Hello, everybody! I'm Oscar Ibañez, a member of Dungeon Universalis team. I would like to announce that, given the success the game has achieved worldwide, we are going to launch a reprint campaign on Kickstarter that will also include several expansions. We expect this launch to take place shortly after the summer. Thank you all for your interest and keep enjoying our game. We’ve put the best of us in it!
Getting a thumbs up/badge of approval from Daniel is one of the biggest honors a dungeon crawl designer can achieve. Congrats to Oscar and thank you Daniel! Looking forward to diving into DUN after the next KS.
Absolutely loved your review. You perfectly described my first experience of a game store as a 13 year old kid, that alone made me want this game. Thanks for bringing back happy memories. This looks like the game I have been searching for a long time.
Watching this review again after playing the current version for a couple of months. I find this very fair. Especially the points about who is this game is for. This game does indeed take awhile to digest. Take your time with learning, don’t even attempt to play with others until you are really ready. While it does demand a lot of the players initially, boy does it deliver in the end. I’ve had so many tense and epic moments. The battles against the bosses are so good. If you want a full on crunchy campaign this game is for you.
Great video and great review! Sounds like the biggest negative for you was really the translation & editing of the book (which I can work with). Hearing how much you personally enjoyed it and how much fun you have with it is really all I needed to hear. Looking forward to mine arriving.
"once you've read the rule book a few times, you realise that this is very well designed": i don't disagree! I'd just like to point out that if you've read the rulebook a few times, you've read more than the average RA Salvatore novel in terms of page count. and the rulebook is 8.5x11! Love your angle and your content Daniel, thanks for sharing your thoughts and being part of the hobby :)
Yah, they were great. I was always boggled at all the stuff and so much i couldnt afford to get. I wish i had spent more time looking into the games area. We didnt have any decent gaming shop in my city. Im not sure why it was so podunk where gaming was concerned. We did have one of the locally owned old hobby shop where he carried one little shelf section where there was war games and GURPS stuff and some other things. If we would have had a good gaming shop in the 80s me and my friends would have really been into the rpgs and stuff way earlier.
Just picked up an unpunched copy from a backer - he opened the rulebook and decided on the spot that it wasn't for him. I can't blame him, it's a big game. For me it's another story, and I'm now a happy camper!
Thanks for the review! Hearing they'll have a new KS up has me excited, your other videos on the game had me suspecting it was a game I'd like but hearing all of this, I know I want to get it now. I'm especially intrigued by the more abstracted campaign, I'm glad that's an option if I'd rather create my own story. This really does seem more like a game system than just a board game. Your comment about Gloomhaven also stuck out to me. I've found my time with Gloomhaven far less fun than games like Warhammer Quest or Advanced HeroesQuest and sometimes I've wondered if I was just crazy, but I think your comment about it being a "Dungeon Crawler for people who don't like dungeon crawlers" hit the nail on the head.
As a non native english spear. I found rules good to read :) I read it 4 times already. Also i help with rule on bgg so Im feel prepered when i meet with friends and start the campaign
Good review! About the vague description of the end of the exploration and the beginning of the battle (and vice versa), you hit the mark right. In the last video, we also paid attention to it! This is especially critical when counting turns in time limit missions. In addition to the above, I would highlight some more sophisticated moments of combat, which are scattered within the rules. I had to look 5 different pages in different parts of the book. In the next edition of rulebook, I would like Oscar to structure all of these battle modifiers more. Thanks for video. I hope you record letsplay in future.. I'm curious which choises you will make in your campaign ;)
I know that this video review is already 2 years old, but I just wanted to let you know, that I am very thankful for your review and backed the THIRD (yes, you heard right) Kickstarter campaign and went all-in. As I also enjoy countless other video reviews you did, I am looking forward to customize this into my own game. E.g. I am thinking about including the Hexflower Game Engine you just reviewed (again, a big thank you for this) together with my random tables in order to play.
Same feelings, i like your great "imaginé" introducción, For me who speak Spanish watching videos in English sometimes I have a hard time, because of the "done" phrases, the senses ..I understand perfectly that things can be argued differently according to the language, I love watching your videos and if they are from DUN even more, this game is pure love to the Dungeon crawlers.
That reminiscence brought me back to a small hole-in-the-wall game & model shop I would occasionally frequent with a buddy back in the mid-90s. Dark, dank, and two long aisles with some middle-aged gray-hair behind the counter. Chock full of obscure tabletop games from the past, some previously owned. Stacked high. Raided that place whenever I could afford to, but they closed shop a couple years later.
@@NefariousKoel Most likely, that gray-haired man in the store would smile as soon as you left, his laugh would turn into a great laugh, with one swipe of the staff ended the illusion that the place was open.., and with another blow transported by the plans to their place of origin. XDD
LOL! GH for people who don’t like Dun Crawler. That is so true. Descent 1.0 is one of my favorite games. 2.0 etc I didn’t enjoy bc it’s not a Dun Crawler
Solid review! Thanks for that! I would love to see some kind of playthrough as well. What I've been waiting for and DU appears to provide is the generic mechanic support system for players to use miniatures from all sorts of other games, combine them and go off on new adventures with them. I do wish they had concentrated a little less on the depth of intricate tactical mechanics and more on the number of scenarios and a wider 'genre translation' of character stereotypes. That way I could repurpose Shadows of Brimstone, Skull Tales or Mansions of Madness miniatures, create an ensemble under one rule system and go off into a campaign of x number of scenarios. Now, that would be cool!
Nothing prevents you from using the skull minis or tiles, to create your own campaign with DUN system, quite the contrary. Regarding the mansions and other environments, I'm sure that Oscar and his team are already thinking about that, a scifi environment is not discarded and according to Oscar himself when he finishes developing the current thing he might get into it.
@@jerik0435 That's really interesting - thanks! The more I think about it, the more I'm inclined to have some system (whether DU or home-brewed) that allows for such a universal system. I'm even thinking of making a simple ruleset myself which basically distills typical stats (strength-dexterity-intelligence), locations (halls, rooms of interest, objective room), items (melee/ranged weapon, protection, healing), events (good/bad) and objectives (find an object, rescue someone, kill all, etc.) from which an adventure could be written. Of course, I'd have to also create a 'translation' system that maps all these aspects (especially the characters) from other games to this universal system. And theme? Well, I'm thinking of 5 'arch'-genres from which you could brew any genre you like: fantasy, sci-fi, horror, modern-day, and discovery-age. Steampunk would be an amalgam of sci-fi and discovery-age, so characters from Machina Arcana would blend steampunk and horror together. Tainted Grail characters would be a simple fantasy/horror translation. Nemesis, sci-fi/horror. Warhammer 40K, sci-fi/fantasy. The list goes on and on... A single adventure could take place in any of these 5 arch-genre-related worlds, while a campaign would stitch all 5 together. The main "villain" could be picked from any one of them or always be a horror-related one. That would be my system and I would call it *5 Worlds* as everything would be 5-fold: the themes, 4 characters and a villain, 5D6 to roll for everything, etc. Hmmm...I got ideas...
