As an avid dungeon crawler aficionado, few releases have captured my imagination as much as the recent Oathsworn Kickstarter. I still vividly remember scrolling through my feed last autumn and catching my first glimpse at the lavish production quality and dark fantasy theme. I knew in that moment my wallet was in grave peril. Over 250 hours of gameplay later across multiple campaigns, I’m here to recount my extensive adventures with this hobby heavyweight. Does Oathsworn fulfill its sweeping ambitions? Grab your best Loot tier gear, we’re going in!
First Impressions: Cautious Optimism
Given the nature of Kickstarter project uncertainty, I started off cautiously optimistic instead of fully hype train onboarding. Would the narrative truly immerse me episode to episode? Would the battles remain dynamic over repeated plays? My first unboxing alleviated most concerns. Seeing the epic map unveiled across my dining room table or customizable encounter deck for each region showed the sheer volume of content involved. And that was just the base package before any extras.
Speaking of, I indulged in theCollector’s Edition for the full monty. This grandiose box packed with add-ons nearly ruptured my shelf! But worth it for all the bonus bosses, heroes, lore books, and flair. The production sparing no expense oozes throughout every engraving, right down to the magnetic closures. Fantastical maps and artwork bring this grim setting to life. Between the 50+ chapter adventure path encompassing different zones, along with side stories through sealed envelopes, my group looked at well over 100 hours of adventures ahead at minimum. Maybe closer to 200 hours if we scale using popular comparisons like Gloomhaven!
Suffice to say, first glimpses hinted at spectacular potential. Time to gather the party and spend some quality year(s) together recounting tales of our glory…and ignoble defeats.
Choose Your Champion: Breaking Down the Heroes
Of course a game leveraging unique hero roles lives or dies based on how dynamic those heroes play over repeated uses. We began as a party of five selecting from the starting classic fantasy archetypes. Let’s assess how they fared over our journey together:
Valkyrie: Boasts well-rounded stats capable in both attack and defense scenarios. Her Shield Slam and Whirlwind abilities make engaging multiple foes at once easy, while still dishing out solid normal attack damage via Cleave. My top overall pick that never disappointed.
| Valkyrie | Rating |
|---|---|
| Strength | 9/10 |
| Speed | 7/10 |
| Defense | 8/10 |
| Hero Ability | 9/10 |
| Gear Dependence | 5/10 |
Berserker: No surprises here as the rage fueled damage dealer. Bellowing Roar and Bloodbath combo enable declaring all-out offense on bosses. Pay the price by leaving yourself temporarily exhausted afterwards. High risk, high reward exemplifying a glass cannon playstyle.
Archer: Reliable ranged damage dealer. Special arrows for crowd control, explosives, or pinpoint accuracy carve through tough armored targets. Fantastic support hero backing up the frontline warriors, I found the Archer one of the most versatile in adapting to any enemy configuration.
Bard: Manipulate dice results to miraculously save doomed heroes from devastating fumbles or skillfully twist a middling success into an amazing feat. Of all the classes, Lady Luck shines brightest on Bard devotees. Just be prepared to ride fate’s fickle whims.
Cleric:stalwart defender and healer through various blessing buffs. What Cleric lacks in raw strength, they compensate via bolstering ally capabilities far beyond normal limits. Their Divine Intervention serves as a last line lifesaver against otherwise lethal enemy strikes as well.
After dozens of retirements, unlocks, and new additions, I eventually cycled through all starter possibilities from the deluxe edition extras. Minotaur, Fae Assassins, even Warlocks made appearances! Each brought uniquely tailored mechanics guaranteeing battles never grew repetitive even facing familiar foes again.
Navigating the Narrative: Tales Woven Through Choices
Now on to the cornerstone feature setting Oathsworn apart: the branching narrative. I cannot overstate enough how incredibly well written every vignette proved from the edge of your seat opening to the emotionally heavy sacrifices endured in finales. Haunting choices such as which villager to save from the gnoll raid or whether to show mercy to enemies pleading surrender illustrated the morally gray shades of heroism we navigated.
I particularly appreciated how even subtle options radically mutated how subsequent battles played out. Agreeing to spare a single kobold scout from an ambush gone awry meant facing a far more fortified counterattack as he warned his tribe of our approach. Likewise, securing additional guides for a mountain passage rewarded us with insider secrets that tilted the next fight fully in our favor. Beyond just flavor, choices tangibly impacted mechanical difficulty.
The named characters met also demonstrated complex depth through letters, battlefield journals, and whispered campfire talks. I genuinely cared what happened to individuals like the barkeep, gnome tinkerer, or lost caravan survivors. Though we also faced agonizing decisions dooming figures thought as friends prior. Such emotional turmoil made for amazing roleplaying moments in addition to excellently voice acted narration guiding each step.
