In recent years, U.S. board game companies have looked to Europe for much of the material they publish. But now it seems that increasingly Japan is a source for game design imports (some other time we’ll cover the trend in war games). Z-Man Games, English publisher of the Essen hit, Agricola, follows this trend with its new release, Shadow Hunters. This Anime-influenced game engages players in the ancient battle between Shadow and Hunter—between creatures of the night and the humans appointed to defeat them. In this battle, however, true identities are hidden and the key to victory is keeping your own secret while discovering your enemies early.

Shadow Hunters is a card-heavy board game for 4-8 players, age 10 and up. Z-Man estimates playing time at 45-60 minutes.