Talisman: 2nd and 3rd Edition (Jormi_Boced's review)
After hearing a lot about this game, I got a chance to play it and was not real impressed. This review is only based off of experiences with 2nd and 3rd edition. I have not got a chance to play the new 4th edition, but from what I hear it is pretty close to 2nd, so I may just skip it.
Game Play - The game play consists of rolling a die moving your character and encountering mostly random objects places and monsters or other players. Combat is decided by adding up strength and a die roll. It is a basic roll and move game with RPG elements.
Characters have different abilities (some way more powerful than others) and starting strength and craft scores. These can be increased by objects, followers and encounters throughout the game.
The game is played out on a semi-linear board. There are three rings that players can move back and forth in, and under certain condition can cross over to another ring.
The gameplay really lacks a lot of the strategy elements I look for in a game, and seems to turn into a game of who can get the luckiest.
I feel the gameplay deserves 2 out of 10 talismans.
Look and Feel - This is where the game shines. The look brings me back to the 80s and the classic feel of Dungeon and Dragons. Some might say the art is a little cheesy or lacking, but I kind of dig it.
I really like the feel. It is fun to take your character and make them stronger by defeating enemies, and the encounters can be exciting. Will it be a monster or a magical object am I in danger or will I find a great blessing.
The feel and look drew me into the game and I give it 6 out of 10 talismans for the experience.
Overall Score - 4 talismans out of 10
Final word - Some fun can come out of this game, but I wouldn't need to play it more than once every couple of years. Let a friend buy it and save you money for something more worthwhile. I have also found that playing this online is great, as it eliminates the downtime in between turns and I don't feel like I have wasted my time when the player that gets lucky finally wins.