Right people, you asked for it and we have got it. So far 108 readers asked if it would be a sensible thing to own a game that has roundly good reviews. That seems like a consensus. It is currently £33.33 on Thames and Kosmos (27/11/23) and we will tell you if it is worth parting your hard earned for!
LEGENDS OF ANDOR
Players 2-4 / Age 8+ / Time 90 mins (the whole series of adventures!)
THE GAME
The Land of Andor is in danger. Its a place of peace, greenery and humility. Now it is at siege from evil monsters. They are invading from the mountains, the river and the forests. Advancing toward the castle of old King Brandur. However, a band of trusted warriors could save the Land and restore order. Players must work together (the games first core strength) by teaming up, sharing out and fighting with others to see off the threat. Now I could happily run you through the ways to play but I can assure you, there is a brilliant step by step guide for players for the first adventure to get you up to speed (another core strength here as it is well written and flows into the game play). All players need do is choose a hero (there are four to select – A warrior, A wizard, A Dwarf and an Elf standard fair.) This first quest is restricted and limits play to understand how to move, fight and how story cards are offered (the third but not final core skill). After this first adventure, the exploration ramps up. You are tasked with adventuring for small things, with big powers like a medicinal herb. To exploring deep and dark ancient mines. To flipping the board over and fighting a dragon the size of a block of flats!
Lots of info can be found here http://legendsofandor.com/
THE REVIEW
I will now agree with many of the positive reviews about ANDOR. There were two complaints on reading these from you dear reader. First that the game is restrictive due to its narrative process. The second is that you are really only playing once and then on completion, its into the box and onto the shelf.
Firstly. It might seem to some like it is restrictive in play. A few reviews mentioned the cards that are a part of the narrator tool. These cards and the game itself are not held hostage to the narrative. All play is free world with the players being offered a scenario balanced on play ‘well’ (think direct and goal orientated) and play to a variety of choices (ie that free world approach). Neither are having the player held down, because they work on the proviso that you are working as a team, completing a quest. These quests are akin to video game scenarios in say GTA. They are underpinned by the logic of the quest but are never dictate to by it completely. You have to achieve something certainly. How you do it can and will change every time. I felt that ANDOR opened up by being rewarding for co operation and this is clever.
The second comment is really resolved by the first. Games never go the way you expect, players and playing flags and if you, like us, sit in one go and take 90 minutes to get to the dragon (and lose), its valuable to inform play on a return journey. You need not start at the beginning but I think we will. You see, the thing that will keep you coming back (aside from the expansions that we will hopefully cover a few of), is that ANDOR has variety, flexibility and is the best fantasy game I have every played. It bridges classical game play with a warriro spirit…Masterpiece.
https://www.thamesandkosmos.co.uk/product/legend-andor-base/
