Kingdom Death: Monster

Kingdom Death: Monster is a truly immersive and challenging cooperative tabletop game. The premise is simple: your settlement is at the dawn of its existence, and you must fight monsters, craft weapons and gear, and develop your settlement to survive.

I was immediately drawn to the campaign system, which spans 5-30 "lantern years." Each year includes a hunt phase, a showdown, and a settlement phase. The settlement phase is a strategic puzzle, requiring careful resource management to build structures, research new technologies, and train warriors. The hunt is a "choose your own adventure" style journey filled with events and encounters, leading to a massive arena-style showdown against the monster you're pursuing.

The monster AI system is fantastic, with each of the seven monsters controlled by their own unique decks that scale to three levels of difficulty. This ensures that no two encounters are ever the same, keeping the game fresh and challenging.

The gear system adds another layer of depth, as players must carefully craft and arrange their gear cards to maximize their effectiveness in combat.

The story events add a rich narrative layer to the game, shaping and guiding the campaign. These events can introduce new monsters, trigger key events in the story, and provide a sense of progression as you play.

While I enjoyed the game, it's important to note that I played the 1.31 version, which is considered obsolete and less comprehensive compared to the newer 1.5 version. The 1.5 version can be purchased from the official website for $400.

Despite this, the game is still a solid choice for players seeking a challenging and rewarding cooperative experience. The complexity and depth of the game can be daunting, but it's also what makes it so rewarding. If you're looking for a truly immersive and strategic board game, Kingdom Death: Monster is worth checking out. Just make sure to get the latest version if you can!