# Massive Darkness 2: Hellscape

## General Info
- **Year Published**: 2022
- **BGG Rating**: 8.0
- **BGG Rank**: #504
- **Players**: 1-6 (Best with: 3)
- **Duration**: 60 min
- **Weight**: 2.77 / 5
- **Designers**: Alex Olteanu, Marco Portugal
- **Artists**: Édouard Guiton
- **Publishers**: CMON Global Limited, Guillotine Games, BoardM Factory, Delta Vision Publishing, Galápagos Jogos, Geekach LLC, Hobby World, Portal Games, Rexhry
- **Categories**: Adventure, Exploration, Fantasy, Fighting, Miniatures
- **Mechanics**: Action Points, Cooperative Game, Dice Rolling, Modular Board, Scenario / Mission / Campaign Game, Solo / Solitaire Game, Variable Player Powers

## Verdict
An epic and immersive dungeon crawler for RPG and tactical combat lovers.Highly satisfying tactical combatRich and engaging campaignTop-tier miniature qualityExcellent solo modeTakes up significant table spaceRequires attention to rule detailsHIGHLY RECOMMENDED

## Description
Get your combat gear ready, because peace was just a brief intermission! In Massive Darkness 2: Hellscape, the story picks up ten years after the Lightbringers successfully sealed the Portals. The catch? The seal didn't hold. New portals have erupted across the land, and the hordes of Darkness are returning stronger, more dangerous, and more relentless than ever before. This time, simply closing the gates won't cut it; you and your band of heroes must step through these portals and plunge directly into the heart of the unknown to eradicate the darkness once and for all.

This is a breathtaking cooperative dungeon crawler that scales the experience of the first edition to epic proportions. You take control of heroes with unique abilities and dive into a campaign where every decision matters. The game utilizes a modular board system, meaning every foray into the depths of hell will be visually and tactically distinct. Prepare to manage your action points with precision, roll dice to determine the fate of brutal combats, and face off against creatures that would make any warrior tremble.

The standout feature here is the immersion. Without the need for a traditional RPG Game Master, the game guides you through complex scenarios and missions, offering a narrative and combat experience that feels like a tabletop RPG but with the agility and beauty of a modern board game. If you love detailed miniatures, tactical combat, and character progression that truly makes you feel your hero's growth, Hellscape is your next great challenge. But beware: in Hellscape, the line between glory and total annihilation is as thin as a blade of steel!

## How to Play
Game Objective
Massive Darkness 2: Hellscape is a cooperative dungeon exploration game for 1-6 players, where participants take on the role of Lightbearers, heroes chosen to combat the Darkness threatening the world. The goal is to complete the chosen Mission, facing monsters, collecting treasures, and leveling up. Players win immediately by fulfilling the Mission's victory condition, but lose if they fail to meet the objectives or run out of Lifebearer Tokens.

Setup

  Each player chooses a hero, takes their Hero Card, miniature, and Hero Board.
  Place the Life and Mana Tokens according to the hero card's starting values.
  Choose 1 starting weapon, 1 Worn Leather Armor, and 1 Potion (Life or Mana).
  Prepare the Lifebearer Tokens according to the number of players.
  Shuffle the Horde Cards, Roaming Monsters, Items, and Doors into separate decks.
  Set up the Dungeon according to the chosen Mission, placing doors, enemies, and treasures in the indicated locations.
  Position the heroes in the Starting Zone and place the Darkness Tracker on space 1.


Game Flow
Each round has 4 phases, in this order:

  Hero Phase: Each player performs 3 actions with their hero (move, attack, recover, swap items, or special actions).
  Enemy Phase: Hordes and Roaming Monsters activate, attacking or moving according to their rules.
  Level Up Phase: Heroes spend experience to evolve, acquiring new talents and increasing attributes.
  Darkness Phase: The Darkness advances, potentially bringing more enemies or strengthening existing ones.


Actions and How to Play
Available Actions

  Move: Spend 1 action to gain 2 Movement Points (MP). Use them to:
    
      Move to adjacent Zones.
      Open doors.
      Interact with objects (such as picking up treasures).
    
  
  Attack: Use a weapon to attack enemies. Types of attacks:
    
      Melee: Target in the same Zone.
      Magic/Ranged: Target 1 Zone away (within Line of Sight).
    
    Resolve the attack by rolling the Attack Dice, Defense, and Enemy, applying effects, and calculating damage.
  
  Recover: Gain up to 2 Life or Mana.
  Swap and Equip: Allows swapping items with allies in the same Zone.
  Special Actions: Abilities or items may grant additional actions.


End of Game and Scoring
The game ends immediately when:

  Victory: Players fulfill the Mission's victory condition.
  Defeat: They fail to meet the objectives or lose all Lifebearer Tokens.

There is no scoring system—victory is determined solely by completing the Mission.

Tips for Winning

  Explore as a group: Reveal Chambers together to better handle the enemies that appear.
  Use the Shadow: Heroes in the Shadow gain bonuses from the Shadow Die.
  Prioritize Leaders: Killing the Horde Leader grants valuable rewards and extra experience.

## FAQ
### Is the game difficult?
Yes, it is a challenging game that requires strategy, especially at higher campaign levels.

### Do I need a Game Master?
No! The game has built-in systems that replace the need for a traditional RPG Game Master.

### Can I play solo?
Absolutely. The game includes specific and well-structured rules for solo play.

### Is the game too complex?
It has a learning curve, but once you grasp the action and combat flow, it becomes very fluid.

### What is the ideal player count?
The experience shines with 2 to 4 players, but it works well for 1 to 6.

### Is the game in English?
Yes, the game is primarily in English and requires familiarity with the language to navigate the rules and cards.

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