Talisman: Digital 5th Edition - The Dead King Review

Talisman: Digital 5th Edition is one of those games where I take my eye off it for a minute, only for it to suddenly have 10 new major updates and a new expansion by the time I look back. It’s not a bad problem to have, as each addition tends to add something fun and fresh to the mix, which brings us to their latest expansion: Talisman: Digital 5th Edition - The Dead King!

Based on a physical bonus from the pages of White Dwarf, this is the first time the expansion has been implemented as a fully-fledged addition to the game. In The Dead King, the players face a new ending, which both alters how the final space, the Crown of Command, works as well as adding a ticking clock element. As one may infer from the title, the Dead King has broken free from the Realm of Souls and is ready to wreak havoc while snacking on some delicious life energy.

How this works in-game is simple: the rotting reagent is happily sitting in the final space of the board and is doing his undead best to absorb the strength of our mighty heroes. Whenever a player takes damage in any way, the Dead King gains a counter. Once a certain number is reached, either the big bad or the enemies in the field gain power, with the seventh counter heralding the end of the game.

With this ending active, the players must desperately avoid taking any hits, be it from monsters, events, or simple bad luck. Knowing Talisman, it is much harder than it sounds, even if not impossible. Though the added difficulty can be a bit disheartening, it does incentivise a different style of play where saving up Fate tokens and buying armour suddenly becomes mandatory. Additionally, the seven-counter limit does lessen the chance of the sessions dragging on into the late hours, which makes for a quick and snappy game!

Another very interesting addition coming with The Dead King is Full Solo Play. Instead of playing with buddies or filling the roster with bots, eager adventurers can instead go for a more PvE experience by flying solo. The game progresses the same as in a normal match; however, it’s always the player's turn. This has the benefit of making for some very quick turns and decisions, as a player doesn’t have to sit through multiple turns before getting back to whatever they were doing.

Playing by oneself can affect the balance of the game a bit, however. Some spells may lose a bit of their lustre, as the only hero available to target is the caster. Events may also feel a bit off, as their effect is rather limited. On the other hand, these are pretty minor issues and the Adventure Deck can easily be modified to exclude any weird combinations, if the player so chooses.

All in all, The Dead King is a fun addition to the roster of expansions that changes up the gameplay and adds some unique mechanics and synergy. The focus on avoiding damage is simple enough to understand but still requires some tactical thinking and resource management, so it feels fresh. The solo mode is also surprisingly fun and makes for a great quick session.

Talisman: Digital 5th Edition - The Dead King expansion is compatible with all of the earlier Classic Expansions, so if having that ticking clock isn’t enough excitement, players can try their luck in the maze-like Talisman: Digital 5th Edition - The City Classic or show Talisman: Digital 5th Edition - The Reaper Classic’s titular skeleton a rude gesture or two to get the blood pumping!