@@arcubal believe me when I tell you that I've used many variations of Warhammerquest and Adv. Heroquest to avoid those bottlenecks, those problems I've seen in other games, when I got my DUN, all those "patches" went to waste, this system is round, perfect for you to use any medieval fantasy environment you can imagine, there are people who have already transformed the map of "the war of the ring" and are playing their adventures in the middle earth with DUN system, That's what's really great about DUN, that there's no end, it's full of possibilities, My friends and I are enjoying a second youth of dungeons thanks to DUN, since it's everything you wanted to have in a board game and we've thought a thousand times about it. sry, mi english.. ;)
I will admit I found the game overwhelming. And your assessment that it requires work from the player is not to be taken lightly. With all that freedom that the game provides, there are a lot of gears to turn. Creating four characters took me over two hours with the learning curve. Even though the app is well done, having to use it to play solo is a downside for me. To be honest the translation issues were not a big deal for me and if you've played a lot of these games you will get the drift of what is meant. This is nowhere near the level of Skull Tales rulebook issues. If I'm not mistaken, and Daniel correct me on this if wrong, but when enemies are encountered it requires some work to generate them - not as detailed as the hero creation, but it still slows down the game to get the enemies on the board. If I'm being honest, the game made me really want to play Shadows of Brimstone which is another sprawling epic game, but one I find it easier to wrap my head around and I would argue does a lot of the same things better and without the need for the app. Though to be fair, I create laminated hero sheets for specifically named characters I've come up with when I play Brimstone which also requires a lot of work to get going as well. I will give DUN another shot at some point, now that I know what i'm getting into.
No. Nowhere near Skull tales with issues. ST is, IMO, totally unplayable out of the box. DUN is totally playable out of the box. Just needs some investment from the players to get the most out of it. And yes, the enemies take some time to get set up, because they will often use skills and gear from the same pool as the heroes. So it can slow things down. Like I said, I think this is a slow-paced game, best played over a period of time. For me, it's about the same as high level SOB play, a game that can also get bogged down, but I like the moment to moment combat in DUN a lot more.
@@TheDungeonDive No denying SOB gets bogged down with everyone standing in place trying to hit the monsters at times. I am curious to see how they redo the room exploration counters for the next iteration.
Thank you for your video. I'm exicing for the reprint of DUN and your review helps me to decide for staying in. Other thing, I like the stand you use for the cards and stuff, where did yo get them. Thanks for the great job you're doing in your channel.
Hmm. Personally I think the review is a little picky! DUN is by far the best and most comprehensive dungeon crawler in a box I think I have ever seen - and I've played a lot! It was written in Spanish and translated in to English. Think how many different games have been written in English and translated into other languages. We will never know (or care) how good these translations are and it shouldn't affect our appreciation of the original product. As far as the DUN rules are concerned, apart from a couple of instances that caused intial confusion, there was nothing lost in translation. The rules are easy to understand and absorb. They cover everything you are likely to need in a game session and yet they never feel heavy or cumbersome. The only thing missing (IMHO) is a rule for fighting multiple enemies at once - but you can easilly drop in the modifiers from Dungeon Saga. Otherwise I think it's brilliant. It's pitched at just the right level of complexity and - maybe best of all - it's old school!
I am a very critical reviewer. And I think this game is very good. Almost great. As I said multiple times. And you don’t need to tell me about something being old school. Lol.
After seeing so many large, pricey, modern dungeon crawlers which are rather anemic on varied content, this looks to be a welcome change. After seeing the amount of different monsters, and that massive deck of item cards, this may be one of my "grail" games. All in one box! Not stretched across a bunch of overpriced expansions, which I very much appreciate. The combat requires tactics too? Ohh, I'm sold. Hope the reprint KS comes sooner rather than later!
Do not forget that there modern crawlers that offer enemy variety through their mechanics. Take Galaxy Defenders for example. Less than 10 monsters in the whole base campaigns and I would bet that all of them are so more unique in their behaviour than all monsters in DUN.
Just wanted to say a big thank you for this GREAT review. I think the phrase that sold it for me was "love letter to Advanced Heroquest / Warhammer quest"- and seeing your passionate description of the scope of what's possible. This sounds very much like the game I've been waiting for about 30 years. That games shop description was perfect :) That's a Like and a Subscribe for you, and an All-In pledge for the DUN team on their second kickstarter that's about to end. (Great background shelf too by the way!)
Thanks for the review! Seems ideal for an old school AD&D 2nd edition DM like myself. :) It seems to have a rich and deep environment and gameplay, while at the same time it provides all the tools for an immersive experience. Can't wait for the kickstarter.
I've been looking for a solid explanation of this game since I saw the current reprint kickstarter. As someone who has been looking for that D&D red box experience from my youth in a board game for many years now and who loved Advanced Heroquest but always wished it was just, more...Thank you for this review! This is exactly the good/bad input I was looking for. I feel like so much is just missing from current dungeon dive games and I've always wanted that Magic Realm experience but updated a bit, but not streamlined to the point that the flavor disapears. I'm pretty jazzed for this one now.
Hi. I found your channel via looking for info on DUN. I wasn't aware of your channel until now and have subscribed to it since you cover nearly all the games I enjoy. I'm still contemplating whether to back latest DUN KS campaign or not, since I have Kingdom Death, Gloomhaven and Folklore. I have watched other vids on how much potential this game has, thought the rulebook needs a bit of polish, but what really stands out compared to the games I already have?
Thanks. DUN offers up more of a tool box of gaming than any of those other games you mentioned. While it has its own written campaigns, it’s also a collection of pieces and rules for you to make your own adventures.
We need a good playthrough video, sounds great but I don't think it'll be low cost and would like to see it in it's paces, the KS date was just anounced at end on Sept.
There's so many rules to remember that I would never be able to do a decent play of this on camera, without a ton of editing and corrections. It's a tough game to remember everything when playing solo. When I play, I actually play with a kind of stripped down version of the rules. I did a play with the developers online, and it's posted to Ludic Dragon's YT channel.
Great review. I am looking forward to a playthrough of a mission. Me and the miss wanna play coop with an AI darkplayer when we both have a bit more time. I have a hard time finding any playthrough-videos in English though. Maybe Oscar didn't expect this game to be as popular as it is :)
When you held up that MASSIVE loot deck, it confirmed I need this game. What's the gear like? Does it change gameplay/tactics at all, or is it more stat increases?
A little bit of both, but with a focus on stat increases. The potions add quite a bit of tactical decision making. I'd say most of the gear is really about honing your stats for a particular build, with the skills being focused on changing up the game play.
I'm sure that someone will put up a pdf of grammatically correct cards for P&P. it would be nice if they do offer current owners an opportunity to get just the updates from 1st to 2nd edition.
Hey Daniel. What do you think of the full Random Dungeon Generation for this game only being available on a website, and has a paid subscription to get access to all the features? To me the random dungeon aspect is far, far more important than campaign (a dime a dozen these days and the game already has a huge campaign). I was expecting a physical random dungeon creation book, filled with tables and awesomeness.... A web only version that you have to pay extra for seems dumb to me. (EDIT: I called you by the wrong name... sorry man. fixed it. ha!)
This game sounds like the perfect game that I wanted to design about 15 years ago. Since then I've learned a lot about my limitations as a human being and as a gamer, as well as the reality of the people that I play with. I've learned that I can't manage a game that has so many options, rules, and tables, and I don't play with people that are interested in participating in learning something of such depth, as we might have done in our youth. With that understanding It doesn't look like this game is for me. I''m wondering is what are some recommendations of games that come close to this game's limitless dungeon adventure toolbox appeal but in a more streamlined package?
It seems that the ball is very big but it is not, the whole system is based on 2d6 rolled against a difficulty "10" "9" and so, then you apply modifiers +1/-1 +2/-2 there is not much more, the only thing you have to be thinking is to remember to apply them, even after the second or third game you know them by heart and do not consult the manual, all the modifiers have an overwhelming logic so they are easy to remember.
