Talisman
- February 25, 2014
- Nomad Games
- 11h median play time
Fans of the original Talisman board game may find the Digital Edition enjoyable, but the fact that so many characters are locked behind microtransactions, and the overall experience often amounts to a high-speed gankfest, I find it hard to recommend Talisman to anyone but the hardcore fanbase.
Discover the Dungeon Region, one of the four Kingdoms surrounding the land of Talisman. The expansion adds a new board piece to the main Talisman board, taking you into the dark depths below the land of Talisman.
Reviews
- Easy to learn with a beautiful interface that captures the essence of a board game.
- Great to play with friends, offering endless replayability with various characters and expansions.
- Faithful adaptation of the original board game, providing a nostalgic experience.
- Outdated mechanics and frustrating RNG that often favors AI players over human players.
- Clunky user interface that can lead to misclicks and confusion during gameplay.
- Long game sessions that can become tedious, especially when the endgame drags on.
- gameplay247 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Talisman: Digital Edition is a mixed bag, with some players praising its faithful adaptation of the original board game and engaging mechanics, while others criticize its reliance on outdated mechanics, slow pacing, and frustrating user interface. Many reviews highlight the heavy influence of luck and randomness, which can lead to tedious experiences, especially in longer sessions. Despite these issues, the game offers a nostalgic experience for fans and a variety of expansions that enhance gameplay, making it enjoyable for those who appreciate casual, luck-based board games.
“As a long-time fan of the physical version, I was eager to see how the digital adaptation would measure up. The way Nomad Games translated the board-game gameplay, rules, and visuals to the digital realm is very well done.”
“The gameplay mechanics have been thoughtfully translated into the digital realm, providing both a nostalgic experience for long-time fans and an accessible entry point for newcomers.”
“The gameplay is just the right mix of complex and fast, with a lot of variety available once you add in the expansions with their new ending cards, extra mechanics, and map zones.”
“Outdated mechanics and boring as hell; my friends and I only hate playing this game to make each other miserable.”
“The gameplay mechanics are insanely terrible as combat is decided with a dice roll, which is fine, but when you win a combat, it doesn't subtract the difference of the dice rolls as damage to the loser; it just does one damage.”
“The gameplay is slow, boring, and broken.”
- stability109 mentions
- 3 % positive mentions
- -2 % neutral mentions
- 99 % negative mentions
The game's stability is a significant concern among users, with many reporting frequent bugs, glitches, and crashes, particularly in multiplayer mode. While some players note improvements over time, the overall experience remains marred by issues such as freezing, unresponsive AI, and a clunky user interface. Despite these problems, a few users still find enjoyment in the game, suggesting that it can be fun if players are willing to tolerate the instability.
“The game is not that buggy anymore; sometimes when you start a new game, you need to restart the whole game, but other than that, it's much better.”
“I've noticed a significant improvement in stability; crashes are rare now, making for a smoother gaming experience.”
“The latest update has really enhanced the stability of the game, allowing me to enjoy long sessions without interruptions.”
“Game is buggy and regularly requires a player to leave because it freezes.”
“The game is buggy, and needed features that allow people to customize the game to their liking, as well as track down bugs and report them, are missing from the game.”
“It's broken, even after 2 months of playing, constant crashes, freezes, won't save progress or resume games, it's a constant mess and I've been giving it a shot a few nights a week for like two months now and the devs won't fix the game's bugs or the server issues that constantly plague this game.”
- replayability83 mentions
- 49 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
Talisman: Digital Edition is widely praised for its exceptional replayability, attributed to its diverse characters, randomly generated events, and numerous expansions that significantly enhance the gaming experience. Players appreciate the game's ability to offer unique adventures with each playthrough, making it suitable for both newcomers and seasoned fans. While the base game is enjoyable, the addition of DLCs is highly recommended to maximize replay value and variety.
“What truly sets Talisman: Digital Edition apart is its exceptional replay value.”
“The game has a high replay value as the path to the center and the events that occur are randomly generated, ensuring a different experience each time it is played.”
“The countless characters, customizable options, and multiple game endings give this game replayability that is matched by almost none.”
“However, honestly the base game is not replayable that much in my opinion.”
“So it gets 'boring' very quickly and limits 'replayability'.”
“In spite of the AI, the overall gameplay experience is fun for those who like board games or fantasy settings, and there is a lot of replayability to be had.”
