12 Realms (2010) Board Game – Board Game Guys

12 Realms is a cooperative board game set in a fantasy world where players take on the roles of famous fairy tale characters to defeat the dark lords and save the realms. It was designed by Ignazio Corrao and released in in 2010. The game features beautiful artwork and miniatures that bring the fantasy world to life.

Game Components of 12 Realms

4 realm boards

Character cards with unique abilities

Monster cards

Item cards

Invasion Track

Skill tokens (icon-based resources)

Miniatures (including characters and monsters)

Rulebook

How To Setup 12 Realms

Setting up **12 Realms** involves arranging the four realm boards, shuffling and placing the monster and item cards, distributing character cards to players, and initializing the Invasion Track. Each player chooses a character with special powers and attributes, and the game is ready to begin once all components are in place.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Cooperative Style: Players work together to defeat monsters and Dark Lords.

Action Point System: Players use renewable attributes (skill tokens) to perform actions.

Resource Management: Managing skill tokens to defeat monsters, move, and collect loot.

Adventure System: Players navigate through four realms, dealing with monsters and items that appear randomly.

Objective: Defeat all four Dark Lords to win the game. If the Invasion Track for any realm reaches 20, the game is lost.

Player Experience

In **12 Realms**, players take on specialized characters, each with unique powers and attributes that make them better at dealing with specific threats. The game requires strategic cooperation as players split up to manage monsters across the four realms but come together to defeat the Dark Lords. The iconic token system simplifies skill use, making it easy to understand and manage resources. However, the game can sometimes feel “gamey” if players focus too much on manipulating the Invasion Track to exactly 15 to trigger the Dark Lord’s appearance without going over.

Pros

Cooperative Gameplay: Encourages teamwork and strategy.

Icon-Based Resource System: Simplifies skill use and resource management.

Immersive Fantasy Setting: Combines fairy tales, myth, and fantasy elements.

Varied Character Abilities: Each character has unique strengths and weaknesses.

Cons

Potential for Anti-Climax: Waiting for the final Dark Lord battle can feel sluggish.

Gamey Mechanics: Players might exploit the system to manipulate the Invasion Track.

Limited Innovation: While solid, the challenge system follows traditional cooperative game design.

Personal Thoughts on 12 Realms

**12 Realms** is ideal for fans of cooperative board games and those who enjoy fantasy settings with a mix of adventure and strategy. It is particularly suited for new players to the cooperative genre due to its straightforward mechanics, though experienced players might find some aspects a bit too familiar or gimmicky. The game’s balance between individual character paths and collective victory makes it an engaging experience for groups of 1-6 players.

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