Artists: Miles Bensky, Marius Petrescu Publisher: Stonemaier Games Year Published: 2024
No. of Players: 1-6
Ages: 14+
Playing Time: 30-45 minutes.
Foreword:
I received this game from Stonemaier Games for review recently and couldn’t wait to dig in. I had played Rolling Realms (original) a few years ago with a close friend and remember really enjoying the game and concept. I later looked into the title further and how Jamey came up with it as a way to share the game and spend time with friends virtually when close contact was limited by the pandemic. Oh, and as written below, you do not need to own any other Rolling Realms content to play Rolling Realms Redux.
From the Publisher:
A Standalone Rolling Realms game featuring 12 new realms in a box designed to hold all realms ever made.
Disclaimer: The publisher provided the copy of Rolling Realms Redux The opinions expressed in the review are completely my own.
Disclaimer: Anytime you see a link to Amazon on our site, it is another way to get your product there for the normally listed price as well as a way to support Everything Board Games and everything we’re doing here, without paying any extra. We appreciate the support!
Review:
Initial Impression/Components:
I more-or-less got exactly what I expected as I had a recent and fond memory of the original Rolling Realms. The game contents are as follows:
1 box (204x204x86mm)
1 travel tuckbox (75x115x45mm; also used to keep cards upright)
72 realm cards (12 cards per player; dry erase)
6 score cards & 6 resource cards
2 custom d6 dice (25mm)
6 dry erase pens and 6 eraser pads
1 rulebook
1 realm compendium (I loved this)
1 solo rulebook
8 divider cards
14 solo play cards
1 save sheet for solo play (PDF version)
Favorite:
With 12 new realms, it offers a lot of replayability, coming with even more than the original did. Also, the game box comes with enough space to fit all other published realms. But my absolute favorite was the compendium which shows an image of, and explains, every published realm to date. That is so cool! You can order realms individually to add to your game if you wish so getting an idea of which might be interesting to you ahead of time was a thoughtful idea.
Least Favorite:
It’s inevitable, but player skill shows quickly in a game like this where you all use the same dice values to get different outcomes. Players familiar with the game or specific realms will have an advantage but it’s about having fun and I have an easy time doing that with Rolling Realms!
Each player will start a game by selecting the same 3 realms, collecting a dry erase marker, a score sheet, and a resource card. Each turn, two dice are rolled and players choose how to use those dice. After 9 turns, players determine their round points, erase their cards, get 3 new realms and restart. The player with the most points after 3 rounds is the winner.
Areas they did well:
– Redux features games outside of the Stonemaier collection and offers a unique feel from other realms. They did a great job of making them feel like the games they represent (Example that comes to mind The Guild of Merchant Explorers)
– A game that plays the same but feels good solo and with multiple players
– Quality components
– Reusable dry-erase sheets/cards
– Replayability and variable setup through realm combinations
– Very fair starting point for all players
Areas they could have improved:
– Some of the realm explanations were a bit confusing but you can figure them out when you get into it. There are also a ton of resources and clarifications to be found online.
– It would be nice to be able to order all other content mentioned in the Compendium in one package. Such as the Rolling Realm Redux + All Realms Expansion (minus what comes in Redux)
Interesting moment:
In the second round of a recent game, I saved up a bunch of resources and on my final turns created a bunch of extra dice as well as used pumpkins so that they could be used in the same realms which allowed me to get a whole bunch of things completed on multiple cards. I got 14.5 stars in the round and that felt huge. Got to love those combos!
Overall:
I was very impressed how each realm had a unique feel and also didn’t give me the impression of the realms I was already familiar with from the original rolling realms. I admit that I’m not usually one to go out and buy a bunch of expansions or extra content for titles, but I’m really tempted to get all of the realms for this game and complete the collection. It’s a great game.
Final Thoughts:
I truly feel Rolling Realms content is accessible to nearly any group and most ages. I wouldn’t hesitate to pull it out as a first-impression game to new friends or gaming groups to break the ice and as an easy opening discussion to bring up other games and titles that everyone might enjoy.
I’ll see you next time, back here at The Game Table,
After reading Brad’s review, if this sounds like a game for you at the time of this posting Rolling Realms Redux is currently on sale for $30 on Amazon. Get yours HERE.
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Check out Rolling Realms Reduxand Stonemaier Games on:
Disclaimer: Anytime you see a link to Amazon on our site, it is another way to get your product there for the normally listed price as well as a way to support Everything Board Games and everything we’re doing here, without paying any extra. We appreciate the support!
Brad Hiscock, aka “Zerility”, is a construction project manager and electrician by trade who was the owner of a 6-time award winning electrical company. His passion for board games has led him from playing hundreds of original titles to creating a design and publishing company of his own, Convivial Games. As an up and coming collaborator on many projects, he is always eager to try new games and meet new people.
