Demon Worker (2016) Board Game

Demon Worker is a worker placement board game designed by Shu Nagata and released in in 2016. The game is set in a world of villainy and demons, where players take on the role of demons trying to outwit each other in order to become the most powerful demon in the underworld. With a runtime of 45 minutes and designed for 3-4 players, Demon Worker offers a unique and engaging gaming experience.

Game Components of Demon Worker

Human Cards: Basic workers with no special effects, one food cost to dispatch, and two victory points each.

Demon Cards: Unique workers with special summoning and dispatch costs, victory points, and activate abilities.

Work Area Cards: Various areas providing resources, resources and evil points, or special abilities like the War Room and Audience Chamber.

Planning Cards: Cards that award evil points if players allocate the required resources.

Resources: Food, human sacrifices, weapons, and magical stones.

Player Aid Sheets: For each player.

Worker Tokens: Circular discs representing players’ workers.

Turn Order Tokens: Determine the order of play.

How To Setup Demon Worker

To set up the game, start by placing the 11 work area cards in the middle of the table, excluding the Trash Dump and Cemetery for a three-player game. Shuffle the planning deck and deal two planning cards to each player, which they should not look at yet. Separate the resources into different piles. Each player chooses a color, takes the corresponding player aid sheet, all worker tokens, and two human workers. Players are then dealt three human sacrifice resources, two weapons, and one magical stone. Place the round tracker on the first round and position each player’s disc on the zero score of the board. Deal six demon worker cards to each player and have them choose one planning card to keep and one to discard. Finally, give the first player the first turn order marker and distribute the descending order markers to the other players.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Supply Phase

Players gain resources based on their turn order token.

Assignment Phase

Players take turns assigning one worker to a work area, paying the dispatch cost and any additional costs for other workers on the same area.

Activate the worker’s ability followed by the work area’s ability.

Cleanup Phase

Players collect their worker discs and pass their turn order token to the left.

End of Game Scoring

Players tally points from summoned workers, resources, and planning cards.

Additional points are awarded for summoning multiple workers.

Player Experience

Demon Worker offers a dynamic and strategic experience where players must efficiently manage their workers and resources to execute evil plans. The game is filled with unique demon abilities and work areas that provide various opportunities for resource gathering and point scoring. Players need to balance their short-term goals with long-term strategies, making it engaging and challenging.

Pros

Variety of Workers: Each demon worker has unique abilities and costs.

Strategic Depth: Players need to manage resources and plan carefully.

Interactive Elements: Work areas and planning cards add multiple layers of strategy.

Thematic Engagement: The game’s theme of competing for the Demon King’s throne is immersive.

Cons

Complex Setup: The initial setup can be time-consuming and complex.

Steep Learning Curve: New players may find the rules and interactions between cards and work areas confusing.

Limited Player Count: The game is designed for 3 to 4 players, limiting its accessibility for larger or smaller groups.

Personal Thoughts on Demon Worker

Demon Worker is ideal for players who enjoy strategic worker placement games with a high level of complexity and depth. It is particularly suited for those who appreciate managing diverse worker abilities and resources to achieve long-term goals. However, it may not be the best fit for casual gamers or those looking for a quick, simple game. The game’s thematic elements and the challenge of rising to the Demon King’s throne make it a compelling choice for fans of intricate gameplay and strategic planning.

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