- graphics78 mentions
- 49 % positive mentions
- 44 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the beautiful artwork and faithful adaptation of the original board game visuals, while others criticize the outdated graphics and lack of animations. Some users highlight the charming and whimsical design, but note that the overall graphical quality could be improved, particularly in terms of user interface and special effects. Overall, the visuals are generally considered appealing but not groundbreaking, with a strong emphasis on nostalgia for fans of the physical game.
“As a long-time fan of the physical version, I was eager to see how the digital adaptation would measure up. The way Nomad Games translated the board-game gameplay, rules, and the visuals to the digital realm is very well done.”
“Super easy to understand and learn, and the graphics and attention to detail are second to none.”
“The graphics are awesome and faithfully reproduce the board.”
“I guess Nomad Games don't have any graphic designers in the company, because their own DLCs are ugly as hell. Some cards don't even have an image; they just used an image from another card, zoomed and swapped it onto another card. After that, they said: 'Yes, job done. We can go home now, boys.' It's better than making their own cards and characters, but when I look at the satyr, it makes me want to vomit. Plus, poor special effects.”
“The graphics are outdated, and the devs clearly don't want to improve them.”
“The interface is completely unintuitive, graphics remind me of the early 2000s, and the whole design doesn't even deserve a free hand-out.”
- story63 mentions
- 16 % positive mentions
- 79 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The game's story aspect is described as a loose framework that serves as a backdrop for gameplay rather than a structured narrative, allowing players to create their own adventures through various quests and character interactions. While the game offers a variety of characters and scenarios that can lead to unique experiences, some players feel that the storytelling elements could be enhanced with more narrative depth and personal quests. Overall, it functions more as a "story generator," where the enjoyment comes from the unpredictable journey rather than a cohesive plot.
“The game offers an impressive variety of characters, each with their own unique abilities and storylines, ensuring that no two playthroughs are ever the same.”
“Talisman is about telling a story, but not in a predetermined way.”
“It's a light game that manages to capture that feeling of going on an epic quest and overcoming great challenges.”
“The options given during each turn are simple and uninteresting; each space is generally a card draw or a roll for a random effect, but none really draw you into a storyline.”
“I have been on the crown of command for two hours now trying to kill one character who cannot ever come close because he has a warlock quest he cannot complete, and he just keeps healing himself.”
“Long story made short, the game exists mainly for single-player games, or multiplayer games with AI players included, and the AI just isn't up to snuff.”
- music46 mentions
- 54 % positive mentions
- 39 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, with many players praising its catchy and immersive soundtrack that enhances the overall atmosphere. However, some users note that the starting volume can be excessively loud and that the limited number of tracks can lead to repetitiveness over time. Overall, while the music is considered enjoyable and fitting for the game, there are mixed feelings about its variety and impact on long-term play.
“The music is magical, gives you a sense of adventure while you are playing.”
“I can honestly say in seven years, I've not got bored of the music.”
“Talisman is an incredibly fun game to play with a couple of friends, the art is beautiful and the music is catchy.”
“Be prepared to have your ears blown out at the start though - turn down the starting music setting.”
“The music and audio effects are overall underwhelming, to put it mildly.”
“The music becomes repetitive after some time.”
- grinding41 mentions
- 2 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 98 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game has received significant criticism for being excessively tedious and frustrating, particularly due to unbalanced AI that prolongs encounters and makes gameplay feel like a never-ending treadmill. Players often find themselves engaged in repetitive tasks, with many expressing a desire for a more streamlined experience, especially during the endgame. While some enjoy the achievement aspect of grinding, the overall sentiment leans towards it being a cumbersome and time-consuming element that detracts from the fun.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“This game is designed to be a grindy treadmill that never ends.”
“The endgame can get really tedious and so does watching the AI take its moves.”
“Unfortunately, the AI cannot truly handle themselves... they constantly make poor choices, and they will spend forever farming for items and ability points without making any effort to actually win.”
- humor34 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is largely derived from its chaotic randomness and the unpredictable interactions between players, often leading to hilarious situations and memorable moments, especially when played with friends. Players appreciate the blend of funny character designs, unexpected outcomes, and the ability to create absurd stories, making it a source of laughter despite its flaws. Overall, the game thrives on its ability to turn frustrating moments into comedic experiences, particularly in a social setting.
