Merchants of the Dark Road (2022) Board Game

Merchants of the Dark Road is a board game released in 2022, designed by Andrew Bosley, Joey Julian, and Matt Paquette, and published by Elf Creek Games. The game is set in a fantasy medieval world where players take on the roles of merchants traveling dark and treacherous roads to deliver goods and fulfill contracts. With a mix of exploration and transportation elements, players must carefully plan their routes and manage their resources to succeed in this competitive game.

Game Components of Merchants of the Dark Road

Game board

Player boards

Dice

Cards (contracts, goods, and events)

Tokens

Rulebook

How To Setup Merchants of the Dark Road

Place the game board in the center of the playing area.

Each player chooses a color and takes a player board, dice, and tokens.

Shuffle the contract cards and place them face down.

Deal each player a starting contract card.

Place goods and event cards near the board.

Determine the starting player and begin the game.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

In Merchants of the Dark Road, players will roll dice to determine their movement and take actions to fulfill contracts, deliver goods, and navigate challenges on the road. The game ends when a player reaches the required number of victory points, or when a set number of rounds have been played. The player with the most victory points at the end of the game wins.

Player Experience

Pros

Engaging mix of exploration and resource management

Strategic decision-making with dice rolling element

Beautiful artwork and thematic immersion

Cons

High level of randomness due to dice rolling

Learning curve for new players

Limited player interaction

Personal Thoughts on Merchants of the Dark Road

Merchants of the Dark Road offers a unique and immersive gameplay experience with its blend of exploration and medieval fantasy themes. While the randomness of dice rolling can be a drawback for some players, the strategic depth and thematic immersion make up for it. The game’s components are of high quality, and the artwork is stunning. However, the learning curve and limited player interaction may not appeal to all gamers. Overall, Merchants of the Dark Road is worth checking out for fans of exploration and transportation games, but may not be suitable for those looking for heavy player interaction.

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