Survive the Tombs of the Cryptids

💀 WHAT IS SURVIVE TOMBS OF THE CRYPTIDS?

Survive the Tombs of the Cryptids is a Solo/Co-op dungeon crawling, tile based game featuring 30+ Deadly Cryptids from all corners of the world!

Every decision counts. Will you make it out alive?

45-90 minutes | 1-4 players | Ages 12+

What Are Cryptids?

Cryptids are legendary creatures rooted in folklore and sightings, beings like Mothman, the Wendigo, and Goatman. They’re said to exist on the fringes of our world, but remain unproven by science. In Survive the Tombs of the Cryptids, these myths become terrifying reality as you face them in a desperate bid to escape the tombs alive.

🔑 KEY FEATURES

100 HAND-ILLUSTRATED CARDS

Featuring cryptids, weapons, and event cards, which add depth and variety to each adventure. These unique illustrations further enhance the immersive experience for players.

CHOOSE YOUR OWN FATE

With 30 event cards, where YOU make the choice, every decision shapes your escape route, ensuring that each playthrough offers a unique and unpredictable adventure. Shuffled tiles and cards guarantee no two games are ever the same, keeping the experience fresh every time.

CUSTOMIZE YOUR STRATEGY AS YOU NAVIGATE THE TOMBS

Players can buy and trade items to upgrade their inventory, adding an extra layer of tactical decision-making to the gameplay as they explore the tombs.

NEVER THE SAME GAME!

Survive the Tombs of the Cryptids has high replay ability, as the shuffled tiles and randomized layout ensure that each game feels fresh and different. The various difficulty levels and paths offer new challenges every time, keeping you and your fellow survivors engaged at all times!

🎲 HOW TO PLAY

🦴Are you ready to enter the Tombs? Very well..

The objective of the game is to navigate the tunnels of the tombs and manage to find the exit guarded by the Final Boss. However, you won't be able to open the door to escape without the Ancient Gears. These are essential to completing the game. Before starting the game, the difficulty of the Adventure must be chosen...

First you must select a difficulty. The higher the difficulty, the more ancient gears you will need and the more cryptids you will encounter!

• EASY - 1-2 players [recommended]
• MEDIUM - 2-3 players [recommended]
• HARD - 3-4 players [recommended]

Example Easy mode Game;

4 Standard Room Cards (of which 3 with gears), 2 Fountain Cards, 1 Entrance, 1 Exit, and 2 Shop Cards. 

🕒 MINUTES TO SET UP

Select the entrance and exit tiles, then shuffle the rest to create a random tunnel layout with at least two paths (each 3+ tiles long). Place tiles face down, logo up, with the entrance at one end and the exit at the other. Finally, place the final boss card beneath the exit tile (marked with skull & bones).

🧍CHOOSE YOUR CHARACTER

Each player selects a character mat, which shows their health, item slots (limited to 3 matching objects), and a unique ability unlocked by earning stars through rolls or defeating enemies.

⚔️ BEGIN YOUR SURVIVAL

All players start at the Entrance. At the beginning of a turn, you can move 1 space. If the room you are attempting to enter has not been discovered yet, flip it over. 

❓ EVENT CARDS

Before revealing a new tile, draw an event card. Each card presents a situation with two choices, pick one, then flip the card to see the outcome. To avoid spoilers, a blind card always covers the Event Deck. Choose wisely, your decisions may impact the entire group!

👣 CRYPTID ENCOUNTER

Upon entering every new room you will find a cryptid lurking and must draw an Enemy card and reveal it. The enemy is placed on the enemy encounter placemat. Any player who is in the same room as the enemy must engage in a one-turn battle against it. 

To battle, roll the dice and reroll up to three times. Punch symbols count as hits. If your total damage exceeds the enemy’s health, it is defeated and you claim the reward shown on its card (Coins or Skill Points), which can be shared with other survivors.

If the enemy survives, it counterattacks. Subtract any shield symbols you rolled from the incoming damage, then apply the result. Move the wound tokens on both your mat and the enemy’s to track remaining health.

💰 THE MERCHANT

During your journey, you may encounter a mysterious merchant offering weapons, armour, and powerful artefacts — but make sure you have enough gold! You can trade objects or coins with players in your room anytime. Note: Some items require a certain skill level to equip.

