Spearpoint Reviews

 ”Be careful fighting someone else’s demons: it may awaken your own.” -Bryan McGill ***Many special thanks go to my brother and my wife for proofing this review. I could not have easily transitioned back into this review style without the both of you. Tenebris Somnia-developed by Andrés Borghi along with Saibot Studios-is a retro survival horror action game with a strong story, uncomplicated yet effective gameplay, and a deluge of style. Published by the acclaimed New Blood Interactive, this title masterfully utilizes evocative live-action scenes produced by an adept film crew from Argentina interlaced with retro-inspired in-engine graphics to create an experience that I, personally, do not see myself forgetting for quite a long time. I would like to also make it apparent that a review key was provided by the developer for the purposes of this review, but no further compensation has nor is expected to be delivered for this writing. Here are only a few reasons to dive into this take...

HeroQuest: First Light (2025) Theme: fantasy board game loosely based on the Warhammer universe and inspired by TTRPGs Team: Developers Stephen Baker, Doug Hopkins, Avalon Hill, and Hasbro Players: 1-5 (2 preferred with mobile application as Zargon, the Game Master) Style: Cooperative Balance: Appropriate Complexity: Basic Time: 45-90min (usually ~60min) Components Y Card Y Dice Y Meeples/Minis Y Trackers N Social/Negotiation N Building  N Leveling Mechanics N Keyword N Symbols N Drafting Pros Mobile application for tracking progression and taking the role of Zargon, the Game Master Miniatures for player characters and Zargon are well-crafted Progressive quest structure scales to allow players to learn the mechanics at a steady pace Combat is simple, comprising of a general attack versus defense roll and a streamlined turn structure Encourages experienced players to create their own quests Cons Door tokens tend to take up far too much space on the board Mobile a...

  Paper App Dungeon (2024) Notebook Game Theme: notebook and dice game themed around tabletop role-playing games Team: Published by Lucky Duck Games Players: 1 Style: Solitaire Balance: Appropriate Complexity: Basic Time: 2-5 minutes per page/90-225 minutes per book (~3 minutes per page) Components N Card Y Dice N Meeples  Y Trackers N Social/Negotiation N Building  N Leveling Mechanics N Keyword Y Symbols N Drafting Pros Portable design allows you to fit the notebook in your pocket for on-the-go play Very easy to learn, with all of the rules coming into play almost immediately Symbols are very easy to interpret Unique seeds are utilized in each book, resulting in a completely new adventure with each notebook purchased Unique movement mechanics utilizing a 6-sided die (D6, coined a “P6” for the gimmick) for number of spaces moved with an even number resulting in the character moving straight while an odd number constitutes diagonal movement, turning on...

DOOM: The Board Game (2016) Theme: asymmetrical combat pitting multiple DOOM Marines against demons from Hell Team: Developer Jonathan Ying and Fantasy Flight Games Players: 2-5 (3+ preferred) Style: Cooperative/Competitive Balance: Appropriate Complexity: Moderate Time: 120-180min (usual ~145min) Components Y Card Y Dice Y Meeples  Y Trackers N Social/Negotiation N Building  N Leveling Mechanics Y Keyword Y Symbols N Drafting Pros Balance based on player count is an appropriate challenge for the multiple DOOM Marines and single Demon player Upgrades in the form of weapon pickups are theme-appropriate, with such cards as “Rip & Tear” specific to the Chainsaw Extensively detailed miniatures ranging from various marines, Cacodemons, Possessed Soldiers, the Cyberdemon, and more; almost worth the cost for these miniatures alone Stagger rules thematically integrate the Glory Kill mechanic from the video game A slew of ...

 ”When you behold the face of pure evil, it will be beautiful.” -David Farland Developed by Airdorf Games and published by New Blood Interactive, FAITH: The Unholy Trinity is a horror-driven title loosely themed around the paranoia-induced “Satanic Panic” of the 1980s. This title holds a great deal of intrigue in its engrossing story, simplistic stylings evocative of video games from the theme’s stated era, and an extraordinarily simple control layout. Before presenting my thoughts on this title, I feel I must state that I was granted a review copy from New Blood Interactive; this has no bearing on the results of this review, but I believe it must be said. My ornate reason to inspect said title so soon after playing is to show that even though this title did not appear to be my niche, it still impacted my night at the very least. Here are just a few reasons to go back into that house: Story - So as to not spoil much of what makes this title so enjoyable, I will refrain from relayin...

Back to the Future: Dice Through Time (2020) Theme: board and themed dice game based in the Back to the Future film franchise Team: Developers Ken Franklin, Chris Leder, Kevin Rodgers, and Ravensburger Players: 2-4 (~2 preferred) can be played solo despite what the box states Style: Cooperative Balance: Appropriate Complexity: Moderate Time: 45-60min (usually ~60min) Components Y Card Y Dice Y Meeples  Y Trackers N Social/Negotiation N Building  N Leveling Mechanics N Keyword Y Symbols N Drafting Pros Dice-based action system allows players to plan their turns ahead of time Player cards display explanations of the dice facings, acting as a rules reference Excellent theming within all three Back to the Future films, with accompanying props that build intrigue Various built-in difficulties make the game customizable Cons Event randomization may result in an uphill, sometimes seemingly impossible, battle Delorean figurines are identical regardless of the Doc ...

  The Oregon Trail Card Game (2016) Theme: linear card-based mapping system based on The Oregon Trail computer simulation Team: Pressman Toy Corporation Players: 2-6 (~4 preferred) Style: Cooperative Balance: Downhill Complexity: Basic Time: 30-45min (usually ~10min) Components Y Card Y Dice N Meeples  N Trackers N Social/Negotiation N Building  N Leveling Mechanics N Keyword N Symbols N Drafting Pros Theming of the Resource, Trail, and Calamity cards are of great reference to iconic computer simulation of the same name Boxed contents are lightweight and condensed for easy transport Cons Entirely random outcomes without any sort of planning affecting the outcome, especially a concern with instant-death Calamity cards that cannot be countered Rule dictations are inconsistent between various cards Components are of questionable quality with the cards being somewhat flimsy, the die appearing to have little contrast regarding numbering, and the marker inc...