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Esprit Jeu

Netherwatch

Par mjdesigns

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BoardGameGeek

Statut actuel

Pledge Manager ouvert Fin de campagne : 15/11/2025

Fonds récoltés : 178 180 €

Action Coopératif Exploration Horreur Jeu de dés Solo

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Beneath the surface of our world, a silent war endures. The Nether bleeds into our reality through rifts unseen, carrying with it Demons once thought to be only myth. Most of humanity lives blind to this truth, unwilling to recognize the danger until it is too late. But we know better. Netherwatch exists to see, to endure, and to banish. This is the oath we keep.

Netherwatch is a cooperative horror deduction game where players take on the roles of elite Agents investigating supernatural disturbances, uncovering cryptic clues, and confronting a terrifying Demon.

Each mission unfolds in two stages: first, players must investigate and deduce the demon's identity while managing their sanity and avoiding deadly manifestations; then they must perform a high-stakes banishment ritual or escape before the Demon claims them. With unique agent abilities, unpredictable adversaries, and escalating tension, Netherwatch blends strategic deduction, survival horror, and tense cooperation into an intensely enjoyable gaming experience.

Game Type & Genre: A cooperative, horror, deduction board game, with game-driven adversaries and escalating supernatural tension.
Player Count: 1-4 players
Playtime: 60-90 minutes
Age Range: 14+
Game Complexity: Medium Strategy

Core Mechanics at a Glance

The Demons presented in Netherwatch are based on real-world occult lore
Deduction (identify Demonic traits)
Strategic Analysis (multiple locations and paths to gather clues)
Tension Timer (ever-diminishing Event Deck ensures gameplay tension)
Cooperative Play (players must work together against the game)
Horror Tension (Demon controlled by the game and supernatural interference)
Scenario-Driven Investigation (each mission is different)
Asymmetrical Roles (each Agent has unique abilities)
A Mansion with double-sided, interchangeable, modular floors (49 Zones to explore!)

Multiple unique puzzle minigames to deduce the nature of the demon
Netherwatch is filled with strategic choices, designed for gamers of all skill levels

Our Agents are the heart of every mission. Each carries a unique blend of strengths into the field, combining a passive ability that shapes their approach with a powerful and limited unique ability that can change the flow of play at critical moments. Their roles are distinct and complementary, rewarding cooperation and timing as players learn when to push forward and when to hold back.

Every Agent is fragile as well as capable. Their variable Sanity tracks represent the toll of facing the Demons of the Nether. Even the bravest of Agents can falter, and the strongest can break. Limited hands and pockets force difficult decisions about what equipment to bring and who should carry it. Together, the Agents are the only shield against the horrors that stalk the location.

Operations are undertaken by teams of up to four Agents, with each player guiding their chosen operative through the dangers ahead. For the brave and the bold, Netherwatch also allows for true solo play, where a single Agent bears every burden. Few emerge unscathed from such trials, but those who do prove that one vigilant soul can stand against the dark.

An Agent's oath binds even past death. In the unfortunate event that a Demon claims an Agent, their story continues in the Afterlife as a Specter. Though separated from the living, they remain tethered to the mission, supporting the team from beyond. In this way, sacrifice itself becomes a weapon, and the fight against the Nether carries on until the very end.

The Demons you will face are not mere legends. The Banshee, Onryō, Rakshasa, and others drawn from real-world lore walk through rifts in the Nether, their presence warping the location and those within it.

Each Demon is unique, carrying its own origin, its own malice, and its own way of breaking the Agents who stand against it. When a Demon sets its claim upon a Location, the Agents must move swiftly, for time only strengthens its hold.

Every Demon is defined by a combination of Demonic Traits, ranging from four to six in number. Traits such as Bestial, Ethereal, Cold Spots, Shapeshifting, or Light Aversion shape how the Demon influences the investigation. While a Demon is Dormant, its Traits subtly twist events, warping the house with whispers and shadows. When it becomes Manifested, those same Traits strike outward in deadly force, transforming oddities into threats and hesitation into death. The events Agents face during an Operation are never the same twice, because the traits of each Demon rewrite the very rhythm of play.

