If you have your eyes on Marvel Zombies: Heroes' Resistance, you’re most likely part of one of two camps: a) you’re a fan of Zombicide (and/or its various sci-fi, Western, and fantasy spin-offs) or b) you’re a Marvel buff drawn in by the IP tie-in. While there is plenty here to keep both flavors of player happy, I’d argue that the former are getting a little bit of a raw deal. However, I also reckon that this is by design, and to understand why, it helps to reflect on how Heroes' Resistance even came to be.
Marvel Zombies (notice the lack of subtitle) first hit Kickstarter at the start of 2022 and was a big ol’ $130-value board game beast that had players take up the role of zombified heroes munching their way through the poor unassuming public. However, “Hero Mode” (an expandalone offered as part of one of the project’s $240 pledge bonuses) flipped that script. Marvel Zombies: X-Men Resistance — despite being the big brother of Heroes’ Resistance — had higher component quality, allowed for more players, and had more content overall. But Marvel Zombies: Heroes’ Resistance isn’t made for those who haunt their local hobby store or pledge hundreds of dollars on their favorite tabletop Kickstarter projects, it’s made for those who are ready to drop $35 at Amazon or Target.
This isn’t a bad thing of course; some of the best board games achieve their greatness by mixing complexity and accessibility. It is a delicate balance though. In this case, the spirit of Zombicide is still there but I’d say that, unlike its predecessors, this title isn’t meant for big board game nerds so much as it’s meant to convert people into *becoming* big board game nerds. Once you know for sure that’s what you’re looking for, Marvel Zombies: Heroes' Resistance is a pretty great pick, especially at its price point. Is it one of the best cooperative board games? Not necessarily, but it's a fantastic entry-point.
