Chronicles of Drunagor Game Review

Chronicles of Drunagor is one of the newcomers in the dungeon crawler camp. It's a co-op game for 1-5 players that differs from other members of the genre with some unique mechanics. 3D terrain, various enemies and darkness mechanics that threaten to gradually fill the map.

From the first games, the game impressed me, despite some overload. There is a great narrative here for story lovers. There are tactical battles for those who like to plan. And there are innovations that will surely be appreciated by many fans of the genre.

A monster slasher, an epic quest to fight evil, and depth all in one box. And, of course, gorgeous miniatures. And a built-in organizer. The eye has something to catch.

WHAT IS A GAME

 So what is this game?

 At first, "Chronicles of Drunagor" look quite standard. Character classes, skill leveling, various monsters (divided into weak, medium and elite enemies) on which heroes test these skills. In general, a familiar structure.

 However, the first deviation from the standard soon becomes apparent. Not only monsters await the heroes, but there is also another danger: the darkness seeping into this world (on the game map), which strengthens nearby monsters and drains the life force of nearby heroes.

 To overcome this obstacle, you will have to be cunning and think a little. If ignored, the darkness can decide the outcome of the battle in favor of the monsters and greatly reduce the chances of the heroes.

 Another feature of "Chronicle of Drunagora" is the three-dimensional terrain. Not that this is the only game with 3D tiles, but they stand out because they give heroes and monsters additional tactical options.

 Personally, I really liked the 3D terrain: it helps to bypass dangerous areas of the field, lead monsters away from the growing darkness, and thus get rid of buffs, save a wounded hero... In addition, it adds atmosphere to both the gameplay and the narrative.

 Nevertheless, the three-dimensional terrain, fortunately, is not the main and not the best feature of "Chronicle of Drunagora". The main distinguishing feature is the unique mechanics of managing the actions of the heroes, which nicely add depth to the game.

GAME PROCESS

 At the heart of the gameplay is a chain of small scenarios that form a single story. As many as two books are dedicated to the narrative: one gradually reveals the plot, and the other is dedicated to the findings that the players will come across in the course of the scenario and with which they can interact, in the process receiving new items, information, stumbling upon traps, etc.

 But this is all macro level, so to speak. Decisions made based on plot, narrative, character progression, and so on.

 I was more attracted by the micro level, namely the need to make painful and very important decisions on which the hero's life depends. Everything is related to the mechanics of action cubes. Each hero has skills in the Melee Talent, Shooting Talent, Dexterity, and Wisdom categories. To access them, you need to place action cubes on them. At the beginning of each adventure, almost all of them are available for selection, but as the game progresses, the hero will receive curse and injury cubes: when resting to re-pool the spent cubes, or when receiving curses from enemies or injuries in battle. Cubes of curses and injuries gradually fill the slots, blocking access to skills.

 What does this lead to?

 To the point that the tension is felt from the start of the game. Each chosen combination of actions gives the heroes a feeling of overwhelming power as they burst into the ranks of monsters and begin to destroy evil. Until they are cursed and injured, which leads to the need to make difficult decisions.

 Is it worth parting with the ability to "ignore part of the losses"? Sacrificing access to ranged attacks for the rest of the arsenal? If I block dexterity-based skills now, will I be able to avoid the monster's attack later? As a result, the combat mechanics are much more interesting and thoughtful than just inflicting losses.

 It is like a crooked mirror, in which the reverse side of the hero's development is reflected - the decline of strength. The longer the battle lasts, the more your character loses effectiveness: confronting the darkness face-to-face takes away mental strength, and a fierce fight takes away physical strength. And as a result, after the battle, the character remains a pale shadow.

 This is, without a doubt, the best find of the Chronicle of Drunagor. How long you can continue to fight and how exactly depends entirely on your decision. If you sacrifice the wrong skill, you can then find yourself in a situation of complete helplessness. Plan your actions in advance and maybe you will be able to reach the final.

 "Chronicles of Drunagor" is strict and demanding of the players: fight competently, even when you are pressed against the wall and you are forced to fight not at full strength. If you managed to pass the scenario with exhausted and bleeding characters, then you have earned the victory.

 Basically, the game is a big puzzle that you really want to keep exploring.

WHAT YOU MIGHT LIKE

 If you are a fan of dungeon crawlers with campaigns, then you will definitely like the game. It has all the features typical of the genre, as well as some unique features that set it apart from its peers.

 If you haven't been interested in this genre before, maybe the mechanics of placing action cubes will make you change your mind. This feature, like the map management in Bleak Harbor, makes the game deep and strategic.

WHAT CAN REFUSE

 "Chronicles of Drunagor" is very frozen. A lot of tokens - and, in my opinion, not everything fits well in the built-in organizer. Many components need to be moved. Opening doors can bring new rules into play, forcing you to adapt to a changed environment. In general, there is really a lot of congestion in places.

 In addition, the game is massive and in a massive box. If you're looking for a game that can be easily laid out and played quickly, Chronicles of Drunagor is definitely not for you. The rule book is huge and bloated. Getting used to the gameplay is also not easy.

CONCLUSIONS

 I have definitely become a fan of this game. I've always been interested in story-focused decks because I like to feel connected to the characters and their adventures, so all themed narrative games immediately appeal to me.

 However, I want to keep playing, not for the sake of the story, not for the sake of the miniatures, and not for the sake of the 3D terrain. All of these elements are good in their own way, but what keeps me interested in the game is the tactical depth of the action cube mechanics. The process of regressing the character in the process of the script is great. This makes you want to test all the characters, because everyone will have to play in their own way: fight differently and assess risk differently.

 This is not just a nice find, but a really great one that positively affects all aspects of the game. Gear and skill upgrades are nice, but choosing between them becomes really important because you have to keep in mind the limitations imposed by action cubes.

 Mechanics of darkness, various enemies, plot, deep combat... "Chronicles of Drunagor" has something to interest me. Moreover, fan and puzzlingness are mixed here in the right proportions. After the games, I started thinking about what adventure to play next and what approach I would have to take in that scenario. If the flooring evokes such thoughts, it means that it is made for conscience.

 I hope that many of you will also find something interesting for yourself in "Chronicles of Drunagor".