risk until 4:00AM. I never really had much interest in winning. I had more fun forging alliances and then screwing over my partner at inopportune times. So any game that tells me that betraying your friends is a key strategy for victory sounded like sweet, sweet heaven. Add to that I'm a big fan of Romero's zombie movies (well, before Land and Diary, at least) and this seemed like an ideal candidate for kick-starting my new hobby.

My excitement for the game only compounded once I cracked it open and checked out the pieces. Those great little zombie figures and blood-stained polaroids were leaps and bounds ahead of the production design of any game I'd seen (and are still probably the best I've encountered, even after all the FFG products I've played since then). I was intrigued by the voting wheels, the hidden dice rolls, the peculiar and eye-catching board layout and, of course, the ditzy blondes. I just hoped it would play as good as it looked.



And it does! I think it's an absolutely brilliant game for marrying the perfect mechanics to match the theme. The best zombie movies aren't just about killing the undead by destroying their brains in clever, gruesome ways; they're also a statement on the tenuous devotion people have to each other and, if the social institutions that keep people in line were removed, all hell would break loose. (To use a favourite quote from Johnny Caspar in Miller's Crossing, "You're back with anarchy... right back in the jungle.") I think that the primary mechanic of negotiation and voting (with that great dual-use voting wheel) is a perfect representation of the circumstantial alliances and back-stabbing typical of zombie survival movies. Seen the Dawn of the Dead remake? Think of the power struggles between the mall security team and the rest of the survivors and how they became increasingly vulnerable to the zombie hordes. That's exactly what this game successfully recreates.

When Michael Barnes (and others, but he's the most vocal) address the differences between "Eurogames" and "Ameritrash," Michael is often accused of simply disparaging the type of strategy games that are typically made in Germany, to which Michael often responds by pointing out he's referring more to a style of play(er) as opposed to a type of game. More than any other game I've played, Mall of Horror encourages the Ameritrash style of play: trashtalk, backstabbing, secret alliances, shotguns, zombies, blood, dice, threats... It's basically the polar opposite of humdrum, solitary, and quiet games like Princes of Florence and St. Petersburg, neither of which encourages social interaction or invokes any kind of narrative. There's nothing inherently wrong with either, but they're definitely aimed at distinct audiences who are looking for very different experiences when playing games. I can enjoy a game of Princes of Florence because of its excellent design, but it's just not as comfortable a fit. These types of games often just lack that certain something that makes me want to come back for more.

Basically, they needs zombies. zombie

When people list off the quintessential Ameritrash games, the usual suspects such as Twilight Imperium, Space Hulk, and Dune are listed. I think Mall of Horror (which is a fantastic game in its own right) is a too often forgotten gem. I think it epitomizes what it means to be Ameritrash.

(And it's French. Heh.)
Last edited on 2008-08-09 13:06:17 CST (Total Number of Edits: 1)
Marc Morley
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040708
Re: Mall of Horror - the epitome of "Ameritrash"
I guess I never really thought of Mall of Horror as Ameritrash but your points are valid. I view MoH as a negotiation game, basically bartering for your character's lives and pointing fingers at the most obvious winning player. It's a fun game and worthy of more gamers attention. Put the chrome aside and you still have a very solid system.
Tom Boylan
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Re: Mall of Horror - the epitome of "Ameritrash"
Great review, I have never heard of this game, thanks for pointing it out. I am loving LNOE, so this will be the next Zombie game I will look for.

Sure sounds like a perfect Ameri-trash game, just the way I like my games.

Game on'
So There i was in a carrot suit at a rabbit convention.....
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Re: Mall of Horror - the epitome of "Ameritrash"
Hendal wrote:
Great review, I have never heard of this game, thanks for pointing it out. I am loving LNOE, so this will be the next Zombie game I will look for.

Sure sounds like a perfect Ameri-trash game, just the way I like my games.

Game on'


Be wary however this can be a very mean game. Its most def. not a coop. Best Zombie game out there in my opinion but just know it can be mean.
Ryan Newell
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Re: Mall of Horror - the epitome of "Ameritrash"
Quote:
Be wary however this can be a very mean game.


It is mean (as far as boardgames go) but, in my experience, the only people who take it to heart are people who can be overly sensitive about anything. The alliances are so contextual ("Hey, we happen to be in the same place. Alliance?") and fleeting ("Now I'm over here. Alliance over.") that any hard feelings are a silly overreaction, really.
Scott Alden
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Re: Mall of Horror - the epitome of "Ameritrash"
I'm not sure about the categorization of this being Ameritrash. It's been a while since I played, but it seemed more of a negotiation game to me and nothing like LNOE or Zombies.
Ryan Newell
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Re: Mall of Horror - the epitome of "Ameritrash"
Aldie wrote:
I'm not sure about the categorization of this being Ameritrash. It's been a while since I played, but it seemed more of a negotiation game to me and nothing like LNOE or Zombies.
When I think of the term Ameritrash, I think mostly of the atmosphere that a game evokes. The mechanics in and of themselves are not what I would use to categorize a game, especially now that there have been so many influential games from both ends of the spectrum that can be glimpsed in the designs of most new games (such as a stronger implementation of theme on the Euro side and reduced downtime on the Ameritrash side).

MoH is a negotiation game, yes, but I think it appeals to Ameritrash gamers in particular because a) negotiation and voting perfectly complement the theme (the theme is not simply pasted on), and b) that theme is surviving a zombie attack by feeding them screaming cheerleaders.
Rod Batten
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Re: Mall of Horror - the epitome of "Ameritrash"
The Barefoot Killer wrote:
The best zombie movies aren't just about killing the undead by destroying their brains in clever, gruesome ways; they're also a statement on the tenuous devotion people have to each other and, if the social institutions that keep people in line were removed, all hell would break loose. (To use a favourite quote from Johnny Caspar in Miller's Crossing, "You're back with anarchy... right back in the jungle.")


Thumbs up for an entertaining review! Especially for the great use of a Miller's Crossing quote to emphasize the major theme of zombie flicks. A tip for you, sir!
Tom Boylan
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Re: Mall of Horror - the epitome of "Ameritrash"
I am pretty new here, but if Aldie is chiming in , it is a good review I would say :D

Coyotelaughs -- thanks for the heads up, since my wife won't play zombie games it is not an issue, all m y friends know I can mean mean and sneaky if it means a better chance of winning :D
Cedric Chin
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Re: Mall of Horror - the epitome of "Ameritrash"
1. Dice. Check.
2. Excessive amounts of theme. Check.
3. Lotsa detailed plastic miniatures. Check.
4. Gratuitous violence offending the offendable. Check.
5. ZOMMMMBIEEEEESSSS. Check.

Ameritrash it is! :D
Scott Alden
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0405060708
Re: Mall of Horror - the epitome of "Ameritrash"
ced1106 wrote:
1. Dice. Check.
2. Excessive amounts of theme. Check.
3. Lotsa detailed plastic miniatures. Check.
4. Gratuitous violence offending the offendable. Check.
5. ZOMMMMBIEEEEESSSS. Check.

Ameritrash it is! :D


OK I stand corrected!
Fighting renegade robots since 2003
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0708
Re: Mall of Horror - the epitome of "Ameritrash"
A friend cleverly told me LNoE is the best zombie game and MoH is the best game with zombies.
Javin Lum
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