Don’t Get Stabbed! Game Review

The Basics:

• For ages 12 and up (publisher suggests 18+)
• For 3 to 5 players
• Approximatly 20 minutes to complete

Geek Skills:

• Active Listening & Communication
• Counting & Math
• Logical & Critical Decision Making
• Reading
• Hand/Resource Management
• Bluffing and Misdirection

Learning Curve:

• Child – Easy
• Adult – Easy

Theme & Narrative:

• Kill your family and friends (for pretend)!

Endorsements:

• Child Geek mixed!
• Parent Geek approved!
• Gamer Geek mixed!

Overview

It’s hard being a homicidal killer. You must do a lot of planning and keep your wits about you because victims make your job challenging. They are always running around, screaming, trying to get away, and generally not very cooperative. Worse yet, they can gang together and try to work against you! How is that fair? Oh, well. No one told you being a masked murderer was going to be an easy job. Best get to stabbing!

Don’t Get Stabbed!, published by Rookie Mage Games, is comprised of 77 cards. The cards are as thick and as durable as your standard playing card. Illustrations on the cards are light-hearted and comical, toning down the game’s theme of murder and mayhem.

Prepping for Murder

To set up the game, complete the following steps:

First, determine which player will be the “Killer.” The Killer’s primary goal in the game is to take on and put down all the other players, referred to as the “Victims,” before they escape.

Second, separate the deck of cards into their four distinct types (Car, Action, Stab, and Combo).

Third, take several Stab cards based on the number of Victims. For example, you would deal out six Stab cards if playing a three-player game (where one player is the Killer and the other two players are the Victims). Place these Stab cards face-down and return unused Stab cards to the game box.

Fourth, shuffle the Action cards and deal one to each player, ensuring they keep the cards they were dealt secret. Then, take the remaining Action cards, all the Combo cards, and the previously dealt Stab cards and shuffle them all together to create the Main draw deck. Place the Main draw deck in the middle of the playing area.

Fifth, shuffle the Car cards and place them face-down next to the Main draw deck. This is the Car draw deck for the duration of the game.

That’s it for the game setup. Killers, start your hunt! Victims, start running! In the turn order sequence, the first player to the left of the Killer goes first.

The Chase Is On!

Don’t Get Stabbed! is played in turns with no set number of turns per game. What a player does on their turn, and their objective, is based on if they are the Killer or the Victim.

Playing as a Victim

The first action a Victum takes on their turn is drawing the topmost card from the Main deck and adding it to their hand. After doing so, they can do one of three different second actions, but only one can be selected on their turn.

Use an Action Card

The Victim can play one or more of their Action cards as a second action. Action cards have a Killer option and a Victim option. If the player is a Vitim, they can only resolve the Victim action. The primary use of an Action card is to block Stab cards, with other uses focused on drawing cards or redirecting cards.

Trade in Two Matching Combo Cards

As a second action, the Victim may play and discard two matching Combo cards to draw the top-most Car card. Once played, combo cards have no action to resolve. They are matched based on the illustration, which must be similar on both cards, not the color.

All the Victims share Car cards, which may be played face-up for all players to see once drawn. Once drawn, they are either a letter (C, A, or R) or a null value represented by the image of a dead battery or no keys.

End Turn

As a second action, the Victim can decide that they want their turn to end.

Playing as the Killer

Similar to the Victims, the Killer’s first action on their turn is drawing the topmost card from the Main deck and adding it to their hand. After doing so, they can do one of four different second actions, but only one of the four can be selected on their turn.

Place Stab Card

If the Killer drew a Stab card, they must place it back in the Main deck. However, they may place it back in the Main deck wherever they like.

Use an Action Card

The Killer can play one or more of their Action cards. Action cards have a Killer option and a Victim option. If the player is the Killer, they can only resolve the Killer action. The primary use of an Action card is to mess with the location of cards in the game, both in the deck and in the hands of the Victims.

Trade in Three Matching Combo Cards

The Killer may play and discard three matching Combo cards to draw the topmost Car card. The drawn Car card is discarded for the duration of the game.

End Turn

The Killer can decide that they want their turn to end.

Stabbing and Blocking

The Killer’s only goal in the game is to take out the Victims. This is done by dealing Stab cards that are – hopefully – not blocked by Action cards played by the Victims. If a Victim is ever given their third Stab card and cannot avoid it, they are out for the game.

To block the Stab cards, a Victim must play Action cards that allow them to do so. There are also Action cards that enable the Victim to “heal” from a Stab card.