@@torq21 Second printing, now on Kickstarter, includes a simplified mode "DUN Basic". The rules are about 30 pages long, and it is intended for a more casual group of players. I think It will solve the "complexity issue", so maybe the game could be for you and your group after all ;).
@@erebusdaniel616 NICE! I will be checking it out. It would will be great when there are some more overviews and reviews available. Thanks for sharing.
Aside from being a good every into the genre, why might I want to spend precious money and space on it? I have HQ brimming with fan made expansions, Savage Worlds, White Box, Scarlet Heroes... Why do I need this too? The only thing I can think of is if the mechanics themselves are unique and FUN to play. Or if the tons of cards and systems really add something.
I have a very specific question: I am painting blue horrors at the moment. Do you think it's possible to adapt/integrate such monsters within the Dungeon Univeralis rules?
Great job as always Daniel. Providing us DC & Adventure game fans with a fantastic resource. I always make a point to check out your content if I am thinking about getting any game. Cheers.
I think DUN is a better game, in that it actually has a future, and the designers haven't abandoned it. Lot's of exciting things coming. It's more expansive and detailed. Once Ludic Dragon gets the random quest generation app done, it will be really great.
Still a great game but I don’t get to play it much because of its complexity and because it is a narrative campaign. I wish it had an official card-based random quest mode.
Great review. Do you know if the creators are tackling, or have tackled, the issues you mention? Such as honing the game and the translations for the new Kickstarter.
The Dungeon Dive thanks. I’ll be buying it anyway as it looks amazing. I loved your comments about old games. I’m a massive fan of Descent 1st Ed and Magic Realm so this should be right up my street.
Got the game coming this Wednesday. Really looking forward to breaking it open and start playing. Although I am a bit concerned now with the comment you made about the rule book being a bit “ fiddly” with the English translation. 😕
Have you ever played Folklore the Affliction Daniel, it has a lot of comparisons to it. It’s more adventure than a Dc but also very good, only little downside is the bookkeeping in Folklore. I backed Dungeon Universalis 2 nd edition and Dungeon Crusade, hopefully I’m not gonna be dc overloaded😉 great review.
Stay tuned for a Folkore video. I like the game, but only with a ton of house rules. I will only play with 2 heroes, and the game is straight up broken with less than 4. I’m also not a big fan of the D100 combat system it uses.
@@TheDungeonDive same here I play with two heroes also, very curious about your houserules, mine are having a maximum of 3 bandages and be able to go back to the village between skirmishes to get stuff
I'm Spanish, in the center of Madrid and I could not get a copy of this game ! i subscribed to their newsletter etc and on bgg I registered to be notified in the threads for availability. I just hope there will be a 2nd KS or they will get stock replenished.
Hi, i am thinking about a late pledge for this behemoth. did you have the chance to experience the campaign (book)? What do you think about it? Playing the campaign in coop mode is the reason i am interested in this game. Thanks a lot! Stay safe!
@@TheDungeonDive I was waiting for a review, and then im getting into your description, and i thought, 'Wait a second ! I feel like im being DM'd into a FLGS !' You sucked me in without me even noticing. Wondering if its worth spending the $200CAD on the Kickstarter today.
Looks great, I still love the old style fantasy and RPG Games. Is it completely coop with the AI ? Can u play the campaign full coop without dark master? Greetings Mike
It's a tabletop RPG crowbarred into a boardgame and its... incredibly tedious and dull as a result. Combine that with the poorly written rulebook(s), the overwrought game mechanics, rule after rule after rule, and the shoddy components and you have a game that, although you can see the love invested in it by the creator, falls far too short of the mark to be entertaining or worthwhile of the time it takes to get anywhere with it. Definitely not for me but thank god it has some resale value because mine is getting sold! 😆 Really nice review though - so I've subbed.
A bit late to the party but thank you for this review. One clarification though. I didn't quite get why you think it's a GOOD game that CAN BE a GREAT game. From my end, the rest of you're review sounds like you found it a GREAT game. :)
The rule book / translation issues and the fact that you have to build out the enemies for each encounter. Hopefully all of these are addressed in the reprint.
Solo AI is good. Does what I want - keeps me on my toes and surprised. It's easier to run than KDM solo, but harder than a lot of games. It is time consuming; it is a slower-paced game. Enemy behavior is good, and it can be better if you're willing to improvise on the spot.
@@TheDungeonDive KDM is a game in which complexity is the gameplay, and the reward is another year of settlement without losing. Therefore, it is definitely the most difficult game in the world, but not the most difficult in the rules. But she is beautiful. DUN on the contrary, the complexity is "scattered" in level and is not a gameplay-generating. And the gameplay is the right approach to situations with certain characters and a set of items.
Thank you for the review, it is disheartening to hear the translation is not up to snuff. I voiced my wishes/concerns a couple of times on the kickstarter updates but the creator was very positive the University English professor would be able to handle it. I have nothing against an educated language scholar providing a solid structure, but translation is a specific skill that needs practice and most of the time heavy editing by an individual familiar with the target-industry. Similar to how game design and development are different aspects where it is best to use dedicated and experienced individuals; professional translations are best handled by an agency that has at least one individual translating and another individual copy editing, most agencies also employ native speakers to read a final version for inconsistencies and tone. I am waiting for my game in Canada, hearing about your specific examples makes me double sad because the text is everything in this rules-heavy game and who will be there to support the non-Spanish readers? Even if fixed in ver.2, that leaves me with no physical fix since like Middara, the book is huge and not cost effective to offer to original backers at low prices/shipping. Anyways, I wanted to support a kickstarte game from Spain since they seem to be breaking out into th emarket, but oversights like this one are truly disappointing. I hope i can get some fun out of the game once I get over the learning curve.
@@aonline_abridged The translation is good, do not exaggerate, it is not like skull such or others that if they are really bad, could have been done better ? yes, but still there is no problem of understanding about it.
I Contacted the company and asked if there were any way to get the game after wathching your videos, but all that was left after Kickstarter was sold out fast. So i guess i have to wait for reprint... If not this and not Gloomhaven which game is closest that is possible to buy today? I am looking for a deep Dungeon Crawl close to a rpg. That is playable solo and coop. In the past i have tried Descent, Sword And Sorcery, Folklore The Affliction and a couple of other, they all do some stuff great but fall in other areas.
The closest in my opinion is Descent 1st edition (with its expansions) and the Road to Legend campaign. If you have done that you have the pinnacle of RPG Board Game to date. It falls down too, and that is in the balance arena. We have done 2 1/2 campaigns of that and it was amazing, except for the fact that the heroes really do not stand a chance with a Overlord that has their heart set on winning (plus heroes CANT die, thats a Descent thing, they just keep getting killed over and over and over...not fun). Some comments in this video did make it sound like balance is an issue here also. My overlord will not play any game as a story telling game master, she is in to win. If the balance is around how random things can be, thats ok as its constantly swinging back and forth. If there is a path to collect DP cards and then slam them all in a turn to almost guarantee a win/tpk, I have wasted a lot of money on this. Case in point, in Descent 1st RTL, ranged attacks by monsters rule. The ability for the OL to spawn whatever they like, plus spending their points on only upgrading those ranged creatures, and slimming the OL deck to drive ranged spawns will see hero death over and over and over. About 1/2 into our first campaign my OL figured out this path, and its now always followed. The hero strat is run in, limit your deaths. grab treasure and run out, its the only way to keep up, and its not very fun, thematic or very dungeon crawl like. If heroes play Descent like you would play Heroquest, heroes cannot win. After reading DUNs rulebook, all those points I just made above are addressed. (only 1/2 of spawn can be shooters, no move shoot move, each quest has a different focused faction, forcing monster variety, each quest balanced by points, lots of penalties to shooting if not a perfect shot). BUT, since the monster spawn cards are drawn from their own deck, I know my OL will forget the "other" cards and just draw her all spawns asap, horde them and at the right time play them all/one after another, trying to get a TPK every time. I fear our only hope will be to pray she shuffled in only the weak value point spawns.........we shall see when I finally get mine.
