Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion Review: An affordable and fun dungeon crawling board game

Game Basics

Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion is a complex yet approachable cooperative dungeon crawler.

Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion is created by designer Isaac Childress, artists Francesca Baerald, Cat Bock, David Bock, David Demaret, Alexandr Elichev, Jason D. Kingsley, and Josh T. McDowell, and is published by Cephalofair Games and others.
The game is suitable for 1-4 players, has a play time of 30-120 minutes, and is recommended for ages 14 and up.
The release year is 2020.

The genre is classified as an adventure, exploration, fantasy, combat, and cooperative game with miniatures.
In particular, it is a standalone work set in the world of the heavyweight game "Gloomhaven," which has long received high praise on the board game information site BoardGameGeek.
The game depicts events that take place before Gloomhaven and is primarily targeted at existing fans as well as those who were daunted by the size, price, and complexity of the original.

The game includes four new characters, all of which are available in the original Gloomhaven: Valrath Red Guard (tank, crowd control), Inox Hatchet (ranged damage), Human Voidwarden (support, mind control), and Quatryl Demolitionist (melee damage, obstacle manipulation).
It also features 16 new monster types (7 of which are new), 3 new bosses, and a new campaign consisting of 25 scenarios.
In this campaign, players take on the role of a mercenary group called "Lion's Jaws" as they investigate the mysterious disappearances that have been occurring in the city.

The appeal of Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion

Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion is a significant improvement over the original, with several features that will be especially appealing to new players.

Incredibly easy to get started

The greatest feature of this game is its high accessibility, making it easy for even beginners to get into.

Step-by-step tutorial: The first five scenarios in particular act as a tutorial to gradually teach you the core mechanics of the game.
New rules are introduced little by little in conjunction with the story, allowing players to naturally understand the rules as they play.
Many reviews have praised this learning process as being extremely well-designed.
Easy-to-understand rulebook: The game comes with a dedicated "Learn to Play Guide" to help you learn how to play, so you can start playing smoothly by following it.
Detailed rules are summarized in the "Glossary" for easy reference.

Thanks to these innovations, this game, which has a complex game system, is very accessible to board game beginners.

Compact and affordable

This title offers a wealth of content while significantly reducing the size and price of the original.

Smaller and cheaper: The box size is smaller and the price is lower.
This makes it more accessible to more people.
Innovative Scenario Book: Instead of using map tiles, which were time-consuming to set up in the original version, the scenario is played directly on a ring-bound book.
This eliminates the need to prepare maps for each scenario, and is said to reduce setup time to around 5 to 7 minutes.
This has been praised as a great idea that will improve your gaming experience.
Rich components worth the price: Despite its low price, it includes a wide range of components, including four character miniatures, over 100 monster stands, over 500 cards, and over 150 tokens, and many players feel that it is worth more than the price.

Another attractive feature is that it is reasonably priced yet has enough content to enjoy long periods of gameplay (around 30 to 50 hours).

Deepened game system and cooperative play

This game's sophisticated strategic system allows for deep and fun cooperative play.

Strategic Card System: Each player has a character-specific card deck and chooses two cards to play each turn.
Different actions are written on the top and bottom halves of the cards, and the order of actions is determined by using the initiative value (a number that determines the order of actions) of one of the cards.
Deciding which card to use, when to use it, and which part to use is extremely important, allowing you to enjoy a strategic puzzle-like experience.
Unpredictability and Cooperation: Players do not reveal their hands or initiative choices to other players, making it impossible to fully predict the actions of other players and monsters.
As a result, plans often do not go as planned, and this uncertainty suppresses the "leader effect" (the phenomenon in which one player gives instructions to other players), creating the fun of having each player make their own decisions and work together to overcome problems.
Hand as Resource Management: The hand is not just a selection of actions, but also acts as a clock showing the player's "time remaining."
Cards are lost from your hand when you rest or take damage, so managing your limited resources is the key to winning the scenario.
Asymmetrical characters: Each of the four characters has completely different abilities and roles, dramatically changing your strategy depending on your team composition.
There is also a character growth system, where you can acquire new cards and improve your abilities by leveling up.

The combination of these elements makes this a hybrid gaming experience that can be enjoyed by a wide range of players, with a "dungeon crawler body and a Euro game engine."
The game has also been praised for its exquisite balance between difficulty and player growth.

Disappointments and points to note

Jaws of the Lion has a lot to offer, but there are a few things you should know before purchasing.

Complex and ambiguous rules: Although the game is designed to be easy to get started with, the game system itself is still complex.
In particular, there are opinions that the definitions of terms refer to other terms, and that the rules for monster AI (focus) have been changed from the original version, which can easily lead to confusion.
It seems that players often refer back to the rulebook while playing, and arguments arise over interpretations.
→Official FAQs, online resources, and unofficial fan sites can help supplement the rules.
It is also important to thoroughly learn the basics through the tutorial scenario.
Language barrier (for versions other than the Japanese version): In the case of the original English physical version, it has been pointed out that the vocabulary level of the scenario and story text is particularly high, and that there are many unfamiliar words specific to fantasy.
The card text in the game is relatively simple, but you may need a certain level of English proficiency to fully enjoy the world view and story.
→Using a translation app on your smartphone can help you understand the story text.
Component Concerns: Some players may feel that the tokens for monsters, conditions, etc. are a little small.
Also, if you put sleeves on all of your cards, they may not all fit in the included insert (organizing tray).
There is a legacy feature that allows you to place stickers on the map, but this is not required and you can manage it using Excel or other programs.
Some people may be hesitant to put stickers on the game, but they do not affect gameplay.
→The size and storage method of the tokens will vary depending on your play style.
There are alternatives to stickers.

Recommended for:

Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion is especially recommended for the following types of people:

People who were interested in the epic board game "Gloomhaven" but were overwhelmed by its size, price, and complexity and were unable to give it a try .
Those who want to learn complex game systems step by step .
Carefully designed tutorials will guide you.
People who like cooperative dungeon crawlers but dislike the "leader effect" where one player calls the shots.
The hidden hand system respects each player's individuality.
Those looking for a game with a high play volume for the price.
It includes a campaign with over 30 hours of fun.
For those who are new to board games or who don't usually play games (especially family or partners ) and want to enjoy a full-fledged adventure.
It's both easy and fun.
Those who enjoy strategic card play and puzzle-like combat .

Jaws of the Lion will be a great entry point into the world of Gloomhaven for many players.

Embark on an adventure with this title, which condenses all the charm of Gloomhaven.
Check it out now and have an unforgettable gaming experience with your family and friends!

Link to the official rulebook

Check the product on the online store page

Free shipping throughout Japan. Orders placed before 3pm will be shipped the same day.

Reference source/quote source

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Game Basics

The appeal of Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion

Incredibly easy to get started

Compact and affordable

Deepened game system and cooperative play

Disappointments and points to note

Recommended for:

Country/region

Language

Country/region

Language

Game Basics

The appeal of Gloomhaven: Jaws of the Lion

Incredibly easy to get started

Compact and affordable

Deepened game system and cooperative play

Disappointments and points to note

Recommended for:

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