I don’t do board games in our store. Although I’m open to new things, I do want them to be about same theme that we nurtured so preciously in the past 10 years. A lot of producers of games have sent me some nice goodies, but rarely has a boardgame been so snug fit in our theme, than a game like this. I present you: Dungeon Digger, from Tin Hat Games.
This is a boardgame that (at least for me) brings me back to the nostalgic 90s computer game called Dungeon Keeper. Because this is an unboxing, I can only hope this is about the same as that game, where you needed to build dungeons and manage them, but also keep “hero’s” out. You were the bad guy, and as with this game, you are up to no good.
What is Dungeon Digger about?
Dungeon Digger is (according to the back of the box) a dungeon build and management game, where you had enough of the looting and pillaging of your dungeon and set out to make the best one there is. Presented as a comic-RPG style game that is easy to learn with simple rules. This, like we are accustomed to these days, does not mean that this game is getting boring fast. There are more than enough scenarios to keep on playing and having fun. In short, Dungeon Digger is about making your fellow players’ life harder and making sure yours is the best. Sounds like a fun time to me.
What is in the Dungeon Digger Box?
For starters, it’s a hefty box, which is always good when you buy a new game. More is always better i guess. The cellophane wrapper is off, time to let some Dutch air into the box. Upon opening the box, we are greeted with a 30x30cm handbook. Not too thick, so that’s good. Next up is a wrapper with tokens. We find a sturdy thick dungeon board that feels as if it can withstand the test of time. Another, but now big wrapper with dungeon tiles is found.
Beneath that, there is an opening in the cave called dungeon digger. In that opening we find 7 cloth pouches, some plastic ziplock backs, the Dungeon Digger Lord Cards and 6 reference cards for each player. Nice attention is the reference cards, which are normally 1 big one and not 6 small ones.
You are a Dungeon Digger Lord
You play one of the 6 big chiefs of the game. A lord that can manage their dungeon on the board. You have special abilities, that are unique to you as a Lord and can exploit that in game. In the assortment of wacky Lords, we are introduced to Baphometto (corruption), Brainstid (knowledge), Mraah (wild), Hemoglobinia (blood), Xibalba (shadow), and Mortendai (undead).
As an example, we take Mortendai, Archdeacon of the undead. He specializes in undead (DOH!) He, as an ability, has Undead Rise, which gives you an extra Rise. As his special, he can use his Death Ray. Every Lord has one ability and one special ability. Like a true unboxer, I have no idea yet what it does and how it works, but it seems like an awesome thing.
What is a Dungeon Digger?
Well, the game works by exploiting eh, managing your slaves called stooges. As the name of the things already indicates, not the smartest of beings, but perfect for the cause. A stooge, like the manual states, stinks, is filthy, and ugly. But if you motivate torture them hard enough, they will work hard and love it. They also can’t stand other coloured stooges from other Lords, so are motivated to go for each other’s throats to slow the other lords down. They are also the best you could possibly get these days, so well have to do with them.
No boring dungeons here
Better yet, they are full of (sometimes unwanted) life. Since this is a management game, there are different tiles that benefit you in different ways. You need to manage your stooges, so they need to eat, sleep, learn and torture (yes, they are weird) and even a throne room.
The torture room for instance, unlocks trolls, which benefit your defence. The other rooms are pretty self-explanatory. Besides the rooms, you have the dungeons themselves in the shape of portals, sacrifice pits, corridors, corridors with and without traps, corridors with gold nuggets, monsters, boulders and collapses.
What is a dungeon without enemies?
And they seem to come in many forms. A little scroll through the manual shows there are trolls, dragons, bugs, elementals, corruptors and more. Enough to keep you busy exploring your own dungeons and defeating the stooges enemies. You even have the standard party of adventurers harassing your and others players stooges.
Conclusion on Dungeon Digger
I am hardly motivated to play board games these days. The main reason is that the investment in wargaming is taking up too much time. Unboxing this one and writing this blog, has made me curious about the game. Yes, I will play it and yes I will test others’ reaction on how i “grade” games that will be added to the store or not.
The rules seem simple enough someone like me can understand (that says a lot) and the art is simply said, “specially phenomenal” in its own right. Somehow I keep thinking of the art of Adventure Time. If you know this series, and have played Bullfrog’s Dungeon Keeper when you were still young and pretty, then Dungeon Digger seems like a game you would want to play.
If you are interested in getting it or seeing a review after play, let me know. For now, Till we meet again fellow adventurers, keep the stooges stinky and have a good week!