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The Adventures of Robin Hood and Its Expansion

  • Reading time:8 mins read

As the name suggests, the story of The Adventures of Robin Hood revolves around the iconic character of Robin Hood and his band of outlaws, a story that resonates with our childhood memories and nostalgia.

What sets Adventures of Robin Hood apart from other games of its kind is its innovative board design. The board is covered with tiles that can be flipped over as you interact with them, creating interesting scenarios. For example, a player standing on a tile can open a passage by flipping a tile over somewhere else on the board for other players to use. In some cases, tiles are even used as game components, representing a track or a list of items. The game also features a hardcover storybook that cleverly manages the story and interactions. When you interact with a specific tile, you go to the corresponding page in the book to see what happens.

Movement in the game is different from other games of its kind, with no spaces, hexes, or grids on the board. Instead, players move their heroes using three wooden pieces placed next to each other, which determines the maximum distance they can travel. The only limitation is that you cannot walk through obstacles like walls, people, or trees, which makes sense! Additionally, hiding in shades on different parts of the map can keep you safe from guards, making movements more interesting.

The combination of movement mechanics and tile interactions on the board, along with the beautiful thematic artwork, creates a great sense of adventure and exploration. Players move around the board, interact with objects and characters, gain items, fight guards, and face consequences depending on the scenario being played. Combat, player turns, and events are managed by a single bag, with different types of components indicating different outcomes. Player turns are determined by drawing disks from the bag, including discs in player colors, a white disk granting a turn to all players, and gray disks allowing players to choose which outlaw gets the turn, providing players with flexibility and strategic choices.

The campaign in Adventures of Robin Hood consists of 7 chapters, while the game itself features 9 chapters that branch out based on your decisions at a point during the story. Additionally, there are sections in the book that introduce changes when playing for the second time, offering surprises for subsequent playthroughs. It’s worth mentioning that despite being a story-driven adventure game, Adventures of Robin Hood may be criticized for its relatively plain and straightforward narrative.

Another standout feature of this game is its great onboarding process. Instead of burdening players with a lengthy rulebook, the game provides a single sheet of paper that introduces the most essential mechanics, allowing players to jump in and start playing right away. The book then guides players turn by turn, gradually introducing the rules. On top of that, a complete rulebook is available for reference whenever needed. This player-friendly approach to rule explanation sets a positive example for other games to follow.

In conclusion, The Adventures of Robin Hood is an innovative game with simple rules, a great onboarding process, and a unique board design that make it a perfect family game. However, players seeking a highly immersive and story-driven experience in adventure games may find The Adventures of Robin Hood relatively plain in terms of narrative.

The Adventures of Robin Hood: Friar Tuck in Danger Expansion

Friar Tuck in Danger expands the game with four new chapters, which are longer and more involved than those in the base game. However, at times, the objectives may not be as clear, leading to potential challenges. In our first attempt at the first scenario, we lost not due to our decisions, but because we failed to interact with the right people on the map before running out of time, which felt arbitrary.

One of the highlights of this expansion is the addition of Friar Tuck as a new character. One of the heroes will need to babysit him, but in return, they gain benefits during combat skill checks and interactions with people on the map. The Sheriff of Nottingham is also introduced as a new character, chasing Friar Tuck and the player who moves with him. If the Sheriff catches up, the adventure is lost immediately.

Friar Tuck in Danger also expands the game board with two new pieces, making the map even bigger. With new items, people, locations, and enemies to interact with, the game becomes even more interesting. However, it’s worth noting that the expanded map requires a larger table space.

Unfortunately, the book included in the expansion falls short in comparison to the one in the base game. The softcover book comes with two cardboard bookmarks, a significant downgrade from what you get in the base game.

If you already enjoy the base game, you will likely find the new chapters in this expansion enjoyable as well. However, if you’re not a fan of the base game, this expansion may not change your mind.

What are your thoughts? Have you played this game or its expansion?

Disclaimer: We received a review copy of this game. Also, there may be an affiliate link in the links included in this article.


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