The identity of the Demon is never revealed at the start of play. In fact, discovering the Demon's true nature is the first goal of every Operation.

Each Demon is sealed within its own Demon Vault, a box of bespoke components that only enter the game when that entity is randomly chosen during setup. Inside are unique cards and components that slot directly into the Field Equipment puzzles - Spirit Box prompts, Helios Shard fragments, Thermal Imager overlays, and more - as well as the Demon’s personal Event Deck. These fifteen cards are shuffled with randomly selected generic events during setup, disguising them among ordinary disturbances. Every event is a clue: the Demon’s cards reflect its Traits, while the generic cards echo the full range of possibilities. To discover what hunts them, Agents must study patterns, track behavior, and press their Equipment for confirmation.

This design ensures that the Demon’s identity stays hidden until the investigation earns its reveal. The Vault system keeps components separate and coded for easy return, while the singular focus on one Vault per game prevents confusion or spoilers. Deduction comes from experience inside the Location - only when enough Traits have been uncovered through evidence and observation will the Agents know which Banishment Ritual to attempt. Until then, suspicion, fear, and uncertainty define the hunt.

Operations are the varied dossiers that pair a Location with a tailored setup, special rules, and a clear narrative for why the site has earned Netherwatch's attention. Each one reshapes the map and the rhythm of play, from which Zones hold potential cover from the Demon when it appears, to a unique Escape Objective as an alternative to banishing the Demon. A typical Operation presents the layout of the map for initial setup, as well as special rules to adhere to during play. At Ashwood Manor, for example, Agents have documented entire stairwells blinking out of existence and then returning, a phenomenon unique to this place.

Operations are rated in three different ways, in relation to the complexity of the additional rules and availability of resources.

Recon (Green) Operations introduce minor procedural twists with minimal changes to base rules.
Containment (Yellow) Operations increase complexity through added rules and tighter supplies.
Extermination (Red) Operations layer on volatile conditions that bend the rules of engagement, with high risk and unique challenges.

Aside from the variable complexity provided by Operations, Agent Tier offers a separate way to fine tune the challenge. The Tier selected - Initiate, Operative, or Veteran - acts as a difficulty dial to adjust the core rules to a desired level of intensity. The chosen rank adjusts how much time the Agents have before it is even possible for the Demon to manifest, and changes how the Demon responds to key conditions, such as how it can kill Agents and how it returns to a Dormant state.

Because Agent Tier is chosen independently from the Operation itself, a Recon mission can become far more punishing at Veteran rank, while an Extermination can be made more approachable at Initiate rank. This separation allows every assignment to scale, ensuring replayability across all levels of experience.

Tools are the backbone of any successful demon hunt. Without your carefully selected Field Equipment, Agents risk missing critical signs or failing to confirm demonic traits with the certainty our protocols demand. Each item is designed to provide clarity, protection, and verification in high-threat environments. Enter the field without your gear, and you enter at your own peril.

In Netherwatch, the puzzles and minigames are an integral part of the investigative horror experience. Each of these puzzles is a real-world interaction: manipulating rings in the Scrying Orb, decoding signals with the P.K.A.D., or clearing out interference with the Thermal Imager or Shadow Projector. These actions should feel like the real thing, a genuine investigative toolset.

Our design philosophy emphasizes simplicity with purpose. Every puzzle must serve the story and mechanics without becoming cumbersome or arbitrary. This means:

Adaptable complexity according to Demon state (i.e., greater actions or moves permitted when a Demon is Manifested).
Strategic trade-offs—equipment might cost actions, i.e., Agents need to make the choice between movement, action, and time management.

We work hard to make puzzles as immersive and intuitive as possible, capturing the emotional tension of grappling with forces that transcend our natural world but still satisfying to solve.

Items are an Agent's lifeline and limited in how many can be held, making acquiring and dropping Items a constant strategic choice. Every mission begins with gear from Headquarters and grows as Agents uncover new resources in the field. Items are divided into several decks, each serving a unique purpose.

