Those Pesky Humans! (2009) Board Game

Those Pesky Humans! is a board game designed by Chuck Whelon and published in 2009 by Minion Games. The game is set in a fantasy world where players take on the roles of monsters defending their dungeon from pesky human adventurers. With a mix of strategy, exploration, and role-playing elements, the game offers an engaging experience for 2-4 players.

Game Components of Those Pesky Humans!

10 Room Tiles

40 Human Draw Cards

40 Monster Draw Cards

12 Doors

30 Resource/Equipment Tokens

2 Starting Hex Tokens

23 Monster Minion Figures

30 Ability Cards

5 Avatar Figures (paladin, wizard, thief, and cleric)

1 Rulebook

How To Setup Those Pesky Humans!

To set up the game, the overlord places 3 chests containing rare gems in different rooms on the modular hexagonal grid board. The rest of the rooms are filled with trapped chests. The humans select their character avatars and begin their journey through the dungeon. The overlord prepares their deck of minion cards and spells.

Gameplay Mechanics and Game Objective

Game Category: Adventure, Dungeon Crawl

Mechanics: Action Points, Hexagon Grid, Modular Board, Role Playing, Tile Placement, Variable Player Powers

Objective:
– Humans: Find 3 rare gems and escape the dungeon.
– Overlord: Kill all the human avatars to protect the treasure.

Gameplay:
– Humans take turns moving, drawing cards, playing cards, and attacking minions.
– Overlord spawns minions and plays spells to hinder the humans.
– Combat involves rolling a d6 and adding modifiers to determine hits and damage.

Player Experience

Those Pesky Humans offers a light and comical take on the dungeon crawl genre. The game is highly dynamic, thanks to the modular board and variable player powers, which enhances replayability. However, it is noted that the game feels more suited for 2 players, with the human turns being easily manageable by one player. The game’s simple mechanics make it easy to understand, and games typically last about 60-90 minutes.

Pros

Highly replayable due to modular board and variable player powers

Simple and easy-to-understand mechanics

Comical approach to the dungeon crawl theme

Quick gameplay sessions

Cons

Components are of lower quality (cheap card stock, etc.)

Limited diversity in chest contents (either victory gems or traps)

More suited for 2 players rather than 4

Personal Thoughts on Those Pesky Humans!

Those Pesky Humans is a great option for anyone looking for a light, fun, and humorous dungeon crawl experience. It’s ideal for opening a game night or filling the gap between more complex games. While serious dungeon crawl fans might find it lacks depth compared to games like Descent, it’s a perfect fit for those seeking a casual and entertaining game. With its affordable price point of around $25, it’s a good addition to any board game collection.

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