- BGG rank
- BGG #19,933
- BGG rating
- 5.9
Propuh
- 1–2 players
- 5–15 min
- Complexity 1.5/5
- 2024
- BGG rank
- BGG #19,727
- BGG rating
- 7.1
Fear of the Dark
2025
Rules assistance for Fear of the Dark
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.
- 1 player
- 15–25 min
- 14+
- Complexity 2.7/5
Rules assistant for Fear of the Dark
For 1 player
What would you like to know?
Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Fear of the Dark is a board game released in 2025 for 1 player, 15–25 minutes per game, and ages 14 and up. It was designed by Damir Debanic and its main mechanics are Push Your Luck, Solo / Solitaire Game, and Card Play Conflict Resolution.
Similar games
- BGG rank
- BGG #21,256
- BGG rating
- 7.5
Plague of Dracula
- 1–5 players
- 360–600 min
- Complexity 2.0/5
- 2025
- BGG rank
- BGG #7,666
- BGG rating
- 7.5
30 Monedas
- 1–2 players
- 30 min
- Complexity 3.1/5
- 2021
- BGG rank
- BGG #19,411
- BGG rating
- 7.1
Hunted: Transylvania / Escape from Route 52
- 1 player
- 10–20 min
- Complexity 1.8/5
- 2025
- BGG rank
- BGG #7,792
- BGG rating
- 7.1
DECK 52: Space Wrecked
- 1 player
- 5–10 min
- Complexity 1.3/5
- 2021
- BGG rank
- BGG #22,268
- BGG rating
- 6.7
Time Troopers
- 1 player
- 45–60 min
- Complexity 2.0/5
- 2025
- BGG rank
- BGG #15,273
- BGG rating
- 7.4
Space Kraken
- 1–4 players
- 45–300 min
- Complexity 3.5/5
- 2023
- BGG rank
- BGG #8,328
- BGG rating
- 7.3
Deckula!
- 1 player
- 5–10 min
- Complexity 1.4/5
- 2021
- BGG rank
- BGG #27,670
- BGG rating
- 5.5
Escape from Flat Earth
- 1–6 players
- 15–30 min
- Complexity 1.2/5
- 2020
- BGG rank
- BGG #1,203
- BGG rating
- 7.4
Resist!
- 1 player
- 20–40 min
- Complexity 2.3/5
- 2022
- BGG rank
- BGG #12,797
- BGG rating
- 8.1
Handy Brawl
- 1 player
- 5–20 min
- Complexity 2.7/5
- 2022
- BGG rank
- BGG #14,490
- BGG rating
- 7.9
Grimm World
- 1 player
- 15–900 min
- Complexity 3.2/5
- 2024
About the game
Fear of the Dark is a solo push-your-luck board game with tile placement and a horror theme. Inspired by one of the primal fears, it places you in an unknown location without any tangible threat except being alone in the dark with only a limited number of matches in your pocket. The only other resource is your common sense, but like the matches, it is in short supply and tends to deplete too fast. To win, you cannot be too cautious, as all your matches will run out, and soon after, the loss of common sense will leave you stranded in the dark, and unable to move (losing the game). You must take risks and move forward until you find that last door that does not have any room behind it, leading you to freedom. The gameplay is divided into two modes: - Playing with a lit match, you can use your cards to perform actions (moving, exploring or searching) or use their more advanced abilities that will use up that card permanently (loss of common sense). - Playing without a lit match is much worse, as each card played is used up permanently as you slowly lose the ability for stable thought in the dark. -description from designer
Categories
Designers
Publishers
- InterHuman
Questions and answers
Fear of the Dark supports 1 player 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 Fear of the Dark is 15–25 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 Fear of the Dark for ages 14 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.
Fear of the Dark has a complexity rating of 2.7 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a medium-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.
Fear of the Dark belongs to these categories: Card Game, Print & Play, and Horror. Its main mechanics are Push Your Luck, Solo / Solitaire Game, and Card Play Conflict Resolution. 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 Fear of the Dark are: Damir Debanic. 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 Fear of the Dark 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.