🗝️ THE ANCIENT GEAR

If the room holds an Ancient Gear, defeating the enemy lets you claim it. The player who lands the final hit takes the token. Collect all Ancient Gears to face the Final Boss and win the game.

☠️ THE FINAL BOSS

Upon reaching the Exit room and having all the Ancient Gears present, you can reveal the Final Boss card. The Final Boss functions the same as any other enemy, but if you manage to defeat it, you will win the game. 

Dive in the ready-made rule book for the Deluxe Edition of Survive the Tombs of the Cryptids. View Rule Book.

If you have any questions about the game please don't hesitate to drop us a comment on the page.

📦 WHAT'S IN THE BOX?

Step into the tomb fully prepared. The Deluxe Edition includes detailed cryptid miniatures to make your survival even more intense. Now the monsters aren’t just in your head... they’re on the table. Miniatures featured in the Deluxe Edition and above are The Mothman, The Goatman, The Wendigo, The Mongolian Deathworm, and The Tombkeeper.

🎁 REWARDS

➕ ADD-ONS

Add-ons are rewards backers can add to their pledges: Comics, Prints,  Games. Any extra item that complements the primary reward. These rewards will appear after you've pledged. *Note - Any add-ons added will increase shipping costs.

🃏 ABOUT OUR OTHER GAMES

CLASH OF THE CRYPTIDS is a Folklore card Game that pitches the darkest creatures in mythology against each other.

Clash of the Cryptids is a 2 or 4 player card game that holds a collection of 40 cards printed on premium cardstock in GOLD metallic ink. Each card displays unique Cryptid art alongside a creature biography and five measured statistics. From Fear factor, Strength, Stealth, Mythos, and deadliness.

CLASH OF THE YOKAI

"Yokai are a class of supernatural entities and spirits in Japanese Folklore."

Clash of the Yokai can be played as an expansion deck with Clash of the Cryptids.

A versatile themed deck designed for Dungeon Masters, storytellers!

Unearth the legends of ancient lands and weave them into your narratives. These cards provide a unique framework to shape adventures, guiding your tales with intrigue and authenticity.

The deck is split in to three sections.

20 x Double sided Illustrated Encounter cards : ​​​​​​Diverse entities await, from majestic gods and treacherous monsters to elusive spirits.

10 x Opening Action cards : Set the scene with compelling beginnings that immerse your characters in the world of myths and legends.

10 x Twist Cards : Narratives thrive on the unexpected. These cards introduce riveting turns, redefining quests and reshaping destinies. Whether it's a betrayal by a trusted deity or a hidden alliance between foes, these twists ensure your story remains unpredictable.

Each Card comes with Suggestions of Choices of where to take your narrative next.

📚 ABOUT OUR COMICS

Love cryptids? Explore even more with our range of original cryptid comics, packed with terrifying tales and stunning artwork. From eerie encounters to legendary beasts, these stories bring the myths to life.

🏆 STRETCH GOALS

🧑‍🤝‍🧑 PLAYTESTING

As well as playtesting the game at Afterlight Comics HQ and within game groups we had Prototypes printed and taken to Board game Conventions up and down the United Kingdom. These included UK GAMES EXPO & TABLETOP SCOTLAND. It was at these conventions we received great feedback to further improve the game it is today. A special thank you again to everyone that stopped by and tried to Survive the Tombs of the Cryptids..

📺 PREVIEWS

🧠 CREATOR PLAYTRHOUGH

✍️ THE TEAM

Every piece of artwork in Survive the Tombs of the Cryptids was crafted by talented human artists. From the characters to the cryptids and every eerie detail in between, this game showcases 100% hand-illustrated art. No AI, just real creativity, passion, and craftsmanship.

I’m Joseph Oliveira, the founder of AfterLight Comics, where I’ve had the privilege of creating and publishing a range of horror comics with the support of an amazing community that has grown and followed us over the years. 

I was honoured to be BAFTA-nominated for my first passion which was film-making. After leaving one passion for another, over the last 7 years I've successfully funded and fulfilled 50+ crowdfunding campaigns, I’ve developed a passion for bringing my imagination to life. Now, I’ve taken my storytelling experience into the world of board games.

