Wrath of Ashardalon (Wizards of the Coast)

The new Dungeons & Dragons board game, Wrath of Ashardalon, is now available. This one slipped under my radar. Unlike its predecessor, Castle Ravenloft, it didn't seem to generate a lot of buzz, perhaps because it leans more towards fantasy than horror.

Like Castle Ravenloft, this looks like a chunky box full o' stuff for cooperative, boardgame-style adventuring. D&D purists seem to be turning up their noses at these, but my few sessions with Castle Ravenloft have provided a bit of that RPG flavor without the lengthy play, prep time, or need for a dungeon master. In other words: it's a way to play an RPG without it becoming an entire lifestyle.

This time, the Big Bad is a dragon rather than a vampire, and there seems to be a bit more complexity to the experience. The box is stuffed with plenty of dungeon tiles, hero and villain figures, cards, tokens, markers, and everything else a body needs to the D&D thing without a DM. It's listing for $65, and if I get a chance to look at it, I'll do a full review.