Cross-post from another forum:
So I got The Living Dungeon. It was under a tenner, and I figure such games need supporting, as they bring a really different flavour to console gaming.
The game is absolutely a board game on a TV. You can see, right down to the terrain being 3x3 tiles, that it's based on a board game (that, oddly, has been preceded by its digital version, as I understand it).
Play revolves around a mission type: assassinate a target, escape the floor, etc. Each 'map' is formed of a number of 3x3 tiles. You move around these, fighting enemies and combating the DM's attempts to stop you. Where the game gets interesting is the way tiles flip and rotate. You can flip between 'room' and 'walkway' tiles, and, with a little judgement, can flip enemies into the void below, or open them up to the DM's own tricks. It's interesting. In this video, you can see how I get a 'Mechanical' character (one that is very good at manipulating the board, over combat and movement) out of a tricky spot using the tiles:
http://xboxclips.com/RedSparrows/b49fe4a3-b73e-4ceb-b8e0-03a39ed870ce
I am happy to say that so far I do not regret that purchase. Here are my thoughts, in bullet point fashion:
Pluses:
+ Easy to understand, yet complex(ish) ruleset.
+ Tavern Mode (one of two ways of viewing a game) is pleasingly, and clichedly, pleasant.
+ Loads of options: lots of story 'missions', multiplayer, whilst local only (I think), can be used as a vs AI skirmish mode, or up to 9 people, on a variety of teams, in a variety of modes, can play.
+ DM role for AI or human, if you like.
Negatives:
- Low production values. It's rarely absolutely hideous (although is quite often ugly), but it's clearly a budget game.
- You know that trailer voice? He's in the game! Aiiii! As one of the characters. The voice acting is generally poor.
- The story is eh wha story? characterisation? wha? Eurgh
- So far, and *this may change* there are SOME unwinnable situations that SOMETIMES arise. I think there might be a mechanic to bypass these, from something I saw in the menus, but I'm only in mission 6 or something.
To summarise: it seems like a pretty cool boardgame, built on interesting rules. Where it falls down is in the digital elements: the graphics, VO, the shoe-horn story. That said, if you are (strongly) more about the mechanics than the window-dressing, and you like dungeon-y tactical turn-based type stuff, with obviously boardgame rules, this is a nice little surprise.
