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[Asmor]

A few years ago-- when I was still a bit naive and less jaded with board games-- I got a chance to play Mall of Horror. It wasn't bad, but I don't recall being very thrilled with it. When I got home, however, I checked it out on BoardGameGeek and discovered that we'd been playing wrong. If I remember correctly, we were allowing everyone vote on things instead of just people present in particular areas, which basically made the different locations all the same except for occupancy.

As a general rule, I tend to avoid zombie games. I don't have anything against the zombie genre, but it's never really been terribly interesting to me. On top of that, most of the zombie games I've seen tend to be the "trashy" sort of Ameritrash where they worry too much about the theme and not enough about the game (e.g. Zombies!!!, and the vast majority of other things published by Twilight Creations... they've had a few decent games, but I'm at the point now where I won't even look at something with their name at it, and if I see their name on a game I'm interested in that kills a lot of the enthusiasm for me).

Despite the lack of interest in zombie games, though, the simultaneous action and voting selection of Mall of Horror really appealed to me. Actually, that's a lie. The cool little boards each player gets to make their choices in secret really appealed to me. Lesson to would-be game designers: never underestimate the value of cool gimmicks and toys (also, don't publish your games with Twilight Creations... Man, where'd all this vitriol come from all of a sudden? ahem).

Anyways, I just picked up Mall of Horror on Wednesday along with Small World. Reading through the game now, I'm really glad to have gotten it again. I haven't had the chance to play it yet, but it definitely seems like the strategy rises above what I've come to expect from a zombie-themed game.