Blight’s Decay Review

In the darkness of the swamp, something hideous molders, something forgotten and benighted. A man, hurt and lost, stumbles into the wood, searching for answers. He hears the call. His desperation opens his heart. The thing speaks to him, claims his mind and body. Its only urge is to spread, its only need is to consume. The man returns, a clarity in his eyes and a pestilence in his flesh, and he begins to spread the Word, drawing anyone he can ensnare into the viridian nightmare of Blight’s embrace.

Blight's Decay is a simple, quick playing card game. You will attempt to defend 4 survivors from the creeping spread of Blight’s cult. Each turn, the player will use Honor cards to drive back Blight’s influence, either by reinforcing the survivors or by attacking the cultist cards directly. After your turn, Blight’s cult will attack, using Slime cards to subtract Honor pips from survivors and concentrating its own strength. Should a survivor run out of Honor, they become infected and are worth negative points. The goal of the game is to survive Blight’s onslaught with enough uninfected survivors to have a positive score.

Easily completed in a matter of minutes, Blight's Decay is a mechanically straightforward game. Strategy revolves around figuring out where to spend your Honor cards, since it is extremely unlikely that you will ever have enough to save everyone on every turn. Sometimes it is best to sacrifice a lower-point survivor (however abhorrent the idea), in order to save those worth more.

Blight's Decay's presentation is an example of a rare example of a somewhat pasted-on theme done right. There is nothing intrinsically ‘cultish’ about the game or its mechanics; for example, if the cards had been pictures of burning houses, with fire replacing Slime and water replacing Honor, the game could be identical, mechanically. However, Blight's Decay's excellent ambiance and simple, effective delivery make that a forgivable offense. The music is creepy and the artwork is effective, greatly adding to this simple game's appeal.

Ultimately, Blight's Decay is a filler game - played when you have a few minutes and unlikely to be frequently replayed. However, given its good design, straightforward style and excellent presentation, it is definitely worth a look. Just don't look too deeply, because the Blight is most assuredly looking back at you.