DungeonQuest 85 -1000 Cardboard Cuts

Having once caught lightning in a crown-of-command-shaped-bottle and presumably having...

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Seems like it's something of a rite of passage on this site to weigh in on ye old Dungeonquest. Feels good to get it out of my system.

Great review again! This was my second hobby game purchase back in the 80s (Talisman 2nd edition being the first). I love this game and played a shit ton with my kids when they were younger (kept a record of their lootings). The combat system to this day is perfect, in my opinion. The focus being on exploration and not combat makes the game fly. When FFG reissued it, the combat system was long, overwrought, dull and pointless. I never played/owned the revised edition.

It's been a few years now since I last played it, but I still think it is a fantastic game.

Fun review of an all-time classic game. I still think the current FFG version is the best, worth checking out if you get the chance.

I was playing a game called Miremarsh the other day that clearly wants to be DungeonQuest. And Miremarsh is pretty good (I'll be reviewing it at some point), and it tries hard to take the worst edges off the randomness with pools of custom dice.

But while it's fun enough, it's just not DungeonQuest. There's something magical about this particular mix of speed and variety and danger that just works. Something that's kept it in multiple editions across over 30 years.

Dr. Mabuse wrote: Great review again! This was my second hobby game purchase back in the 80s (Talisman 2nd edition being the first). I love this game and played a shit ton with my kids when they were younger (kept a record of their lootings). The combat system to this day is perfect, in my opinion. The focus being on exploration and not combat makes the game fly. When FFG reissued it, the combat system was long, overwrought, dull and pointless. I never played/owned the revised edition.

It's been a few years now since I last played it, but I still think it is a fantastic game.

Ahh the DQ alumni are here
Cheers man, I don't think I really brought anything new to the table but sometimes it's good to prop up the old guard amongst the cult of the new.
I enjoyed your take on it, in fact I've checked out a bunch of your write ups and your stuff is legit. Really enjoyable. Be cool to see you back in the mix

As far as the combat goes, between bare bones RPS and convoluted card play I'd rather just see it excised altogether. It's not an abundance of player agency that makes this one shine but yeah, it does hold up. Next on under the gaze of the wayback machine is Warhammer Quest so hopefully it too has been diligent with its dermatological regime.

Matt Thrower wrote: Fun review of an all-time classic game. I still think the current FFG version is the best, worth checking out if you get the chance.

I was playing a game called Miremarsh the other day that clearly wants to be DungeonQuest. And Miremarsh is pretty good (I'll be reviewing it at some point), and it tries hard to take the worst edges off the randomness with pools of custom dice.

But while it's fun enough, it's just not DungeonQuest. There's something magical about this particular mix of speed and variety and danger that just works. Something that's kept it in multiple editions across over 30 years.

More class of 85!
Cheers, I'm planning on grabbing the revision should it come up for trade or a modest sum and I can put my grubby hands on it whilst I retain the original as object d'art. Acquiring this one and WHQ doomed me to Ramen for a considerable period. I'll look into Miremarsh. I dig the name and I'm a simple fellow at heart.

The RPS combat is one of the best things in this game I think. It just ramps up the schadenfreude that extra little bit.

I recently got the expansions to this but haven't had a chance to mess with them. I like the idea of all the new characters and stuff, but it also looks like they might add a non trivial amount of fiddly little rules to remember which definitely isn't what DQ wants.

Ah_Pook wrote: The RPS combat is one of the best things in this game I think. It just ramps up the schadenfreude that extra little bit.

I recently got the expansions to this but haven't had a chance to mess with them. I like the idea of all the new characters and stuff, but it also looks like they might add a non trivial amount of fiddly little rules to remember which definitely isn't what DQ wants.

Oh wow. The expansions are like hens teeth right? And with a receipt to match? I think as long as the new characters are no more in-depth than say the elf from the base game with his arrows variant then it would be cool to have that added variety. And the box art and all that comes with it is surely a treat.

Speaking of simple tile laying efforts where exploration takes precedence, there is a looming kickstarter for a game called The Night Cage that looks super cool so I'm keeping an eye out for when it launches later this month.

I hadn't but the GW version back in 86, favoring Blood Bowl and Blood Royale instead, I do have the FFG version and it continues to be a hit. I gave it a little more life with custom character cards using the other characters from Runebound and expansions.