Jann Galino is a Filipino artist with over a decade of experience working on a diverse range of projects, from comic books and TV series to films and online RPGs. He has contributed to both local and international productions since 2009, including illustrating for the superhero TV series My Super D (ABS-CBN) and serving as a storyboard artist for the Pinoy anime Brgy. 143 (GMA-7, Netflix). Jann has also worked as the penciler and character designer for Ranger by Azure Press and Scout by ROK Films LLC.

Karla Aguilar is a talented comic colorist based in Mexico, known for her vibrant and dynamic work in the comic book industry. She began her career at Love Lamp Studio, where she contributed to various projects for different publishers. Since 2022, she has collaborated with AfterLight Comics on several ongoing series, including Moth Hill, Beneath Us, and Slasher Royale, showcasing her distinctive style and dedication to the art of colouring.

💭 WHY KICKSTARTER?

As an independent comic publisher, AfterLight Comics has always been about more than just stories—it's about passion, perseverance, and the incredible support of our community. My journey began with a simple desire to share Horror stories I love and couldn't find anywhere else, but the reality of being an indie creator comes with its challenges. Fortunately, platforms like Kickstarter have provided a lifeline, allowing me to not only bring these projects to life but also connect directly with a community who believe in the magic of indie publishing.

Thanks to the overwhelming support from backers I’ve successfully funded and fulfilled 50 crowdfunding campaigns to 4000+ backers! Each campaign has helped AfterLight Comics grow and continue producing high-quality, immersive horror comics, card games, D & D Accessories and now hopefully a board game! 

Every project is a collaboration between my vision and your belief in it. With your help, I’ve been able to stay independent, while expanding our reach and bringing more unique projects to the world.

📯 SHIPPING INFORMATION

Fulfilment will be taking place from the United Kingdom and all rewards are expected to ship by November 2025.

Shipping costs vary based on location and may fluctuate over time, we will calculate and collect these fees after the campaign ends and as we approach the shipping date.

After the campaign concludes, you’ll receive an email from our pledge manager, to confirm your pledge and select any additional items you'd like.

In the Pledge manager survey, you'll be able to:

• Confirm your pledge
• Add any extra items to your order
• Pay for shipping
• Cover VAT (UK & EU backers)

Please note that the shipping estimates in the table below are approximate and apply to different pledge levels. The prices listed do not include any add-ons, which may increase the final shipping cost.

For destinations outside the United Kingdom, backers are responsible for local import duties or taxes. The estimates below cover only the shipping fees.

🚢 SHIPPING COSTS

*Estimated Shipping Costs.
*If your country is not listed, please contact us so we can get a quote for you.

Important. We are unable to ship to the following countries. Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Burma (Myanmar), China, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Eritrea, Republic of Guinea (Conakry), Guinea- Bissau, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Ivory Coast, North Korea, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Russia, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, Ukraine (Crimea/Sebastopol) and Zimbabwe.

📝 TARIFFS

If you live in the US, there is a possibility that you will have to pay tariffs. Currently it's very volatile what these rates may be, or even if they are still in effect when its time for you to receive your pledge.

If you are not shipping to the US, you are not affected by this.

🏬 RETAILER PLEDGE

If you would like to order, please contact us here.

⌛ TIMELINE

Art Production of the game is complete! There's just some minor tweaks to be made with gameplay. We expect to ship in November 2025.

I've researched many printers and had many face to face meetings and I selected Long pack games as our printer. Quality is something I pride myself on at Afterlight Comics and I believe from their seasoned portfolio they are the right fit for this project. Their previous clients include CMON, SFG, ASMODE and more!

🕯️ WHO ARE WE?

AfterLight Comics is an Independent Horror Comics Publisher based in Wales, United Kingdom. Established by Writer/Founder Joseph Oliveira in late 2018.

We've published 50+ Horror Comic titles including Folk-Horror Series Wendigo Wood, Supernatural Horror Ghost Island, Psychological Horror Stay Awake, Rise of the Goatman, Moth Hill, Beneath Us and many more...

We now distribute in Comic shops worldwide and continue to grow and expand in other areas such as Manga, D&D and now the board game sector.

Follow us on social media

OUR PARTNERS

NOTE: Shipping and taxes will be charged later in Pledge Manager after the campaign ends, please check the shipping section of the campaign description for an estimate on the final costs.