Winning the Game

The Victims win if they draw enough Car cards to spell “CAR.” Once they do, all the surviving Victims jump into the vehicle and escape! Vrooom! You are safe….for now.

The Killer wins if they can take out all of the Victims or make it impossible for the Victims to escape, meaning all the Victims will (eventually) die, as it’s only a matter of time until the Killer catches them.

To learn more about Don’t Get Stabbed!, visit the game’s webpage.

Final Word

The Child Geeks were able to learn the game fairly quickly, but I should add that we only put this game in front of Child Geeks, who had seen horror films from the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s. Specifically, Scream, A Nightmare on Elm Street, and Halloween. This was done not due to any overly graphic depictions of gore and murder, mind you. The artwork in the game is very cartoony, with no illustrations of the cartoon characters being stabbed. There are, however, a few cards with references to sex and alcohol that most Parent Geeks were not comfortable putting in front of their younger Child Geeks.

That said, those Parent Geeks who had no problems with these adult references and knew their Child Geeks loved (questionably) good horror films were pleased to sit down with them to play. According to one Child Geek, “You pretty much always win as the Killer because the Victims have difficulty organizing and surviving. Pretty accurate to the movies, really.” Another Child Geek said, “The game was fun; it reminded me of the silly horror films I watch with my friends during sleepovers and parties. The game was fun, and I’d play it again.” After the Child Geeks took a couple of stabs at the game, they voted, resulting in a mixed bag.

The Parent Geeks thought the game was a good time, especially those who enjoy slasher films. They found the game to be comical and clever in its gameplay. According to one Parent Geek, “A fun party game where the Killer, I think, has all the fun and the advantage. I’ve played both the Killer and the Victim, and I enjoy playing the Killer the best. There was a lot of messing around with the other players and laughing evilly. Fun time!” Another Parent Geek said, “This is a game I’d hesitate to play with my kids, but I love playing with my friends. We watched a few horror films, drank a few beers, and played this game more than just a few times. Each time we did, we randomly decided who the Killer was. More times than not, the Killer won, but it was always close!” After slicing and dicing through the game, the Parent Geeks voted and fully approved Don’t Get Stabbed!, finding it a killer party game.

The Gamer Geeks played the game and found it not overly entertaining but not overly sour, either. According to one Gamer Geek, “Pretty standard party game with a theme I enjoy, but the gameplay I found disjointed at times. I continually felt trapped and limited by my cards and was frustrated more than once that I couldn’t avoid getting stabbed or missed a chance to stab a Victim simply because my card didn’t live up to my expectations. If you play this game with a mindset that it is just stupid fun, it’s a good enough time.” Another Gamer Geek reported, “Kill or run away: That’s the game. It’s a straightforward concept that plays out well enough through the cards, but too many limitations allowed the Killer to win almost every game. I’m always up for a challenge, but you feel cheated when the game wants only one side to win.” When the last game was played, the Gamer Geeks took a vote and decided that the game was good enough to play but not good enough to chase, resulting in a mixed review.

Don’t Get Stabbed! is a party game I’d bring out maybe once or twice a year, always during October (spooky time), and play before or after a horror/slasher movie marathon. Its theme is an excellent starter to a game evening of like-minded friends or a satisfying ending to a good day of bad horror films. The “fun” factor for the game resides in trying to survive, which isn’t easy. I found playing as the Killer somewhat dull, as taking out the Victims simply isn’t that difficult. Surviving as a Victim is.

And here is where I disagree with some of our players and their comments. I found Don’t Get Stabbed! stupidly entertaining for two reasons. First, the game is not meant to be taken seriously and invites you to relax and enjoy the ride. A ride, admittedly, that is pretty bumpy at times and will leave some dissatisfied. Second, the game already has an outcome in mind that will result in the larger group feeling like they either accomplished something exceptional or were collectively taken down. Either way, there is a strong sense of camaraderie and shared experience.

Given that, and recognizing that this is a party game first and foremost, I never found much in the way to dislike, nor did I find much to get super excited about. This game will do the job with a small group of players, entertaining enough to keep you engaged, and almost always results in laughter. Please don’t put it on your table, shuffle the cards, and expect to relive a true horror or slasher film full of plot twists. Try it and see if Don’t Get Stabbed! is your family gaming table winner or should be buried in the backyard.

This game was given to Father Geek as a review copy. Father Geek was not paid, bribed, wined, dined, or threatened in vain hopes of influencing this review. Such is the statuesque and legendary integrity of Father Geek.