“If you're playing with friends, this may be either the most hilarious or the most frustrating waste of time based on who your friends are and their propensity for absolute random nonsense.”
“Random events and crazy RNG can make for some memorable games and hilarious interactions with your friends.”
“For every time you wrestle with the interface or shake your head at its almost total randomness, if you play with friends, I guarantee something will get you laughing - the cool/weird art, the impossible situations, the constant twists and turns.”
- monetization7 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game has drawn mixed reactions, with some players criticizing the reliance on microtransactions and the loss of previously purchased content in the mobile version, labeling it a "greedy cash grab." While the low entry cost and absence of typical mobile microtransactions are seen as positives, completionists may face high costs due to locked characters and additional content. Overall, the monetization approach seems to cater primarily to hardcore fans, potentially alienating casual players.
“I'll give it a recommend for now, based on the low entry cost and the fact that the DLC isn't really 'microtransactions' in the typical mobile way, but completionists should still be warned about the cost.”
“Fans of the original Talisman board game may find the digital edition enjoyable, but the fact that so many characters are locked behind microtransactions makes it hard to recommend Talisman to anyone but the hardcore fanbase.”
“Greedy cash grab on a great game title.”
“When I came back, I realized they had changed the version on mobile to a new version which I do not own, and all my in-game purchases were gone.”
“Fans of the original Talisman board game may find the digital edition enjoyable, but the fact that so many characters are locked behind microtransactions, and the overall experience often amounts to a high-speed gankfest, I find it hard to recommend Talisman to anyone but the hardcore fanbase.”
- emotional6 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by a significant roller coaster of feelings, ranging from excitement and fun to frustration and despair, particularly when players face challenging opponents. While some players find joy in the experience, others report feeling overwhelmed and emotionally drained, especially when luck plays a major role in their success or failure. The game's soundtrack adds a wholesome touch, contrasting with the intense emotional highs and lows players encounter.
“Talisman will provide hours of gameplay during which, as a player, you will experience an emotional roller coaster!”
“It honestly made me feel bad because I just kept getting better and better cards while he struggled to get even a single trophy.”
“This game can be really fun and exciting... but you can also end up going against a dragon... then another dragon... and then a demon... and it can really make you want to cry.”
- atmosphere5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- -20 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is praised for its appealing graphics and immersive sound, effectively capturing the essence of the original Talisman experience. While playing with friends enhances the ambiance, some users feel that the digital version lacks the intimate, social atmosphere of a physical game night. Overall, the game is best enjoyed in a relaxed setting, whether with friends or in a competitive online environment.
“The graphics are nice and the sound is very atmospheric, to tell the truth.”
“The presentation and music really capture the atmosphere I've always experienced while playing Talisman.”
“Of course, nothing beats the atmosphere of sitting with friends around the table and rolling dice by your own hands, but on the other hand, you can compete with other Talisman lovers from all over the world!”
“The presentation and music really capture the atmosphere I've always experienced from playing Talisman.”
“I do love my physical set, and this lacks the atmosphere of having some like-minded friends around for a good board game session.”
“Of course, nothing beats the atmosphere of sitting with friends around the table and rolling dice by your own hands.”
- optimization3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The game suffers from poor optimization, which has persisted since its release, leading to frustration among players. While skill plays a role, much of the gameplay experience is heavily influenced by luck, detracting from overall performance and enjoyment.
“However, this game is not optimized, and as long as it has been out, there is no reason for it not to be.”
“Although there is some skill involved in this game, most of the player's performance is driven by luck.”
- character development1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Character development in Talisman is minimal, offering just enough RPG elements and combat mechanics to appeal to fans of Dungeons & Dragons, while primarily maintaining its identity as a classic roll-and-move board game for traditionalists.
“Talisman had just enough RPG-style character development and combat mechanics injected into it to scratch my D&D itch, but it was otherwise solidly a roll-the-dice-and-move-that-many 'old school' board game for the traditionalists.”
Critic Reviews
Talisman Digital Edition review
Fans of the original Talisman board game may find the Digital Edition enjoyable, but the fact that so many characters are locked behind microtransactions, and the overall experience often amounts to a high-speed gankfest, I find it hard to recommend Talisman to anyone but the hardcore fanbase.
60%Talisman: Digital Edition review
40%