Dead of Night

Dead of Night immerses players in a chilling modern horror setting where they take on the roles of ordinary individuals grappling with unimaginable terror. Featuring a unique blend of narrative focus and tension-building mechanics, this game encourages characters' vulnerabilities to shape the unfolding story as they confront their deepest fears. With its emphasis on suspense and the unpredictability of horror, Dead of Night invites players to explore the darkness both within and around them, creating a memorable experience of dread and resilience.

At-a-glance

Horror • Needs GM • 3/5 complexity • Low prep

Genres:
Horror
Mechanics:
Investigation Narrative-Driven Rules Lite Survival
Themes:
Dark Psychological
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Dead of Night

Dead of Night is a 'rules-lite' tabletop roleplaying game designed for quick, narrative-driven horror experiences. It emphasizes classic horror tropes, character survival, and investigation, targeting players who enjoy campfire tales, slasher movies, and B-movie horror.

Theme and Setting

The core mechanics revolve around opposed attribute pairs, Survival Points, and a unique Tension system, offering a customizable and replayable experience. It distinguishes itself through its focus on genre emulation, ease of play, and GM support, making it accessible for both new and experienced roleplayers looking for a fast-paced, thematic horror game.

How Play Feels

Dead of Night focuses on recreating the atmosphere of classic horror films, campfire stories, and B-movie scares. The setting is typically modern, mirroring common horror movie locations such as small towns or isolated locales.

What Makes It Distinct

The primary theme is survival against overwhelming odds, where players take on the roles of ordinary individuals facing terrifying antagonists, ranging from slasher villains and supernatural creatures to psychological threats. The game encourages the embrace of horror movie cliches, even rewarding players for enacting them.

Where It May Not Fit

You want combat and action to drive most of the session You mainly want short standalone sessions with minimal carryover.

Decision guide

What this game is about

Key facts
Players
2-5 players + GM
Session
120-240 minutes
Prep
Low
Play profile
Complexity
3/5
New GM Fit
4/5
Roleplay Focus
5/5
Combat Focus
2/5
Tactical Depth
1/5
Campaign Depth
4/5
Who it suits
Best for
Groups that want tension, danger, and unease to stay active at the tableTables that want solving problems and following clues to matterPlayers who want character, atmosphere, or story to matter more than pure tactics
Avoid if
You want combat and action to drive most of the sessionYou mainly want short standalone sessions with minimal carryoverYou want low-tension or low-threat play

A strong fit for groups that want tension, danger, and unease to stay active at the table, with investigation helping define the experience.

Agent data

Structured data and an explicit decision profile JSON document are available for remote agents.

Open agent JSON