The phrase Dungeon Crawler gets thrown around a lot. If you randomly played 1000 dungeon crawler games that came out during the past 40 years; the extent of gameplay and narrative is that you go to one room and fight a unicorn and 3x rats. Go the the next room and fight 5burglars and a orc. And maybe a paragraph to read before you start and after you finish. Then you do it all again. It's meant to be short, random, no deep strategy. I think that's the reason why BGG liked Gloomhaven so much. It broke away from the mold of what's expected from a dungeon crawler. Not because it wasn't a dungeon crawler. That being said, maybe Dungeon Crawlers arent what you are actually looking for currently? At least not till this game gets reprinted. This seems a step above the rest.
@@TheDungeonDive I have not played Dungeon Degenerates, i generally like games with a "serious" tone /darker vibe small amount of humor can be fitting but i cant stand cartoonish artwork :). Its sad some great games seem to have that artstyle.
Ludic Dragon just emailed and said they need a National ID Number from me to ship my game for customs..? I've never heard of such a number. Anyone else in the US have a similar request from them? Anyone that has received their game already?
Howdy!! Great review...one of the mechanisms touted in the game is using existing games you have...dungeon tiles etc along with this game. Is that still true and How does that work?
Yes. There is even a small example of using the HeroQuest board in the book. It's a small section of the rule book. With the gear and bestiaries, it would be quite easy to translate another game's quest using DUN's rules, or you could easily make a quest using Descent's tiles, or something like that.
Great job again Daniel. About the 2d6 system, do you think it can be replaced with picking playing cards to reduce randomness? Like your house rule version of talisman but with 2 sets of Ace to 6 (+wild cards) to give players some tactical choices. I tried replacing dice with cards after watching your talisman video for hero quest / Warhammer quest and they seem to work wonderfully together. It just make the game a lot quicker (some may say easier) and less old school rolling and hitting the air.
Can you please name the video please, where Daniel described the card house rule. I found an article about the topic lately on reddit: "Cool new research on consequences of different randomization mechanics". May be it is for you as well.
2D6 is a lot less swingy than 1D6 so I wasn’t bothered by the randomness here. I also feel like there are already a lot of tactical decisions for the players to make here.
@@randothomas3733 The video is called "Talisman - Casual Let’s Play - Introduction". Daniel used cards to replace the movement dice roll in Talisman so there are a lot more tactical choices on where to go on the board.
Could only handle 2 minutes of this review
This is my new favorite comment!
Hello, everybody! I'm Oscar Ibañez, a member of Dungeon Universalis team. I would like to announce that, given the success the game has achieved worldwide, we are going to launch a reprint campaign on Kickstarter that will also include several expansions. We expect this launch to take place shortly after the summer. Thank you all for your interest and keep enjoying our game. We’ve put the best of us in it!
Genial juego chicos, congrats!
Getting a thumbs up/badge of approval from Daniel is one of the biggest honors a dungeon crawl designer can achieve. Congrats to Oscar and thank you Daniel! Looking forward to diving into DUN after the next KS.
Absolutely loved your review. You perfectly described my first experience of a game store as a 13 year old kid, that alone made me want this game. Thanks for bringing back happy memories. This looks like the game I have been searching for a long time.
Thanks! Appreciate it. :)
Watching this review again after playing the current version for a couple of months. I find this very fair. Especially the points about who is this game is for.
This game does indeed take awhile to digest. Take your time with learning, don’t even attempt to play with others until you are really ready.
While it does demand a lot of the players initially, boy does it deliver in the end. I’ve had so many tense and epic moments. The battles against the bosses are so good. If you want a full on crunchy campaign this game is for you.
Great video and great review! Sounds like the biggest negative for you was really the translation & editing of the book (which I can work with). Hearing how much you personally enjoyed it and how much fun you have with it is really all I needed to hear. Looking forward to mine arriving.
I like the "gloomhaven is a dungeon crawler for people who don't like dungeon crawlers"... explains why I didn't enjoy it.
"once you've read the rule book a few times, you realise that this is very well designed": i don't disagree! I'd just like to point out that if you've read the rulebook a few times, you've read more than the average RA Salvatore novel in terms of page count. and the rulebook is 8.5x11!
Love your angle and your content Daniel, thanks for sharing your thoughts and being part of the hobby :)
great review. thank you, it's help me make my mind up to go in for the kick starter re-issue
Glad I could help
Intro brought me back to KB Toys. Good times... So many toys and games you couldn't find at K-Mart.
KB Toys was great. Loved their discontinued bins.
Yah, they were great. I was always boggled at all the stuff and so much i couldnt afford to get. I wish i had spent more time looking into the games area. We didnt have any decent gaming shop in my city. Im not sure why it was so podunk where gaming was concerned. We did have one of the locally owned old hobby shop where he carried one little shelf section where there was war games and GURPS stuff and some other things.
If we would have had a good gaming shop in the 80s me and my friends would have really been into the rpgs and stuff way earlier.
Love the review man! You can feel your passion for gaming and this genre.
Thanks
Just picked up an unpunched copy from a backer - he opened the rulebook and decided on the spot that it wasn't for him. I can't blame him, it's a big game. For me it's another story, and I'm now a happy camper!
Yeah - it's not a DC for all. Definitely targeting a certain demographic.
Thanks for the review! Hearing they'll have a new KS up has me excited, your other videos on the game had me suspecting it was a game I'd like but hearing all of this, I know I want to get it now. I'm especially intrigued by the more abstracted campaign, I'm glad that's an option if I'd rather create my own story. This really does seem more like a game system than just a board game.
Your comment about Gloomhaven also stuck out to me. I've found my time with Gloomhaven far less fun than games like Warhammer Quest or Advanced HeroesQuest and sometimes I've wondered if I was just crazy, but I think your comment about it being a "Dungeon Crawler for people who don't like dungeon crawlers" hit the nail on the head.
I was looking at your top shelf, and with one exception , I think I've painted every mini up there.
Productive! :)
As a non native english spear. I found rules good to read :) I read it 4 times already. Also i help with rule on bgg so Im feel prepered when i meet with friends and start the campaign
Good review! About the vague description of the end of the exploration and the beginning of the battle (and vice versa), you hit the mark right. In the last video, we also paid attention to it! This is especially critical when counting turns in time limit missions.
In addition to the above, I would highlight some more sophisticated moments of combat, which are scattered within the rules. I had to look 5 different pages in different parts of the book.
In the next edition of rulebook, I would like Oscar to structure all of these battle modifiers more.
Thanks for video. I hope you record letsplay in future..
I'm curious which choises you will make in your campaign ;)
And the rules regarding the LOS seemed a little confused to me. This is all I can recall right away)
I'm happy they didn't go for minis for this game, I'm starting to have a lot! I don't say "enough" because I still like to buy some ;-).
