Cavern Tavern

Cavern Tavern is a fun and engaging worker placement game set in a fantasy world. You take on the role of a tavern worker, tasked with serving drinks, cooking food, and keeping the guests happy – all while trying to avoid the wrath of the grumpy barkeep, Nasty the Dwarf. The game is surprisingly complex for its simple premise, with a lot of strategic decisions to make.

The core gameplay revolves around assigning dice to different locations in the tavern, each with its own unique actions. There are six sections to explore: the Main area, Cellar, Kitchen, Chores, Wizards Workshop, and Nasty’s office. Each section offers different opportunities for resource management, completing orders, and gaining favor with your boss.

One thing I really liked was the emphasis on completing orders within a certain timeframe. You earn more points for delivering orders quickly, and being late can negatively impact your reputation with Nasty. This adds a real sense of urgency to the game, as you have to constantly balance your actions to maximize efficiency.

It's worth noting that the rulebook can be a bit dense, so be prepared to spend some time reading through it before your first game. My first playthrough took a while as we all learned the rules and tried to figure out the best strategies. But once you get the hang of it, Cavern Tavern is a truly enjoyable experience.

Overall, Cavern Tavern is a well-designed worker placement game that offers a good challenge and plenty of replayability. If you enjoy this genre, I highly recommend giving it a try. However, if you're looking for a quick and simple game, Cavern Tavern might not be for you.