Essential Items [ES] – Standard tools required to investigate and banish the Demon. Always accessible via HQ, this deck is not shuffled, and includes Field Equipment to discover the Demon's Traits, Summoning Circles to begin the Confrontation Stage, and Banishment Relics to complete the Demon's unique Banishment Ritual.
HQ Items [HQ] – Specialized equipment that provides utility, protection, or enhanced investigative abilities. These are drawn from Netherwatch’s arsenal before and during missions. Don't forget these are available, they may just save your life.
Scavenged Items [SC] – Unique items tied to the Location of the Operation. They can only be found by searching the environment you’re deployed to.
Initial Items [IN] – Simple but critical starting gear. In the Core game, Agents may begin with the Flashlight and Shoulder Lamp before deployment.
Demon Artifact [DA] – A single, powerful relic hidden in each game. One card is drawn at random before play begins and remains secret until an Agent discovers it.

Every mission runs on the Event Deck, a timer and a tormentor rolled into one. With every card drawn, the Demon's influence grows, affecting the Location and Agents within as the time to complete their investigation slips away. When the deck runs out, the Demon has become a force too strong to be banished, leaving escape as the Agents' only option.

Each Event card also carries a Fate value, a shifting number from 1 to 5 that becomes the Active Fate once the card is discarded. Instead of rolling dice for chance, Netherwatch uses Fate to bend outcomes; items, abilities, and even Events themselves check against the current value. Certain items become stronger or weaker depending on the Active Fate, and some Events change their outcome entirely. Fate keeps the investigation unstable, forcing Agents to adapt in the moment and decide when to push, when to wait, and when to run.

Our goal is to provide you with the widest selection of options possible to fit your individual needs.

The Field Agent pledge level is designed to offer the core game that can be played completely as designed while providing the most economical entry point.

The Special Agent pledge level contains the same game experience and options, but with improved components for those who desire an enhanced play experience. It also includes additional game materials at a discounted bundled cost, as described in our periodic Reveals. But note that some of these Reveals can be selected as add-ons on an ala carte basis so that backers can fine-tune exactly what you wish to add with or without the enhanced game components. These Reveals are not forgetting our valued Field Agent backers, but instead are providing them a way to choose exactly what they want to add.

Our final pledge level, the Secret Agent pledge level, allows for that extra bit of inclusion for those who want to give that extra level of support with some very special extras. Either way you choose, our backers have a wide range of options to enter the full experience of Netherwatch.

🎞️ Videos

📗 Field Guide (Rulebook)

Modular Map Layouts - Each floor of the Mansion has two sides, with the layout determined by the Operation.
Six Distinct Operations - Every mission reshapes objectives, opportunities, and danger.
Three Difficulty Tiers - From Initiate to Veteran, the Demon grows smarter, deadlier, and more determined.
Eight Unique Agents - Each operative brings a singular skillset - no two teams investigate the same way.
Twelve Real-world lore Demons - Every Demon influences the investigation through its unique Traits.
Ten Demonic Traits - What Traits a Demon has determines just what kind of effects will befall an investigation. Discovering those Traits is key to identifying the Demon.
Bespoke Banishment Rituals - Each Demon presents its own challenge to banish it, or die trying.
Distinct Escape Objectives - Every Operation offers an alternate victory path when banishment proves impossible - or suicidal.
Eight Field Equipment Puzzles - Eight technological and occult devices reveal the Demon's Traits through tactile mini-games, all used at the players' discretion.
Three Demon Artifacts - A potent yet dangerous Demon Artifact is randomly selected each game. How long can the allure of power be resisted?
The Fate System - Every Event, Item, and action can be pulled by the unseen currents of Fate, forcing strategic challenges at any moment.

An Ever-Expanding World: The world of Netherwatch is as vast as it is dangerous. New Locations, Agents, Demons, and more await in the future.

📋︎ Netherwatch Society

From the dawn of civilization, a hidden war has raged: Light against Dark, Good against Evil – its battles fought in silence, its truths buried in myths. Angels and demons clashed in ruined temples, on storm-lashed cliffs, and within the very hearts and homes of humankind.

