Games - D

Dune - Manufacturer: Avalon Hill - Designers: Bill Eberle; Jack Kittredge; Peter Olotka - Year: 1979
Review by: Nathaniel Dragon

This Avalon Hill game is based on the popular SF book, Dune. It is a wargame with a unique combat system. Dune is playable with 2-6 players.

To start, each player choose a character (Harkonnen, Emporer, Atreides, Guild, Fremen, and Bene Gesserit). Each of the character has special advantages, allowing them to manipulate or gain from the actions of other players.

As the game continues, players try to harvest spice, which is the basis of life for Dune and the rest of the universe - without spice, you have nothing. Storms and Worms disrupt the movement of troops and spice collecting.

Battles are fought using "Combat Disks" that players use to determine the number of troops each player will use (and lose) in battle. The outcome of the combat is also determined by the leaders that the players use, along with treachery cards, and sometimes special abilities of the characters. The combat has more of a feel that you are in control, since there aren't dice, however, you aren't always in the position that you thought you were in.

The game is won when one player captures three of the five strongholds on Dune. Depending on the alliance though, the player who captures the strongholds may not always be the one and only winner. Briberies may also be used by players in order to manipulate others.

Personally, I like Dune and I think it is a nice change from the wargames that I've played in the past. The only thing I'd like updated about it would be to have minitures rather than cardboard chits for the troops.

Dungeon - Manufacturer: TSR
Review by: Nathaniel Dragon

Dungeon is a fantasy board game from TSR. This game just doesn't cut it for me.

The idea of the game is that there are two to eight adventurers going into a dungeon competeing to be the fastest at gathering treasure. Players can choose to be one of four character types: An elf, a hero, a superhero, or a wizard. The board has 6 different levels of dungeons, each increasingly harder than the last.

The players go around the board into rooms to fight monsters which have different strengths depending on which character type you are. Using two d6 (standard six-sided dice) you roll to see if you can kill the monster you are against. If you roll lower than the number needed, the monster gets to attack, often times ending in your character retreating and losing a treasure. In following turns you can return to reclaim your lost treasure from the monster, but other players might beat you to it. This can happen alot if you are playing as an elf or a hero in level 4 or higher.

Another thing about the game that makes it less than fasinating to me is the secret doors in the game. These are doors that are hidden in the walls that may go from one room or corridor to another. The thing is though, that they aren't really hidden. They are shown on the board with dotted lines, so everyone can see them, but you have to roll to see if your character can get through the door (find it).

Overall, there isn't much adventure to this game. I would HIGHLY recommend Hero Quest if you are looking for a fantasy adventure board game.