Thursday 7 June 2018

Kickstarter Watch: Escape The Dark Castle...The Legend Grows..



Last year a game company named Themeborne Games went to Kickstarter with their game Escape From The Dark Castle.
A cooperative card based game thats part Fighting Fantasy part D&D that you and your fellow prisoners are trying to escape the evil that lurks in the Dark Castle.
You have to use each players skills and cunning to escape the monsters and traps that await you oh and don't forget no game would be complete with out a huge boss to defeat.

With its nod to games from the past (check the trailer video here) and its beautifully hanuitng art style and the tense game play thats never the same twice Themeborne smased their funding goal. 
This even produced an addtional expanstion called Cult Of The Dark Night...



With a very successful UK Expo Show this year Themeborne are back on Kickstarter with two new expansions join me as I take a look over the details so far.



Just before I get to the all the new exciting expansions for those of you that have not seen the core box  (which is what you will need to be able to use the expansions) here is what you get inside.

The core game consisted of 45 Chapter cards, 6 Character cards, 3 Boss Cards, 6 Custom Character Dice, 9 Custimised Chapter Dice, 35 Item Cards, 1 Start Card and of course Pencils and Pads..


Now don't fear if you missed out the first time on this you will be able to get this core set at Themeborne website and most gaming stores, but also as part of the add ons of the new Kickstarter campaign. 
You will also be able to add on the Kickstarter upgrade pack which adds even more characters, bosses and items also


So lets look at the new expansions.
The new expansions are set to delve deeper into the Dark Castle setting you up with even more challenges and fows as you try to Escape..

The first expansion is called Scourge Of The Undead Queen..


This pack includes 1 Boss Card, 15 New Chapter Cards, 3 Companion Cards, 3 Companion Trigger Cards, 2 New item Cards and 1 New Item Dice.

This expansions has a new mechanic where now during your fight through the Dark Castle you will meet new companion who will assist you on your quest. The arrival of these companions will trigger from the Companion Trigger cards that are shuffled into your chapter cards. 
These companions will have a unique mixture of traits but be warned they may not stick around long so be carful how you use them..


The next expansion is called Blight Of The Plague Lord.


This pack includes 1 Boss Card, 15 New Chapter Cards, 3 New Characters, 3 Character Dice 5 New item Cards and 1 Plague Dice.

This pack adds a new mechanic called Plague....Not only are you trying to escape the Dark Castle you are also going to meet Carriers.. These plague infected minions are hell bent on spreading the disease. Now some interactions with Carriers can now make you contract, spread or even succumb to the plague...

Now thats not all in the way of expansions there is also a beautiful looking collectors box too.


This is billed as a more fan driven expansion with 6 New Boss Cards, 12 Special ability Cards, 2 New Start Cards, 2 Epilogue Cards, 4 Health Trackers with Cubes, 1 Dice Bag, 1 First Player Card, 1 Icon Chart.
This box also works as storage for you entire collection including expansions for Escape From The Dark Castle.

The pledge levels on this Kickstarter allow you to back just for one or both of the expansions as well as what I think is the best if you missed out last time Level 6 where you get everything and I mean everything!



The team at Themeborne have also added plenty of stretch goals and add ons such as card sleeves, Gaming mats, story books and two stretch goals that I think are great...



First I have always said games need music so Themeborne have added more nostalgia with releasing music for the game on a cassette tape! (don't worry kids you can get an mp3 as well)
This should get your right in the mood fighting way through your adventure.


Also a very unique addition is putting you into the game where you can chose a character from the game and have your image drawn as one of the characters..



 As I write this Themeborne have already smashed their funding goal and this Kickstarter looks set to be an even bigger success for them.

Themeborne by the looks of things here have worked hard to improve and move this game forward adding more mechanics and adding different characters and bosses to keep the avid fan old and new alike excited and nervous in what awaits them in The Dark Castle...



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