This article donated from a site no longer online.
Originally published: June 24, 2006
[Edit: I'm posting this because I plan to review the figures which I got last year and cover HorrorClix a little more in depth in the coming weeks. This article's just to give you an idea of the game in case you're unfamiliar with it.]
I’m a pretty consistent fan of gaming. Be it video games, board games or those life-sucking MMORPG’s (Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games). I’ll even admit that I’ve spent a few hours indulging in the intensely geeky realm of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons. Generally I prefer immersive gaming, like say Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
. I love the whole concept of freeform play with the ability to still have a storyline. As much as I enjoy watching characters move around the screen, though, one of my dreams has been a game I could play with physical characters. It’d be sort of like going back to my teenage, err.. pre-teen years when I played with G.I. Joe and Star Wars figures. I’d finally have a chance to re-enact grand stories with gaming mechanics adding that twist of chance to really spark my imagination. Maybe other kids would play with me, too!
For years that dream was out of reach. However, it’s begun to move closer to becoming reality. Well, ok, it actually is a reality. Wizkids has already brought us games of this nature with Mage Knight (which I bought in massive quantities a few years ago) and HeroClix. These are CMG’s (Collectible Miniatures Games) and they use small figures on special bases which contain stats and dials to keep track of damage during combat and whatnot. This is all well and fine but superheroes and medieval fantasy just aren’t my thing. Horror is. Guess what Wizkids is coming out with in August?
Yep! It’s HorrorClix! This isn’t just combat-based war-gaming with monsters, either. There are going to be actual STORY elements!
HorrorClix is going to be a whole new breed of game, from what I’ve been reading. The emphasis of gameplay is going to be on the participants playing out a horror-style story. Sort of like horror fiction or film, except you get to determine how things go. To spice up the blood-chilling action, there’ll be game fiction, scenario cards, plot twist cards and even character cards. Can we have a halleleujah for the perfect marriage of table top AND roleplay gaming?
As for what sorts of characters you’ll be able to obtain, they’ll all be sold in packs (or bricks if you’re truly hardcore), so you never know what you’re going to get. Please hold the Forrest Gump jokes, folks, they’re tired – very tired. Anyways, from what I’ve snooped it appears we’ll be able to get a whole range of monsters. Big ole 16" Great Cthulhu should be a true show piece and highly collectible. Aliens Vs. Predator are scheduled to be available, too. There’ll also be werewolves, vampires, serial killers, derranged clowns, loony cultists, zombies, headless horsemen and the devil only knows what else. Oh and did I mention that VICTIMS will also be available? How cool is THAT?
I’d like to pause for a moment, just to allow us all to take a calm breath and slow our hammering hearts. Imagine the games you could play with these figures. You could have serial killers slaughtering hapless victims only to be preyed upon by vampires far more powerful than Mr. Killer had ever imagined. You could have zombie armies battling it out with werewolves over some sacred grounds or another. You could invent a story about a cult that manages to exercise mind control over vast legions of supernatural baddies and then sic ‘em on a group of determined victims who must wage war to save the planet – or your living room floor. I mean, the potential here is amazing.
Alas, I have not yet played the game itself. The figures won’t be shipping until August 2006. I do indeed plan to get some so that I can review them right here on Happy Horror. From my sleuthing, I’ve discovered that Starter Packs will go for around $13.00 and Booster Packs for around $8.00 or so. You can pre-order these from many sites online already.
If you want the official scoop on HorrorClix, click on this
I confess. I cannot wait to review this game. Be sure to add us to your favorites and check back frequently to see my earliest reviews. Until the next time I drool over my moldy keyboard in awe over yet another fabulous plastic creation, this is GlowStormLion, pre-ordering vast ships full of HorrorClix product to hoarde and release slowly on E-bay at outrageous prices. Goodnight, horror fans!
Velcome… I’ve been waiting for some time to be able to cover horror collectibles here on Happy Horror, so it’s my finest pleasure to be able to bring you the first offering we’ve ever featured in this brand new category. I figured I’d start things off right with a real classic: Count Dracula!
So, take a peek!
This polystone diorama, created by the artists Tom Gilliland, Jeff Yagher, Steve Riojas, Anthony Mestas and the Sideshow Collectibles Design and Development Team is part of Sideshow’s "Universal Monsters" line. In case you’re wondering what exactly Universal Monsters
are, allow me to enlighten you. They are the versions of monsters featured in Universal Studios films such as Frankenstein, The Mummy, The Invisible Man and Werewolf of London. The classic horror films from the thirty year period from 1920 to the 1950’s. Essentially, the foundation of American horror movie monsters.
This diorama uses the characters from the 1931 film entitled simply, ‘Dracula‘. The same one that scared the living daylights out of me as a child even though I knew it couldn’t possibly be real. Playing The Count we have the legendary Bela Lugosi (who is dead) and that’s Dwight Frye playing poor ole Renfield. You probably already guessed what book the movie took it’s inspiration from, but I’m going to tell you anyways: Bram Stoker’s Dracula, the mother (or father?) of all vampire epics. Yes, this bloodsucker’s the real deal!
And speaking of deals, I’ve got to admit it’s extremely well-priced, too, for such a high quality collector’s item. It’s 13 inches high and 7 inches long (as well as wide), weighing in at 6 pounds! That’s a pretty substantial size considering each one is hand-painted to precision standards you’ll be familiar with if you’ve seen any other products from Sideshow. These people don’t mess around. All that and they’re still pre-ordering for $159.99! They’re set to be shipped in the 4th Quarter of this year (2008), in limited quantities. In fact, each customer is only being permitted to buy two. Probably because people who buy one of these dioramas will probably be able to put their kids through college if they decide to sell it on Ebay later!
You’ve got to love this scene they’ve chosen to portray, too, you know? All the details intact, down to the staircase Renfield cowers at the foot of. One of the most intense moments of the original film and with this diorama it’s like you’ve got a three dimensional film still directly in front of you. That’s why I included the pictures from different angles. I sat here oggling the thing for quite a while myself.
All in all, I easily give this diorama a 5 out of 5 based solely on its perfect re-creation of a moment in horror cinema history that truly scared me as a child and continues to make me want to shudder whenever I see it today. I’m pretty sure you’ll agree that I need you to buy me one of these so I can look at it between writing articles. Right? … What??
Until next time, this is GlowStormLion, looking deeply into your eyes and murmuring the seductive words: "You vant to buy dis diorama…. if you vant to leeve."
You can get your very own Dracula & Renfield Diorama, right here!