I know that this video review is already 2 years old, but I just wanted to let you know, that I am very thankful for your review and backed the THIRD (yes, you heard right) Kickstarter campaign and went all-in. As I also enjoy countless other video reviews you did, I am looking forward to customize this into my own game. E.g. I am thinking about including the Hexflower Game Engine you just reviewed (again, a big thank you for this) together with my random tables in order to play.
Thanks, Daniel! I love games like this that allow us to tinker and put on our designer caps. :)
Absolutely!
Same feelings, i like your great "imaginé" introducción, For me who speak Spanish watching videos in English sometimes I have a hard time, because of the "done" phrases, the senses ..I understand perfectly that things can be argued differently according to the language, I love watching your videos and if they are from DUN even more, this game is pure love to the Dungeon crawlers.
Thank you.
That reminiscence brought me back to a small hole-in-the-wall game & model shop I would occasionally frequent with a buddy back in the mid-90s. Dark, dank, and two long aisles with some middle-aged gray-hair behind the counter. Chock full of obscure tabletop games from the past, some previously owned. Stacked high. Raided that place whenever I could afford to, but they closed shop a couple years later.
@@NefariousKoel Most likely, that gray-haired man in the store would smile as soon as you left, his laugh would turn into a great laugh, with one swipe of the staff ended the illusion that the place was open.., and with another blow transported by the plans to their place of origin. XDD
@@jerik0435 :D
@@NefariousKoel There were two stores in my past like that - Arthur's Toys, and The Game Preserve. I remember both of them fondly.
Well said. Patiently awaiting my Kickstaerter delivery from the 2nd printing campaign!
LOL! GH for people who don’t like Dun Crawler. That is so true. Descent 1.0 is one of my favorite games. 2.0 etc I didn’t enjoy bc it’s not a Dun Crawler
For those who don't like using apps, I would think the random tables in Advanced Heroquest should work.
Solid review! Thanks for that! I would love to see some kind of playthrough as well.
What I've been waiting for and DU appears to provide is the generic mechanic support system for players to use miniatures from all sorts of other games, combine them and go off on new adventures with them. I do wish they had concentrated a little less on the depth of intricate tactical mechanics and more on the number of scenarios and a wider 'genre translation' of character stereotypes. That way I could repurpose Shadows of Brimstone, Skull Tales or Mansions of Madness miniatures, create an ensemble under one rule system and go off into a campaign of x number of scenarios. Now, that would be cool!
Nothing prevents you from using the skull minis or tiles, to create your own campaign with DUN system, quite the contrary.
Regarding the mansions and other environments, I'm sure that Oscar and his team are already thinking about that, a scifi environment is not discarded and according to Oscar himself when he finishes developing the current thing he might get into it.
@@jerik0435 That's really interesting - thanks! The more I think about it, the more I'm inclined to have some system (whether DU or home-brewed) that allows for such a universal system. I'm even thinking of making a simple ruleset myself which basically distills typical stats (strength-dexterity-intelligence), locations (halls, rooms of interest, objective room), items (melee/ranged weapon, protection, healing), events (good/bad) and objectives (find an object, rescue someone, kill all, etc.) from which an adventure could be written. Of course, I'd have to also create a 'translation' system that maps all these aspects (especially the characters) from other games to this universal system. And theme? Well, I'm thinking of 5 'arch'-genres from which you could brew any genre you like: fantasy, sci-fi, horror, modern-day, and discovery-age. Steampunk would be an amalgam of sci-fi and discovery-age, so characters from Machina Arcana would blend steampunk and horror together. Tainted Grail characters would be a simple fantasy/horror translation. Nemesis, sci-fi/horror. Warhammer 40K, sci-fi/fantasy. The list goes on and on... A single adventure could take place in any of these 5 arch-genre-related worlds, while a campaign would stitch all 5 together. The main "villain" could be picked from any one of them or always be a horror-related one. That would be my system and I would call it *5 Worlds* as everything would be 5-fold: the themes, 4 characters and a villain, 5D6 to roll for everything, etc. Hmmm...I got ideas...
@@arcubal believe me when I tell you that I've used many variations of Warhammerquest and Adv. Heroquest to avoid those bottlenecks, those problems I've seen in other games, when I got my DUN, all those "patches" went to waste, this system is round, perfect for you to use any medieval fantasy environment you can imagine, there are people who have already transformed the map of "the war of the ring" and are playing their adventures in the middle earth with DUN system, That's what's really great about DUN, that there's no end, it's full of possibilities, My friends and I are enjoying a second youth of dungeons thanks to DUN, since it's everything you wanted to have in a board game and we've thought a thousand times about it.
sry, mi english.. ;)
Thank you for this great review. This is incredible, it seems like a life's work.
Spent the evening creating three characters and had a blast: a Cyclops Warrior, an Elf (Earth) Wizard with a Dwarven Mercenary, and a Catfolk Scout.
Creating characters is really fun!
I will admit I found the game overwhelming. And your assessment that it requires work from the player is not to be taken lightly. With all that freedom that the game provides, there are a lot of gears to turn. Creating four characters took me over two hours with the learning curve. Even though the app is well done, having to use it to play solo is a downside for me. To be honest the translation issues were not a big deal for me and if you've played a lot of these games you will get the drift of what is meant. This is nowhere near the level of Skull Tales rulebook issues. If I'm not mistaken, and Daniel correct me on this if wrong, but when enemies are encountered it requires some work to generate them - not as detailed as the hero creation, but it still slows down the game to get the enemies on the board. If I'm being honest, the game made me really want to play Shadows of Brimstone which is another sprawling epic game, but one I find it easier to wrap my head around and I would argue does a lot of the same things better and without the need for the app. Though to be fair, I create laminated hero sheets for specifically named characters I've come up with when I play Brimstone which also requires a lot of work to get going as well. I will give DUN another shot at some point, now that I know what i'm getting into.
No. Nowhere near Skull tales with issues. ST is, IMO, totally unplayable out of the box. DUN is totally playable out of the box. Just needs some investment from the players to get the most out of it. And yes, the enemies take some time to get set up, because they will often use skills and gear from the same pool as the heroes. So it can slow things down. Like I said, I think this is a slow-paced game, best played over a period of time. For me, it's about the same as high level SOB play, a game that can also get bogged down, but I like the moment to moment combat in DUN a lot more.
@@TheDungeonDive No denying SOB gets bogged down with everyone standing in place trying to hit the monsters at times. I am curious to see how they redo the room exploration counters for the next iteration.
Thank you for your video. I'm exicing for the reprint of DUN and your review helps me to decide for staying in.
Other thing, I like the stand you use for the cards and stuff, where did yo get them.
Thanks for the great job you're doing in your channel.
Amazon. Just search for wooden playing card holders.
You made me back the last camapaing. I love Descent so I'm hoping this can scratch that itch. Great review.
I didn’t make you. I just presented an informed opinion. :) hope you enjoy it.
Hmm. Personally I think the review is a little picky! DUN is by far the best and most comprehensive dungeon crawler in a box I think I have ever seen - and I've played a lot! It was written in Spanish and translated in to English. Think how many different games have been written in English and translated into other languages. We will never know (or care) how good these translations are and it shouldn't affect our appreciation of the original product. As far as the DUN rules are concerned, apart from a couple of instances that caused intial confusion, there was nothing lost in translation. The rules are easy to understand and absorb. They cover everything you are likely to need in a game session and yet they never feel heavy or cumbersome. The only thing missing (IMHO) is a rule for fighting multiple enemies at once - but you can easilly drop in the modifiers from Dungeon Saga. Otherwise I think it's brilliant. It's pitched at just the right level of complexity and - maybe best of all - it's old school!
