Friday Night Unplugged #26: Von Drakk Manor
- Updated: 19th Aug, 2013
Hurrah and welcome back to another Friday Night Unplugged. Here at FNU towers we’ve been plagued by the curse of summer holidays severely limiting available game time but I have something special for you this week. We took the dive and explored the latest expansions for both Super Dungeon Explore and Android: Netrunner to decide if these are things you need to amplify your experience or boxes you should just avoid. Let’s jump right in.
Super Dungeon Explore – Von Drakk Manor
What is it: Von Drakk Manor is the latest boxed expansion for Super Dungeon Explore, with each expansion trying to bring a part of video-game and nerd culture into the experience. Von Drakk brings gothic horror to life with a few interesting new mechanics.
Contents: Von Drakk Manor contains 36 pre-assembled, unpainted miniatures.
What do we think: Looking back on our original coverage of Super Dungeon Explore; we loved it, I loved it, everyone I have played it with since loved it but all it needed was more variety. Soda Pop Miniatures have been happy to provide with their original Caverns of Roxxor expansion and the newly reprinted Von Drakk Manor. While the turtles and flame gels of Roxxor were cool, Von Drakk really turns it up.
One of my favourite parts of Super Dungeon Explore is the awesome artwork on the box.
The models are getting bigger. While I thought the chuffing great dragon from the base set was big, the new Death Spectre figure looms dauntingly over the battlefield, draining life from any character that happens to fall within its range. The hordes of skeletons leave bone piles behind which can (with the right minion in play) be reanimated into more skeletons, completely bypassing the set spawning phase and that’s just the Consul’s team. The new heroes are awesome, headed up by a tribute to the whip-bearing Belmonts from Castlevania and followed by the much-needed cleric and a flying cherub to bash face with.
Here’s a picture of the new hero Von Vilding alongside one of the new minibosses the Death Spectre.
The real question of course, is if it’s worth the £45 price tag that Von Drakk comes along with. Well yes, at least I think so. As an ex-Games Workshop fanboy I know how expensive miniatures can be to purchase, believe me. With Von Drakk you get 36 gorgeous miniatures that do change how you play the game, which of course is what you’re looking for. If you already have Super Dungeon Explore and you’re looking for value, pick it up. Just look at these minis.
Von Drakk himself leads the charge.
I rest my case.
Buy it at: Amazon for £44.99.
Android: Netrunner – Creation and Control
What is it: Breaking the trend of the previous ‘data packs’ Creation and Control is what Fantasy Flight Games like to call a Deluxe Expansion. C&C features a brand new set of cards for both the Corp and Runner to use and build decks with.
Contents: 3 each of 55 new cards for the Shaper and Haas Bioroid factions.
What we think: Netrunner is a game full of fluff, depth and theme. It’s chock full of thematic goodies and if you’re a big sci-fi fanatic you’re right at home playing Netrunner. C&C delves further into the bioengineering masterminds of the Haas Bioroid Corporation and offers more life to the freeflowing code masterminds of the Shaper group.
Awakening Centers art shows off the creepy clinical bio-tech business that Haas Bioroid established itself in.
Android: Netrunner is by no means a casual game and, other than having more cards to play with, there isn’t really an outward reason to tell you to pick this up right away. That is unless you’re more than a casual player, in which case Creation and Control is definitely a set you want to invest in. You see, for a casual player who only wants to pull this out once in a blue moon the cards and interactions have very little value. To the hardcore Netrunner, Creation and Control contains so many possibilities.
Enablers for evolving rigs allowing you scrap programs and install new ones mid-run were the dreams of runners on the competitive scene but Creation and Control bought them to life. I spoke to a few people from our local competitive scene and they made it clear that this new deluxe expansion contains some exciting new cards to build around, but mostly for the various Runner factions. If you’re a corp player you might be a little disappointed.
Cards like The Professor are great for casual players looking for something fun to do with their deck.
So should you buy Creation and Control if you’re looking to expand your Netrunner stock? If you’re simply after some extra cards to build with then you’re better off picking one of the £11 data packs you can find in most local gaming stores. If you’re a competitive player or even a player looking to transition to playing in regional tournaments then Creation and Control is a must-buy even at its £29 price tag.
Buy it at: Travelling Man for £24.99.
Next Time:
Next time on Friday Night Unplugged I’ll be bringing you our reaction to a game I’ve frequently had recommended, Lords of Waterdeep is a game of tactical thinking and area control set in the Dungeons and Dragons universe. Sound interesting? Well pop back next week to see what we here at FNU HQ have to say about it.
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