Keydom's Dragons

For me, Keydom's Dragons was the revelation of the summer. It takes all that epic fuss of the hidden-strength worker placement we first saw in Mechanisburgo, but without the tackiness and burn of the first one, nor the minimalist chilliness of Throne of Allegoria.

At its core, it is worker placement with hidden strength: you place your workers and try to read what the others have in mind—and, above all, what strength they are hiding. The point is not to sit quietly and build your little kingdom, but to watch the spaces and wonder who is about to beat you to one or squeeze you out.

The game shines when five or more people gather with the right attitude. That is when the backstabbing, the teasing around the guards, and that dose of push-your-unluck come out: you keep pressing your luck while everyone around the table waits to see whether you will get away with it or become the next joke.

My only complaint is that, beside the other Key-something games, its specific weight is almost nonexistent. I suspect that also explains its relatively poor rating: Breese's audience probably expects more complex things. Still, I wholeheartedly recommend it to groups that can handle games like Dungeon Derby. Hint hint. 🙂