"Please, I beg of you! We only took up these arms out of desperation to feed our children. Show mercy and allow us to return home peacefully. I swear upon my life we shall not trouble you again!" The gnoll chieftain drops to his knees, weapons discarded as his people look on apprehensively...What say you adventurers? Shall we show forgiveness this day?```
Moments like these exemplified the excruciating gray areas heroes navigated under my guidance. In certain paths, former enemies even returned later as staunch allies which was incredibly rewarding to see play out.
## Grappling With Goliaths: Breaking Down Big Bads
But enough waxing poetic about finer story moments, let’s get down to the nitty gritty mechanical bones! Namely, how well do the various enemy archetypes challenge parties on the battlefield? Pretty exceptional overall. Even humble starting zones like plague infested farmlands or haunted midnight bogs offered creative variety spanning undead, human raiders, ferocious wildlife, and monstrous insects. Further amplified when adding side quest content into the mix.
By midway progressreaching industrial cities, mountain excavation sites, and demonic forests, the gloves came off. Eldritch abominations, six armed snake warriors with venom soaked blades, and Mech titan guardians unleashed devastating area attacks decimating our unprepared glory hounds early on. Only through shrewd applications of hero abilities combined with liberal campfire recovery timeouts did we humble such mythic foes.
My favorite showdown came while liberating a dwarf mine. We faced The Blight, a towering fungal beast churning pollen explosions and noxious particulate. I lost two heroes in the opening rounds just attempting to breach its thick carapace shell defense. Only an improbably triumphant surge of critical hits allowed my battered and poisoned last hero to finally pierce its vile heart. I still wear that fungal growth residue on my mini with pride!
While each region themes enemies appropriately, don’t expect repetition across replays. Timed event cards shuffle battles to keep veterans on their toes. What once was a straightforward owlbear hunt twisted into a nightmare showdown against the undead resurrected carcass fused with gnolls and spell warping aura effects altering the forest itself. Defeating the same Normal rank boss you easily toppled before might reveal itself as an Exalted champion successor thirsting for revenge!
## Beauty in the Struggle: Assessing Miniatures and Components
Now for the well publicized sticking point - miniatures. Let’s address the hippogriff in the room. Yes, models tend toward simple sculpts and thin plastic construction prone to bending or breaking without careful handling. Insert obligatory quip about supplies shortages and soaring resin rates. But honestly? The visual appeal never bothered me for the price.
Could certain figurines like the Valkyrie have better modeled shield and armor definition? Sure, no dispute there. Does the Berserker’s oversized axe comically look like a piece of Flintstones decoration fruit? Guilty as charged! Yet imperfections aside, when seen posing dynamically mid-combat surrounded by artful forest terrain and flickering torchlight, complaints melt away.
I imagine much criticism originates less from missing detail itself, but the weird dissonance created when contrasting artwork showcasing one expectation versus final models exhibiting another reality. Seeing epic oil painted demons and beasts depicted on boxes lends assumption to equally inspiring models awaiting within. So imagining buyers anticipating Rage of Demons and instead getting Dollar Tree Halloween clearance items sparks understandable resentment.
My advice? Embrace imagination and embellish away! Nothing prevents supplementing extra bits, green stuff, accessories etc to enhance the perfectly adequate starting sculpts. Check any hobby shop’s model range for cheap add-ons to fuse with your favorites. Some real gems hide on secondary markets for modification too. Ultimately if lovingly customized to your vision, no piece feels wanting. Lean into making pieces your own rather than relying on developers catering to unknown personal aesthetics.
Beyond models, storage and card material also received flak but performed well for my needs. Plano tackle boxes with adjustable dividers worked wonders organizing heroes, monsters, map tiles, tokens, and cards across boxes with instant setup/teardown readiness. Give up living room appeal for utility. As for ability cards, Dragon Shield matte sleeves prevented scuffing although increased hand fatigue shuffling versus linen finishes. But peace of mind avoiding irreparable drink stains makes that acceptable trade off.
## Closing Thoughts: An Epic Sure to Delight for Years
After all these hours sweating and swearing through brutal battles, forging bonds of fellowship between staunch comrades, and saving the realm from utter ruin, do I recommend oathsworn for fellow adventure lovers? Unequivocally so, my endorsement comes full throated and enthusiastic. While certainly not the right fit those seeking deep stratagegic challenge or wildly innovative mechanisms redefining genres, Oathsworn accomplishes its core vision spectacularly.
Immerse within a expansive fantasy realm, live and breathe beside vivid companions, abandon hesitation and boldly blaze your own destiny free from constraining railroad tracks. Ferocious foes await around every shadowy corner ready to test true determination. Unspeakable evil lurks in forgotten tombs and abandoned desert cities tempting even the noblest hearts with promises of power. So rally forth brave heroes! Adventure calls...and I for one cannot ignore the oath bound within my soul to answer.
On a scale from 1-10 ratings overall:
- **Replay Value**: 9/10
- **Enjoyment**: 10/10
- **Quality**: 8/10
- **Gameplay Innovation**: 7/10
Easily earns a permanent home in my collection for years to come. Here‘s to the next grand saga!