
- BGG rank
- BGG #3,136
- BGG rating
- 7.3
Fugitive (Second Edition)
- 2 players
- 5–20 min
- Complexity 1.6/5
- 2023

2017
Rules assistance for Dark Is the Night
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
For 2 players

What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Dark Is the Night is a board game released in 2017 for 2 players, 1–15 minutes per game, and ages 10 and up. It was designed by Zach Abbott, Arwen Boyer, and Josh Estill and its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Square Grid, and Memory.
Description from the publisher: A Hunter has set up camp in a dark and dangerous forest. In the middle of the night she is awakened by a sound in the darkness, just outside the light of her small fire. Again! A guttural growl informs the Hunter that she is not alone. To survive this night, the Hunter will need keen wits and sharp aim with her crossbow. Dark is the Night is a two-player game of hunt-or-be-hunted. One player takes the role of the hunter and can move in the lighted spaces surrounding the campfire while the other player is the monster, secretly moving through the darkness. With only limited tools at their disposal, each player tries to eliminate the other before daybreak.
Dark Is the Night supports 2 players according to the catalogue. This is the publisher’s listed player count, so the game is designed for exactly that number of participants. Variants for other group sizes, if any, are described in the rulebook of your edition, so check it before setting up a different configuration.
The listed playing time for Dark Is the Night is 1–15 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Dark Is the Night for ages 10 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Dark Is the Night has a complexity rating of 1.3 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Dark Is the Night belongs to these categories: Fantasy, Deduction, and Horror. Its main mechanics are Variable Player Powers, Square Grid, and Memory. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Dark Is the Night are: Zach Abbott, Arwen Boyer, and Josh Estill. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Dark Is the Night as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.