Unboxed the Board Game Blog

Descent: Journeys in the Dark Second Edition is a board game in which one player takes on the role of the treacherous overlord, and up to four other players take on the roles of courageous heroes. During each game, the heroes embark on quests and venture into dangerous caves, ancient ruins, dark dungeons, and cursed forests to battle monsters, earn riches, and attempt to stop the overlord from carrying out his vile plot. Featuring double-sided modular board pieces, countless hero and skill combinations, and an immersive story-driven campaign, Descent: Journeys in the Dark Second Edition transports heroes to a vibrant fantasy realm where they must stand together against an ancient evil.

Descent: Journeys in the Dark is a "one vs. many" game in which up to four players will choose characters with a wide assortment of skills and innate abilities to be the heroes who will explore dungeons in search of treasure and adventure, while one player will take on the role of the Overlord and will control the dungeon's many traps, puzzles, and monsters. The heroes' goal will be to cooperatively conquer the dungeon, seize its many treasures, and achieve other objectives as set by the scenario. If the heroes cooperate and achieve their goals, they will all win. The Overlord's objective is simply to use all the means at their disposal - from deadly traps to ferocious monsters - to kill the heroes. Each hero has a certain Conquest Point value to the party and if too many Conquest Points are lost through hero death, the party loses and the Overlord wins.

In many ways "Dungeon!" is similar to Dungeons & Dragons, although much simplified and transformed into a board game. Players explore a dungeon that is divided into levels of increasing difficulty, fighting monsters for valuable treasure. As players venture deeper into the dungeon, the monsters become more difficult and the treasure more valuable. Several character classes each have slightly different fighting abilities – most notably the wizard, who can cast spells. Combat is simulated using dice; players roll the dice to attack a monster, and if unsuccessful, the dice are rolled to determine the effect of the monster's counter-attack. The winner is the first player to bring a certain amount of treasure back to the Dungeon's entrance.

In DungeonQuest , you take on the role of a hero who sets out to explore Dragonfire Dungeon. Along the way, you’ll collect loot, evade traps, battle fearsome monsters, and wend your way through the sprawling catacombs that snake underneath the dungeon. If you are fortunate enough to find your way to the treasure chamber at the dungeon’s heart, you may attempt to plunder its riches. The hero who escapes with the most loot wins! However, there’s more to concern you than just rival heroes. You must be careful not to wake the cruel dragon, the dragon who sleeps upon the treasure hoard! When you have looted your fill, you must escape the treacherous, winding maze that makes up the dungeon in order to be victorious.

The game is similar to a dungeon crawl from the game D&D, although there is no role-playing involved. Player characters are pre-generated and there are no non-weapon proficiencies. While the quests are pre-determined in a booklet, an empty map framework is included, allowing users to make their own.

It is 1926, and the museum’s exotic curios and occult artifacts open barriers between our world and the elder evils lurking between dimensions. Other Worlds begin to leak through and terrifying creatures of increasing strength steal through them. Animals, the mad, and those of susceptible minds are driven to desperation by the supernatural forces that the portals unleash. In the midst of this chaos, a handful of investigators race against time to locate the eldritch symbols necessary to seal the portals forever and stop evil Ancient Ones from reducing humanity to cinders. Elder Sign is a fast-paced, cooperative dice game of supernatural intrigue for one to eight players by Richard Launius and Kevin Wilson, the designers of Arkham Horror. Players take the roles of investigators racing against time to stave off the imminent return of the Ancient Ones. Armed with cards for tools, allies, and occult knowledge, investigators must put their sanity and stamina to the test as they adventure to locate Elder Signs, the eldritch symbols used to seal away the Ancient Ones and win the game.

Use resources to build a village of critters and constructions in this woodland game. From Everfrost to Bellsong, many a peaceful year have passed in Everdell — but the time has come for new territories to be settled and new cities to be established. You will be the leader of a group of critters intent on just such a task. There are buildings to construct, lively characters to meet, events to host— you will have a busy year ahead of you! Will the sun shine brightest on your city before the winter moon rises?

Over the hammering noise of your steam powered airship, you hear a distinct and frightening roar. Your opponent has summoned a fearsome Stygian dragon! The scaled beast glares furiously at your army marching below, diving in for a brutal and bloody kill. In response, you rekindle the Chaos spark smoldering in one of your berserkers by channeling the power of your energy crystals. She lunges towards the majestic beast – a clash of fury and fire that brings further ruin to an already shattered world. Have you bought your faction enough time to reach sanctuary, or will you suffer defeat at the hands of your pursuer?

Familiar Tales is an exciting narrative game where players take on the roles of a wizard’s familiars, entrusted with saving and raising a displaced princess. They must keep her safe from the evil forces that would see her dead, but when it comes to children, it is not enough to merely survive! The familiars know that every choice they make will affect the young one in their care. If they are victorious and the throne is reclaimed, what kind of woman will sit upon it?

Gear up for a thrilling adventure to recover a legendary flying machine buried deep in the ruins of an ancient desert city. You'll need to coordinate with your teammates and use every available resource if you hope to survive the scorching heat and relentless sandstorm. Find the flying machine and escape before you all become permanent artifacts of the Forbidden Desert!

Dare to discover Forbidden Island! Join a team of fearless adventurers on a do-or-die mission to capture four sacred treasures from the ruins of this perilous paradise. Your team will have to work together and make some pulse-pounding maneuvers, as the island will sink beneath every step! Race to collect the treasures and make a triumphant escape before you are swallowed into the watery abyss!

Congratulations! Humanity is dead! The bad news is that all they left behind is their garbage and a broken gig economy. That's why we need freelancers like you who are ready to take any job, no matter how loathsome. As a freelancer, you will delve into ruins, brave the wilds, and slay the hordes of hideous creatures that litter the dark forgotten corners of the world. All so you can gather loot and return home, ready to blow it all and start over again the next day. It's a lousy gig, so it's perfect for the likes of you. Freelancers: A Crossroads Game condenses the fantasy RPG campaign experience into a single night of fun and mayhem. Create a character, roll funky dice, and blaze your way through multiple stories set in a world of magic, monsters, and murder. Better yet, no game master is required, as a magical companion app does all the storytelling for you! Immerse yourself in fully-voiced, industry-leading audio as you play. Explore hundreds of branching paths in five highly replayable campaigns. Mix and match a multitude of species and jobs to build your own unique character. Pick up and play, simple rules, low commitment and no prep.