DICEY DUNGEONS: MAKING THE MOST OF TWO DIFFERENT GENRES 

DICEY DUNGEONS: MAKING THE MOST OF TWO DIFFERENT GENRES 

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If you enjoy playing roguelike games, deck-building games, or card games, you will most likely love Dicey Dungeons. This exceptional game was developed and published by Terry Cavanagh (an Irish designer). The game has been available on MS Windows, macOS, and Linux since 2019. It was then released in 2020 for Nintendo Switch and in 2021 for Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S. Plans to develop versions for iOS and Android are already in motion. 

What You Get When You Combine Dungeon Crawlers and Board Games with Creativity 

Dicey Dungeons combines deck-building and dungeon crawling into one board game that will appeal to fans of either genre. In this game, players are dungeon explorers who delve deep into uncharted caves searching for powerful treasures guarded by formidable monsters – sounds like most dungeon crawlers, right? However, the dungeons you explore in Dicey Dungeons aren’t static caverns like those seen in games like Descent or Dungeonquest. Instead, the layouts, numbers of monsters, and even the types of enemies that lurk within will be different every time you play the game.

Fun to Play, Easy to Understand 

Dicey Dungeons is a highly addictive roguelike dungeon crawler that’s perfect if you are looking for a game to play on the go. Combining aspects of Diablo with some outstanding roguelike elements, it’s one of the most addictive games I’ve played in a long time. The more you play it, the more items you unlock to make your way through easier.

A Quirky Tabletop Game for Board Game Lovers

Dicey Dungeons’ gameplay is exactly what it sounds like— thrilling dungeons, dice rolling, and unforgettable action. This easy-to-learn card game is all about exploring dungeons and killing monsters, with a little bit of RPG. Players take turns rolling dice to defeat hideous monsters and collect loot, then use that loot to level up their characters or buy more powerful weapons. Dicey Dungeons is unlike your average board game, as it features more action and lots of monsters. 

Competitive, Yet Easy to Master by Beginners

When playing Dicey Dungeons, each player starts with the same basic deck of cards that give them actions and let them draw more cards. Throughout the game, players will level up by defeating monsters in the dungeon, adding their special abilities to their decks, until one player gains enough experience to win! 

You are playing against different opponents for survival and freedom. As you begin the game, it will seem impossible to survive the competitive environment. As you keep playing, you will realize that it only takes well-defined strategies to complete the dungeon and gain your freedom.

Turn-based Combat that Depends on the Roll of Your Dice

Before fighting the monsters, you must select your combat equipment. Each piece of equipment has a slot to place your dice. When you place your dice on a sword slot, you will automatically hit the monster with the sword. Every slot, however, has specific rules that you must follow. For instance, some slots only allow you to place even numbers on it, while others will let you place numbers less than or greater than particular. Whichever way, you must carefully read the instructions before playing. 

In the multiplayer mode, 8 to 10 players compete to be the first to get their four adventurers to complete the dungeon. Players roll dice each turn to see what monsters they face, then use resources to defeat them. When all of a player’s adventurers have reached the last level of the dungeon, they win! However, if any adventurers die along the way, they lose.

In many ways, a game of Dicey Dungeons is a lot like what you’d expect from a deck-building game. In your turn, you select one of four locations (dungeons) where you send your adventurer; if there are any monsters in those dungeons, you fight them. Once that’s done, though, things get dicey.

Different from Other Deck-building Games You’ve Played

There are many features of Dicey Dungeons that make it different from other games in its genre. For starters, there are a lot of dungeon crawling aspects to it. Also, you don’t just have one tableau; you have five tables in play all at once. There are many more opportunities for card interactions–many more combos–than in most typical deck builders!

Choosing Your Cards in Dicey Dungeons

There are over 500 cards in the set for Dicey Dungeons. Let’s talk about how you choose which cards to bring into your dungeon crawl. When you start a new adventure, shuffle all of your cards together. This is called the Dungeon Deck. It represents all of the monsters, traps, weapons, and equipment available to you at any given time. Once you use a card, it goes back into the Dungeon Deck to be drawn again during your adventure!

When Fighting Enemies – Two Possible Scenarios

In a fight with an enemy, players can choose to attack with their characters or cast spells. Attacking characters deals damage based on each character’s attack value. Defeating enemies is often necessary to clear pathways through dungeons and allows players to progress further into a scenario. Characters gain levels by defeating bosses. Spells enable players to do incredible things like healing their allies or deal extra damage to foes!

A Highly Recommended Dungeon Crawler and Card-Decking Game

One of the reasons why I often recommend Dicey Dungeons to dungeon crawler game lovers is because of its incredible replay value. You’ll have fun playing it repeatedly as each round gives you a new and exciting experience. It is an excellent game for gamers who love seeing all their characters on one board. Dicey Dungeons is also perfect If you’re looking for an entertaining family game to play with your kids or friends. 

Conclusion 

Dicey Dungeons is unlike any other board game out there today. The game is one of the first board games that blends deck-building with dungeon crawling! You get to defeat monsters and avoid traps, or collect treasures and unlock new cards. You can use these cards to build your deck into the ultimate dungeon-delving machine. This fantastic game is a must-play for any board game lover. Also, if you’re looking for something different from your usual checkers or chess set, give Dicey Dungeons a shot. 

8.5

Author's rating

Overall rating

Design
8.0
Features
9.0
Performance
9.0
Value
8.0
Overall rating
8.5
The good
  • Flawlessly combines two genres
  • Appeals to both adults and children
  • Adventurous
  • Highly competitive
  • Easy to understand
The bad
  • More challenging than regular board games .