DungeonQuest

I've recently picked up DungeonQuest by Fantasy Flight Games. A remake of 1985's DungeonQuest as with all things FFG they try to make it bigger and better and generally it succeeds. The game has a great presentation, with a colorful and study board, chits, cards and miniatures. The object of game is navigate a series of individual rooms (tiles) to get to center of board (the dragons treasure room) collect as must loot as possible and get out before the sun goes down. (24+) turns.

Of course the Dungeon is filled with numerous monsters ,traps and obstacles..doing its best effort to kill you all the way along. Standard play is up to 4 players or solo. I've played about a dozen games now, 3, with 3 players and the rest solo. While this is a random beer and pretzels type game, there some strategic thinking going on for sure. The most contested issue with game is the new combat system which is a rock, paper, scissors (RPS) combined with "war" (the generic card game)..While I had few problem with combat, myself I have found a lack of clarity with the use of "power cards" (special cards each character or monster has, that gives them a special attack or ability in combat) to be slightly annoying. Also the RPS mechanic that every character has access to all three types of attacks (Melee, Ranged, and Magic) isn't very thematic in terms identifying with your character, I've found it makes combat too easy and everyone feels the same. While no one has survived in my multiplayer experiences yet..(very close), I have survived the solo game numerous times, thru luck of the draw and and having figured how to play the combat when drawing against a blind deck.

The back of the rulebook also provides numerous alternative ways to play which is always nice, I spent some time over this long weekend figuring out way to create an alternative combat system that makes each character and monster somewhat unique, cutsdown on the RPS randomness and give you a reason to actually try to escape (a little used combat option, I found in my play) I feel it fits the scope of the game nicely and works as an alternative play type. (particularly in solo play) Obviously if you don't play DungeonQuest this is of little interest to you so I am writing is as a separate piece in my "featured articles" sidebar.

In short FFG's new Dungeonquest is great game, while along the lines of Talisman it plays in a quarter of the time, and the learning curve is really like 5 mins..you can just sit down and play. On our last Club meeting 3 of us sat down for an hour or so and had a great time in Dragonfire Dungeon before hitting the 4 x 6's for some 8th edition Warhammer.

If you do play check out my alternative combat system there are still a 1000 ways to die. I'd just tried to make the combat a bit more interesting.