Paper Dungeons
Paper Dungeons is a roll and write dungeon crawler that manages to cross pollinate different game designs to create a fast, slick and incredibly enjoyable experience. It's clever, combines strategy and luck in a rewarding way and if it had just an increased level of interaction between players would perhaps have landed a perfect score.
Paper Dungeons: Quick Summary
Score:
9/10
Number of Players:
1-5+
Time to Play:
45 minutes
This is an excellent game and we recommend it as an essential addition to any collection, it's also perfect for the solo player too.
What we loved:
This game is really easy to learn and teach - so perfect for first time gamers
The fantasy setting makes for a very different roll and write adventure
It's relatively quick and comes in a small package, perfect for travel gaming
The quality of the components is excellent
The artwork is really good
What could be improved:
Not much - this game is excellent
Sometimes the interplay between players is limited, you can go the whole game without really needing to interact with another player
Paper Dungeons: What is it and how to play
Paper Dungeons is a roll-and-write adventure set in a dungeon crawler fantasy world. The objective of the game is to score as many points as possible across 8 rounds. It's fast-paced, provides a reasonable mental challenge and above all is a really fun way to play on a classic fantasy trope. The quality of the components is high, and it is a lot of fun to play. There is something very satisfying about quietly rolling dice and then scribbling on the sheet before working up towards the boss battles. In our experience, this hasn't been a game with lots of whooping and shouting (although, tbh we're British, so it would take something major for that!), but instead lots of micro ASMR moments. The clatter of the dice, the scribble on the pad, the occasional murmur of "I'll level up THAT guy this time" or "Then I kill that orc" are the soundtrack that powers this game along.
In short - it's blooming brilliant!
How to play Paper Dungeons
When setting up the game, players draw a map card and objective/bonus cards. The map cards show the players where they need to draw in walls, water features and boss monsters, ensuring that each adventure into the dungeon is different. The objective/bonus card determines the colour for the different members of the player's party. At the start of each round, players roll the 6 custom dice. There are three black and three white, and depending on the player's starting card, they can choose dice with the right icon and colour to level up their heroes. When the adventurers reach level four, they unlock additional bonus powers that can help defeat bigger monsters and boss baddies.
If players don't want to level up their heroes, they can instead create artefacts that provide points or power-ups, or create health potions that provide more resistance to attacks. Players can also use the dice to move around the dungeon, drawing their pencil line through squares and encountering the monsters, traps or gems they find. Each monster is aligned to a hero, so Orcs must be defeated by warriors, ghouls are tackled by the wizard, the cleric banishes the undead, and the thief takes on goblins. Your strength and the damage you receive depend on the level of your adventurer and the artefacts you've uncovered.
Fighting Boss Battles in Paper Dungeons
At certain points in the game, the players must face an end-of-round boss battle. These are pre-selected from the map card, and are graded to get harder as the rounds progress, boss 1 will always be level 1 and so on. To fight the boss, the adventurers must have passed through the square the boss sits at any point in the game, previous to the battle. Then they must have accrued enough power to successfully kill the boss, this can be through levelling up the heroes or unlocking the artefacts. If they don't have enough power, then they will face a points deduction as they scurry away with their tails between their legs. If they beat the boss, they receive points and damage, plus a bonus for the toughest players.
Boss battles are a key source of points for players, and completing these sections can make the winning difference. What's great about any interaction or battle in Paper Dungeons is how easy they are, straightforward without lots of sub-rules, and they are a fitting conclusion to that phase of the game. There is a light strategy required for players to consider, too, as the turns previous to the battle are crucial for power building.
The artwork on the boss cards is exceptional, very high fantasy and entertaining without being cutesy, very in keeping with the quality of design across the rest of the game. Fighting boss battles is also one of the only times players interact with each other, as the players with the most power are the ones who unlock the biggest bonuses. It's very light and brief, but it is there!
The Pros and Cons in Detail
What we loved:
Paper Dungeons is extremely easy to learn, the rulebook is tiny, and from opening the box to playing the first game can be done within thirty minutes at the most. It's also fun and simple, which means it's a great game for people new to board gaming or teaching groups of people at board gaming night. It looks good, too, which is just the icing on the cake.
Although it might seem on face value that the theme is stuck on top of the roll and write mechanics, actually, it is a quiet and very nice homage to dungeon crawling. Everything is here that you expect from a fantasy setting, the undead wandering the dank, trap-filled corridors and big scary end-of-level bosses ready to tear your party apart.
The components are excellent, very well made and well designed. The map pad is thick and will last for a long time (plus the expansion also contains a pad too), and the dice look cool and roll well. All of the cards feel premium in their design and will stand a good deal of play before they bend. All of this for around £20, which is a great price for such a replayable board game.
What we would improve:
As can be the case with some roll-and-writes, the interplay between players is very limited. This is a game for playing separately, but together, while chatting about your day or how your warrior just smushed an orc. This isn't directly competitive, and some players will see that as a negative. Personally, we think it's perfect for playing on the sofa with the TV and phones turned off.
Paper Dungeons: A Summary
We strongly recommend Paper Dungeons as an essential addition to your board gaming shelf. It's fun, easy, fast and looks great. It may not have great interplay, but it can be played effectively solo and is perfect for a cosy night in on the sofa with everything switched off. A great game from Alley Cat Games.
Expansions and Related Games
Expansions
Paper Dungeons: The Sidequest Expansion contains a new pad of maps, new boss battles and additional actions for adventurers to complete. There is also a new set of missions and a campaign so players can return to their favourite dungeon scrawler.
Related Games
If you enjoy a good roll and write, then we recommend Welcome To Your Perfect Home which is a lovely roll and write set in American 1050s surburbia or Railroad Inc. A road and write where you create railroads across your wipe clean board. If you love a little time with coloured pencils then
Next Station: Tokyo is the choice for you, another cosy way to spend a winter's evening!
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Paper Dungeons: Frequently Asked Questions
Can Paper Dungeons be played solo?
Paper Dungeons is a roll and write that can easily be played solo. The objective then can be to achieve the highest score possible from the 8 rounds. There are also solo rules with the game.
Is Paper Dungeons good for a large board game party
Paper Dungeons, in theory, can be played by any number of players as the tear-off map sheets are easy to share out. However, the vibe the game creates may not be conducive to the most exciting board game party! If you're hosting a room of introverts who are keen not to talk (not unheard of in fantasy board gaming, let's face it), then this game is great, if you want something more exuberant - try a different game!
Is Paper Dungeons a good travel game
Paper Dungeons is small, compact and doesn't need a table to play on. It's great for sneaking into the holiday luggage and playing on an Airbnb when you're winding down after a day's sightseeing.
Transparency Notice
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