DO NOT SLEEP ON THIS GAME. Seriously I had this game in my library forever and thought it would be just another "rogue-like" cash grab but I was so wrong. This game is what I wished that gloomhaven would be, and if that dosen't sell it for you then I don't know what will. The balance is so perfect where you always have to think and the punishing bad-luck moments are usually recoverable (if you plan ahead) . It scratches the dopamine roll itch very well too if you are the kind of guy who gets a little too into modifiable luck-adjacent mechanics (like dicey dungeons or auto-chess). One of my new all time favorites I'm confident to say.

EDIT since I got the question about what I mean by cashgrab:
In my opinion a cash-grab is when the game follows the exact same formula as an existing game without adding anything new into the mix. Like FIFA, most CoD/BF games (dosen't mean they all are the same but to me they are so I don't see the nuances) and so on. This game has a lot of sub-systems like economy, resource management, massive exploration, interesting loot to be gained in most interactions and so on. If the game was simply, as the screenshots led me to believe a "follow one of a few branching paths" and try to survive until the end like Slay the spire but without the deckbuilding I thought for a long time the experience would be bare-boned. Granted I start the review by saying do not sleep on this game since I did for so long. I know I did not give the game a chance and I regret that.

Edit 2: Wow the questions I get are really interesting I'm thankful that we get a cool discussion going in the comment thread, check in if you want and feel free to ask me anything that confuses you.

DO NOT SLEEP ON THIS GAME. Seriously I had this game in my library forever and thought it would be just another "rogue-like" cash grab but I was so wrong. This game is what I wished that gloomhaven would be, and if that dosen't sell it for you then I don't know what will. The balance is so perfect where you always have to think and the punishing bad-luck moments are usually recoverable (if you plan ahead) . It scratches the dopamine roll itch very well too if you are the kind of guy who gets a little too into modifiable luck-adjacent mechanics (like dicey dungeons or auto-chess). One of my new all time favorites I'm confident to say. EDIT since I got the question about what I mean by cashgrab: In my opinion a cash-grab is when the game follows the exact same formula as an existing game without adding anything new into the mix. Like FIFA, most CoD/BF games (dosen't mean they all are the same but to me they are so I don't see the nuances) and so on. This game has a lot of sub-systems like economy, resource management, massive exploration, interesting loot to be gained in most interactions and so on. If the game was simply, as the screenshots led me to believe a "follow one of a few branching paths" and try to survive until the end like Slay the spire but without the deckbuilding I thought for a long time the experience would be bare-boned. Granted I start the review by saying do not sleep on this game since I did for so long. I know I did not give the game a chance and I regret that. Edit 2: Wow the questions I get are really interesting I'm thankful that we get a cool discussion going in the comment thread, check in if you want and feel free to ask me anything that confuses you.