Pros
- +
Improved mechanics, classic feel
- +
Dungeon Master dynamic
- +
Fantastic new models
Cons
- -
Very old-school
- -
Limited compared to modern RPGs
Recommended reading
HeroQuest review: "The grandaddy of dungeon crawlers"
(Image: © Benjamin Abbott)
Improved mechanics, classic feel
Dungeon Master dynamic
Fantastic new models
Very old-school
Limited compared to modern RPGs
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HeroQuest may not be the first dungeon crawler to grace shelves, but it's arguably the best known. Because the original came out well over 30 years ago, industry giant Hasbro decided it was well past time that a new edition was dredged up from the ruins of yore – and this remake is the result.
So, is HeroQuest a fitting tribute to what some would say is ? Does it deserve a place amongst the annals of the 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:best board games? Well, the best thing about modern HeroQuestꦅ is&hellip𓆉;
Price | $134.99 / £99.99 |
Ages | 14+ |
Game type | Dungeon-crawler/Roll and move |
Players | 2 - 5 |
Lasts | 1hr |
Complexity | Moderate |
Designers | Avalon Hill |
Publisher | Hasbro |
Play if you like | Talisman, Descent, Gloomhaven |
Although it doesn't s𝄹ay as much on the box, this is technically the fourth edition of HeroQuest since the original launched in 1989. It's also a remake of that old-school fantasy dungeon cra♏wler, albeit with an all-new artstyle and refined missions.
Despite the new look and modernized miniatures, this is still the same kind of HeroQuest your mom and dad played. Players control one of four adventurers (the ever-reliable quartet of Barbarian, Wizard, Dwarf, and Elf) fighting through a labyrinthine dungeon in search of glory… or the evil wizard Zargon. The latter is essentially a Dungeon Master from the 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:best tabletop RPGs, and that means they control all t🌺he game's traps and monsters.
You don't need someone to play as Zargon if you'd prefer to be on the same side, though. Teams (or solo players) can use the HeroQuest app t🍷o play as Zargon for them, telling you where to place foes and throwing in some '80s style smack talk as well.
The original HeroQuest had a lot in common with Talisman's 1983 edition. Both offer classic fantasy in the most traditional sense (ꦡwe're talking barbarians with loincloths and outrageous wizard costumes). Both see you battling through a series of fiendish traps whilst leveling up. But for my money, HeroQuest was the better game – and that holds true for the modern versions.
Although 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:Talisman 5th Edition is all good and well, HeroQuest's 2021 makeover demonstrates how you bathe yourself in nostalgia while also empowering your players. Yes, attacks are still at the mercy of dice, and movement is decided by rolling. This is undeniably frustrating, especially when compared to competitors like 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion. However, open-ended dungeons you can explore at will and rooms (not to mention their contents) being hidden until you step inside keeps us in🐼 the driver's seat. There's a wealth of enemies to fight – complete with their own characterful miniatures – and upgrades to nab too. Plus, the weapon you use and the direction you're attacking from matters. Longswords and staffs let you hit an enemy diagonally across from you on the board, for 🍎example, letting two heroes lay into a monster blocking a door rather than one.
If everyone would prefer to play as adventurers, you can make the official HeroQuest app control Zargon. It tells you what can be found in each room, springs traps on you, and throws in a few snarky comments for good measure. It's a𓂃 great workaround.
Because the game is so focused on your step-by-step exploits in these 'catacombs of Dread' rather than⭕ a cliff-notes version of your journey like the one seen in Talisman, it feels easier to become invested too. Paired with the need for teamwork, each hero's unique stats, and the many traps you'll contend with, HeroQuest immerses you in its adventure right away. Although I'd prefer more variety in terms of the board (there's only one in the core set, even if different rooms are accessed for each mission), it's a small niggle that's forgotten quickly once you get started.
Particularly when someone takes on the role of Zargon. With an actual person ♏behind the Game Master screen, that sense of anticipation before entering a room or creeping your way down a corridor is heightened – you can look your enemy in the eye, and if they're anything like me they'll delight in trying to outwit you. This is HeroQuest's true unique selling point, and it's not something you'll find in other RPGs.
Well, sort of. In many ways, it's a taste of what the 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:best D&D books are like. If you enjoy running the show in HeroQuest, you'll love being the Dungeon Master in Dungeons & Dragons. It's exactly the s🌃ame kind of role, but across a far more varied 𒐪world.
If you l꧙ove fantasy RPGs but feel intimidated by the likes of Gloomhaven or Arydia (or have limited experience with the genre), this is where you start. HeroQuest is accessible and easy to play but has enough meat on the bone to avoid becoming dull after a session or two. It's not as empowe🎃ring as the competition, of course, but it's a great on-ramp for them.
I suppose you could say that the best thing about HeroQues𝐆t is that it's back.
Criteria | Notes | Score |
|---|---|---|
Game mechanics | This is the grandaddy of dungeon crawlers, and its systems st🐷ill hold up today. | 4/5 |
Accessibility | It's more involved than some board games, t꧅rue, bu💎t is very accommodating nonetheless. | 3.5/5 |
Replayability | HeroQuest's singular board does limit its replayability somewhat,ꦜ but numerous missions and expansions he꧂lp. | 3/5 |
Setup and pack-down | Thanks to its many miniatuౠres, cards, and extra bits, HeroQuest is quite an involved gam🌳e. | 3/5 |
Component quality | A new aesthetic, gorgeous miniatures, and excellent𓆏 produ🦂ction values throughout help HeroQuest sing. | 5/5 |
This review was made using a sample provided by the publisher.
I've had HeroQuest in my collection since it came out in 2021, and have spent longer than I'd care to admit painting up its many, many miniatures. I've also used the app-driven version to play as Zargon when I was running it solo.
And yes, yells of "brawwwwdsword" were unleashed at every opportunity.
For more on our process, see our guide to 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:how we test board games or the full 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:GamesRadar+ review policy.
For more recommendations, why not check out the 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:best adult board games or the 澳洲幸运5开奖号码历史查询:best cooperative board games?
I've been wri💃ting about games in one form or another since 2012, and now manage GamesRadar+'s tabletop gaming and toy coverage. You'll find my grubby paws on everything froꦫm board game reviews to the latest Lego news.
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