The war reached its breaking point in the Tenebris Cataclysm, when the veil between realms was sundered. The forces of Light vanished – some say scattered, others say retreating to test our worth. Evil fled as well… but not all. Remnants remained. The demons that lingered are cunning, fractured, and hungry.

Sanctified in the year 1532, the Society of Netherwatch was borne from the wreckage, to face what the heavens abandoned. We are the last flicker of light to hold back the final shadows of the dark.

Now, we extend this summons to you, with one simple truth—we fight Demons.

Some are remnants of that ancient war. Others have been drawn here, welcomed by mortals who seek to wield darkness for their own ends. From whispered legends to waking nightmares, Demons take many forms. The Nuckelavee, a skinless abomination of Orcadian coasts, spreads plague and madness where it rides. The Obayifo, a gluttonous vampiric creature whispered of in West African lore, feeds off suffering like a parasite.

Those are but two of the Demons we face, but we have seen the creeping tendrils of other evils stirring from their slumber. The shrieking things that dwell between wakefulness and dream, the watchers behind mirrors, the whispers at the threshold – each seeks its hour, each waits for the moment the seal will weaken.

Demons adapt. They learn. And without intervention, they will claim more than just the lost – they will consume all. Thus, we call for new Agents. Those with the wit to unravel cryptic truths, the nerve to walk unseen paths, and the will to bring light to the darkness.

Together, we are Netherwatch.

Visit our organization website for more lore and background into the Society.

Languages

At this time, Netherwatch will only be available in English. We recognize that players around the world enjoy our games, and while we’d love to support additional languages in the future, the scope of this campaign is limited to English. We’ll continue to explore possibilities for translations as the project grows.

AI Policy

We have used AI art very sparingly in the past (for page borders for a couple of projects) as we have always preferred to pay real artists to create real works. To date we've commissioned our valued team of artists with the creation of over a thousand images in the HEXplore It series. With your continued support, we can ensure a human stands behind every component we design.  ...and maybe a few demons too.

A Note from the Creators

In a world that often feels uncertain and divided, games remain a powerful force for connection.

They bring us together across cultures, generations, and beliefs, creating moments of joy, challenge, and shared imagination. Whether at the table with old friends, finding new friends at convention tables, or adventuring through epic campaigns, games remind us of our common bond in creativity. They offer not just escape, but a sense of community—proof that even amidst chaos, we can still gather, create, and play together to bring a sense of harmony back into the most beautiful haven we know of in our cold but wonderous universe.

We don’t know if there’s ever a perfect time to launch a campaign, but we do know this: holding onto the things that bring us joy is more important now than ever before. We've poured so much time and energy into this content, and it wouldn’t feel right to keep it to ourselves. We thank you for looking at our project.

We are the creators of HEXplore It, and have successfully launched six crowdfunding campaigns spanning nearly a decade. Our sixth campaign is currently in the fulfillment stage. If you're interested in purchasing these products, you can find them in our Gamefound store, which will open in the next few weeks. We'll update the community as soon as that occurs.

Netherwatch was created from the combined creative minds of James Spaid and Renee LeCompte, whose passion for storytelling, strategy, and suspense brought this haunting world to life. Though we've grown in experience, we remain a small but dedicated team of six—not a large corporation. Our philosophy has always been, and will always be, people-first and built on mutual respect. Every project we create is driven by our love for immersive storytelling, strategic gameplay, and the amazing community that supports us.

We thank you for considering this project!

Special Thanks to: Aiden J, Ashley M, Blake K, Braden M, Caelum M, Carisa M, Chris H, Cindy M, Cody K, David L, Jenn H, Joshua H, Justin M, Isabella M, Joel C, Katie C, Liam W, Lucas P, Matt B, Melissa K, Michele M, Mike C, Owen D, Paul P, Riley K, Sarah C, Singhooi L, Stephen M, Theresa C, Yanis C

Content Disclaimer: The content shown on the project page is considered to be work in progress and is thus subject to minor change in the final product.