Hold your breath to take your turns in this horror board game

An upcoming board game challenges players to hold their breath during their turns, otherwise risk being infected by spores of black mould.

In Black Mold, players find themselves awaking in a dark and musky building that appears to be covered in thick mycelium in which strange visions can be seen. A horror board game that supports two to five players, Black Mold takes place in an abandoned building that’s been taken over by an entity made up of a dark fungus that seems to be sentient. The group will need to find a way out of the mould-infested building before they’re taken over by the strange fungal growths that have claimed it.

The greatest threat to the players in Black Mold are the spores that float across the rooms and corridors of the abandoned building, lying in wait for victims to infect. In order to avoid being taken over by the fungi, players will need to physically hold their breath in real-time during their turn. Players can either choose to hold their breath during their turn or use the sand-timer provided, with the aim being to make decisions as fast as possible. Should players ever run out of breath or time, they’ll be forced to take a hit to their vitality: which is the only thing protecting them from being mold monsters.

Players will have different abilities and vitality levels depending on whichever character they decide to play as. Each playthrough of Black Mold will differ, with a variety of escape paths and plot cards for players to experience. Plot cards in Black Mold can force players to make tough decisions or even somewhat turn on their fellow players. The co-op board game becomes a competitive title whenever a character succumbs to the black mold, switching their objectives from escape to assimilation of the rest of the human party.

Players will otherwise be exploring the abandoned building searching for routes to the exit, items and crafting materials. By finding and crafting items, players will be able to better protect themselves and their allies. Players may also need to find or create certain items depending on what the current game’s win condition is, with some providing more of a challenge than others.

Black Mold was created, and is set to be published, by Terrible Games - a studio that has previously released other horror titles such as tabletop roleplaying game Repugnant – which is themed around gross-out horror – and the board game Token Terrors Battlegrounds.

The Kickstarter campaign for Black Mold is live until November 11th, with a pledge of $55 (£49) getting backers a copy of the core game in October 2023.