We still haven't had a person make it through with the two part treasure or get the big gem from the catacombs.

Your review has inspired me to dust this one off for some weekend plays. I think my wife leads me in total successful delves and money earned.

RPS gets a bad rap at BGG, but it can become a bit of a mindgame between familiar opponents.

Andi Lennon wrote: Cheers, I'm planning on grabbing the revision should it come up for trade or a modest sum and I can put my grubby hands on it whilst I retain the original as object d'art.

You may be interested in my review of the second revision, which details some of the improvements.
therewillbe.games/articles-boardgame-rev...vised-edition-review

For clarity, I once summarised them for someone who asked:
- Determination tokens mitigate the worst excess of luck.
- All the characters have a special power, for a bit more flavour.
- The Catacombs are much better, but as an entire concept it doesn't add all that much to the game - the best bit is the excitement of rolling to see where you pop up.
- There are a couple of magical treasures to be found in the dragon's hoard which are really fun but you'll only see them once in a blue moon.
- Random end game mechanic which suits the game and cranks up the tension a bit.
- Expansion tiles and cards are all in the game so all on the same reference sheets.
- Cards are all the same shape and size which makes it easier to set up and handle.

You might also enjoy The Ballad of Sir Roland.
therewillbe.games/articles-rants-a-raves...ballad-of-sir-roland

the_jake_1973 wrote: I hadn't but the GW version back in 86, favoring Blood Bowl and Blood Royale instead, I do have the FFG version and it continues to be a hit. I gave it a little more life with custom character cards using the other characters from Runebound and expansions.

We still haven't had a person make it through with the two part treasure or get the big gem from the catacombs.

Your review has inspired me to dust this one off for some weekend plays. I think my wife leads me in total successful delves and money earned.

That sounds rad, I love homebrewing content and expansions. Good luck redressing the balance with your wife this weekend!

I played Blood Bowl 2nd edition back in around 91 or so at a friend's house and I remember being wildly enamoured of the foam pitch but if memory serves the gameplay itself involved a lot of looking up result tables that felt more like conducting an audit than a kinetic sports brawl.

I was recently offered a trade from a chap who will give me a copy of third edition with an extra team in exchange for my copy of Crossbows and Catapults and it's a bit of a Sophie's Choice scenario as I'm on an old school GW trip at the moment but C&C was a cherished childhood totem reacquired with great fortune.

Shellhead wrote: RPS gets a bad rap at BGG, but it can become a bit of a mindgame between familiar opponents.

Hahaha we actually had a recent session where my opponent was totally convinced he was both reading my cues and psyching me out during the combat phases, which he went on to discuss at great length with poker analogies whilst I held my tongue from revealing that I'd been 100% selecting my actions blindly and at random in a bid to speed things along. He's still out there now, walking around draped snugly in his mantle of soothsayer and tactical genius

Matt Thrower wrote:

Andi Lennon wrote: Cheers, I'm planning on grabbing the revision should it come up for trade or a modest sum and I can put my grubby hands on it whilst I retain the original as object d'art.

You may be interested in my review of the second revision, which details some of the improvements.
therewillbe.games/articles-boardgame-rev...vised-edition-review

For clarity, I once summarised them for someone who asked:
- Determination tokens mitigate the worst excess of luck.
- All the characters have a special power, for a bit more flavour.
- The Catacombs are much better, but as an entire concept it doesn't add all that much to the game - the best bit is the excitement of rolling to see where you pop up.
- There are a couple of magical treasures to be found in the dragon's hoard which are really fun but you'll only see them once in a blue moon.
- Random end game mechanic which suits the game and cranks up the tension a bit.
- Expansion tiles and cards are all in the game so all on the same reference sheets.
- Cards are all the same shape and size which makes it easier to set up and handle.

You might also enjoy The Ballad of Sir Roland.
therewillbe.games/articles-rants-a-raves...ballad-of-sir-roland

Yeah after this went up the suggested links went crazy informing me of all myriad prior takes on this one here at TWBG! Yours was great and this is an excellent summary, cheers. I love the idea of variable player powers and the expanded playspace the catacombs might provide but I'm not a huge fan of the FF house art and design aesthetic. It's so bloody... competent.

As for Roland, I believe all session reports should be in ballad form.

Few more written about games on this site. Maybe Talisman? And you get like 15 years of takes, sometimes even by the same person years apart.