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Be the first to review “Merchants of the Dark Road (Kickstarter – Deluxe)”
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After half a year of daylight, we must now prepare for the dark season. The roads will be treacherous but they will still need to be braved by a select few in order to keep our cities thriving. In Merchants of the Dark Road, you are one of these brave few merchants that travel the dangerous paths between cities. While the job is perilous, fame and fortune await.
Discover the capital city where most of your actions will take place using a rondel action system. Collect and produce items to add to your caravan, or sell these items to local heroes and hire them to travel with you. Manipulate the market price of items, visit the back alley sellers, or delve a nearby dungeon for magical items to gain the potential for even more coin and notoriety.
Gather lanterns to ease your passage along the dark roads as you guide your caravan to distant villages. Deliver goods and heroes to the best destinations and gain fame for your bravery! Balance the money you earn with the height of your fame because your final score after a number of game rounds will reflect the lowest of these two values.
After all, what good is a purse full of the coin if the people don’t sing songs about you, and what good is a song with an empty mug of ale?
—description from the publisher
The Deluxe Edition contains everything in the Standard Edition, with upgrades in the components, the box, and the insert.
Ages | 12+ |
---|---|
Players | Solo, 2 Players, 3 Players, 4 Players |
Play Time | 60m – 120m |
Designer | Brian Suhre |
Mechanics | Rondel, Worker Placement with Dice Workers |
Theme | Dice, Exploration, Fantasy |
Publisher | Elf Creek Games |
Abrominator
Really good! I enjoyed all my games, and the mechanics are maybe not the most unique, but the medley is pretty well done!
barth153
At it's core this is largely a rondel pick-up and deliver game. Elf Creek Games has become known for their outstanding production value and this is no exception - it has incredible table presence. Merchants of the Dark Road almost certainly would not have the same appeal with bland illustrations and minimalist components as most of what it offers has been done before. But as is, the various mechanisms work well enough together to make a solid euro. I've only played at 2p but could see AP being a problem at higher counts. I'm not a big fan of the hero character art as it doesn't seem terribly fitting for the theme and the companion/crystal mechanism seems sort of tacked on. All in all, it's a decent euro with exceptional production but, with the dichotomous reviews, is one you should try before you buy.
Apone007
Deluxe Edition with sleeves and metal coins. I really enjoy this game, fairly easy to learn, and has a lot of replay value. Elf Creek is know for quality game parts and they delivered here. As for gameplay, 13 quick rounds and this game is over! I like pick up and deliver games so this one hits the spot. I like the atmosphere the game creates, it definitely adds to the little story you are on. I enjoy solo gaming with Merchants, but I can see this being solid with 3.