Talisman: Origins

About

"Talisman: Origins" is a single-player game that explores the backstory of the classic board game Talisman. Players embark on epic quests, encountering unique challenges and events in each playthrough. With a variety of characters to control and a rich world to discover, it's a great introduction to the Talisman universe.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

+10

73%

Audience ScoreBased on 238 reviews

story22 positive mentions

replayability3 negative mentions

Talisman: Origins offers a fun single-player experience with engaging storylines and quests that add depth to the gameplay.
The revamped UI is a significant improvement over Talisman Digital Edition, making it easier to navigate and enjoy the game.
The game provides a nostalgic experience for fans of the original Talisman board game, with plenty of content and replayability through various campaigns and challenges.

The game suffers from numerous bugs and performance issues, including slow AI processing and unresponsive mechanics that can hinder gameplay.
Heavy reliance on RNG can lead to frustrating experiences, with many players feeling that luck plays too large a role in success or failure.
The lack of multiplayer options and customization limits the overall experience, making it feel less engaging compared to the original board game.

story
110 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
77%
3%
The story in "Talisman: Origins" is structured around multiple small campaigns, each featuring a series of quests and challenges that provide a sense of progression and engagement. While some players appreciate the emergent storytelling and RPG elements, others criticize the narrative as simplistic and lacking depth. Overall, the game offers a unique single-player experience that combines traditional board game mechanics with a story-driven approach, appealing to completionists and those seeking bite-sized gameplay.
- “Playing one of the guild stories right now and the storyline really adds to the experience.”
- “It really feels like you are telling a story as you play, like a weird but fun compromise between a pen and paper RPG and a more traditional board game.”
- “The story unfolds via chapters (new scenarios per chapter) and also in-game (new evolving quest-lines to complete), creating an engaging end goal for the players to achieve whilst in a Talisman board game environment.”
- “The story feels like a negligible filler, as if it was written by a 7-year-old child.”
- “I think the gameplay is confusing and the quests make little sense to me.”
- “The storylines to set up the games I've seen so far are a little thin, but it gives you objectives you can hunt down in single player that are an alternative to the main endgames in the original board game.”
gameplay
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
47%
10%
The gameplay of Talisman is characterized by its simple mechanics and reliance on luck, making it accessible for newcomers while offering a casual experience. However, it may not satisfy players seeking deeper strategic elements, as the randomness can lead to confusion and frustration. The introduction of chapters alongside gameplay mechanics provides a good learning curve, but some players recommend sticking to the main multiplayer version for a more enjoyable experience.
- “All in all, a great introduction to Talisman, as you get to know a lot of different characters and mechanics of the game.”
- “The rules are pretty simple, yet there is emergent storytelling gameplay that grows out of them very nicely.”
- “Good, tried and tested Talisman fantasy gameplay, interesting story, and lots of content and replayability.”
- “This campaign style of gameplay completely changes the game and for me moved away from its 'origins'.”
- “The gameplay is okay, but nothing special... you get some quests, and as in every Talisman game, a lot of it depends on RNG and luck.”
- “Occasionally, the gameplay seems to get so confusing that you find yourself wondering what icon to click on next: having one icon for the next action is confusing, and as its slot can change, you may make mistakes too easily.”
replayability
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
6%
75%
19%
Talisman Origins offers significant replayability due to its random elements, multiple campaigns, and hidden objectives that encourage players to revisit the game. With five campaigns, each containing multiple chapters and challenges, players can expect a virtually infinite experience that balances challenge and frustration. The inclusion of side-quests and varied challenges further enhances the game's replay value, making it an attractive option for those seeking long-term engagement.
- “Good, tried and tested Talisman fantasy gameplay, interesting story, and lots of content and replayability.”
- “There are a few hidden objectives that will be revealed once you have successfully completed a story for added replayability for those that are looking for achievements.”
- “With five campaigns, five chapters in each, and each of those chapters having multiple challenge objectives, there is a lot of content and replayability here.”
- “A variety of challenges available after the completion of the various modules add replay value to the game.”
graphics
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
64%
36%
The graphics are highly praised for their exceptional art style, which effectively captures the essence of classic fantasy lore and board games. Reviewers appreciate the beautiful artwork and layouts, noting that they evoke nostalgia for traditional roleplaying adventures. Overall, the visuals contribute significantly to the game's appeal, enhancing the overall experience.
- “The art style is perfect and captures the Talisman board game beautifully.”
- “The artwork and layouts are terrific, making the game visually appealing.”
- “Games Workshop presents a more recent realization of the classic fantasy world, featuring updated artwork from the series.”
music
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
14%
43%
The music in the game is generally well-received, with players appreciating its bard-like quality and how it complements the fantasy lore. However, while the new soundtrack adds a sense of urgency and grandeur, some find the previous music from Talisman: Digital Edition to be somewhat repetitive and stale. Overall, the soundtrack enhances the gaming experience but could benefit from more variety.
- “The new soundtrack creates a sense of urgency and grandeur.”
- “Players who can appreciate good art style, simple gameplay systems, and a bard-like soundtrack will enjoy this game.”
- “The music from Talisman: Digital Edition is fine, but does get a little stale.”
- “The new soundtrack creates a sense of urgency and grandeur, but the music from Talisman: Digital Edition is fine, though it does get a little stale.”
- “The new soundtrack creates a sense of urgency and grandeur, but the music from Talisman: Digital Edition is fine, though it does get a little stale.”
- “The new soundtrack creates a sense of urgency and grandeur, but the music from Talisman: Digital Edition is fine, though it does get a little stale.”
grinding
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players note that the grinding in the game resembles classic adventure titles, offering a repetitive experience without meaningful progression between quests. While some enjoy the nostalgic feel, many find it frustrating and tedious, especially due to the lack of save points and the randomness that can lead to instant failure. Overall, the grinding aspect is seen as unbalanced and can detract from the overall enjoyment of the game.
- “So you're getting the grinding that characterized many classic 'adventuring' games, like Puzzle Quest, Diablo, or the old Magic: The Gathering PC titles, without any sense of progression outside of the single-iteration quest you're playing at any given moment.”
- “I love this game, but it is so unbalanced and random, and that would be fine if we had save points. The philosopher’s quest, with its 8 parts and instant permanent death in the last few cards, is just plain tedious.”
- “Sometimes it does get really frustrating and tedious if you're trying to achieve a particular goal and just rolling the dice over and over.”
stability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
Overall, the game demonstrates solid stability, running well for the most part, though users have noted some bugs, particularly with UI transitions. While it offers an enjoyable experience, there are reports of slowness and occasional glitches that may affect gameplay.
- “The game itself runs great, and if you like Talisman, you'll like this.”
- “This is snakes and ladders with cards, very slow and buggy.”
- “A little buggy in a few spots, with UI transitions mostly, but otherwise works well and is a lot of fun.”