I am a very critical reviewer. And I think this game is very good. Almost great. As I said multiple times. And you don’t need to tell me about something being old school. Lol.
One of the best DC I have ever played. We are enjoying a lot in my game group!
Glad to hear it!
Very well articulated thoughts. Thanks for posting this!
Sure thing. Thanks!
The start of this review was AMAZING, about the old-school game/hobby shops! The rest was excellent as well.
Thank you. Appreciate it.
It looks like Smackwell's Dungeon Crawl but with two layers up in the complexity :-)
@@baysidejr it's very good. A nice balance between simplicity and keeping the game engaging. It still has a lot of depth in the skills and artifacts.
After seeing so many large, pricey, modern dungeon crawlers which are rather anemic on varied content, this looks to be a welcome change. After seeing the amount of different monsters, and that massive deck of item cards, this may be one of my "grail" games. All in one box! Not stretched across a bunch of overpriced expansions, which I very much appreciate. The combat requires tactics too? Ohh, I'm sold. Hope the reprint KS comes sooner rather than later!
Do not forget that there modern crawlers that offer enemy variety through their mechanics. Take Galaxy Defenders for example. Less than 10 monsters in the whole base campaigns and I would bet that all of them are so more unique in their behaviour than all monsters in DUN.
Just wanted to say a big thank you for this GREAT review. I think the phrase that sold it for me was "love letter to Advanced Heroquest / Warhammer quest"- and seeing your passionate description of the scope of what's possible. This sounds very much like the game I've been waiting for about 30 years. That games shop description was perfect :)
That's a Like and a Subscribe for you, and an All-In pledge for the DUN team on their second kickstarter that's about to end. (Great background shelf too by the way!)
Thanks! Sounds like it’s a perfect game for you.
Hey Daniel, will you be giving your thoughts about DUN 2nd print?
When I get some stuff to look at, yes!
Great thorough job at explaining this game. You have me interested in taking a look at it.
Thanks for the review! Seems ideal for an old school AD&D 2nd edition DM like myself. :) It seems to have a rich and deep environment and gameplay, while at the same time it provides all the tools for an immersive experience. Can't wait for the kickstarter.
Sounds right up your alley.
I've been looking for a solid explanation of this game since I saw the current reprint kickstarter. As someone who has been looking for that D&D red box experience from my youth in a board game for many years now and who loved Advanced Heroquest but always wished it was just, more...Thank you for this review! This is exactly the good/bad input I was looking for. I feel like so much is just missing from current dungeon dive games and I've always wanted that Magic Realm experience but updated a bit, but not streamlined to the point that the flavor disapears. I'm pretty jazzed for this one now.
It sounds like something you will really appreciate. Sounds like you know what you’re getting into. :)
Great review. This looks like the dungeon crawler that I've been waiting for! Definitely interested in the 2nd printing.
Yeah. It’s good. Looking forward to it’s future.
Hi. I found your channel via looking for info on DUN. I wasn't aware of your channel until now and have subscribed to it since you cover nearly all the games I enjoy.
I'm still contemplating whether to back latest DUN KS campaign or not, since I have Kingdom Death, Gloomhaven and Folklore. I have watched other vids on how much potential this game has, thought the rulebook needs a bit of polish, but what really stands out compared to the games I already have?
Thanks. DUN offers up more of a tool box of gaming than any of those other games you mentioned. While it has its own written campaigns, it’s also a collection of pieces and rules for you to make your own adventures.
@@TheDungeonDive Thanks for the details. I think now it depends whether I can afford it or not.
Thanks for a very enjoyable review! I am just now setting up my first game... but I am hoping it will be more of an adventure than a game.
You will have many great adventures with this.
2nd Printing is what I'm waiting for with the improvements.
Me too. Well, second printing is already here 😁
When there is one thing I learnt in life, it is this: Something that claims to do everything, can do a lot but nothing good.
This does a lot of good.
We need a good playthrough video, sounds great but I don't think it'll be low cost and would like to see it in it's paces, the KS date was just anounced at end on Sept.
There's so many rules to remember that I would never be able to do a decent play of this on camera, without a ton of editing and corrections. It's a tough game to remember everything when playing solo. When I play, I actually play with a kind of stripped down version of the rules. I did a play with the developers online, and it's posted to Ludic Dragon's YT channel.
Thank you, for the review look forward to play through.
I've just got my copy! And I'm very happy with it :-)
Great review. I am looking forward to a playthrough of a mission. Me and the miss wanna play coop with an AI darkplayer when we both have a bit more time. I have a hard time finding any playthrough-videos in English though. Maybe Oscar didn't expect this game to be as popular as it is :)
You must have had some really traumatic game stores back in 1988. I don't recall any like that, especially run by old people. But, go on...
You missed out!
If Oscar is reading this, I volunteer to be a fluent English playtester.
Personally, I think the Rules are fine.
I love that intro.
Man, it really took me back.
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it.
Great video! I love the introduction!
Thanks! Appreciate it.
When you held up that MASSIVE loot deck, it confirmed I need this game. What's the gear like? Does it change gameplay/tactics at all, or is it more stat increases?
A little bit of both, but with a focus on stat increases. The potions add quite a bit of tactical decision making. I'd say most of the gear is really about honing your stats for a particular build, with the skills being focused on changing up the game play.
I'm sure that someone will put up a pdf of grammatically correct cards for P&P. it would be nice if they do offer current owners an opportunity to get just the updates from 1st to 2nd edition.
They will, after the new KS has delivered to the backers.
Hey Daniel. What do you think of the full Random Dungeon Generation for this game only being available on a website, and has a paid subscription to get access to all the features?
To me the random dungeon aspect is far, far more important than campaign (a dime a dozen these days and the game already has a huge campaign). I was expecting a physical random dungeon creation book, filled with tables and awesomeness.... A web only version that you have to pay extra for seems dumb to me. (EDIT: I called you by the wrong name... sorry man. fixed it. ha!)
I have not taken a look at it at all, so I know next to nothing about it. Sorry.
This game sounds like the perfect game that I wanted to design about 15 years ago. Since then I've learned a lot about my limitations as a human being and as a gamer, as well as the reality of the people that I play with. I've learned that I can't manage a game that has so many options, rules, and tables, and I don't play with people that are interested in participating in learning something of such depth, as we might have done in our youth. With that understanding It doesn't look like this game is for me. I''m wondering is what are some recommendations of games that come close to this game's limitless dungeon adventure toolbox appeal but in a more streamlined package?
It seems that the ball is very big but it is not, the whole system is based on 2d6 rolled against a difficulty "10" "9" and so, then you apply modifiers +1/-1 +2/-2 there is not much more, the only thing you have to be thinking is to remember to apply them, even after the second or third game you know them by heart and do not consult the manual, all the modifiers have an overwhelming logic so they are easy to remember.
@@jerik0435 Thanks for the reply! I'll keep this in mind.
@@torq21 Second printing, now on Kickstarter, includes a simplified mode "DUN Basic". The rules are about 30 pages long, and it is intended for a more casual group of players. I think It will solve the "complexity issue", so maybe the game could be for you and your group after all ;).
