Trudvang Legends Board Game | Tabletop Miniatures Strategy Game | Cooperative Fantasy Adventure Game for Adults and Teens | Ages 14+ | 1-4 Players | Average Playtime 120 Minutes | Made by CMON

Product Information

The Darkwoods is not unknowable, but it holds its secrets dear. Even seasoned Elven rangers with centuries behind them will speak of forgotten wonders and unknown horrors concealed in the stillness. Steeped in epic Nordic and Celtic myths and sagas, Trudvang Legends places players in the roles of legendary heroes who make their mark on a dynamic, everchanging fantasy world. This was also a title where Tony was glad he dropped his pledge and I was nervously excited to receive my copy. Was it worth the wait? Who gets to claim to be right and give the other one a smug look at the next BGQ BBQ? Turn to Gameplay Overview to continue… Gameplay Overview:

A squirrel might run from the Great Iron Tooth to Icepeak Mountain leaping from branch to branch, never touching the ground below.

Trudvang Legends comes filled with beautiful miniatures to represent both the heroes and their adversaries, with artwork by legendary artist Paul Bonner. Final Score: 2 Stars – Bland and underwhelming game mechanics surround an interesting collection of ideas and an engaging narrative. Players’ characters earn experience by exploring and fighting monsters. The equipment, upgrade and powers they buy are based on the world’s different elements and guide each character down one of several ‘legendary paths’ that culminate in a particular ending for the character based on their decisions. While characters can essentially retire as ‘legends’ during a campaign, players can have the option to play as their descendants, starting with different benefits as the result of their previous actions. The classes are based on the tabletop RPG. Rumours have it that a demon has taken refuge in its depths, twisting and manipulating creatures, terrorising all who come near it. It’s up to you to investigate the source of this rumours, and to try and survive the expedition itself! In addition, features a brand new playable Class, the Demon Hunter, who masters the dark forces and twists the limits between good and bad.

The Darkwoods is no more a forest than a mountain is a hill, or an ocean a pond. It ranges all of northern Trudvang east of the Great Iron Tooth, south of the Great White. I was enthralled by the art and the lore pulled me in. But after a handful of plays, I realized I might as well just be reading a choose-your-own-adventure story and skip all the mechanics which weren’t engaging. And it bothers me to write it, and not just because Tony gets to gloat (but that too), it’s because a group of people spent a lot of effort on something and, in my opinion, it just doesn’t work. CMON bought the Trudvang IP from Riotminds so this seems to be something they’re investing in. And while I like it more than NFT’s, that’s a pretty low bar to clear. Continuing along in their campaign, the choices that they make are recorded on the board. Sleeves on the game board itself hold cards that show the path the players have gone down as they continue their adventure. There are no easy answers, and the group’s decisions may have unintended consequences far down the line. But with careful planning, good can triumph over evil. The Darkwoods is not unknowable, but it holds its secrets dear. Even seasoned Elven rangers with centuries behind them will speak of forgotten wonders and unknown horrors concealed in the stillness. It’s a hinterland, a wild land, not an enemy to mortalkind, but no friend either for travelers unprepared for its challenges. The Darkwoods does not suffer fools, no matter how kindly intentioned. The Darkwoods watches.

Core Sets

Change in Trudvang Legends manifests physically, as parts of the board actually change, making the actions of previous hero generations affect future sagas. However, the changes are only as permanent as long as history remembers them, which makes the game endlessly replayable, and even playing the same Adventure Book repeatedly will have a completely different feeling, because the world itself has changed. Heroes, following a path of destiny, will even become historical fixtures as they become Kings, Guildmasters or even Gods!