@@erebusdaniel616 NICE! I will be checking it out. It would will be great when there are some more overviews and reviews available. Thanks for sharing.
D100 Dungeon plus expansions
You are really selling this game... Biscuits! Now I need to budget for it. So the core box, or all in?
Daniel thank you again. Great content man.
My pleasure!
Are you backing Dungeon Crusade. I am curious what your thought on Dungeon Crusade.
Oh yeah. Can't wait for that.
Yeah I backed it back in the 1790's.
Earl of Doncaster hahah! For reals.
How does DUN compare to Dungeon Crusade ? What are the main differences?
Aside from being a good every into the genre, why might I want to spend precious money and space on it? I have HQ brimming with fan made expansions, Savage Worlds, White Box, Scarlet Heroes... Why do I need this too? The only thing I can think of is if the mechanics themselves are unique and FUN to play. Or if the tons of cards and systems really add something.
I think if you're looking for something really crunchy and tactical, this might scratch a different itch.
I have a very specific question: I am painting blue horrors at the moment. Do you think it's possible to adapt/integrate such monsters within the Dungeon Univeralis rules?
Im sure you could find some profile to use them with.
Bell curve can be changed using my favorite double d6 dice with 12 sides on them.
I like the bell curve of 2D6. Is double D6 more or less swingy?
@@TheDungeonDive It generates more radical rolls, flattens the curve. So many ways to alter rolls.
Great job as always Daniel. Providing us DC & Adventure game fans with a fantastic resource. I always make a point to check out your content if I am thinking about getting any game. Cheers.
You reviewed Darklight Momento Mori a while back. How does Dungeons Universalis compare? Which is the better game to you?
I think DUN is a better game, in that it actually has a future, and the designers haven't abandoned it. Lot's of exciting things coming. It's more expansive and detailed. Once Ludic Dragon gets the random quest generation app done, it will be really great.
@@TheDungeonDive Thanks, dude. I now own both, and was thinking of using the DUN game system with the DLMM campaign.
Yeah. You could totally do that. That’s one of the great things about DUN.
Awesome review of an awesome game. Got my copy about a week ago. Any chance of a playthrough video of one of your sessions? Would live to see one.
Ludic Dragon will be posting some of our play through on their channel.
@@TheDungeonDive Thanks for the quick reply. Keep up the great videos.
@@TheDungeonDive ruclips.net/video/atcl5yEWQXY/видео.html
Thanks for this thoughtful review. This game seems really interesting.
Are you going to read the revised rulebook? Highly interested in your opinion of it, as a backer of the second campaign 😀
Oh yeah. When it is released. I don’t typically read rule books until I have the game in hand, and I’m wait for the new stuff for DUN.
@@TheDungeonDive Understandable. Can’t wait! Your content is amazing :) Cheers
So how do you look back on DUN now? Do you still play? Have you played as a dark player or the campaign yet?
Still a great game but I don’t get to play it much because of its complexity and because it is a narrative campaign. I wish it had an official card-based random quest mode.
Funny thing is I have a game store nearby that’s not that different from your description. Lol
great analysis, you gained a subscriber
what do you think about reprint of DUN and new KS campaign?
I think it's great! Backed for the upgrade kit and the new campaign. Can't wait for the simplified basic rules.
I have lots of dungeon crawls, but this feels so unique.
Great video. Is late pledge open?
I'm not sure if there is a late pledge. Probably best to check their KS page, or contact them via FB.
Great review. Do you know if the creators are tackling, or have tackled, the issues you mention? Such as honing the game and the translations for the new Kickstarter.
Thanks. I know they’ve done some work but can’t say what.
The Dungeon Dive thanks. I’ll be buying it anyway as it looks amazing. I loved your comments about old games. I’m a massive fan of Descent 1st Ed and Magic Realm so this should be right up my street.
Oh yeah! You'll feel right at home. :)
Perfect!
I've never played MR, but from what I've read and heard, I could entertain the argument that DUN is the Magic Realm of dungeon crawls.
Got the game coming this Wednesday. Really looking forward to breaking it open and start playing. Although I am a bit concerned now with the comment you made about the rule book being a bit “ fiddly” with the English translation. 😕
It is a legitimate concern.
Spanish and English aren't that different, imagine if the game was developed in Chinese.
So...are you ever going to play the Campaign, after the review? Or will this be a candidate on the way out of your shelf?
I will definitely be playing a campaign with friends when we can start getting together again.
That was awesome that you got to play with Ludic online. Any hope they recorded us?
They will be posting some of the session to their channel.
Thanks
Have you ever played Folklore the Affliction Daniel, it has a lot of comparisons to it. It’s more adventure than a Dc but also very good, only little downside is the bookkeeping in Folklore. I backed Dungeon Universalis 2 nd edition and Dungeon Crusade, hopefully I’m not gonna be dc overloaded😉 great review.
Stay tuned for a Folkore video. I like the game, but only with a ton of house rules. I will only play with 2 heroes, and the game is straight up broken with less than 4. I’m also not a big fan of the D100 combat system it uses.
@@TheDungeonDive same here I play with two heroes also, very curious about your houserules, mine are having a maximum of 3 bandages and be able to go back to the village between skirmishes to get stuff
I'll post a link to my house rules when I do the video!
@@TheDungeonDive thanks Daniel.
I'm Spanish, in the center of Madrid and I could not get a copy of this game ! i subscribed to their newsletter etc and on bgg I registered to be notified in the threads for availability. I just hope there will be a 2nd KS or they will get stock replenished.
I guess you already know, the 2nd KS has already started
Hi, i am thinking about a late pledge for this behemoth. did you have the chance to experience the campaign (book)? What do you think about it? Playing the campaign in coop mode is the reason i am interested in this game. Thanks a lot! Stay safe!
I've only played one-off dungeons, but plan on playing the campaign(s) in the future. I'm sure they're great for solo.
Are you DMing a FLGS adventure or giving a review ?
Not sure what you mean?
@@TheDungeonDive
I was waiting for a review, and then im getting into your description, and i thought, 'Wait a second ! I feel like im being DM'd into a FLGS !'
You sucked me in without me even noticing.
Wondering if its worth spending the $200CAD on the Kickstarter today.
Ah! Got it. :) Thanks. I think it's worth the price. So much game in the box, with the possibility to expand for years to come.
Looks great, I still love the old style fantasy and RPG Games. Is it completely coop with the AI ?
Can u play the campaign full coop without dark master?
Greetings Mike
Totally co-op if you want.
It's a tabletop RPG crowbarred into a boardgame and its... incredibly tedious and dull as a result. Combine that with the poorly written rulebook(s), the overwrought game mechanics, rule after rule after rule, and the shoddy components and you have a game that, although you can see the love invested in it by the creator, falls far too short of the mark to be entertaining or worthwhile of the time it takes to get anywhere with it. Definitely not for me but thank god it has some resale value because mine is getting sold! 😆 Really nice review though - so I've subbed.
A bit late to the party but thank you for this review. One clarification though. I didn't quite get why you think it's a GOOD game that CAN BE a GREAT game. From my end, the rest of you're review sounds like you found it a GREAT game. :)
The rule book / translation issues and the fact that you have to build out the enemies for each encounter. Hopefully all of these are addressed in the reprint.
How good is the Solo ai? Is it easy to run? Is it time consuming or difficult to run? How is enemy behaviour for solo?
Solo AI is good. Does what I want - keeps me on my toes and surprised. It's easier to run than KDM solo, but harder than a lot of games. It is time consuming; it is a slower-paced game. Enemy behavior is good, and it can be better if you're willing to improvise on the spot.
Also how long is setup roughly and time per scenario so far?
@@funk1boy Pretty long, with a bit of downtime during.
@@TheDungeonDive KDM is a game in which complexity is the gameplay, and the reward is another year of settlement without losing. Therefore, it is definitely the most difficult game in the world, but not the most difficult in the rules. But she is beautiful.
DUN on the contrary, the complexity is "scattered" in level and is not a gameplay-generating. And the gameplay is the right approach to situations with certain characters and a set of items.
Thank you for the review, it is disheartening to hear the translation is not up to snuff. I voiced my wishes/concerns a couple of times on the kickstarter updates but the creator was very positive the University English professor would be able to handle it. I have nothing against an educated language scholar providing a solid structure, but translation is a specific skill that needs practice and most of the time heavy editing by an individual familiar with the target-industry. Similar to how game design and development are different aspects where it is best to use dedicated and experienced individuals; professional translations are best handled by an agency that has at least one individual translating and another individual copy editing, most agencies also employ native speakers to read a final version for inconsistencies and tone. I am waiting for my game in Canada, hearing about your specific examples makes me double sad because the text is everything in this rules-heavy game and who will be there to support the non-Spanish readers? Even if fixed in ver.2, that leaves me with no physical fix since like Middara, the book is huge and not cost effective to offer to original backers at low prices/shipping. Anyways, I wanted to support a kickstarte game from Spain since they seem to be breaking out into th emarket, but oversights like this one are truly disappointing. I hope i can get some fun out of the game once I get over the learning curve.
I am also curious how it will compare to Battlestations (big book, lots of optional rules) since I sort of imagined it to be the Fantasy counterpart.
@@aonline_abridged The translation is good, do not exaggerate, it is not like skull such or others that if they are really bad, could have been done better ? yes, but still there is no problem of understanding about it.
I Contacted the company and asked if there were any way to get the game after wathching your videos, but all that was left after Kickstarter was sold out fast. So i guess i have to wait for reprint... If not this and not Gloomhaven which game is closest that is possible to buy today? I am looking for a deep Dungeon Crawl close to a rpg. That is playable solo and coop. In the past i have tried Descent, Sword And Sorcery, Folklore The Affliction and a couple of other, they all do some stuff great but fall in other areas.
This is the closes to an RPG I’ve ever seen in a board game. It can easily be played as an RPG. Have you tried Dungeon Degenerates?
The closest in my opinion is Descent 1st edition (with its expansions) and the Road to Legend campaign. If you have done that you have the pinnacle of RPG Board Game to date. It falls down too, and that is in the balance arena. We have done 2 1/2 campaigns of that and it was amazing, except for the fact that the heroes really do not stand a chance with a Overlord that has their heart set on winning (plus heroes CANT die, thats a Descent thing, they just keep getting killed over and over and over...not fun). Some comments in this video did make it sound like balance is an issue here also. My overlord will not play any game as a story telling game master, she is in to win. If the balance is around how random things can be, thats ok as its constantly swinging back and forth. If there is a path to collect DP cards and then slam them all in a turn to almost guarantee a win/tpk, I have wasted a lot of money on this. Case in point, in Descent 1st RTL, ranged attacks by monsters rule. The ability for the OL to spawn whatever they like, plus spending their points on only upgrading those ranged creatures, and slimming the OL deck to drive ranged spawns will see hero death over and over and over. About 1/2 into our first campaign my OL figured out this path, and its now always followed. The hero strat is run in, limit your deaths. grab treasure and run out, its the only way to keep up, and its not very fun, thematic or very dungeon crawl like. If heroes play Descent like you would play Heroquest, heroes cannot win. After reading DUNs rulebook, all those points I just made above are addressed. (only 1/2 of spawn can be shooters, no move shoot move, each quest has a different focused faction, forcing monster variety, each quest balanced by points, lots of penalties to shooting if not a perfect shot). BUT, since the monster spawn cards are drawn from their own deck, I know my OL will forget the "other" cards and just draw her all spawns asap, horde them and at the right time play them all/one after another, trying to get a TPK every time. I fear our only hope will be to pray she shuffled in only the weak value point spawns.........we shall see when I finally get mine.
The phrase Dungeon Crawler gets thrown around a lot. If you randomly played 1000 dungeon crawler games that came out during the past 40 years; the extent of gameplay and narrative is that you go to one room and fight a unicorn and 3x rats. Go the the next room and fight 5burglars and a orc. And maybe a paragraph to read before you start and after you finish. Then you do it all again. It's meant to be short, random, no deep strategy. I think that's the reason why BGG liked Gloomhaven so much. It broke away from the mold of what's expected from a dungeon crawler. Not because it wasn't a dungeon crawler.
That being said, maybe Dungeon Crawlers arent what you are actually looking for currently? At least not till this game gets reprinted. This seems a step above the rest.
Paul Harper I cant imagine playing an RPG in which the GM is trying to win. To me that negates the entire purpose of an RPG.
@@TheDungeonDive I have not played Dungeon Degenerates, i generally like games with a "serious" tone /darker vibe small amount of humor can be fitting but i cant stand cartoonish artwork :). Its sad some great games seem to have that artstyle.
Very funny intro!
Cold?
LLLLMAMAMAMAMAMAAAAOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!
@@TheDungeonDive I guess that's a yes?
27:52 What was that D6 game referred to?
D6: Dungeons, Dudes, Dames, Dice, Danger and Dragons, or something like that.
Ludic Dragon just emailed and said they need a National ID Number from me to ship my game for customs..? I've never heard of such a number. Anyone else in the US have a similar request from them? Anyone that has received their game already?
Just destroyed my anticipation of the game.... oh well at least I got Gloomhaven coming 😒😒
Have fun with GH!
The Dungeon Dive yessir lol!!
Howdy!! Great review...one of the mechanisms touted in the game is using existing games you have...dungeon tiles etc along with this game. Is that still true and How does that work?
Yes. There is even a small example of using the HeroQuest board in the book. It's a small section of the rule book. With the gear and bestiaries, it would be quite easy to translate another game's quest using DUN's rules, or you could easily make a quest using Descent's tiles, or something like that.
The Dungeon Dive ..excellent!! When will you be doing a video of that!! 😃
💜
Woah you're gorgeous
Man , this game is soooooooooooo much .... but is like you said ... compilation of old games ...
Great job again Daniel. About the 2d6 system, do you think it can be replaced with picking playing cards to reduce randomness? Like your house rule version of talisman but with 2 sets of Ace to 6 (+wild cards) to give players some tactical choices.
I tried replacing dice with cards after watching your talisman video for hero quest / Warhammer quest and they seem to work wonderfully together. It just make the game a lot quicker (some may say easier) and less old school rolling and hitting the air.
Can you please name the video please, where Daniel described the card house rule. I found an article about the topic lately on reddit: "Cool new research on consequences of different randomization mechanics". May be it is for you as well.
2D6 is a lot less swingy than 1D6 so I wasn’t bothered by the randomness here. I also feel like there are already a lot of tactical decisions for the players to make here.
@@randothomas3733 The video is called "Talisman - Casual Let’s Play - Introduction". Daniel used cards to replace the movement dice roll in Talisman so there are a lot more tactical choices on where to go on the board.
You would have to create a deck that has a similar distribution as 2D6.