"When we finally opened the door and found the temple deep in the earth beneath the city, we thought it was a grand discovery.
We expected riches, knowledge, an explosion of culture. But what we actually found was ruin and madness. It wasn't just a temple, it was actually a tomb: very ancient divinities were buried here, among altars adorned with horrible idols and geometries so wrong in proportions that no man could remain steadfast in those decrepit halls."
The game
In this skirmish wargame with a dark, gothic fantasy atmosphere and clearly Lovecraftian inspiration, each player is called upon to take control of a band of warriors and fight in the depths of the Buried Temple to earn the favor of monstrous deities. (Cthulhu, is that really you? Didn't we say not to see each other anymore?).
What do you need to play Altar of the Dead Gods?
Obviously we start with the game rules . Then a handful of six-sided dice, a board and some scenery representing the Buried Temple, some tokens to keep track of damage and other statuses, playing cards illustrating statistics and abilities, and finally some miniatures for the warrior bands. And here comes the beauty, one of the highlights of all the architecture of Altar of the Dead Gods . In fact, PWork invites each player to use the miniatures... already in their possession! Whether they come from other large and well-known companies , whether they have been 3D printed or assembled from waste pieces by the enthusiasts themselves, there are no problems! They're all fine. The intention here is to allow everyone to start playing immediately (or in any case in a very short time) with what they have available in their hands. In fact, 7 models are enough for each band.
The factions of Altar of the Dead Gods
And we come to the bands. There are currently six factions available: Vampires, Hunters, Blood Witches , Pilgrims of the Church, Cultists and Decadent Waltz . Each with their own playstyle and aesthetic. To compose a gang you will need to choose 4 servants , the troops who do the dirty work, and 3 heroes , the protagonists of the hunt ready to grab the loot.
The game
So, in summary, we have the rules, the playing field, our gangs, cards, dice and various markers... what's left to do? Choose a mission ! The regulation contains five, a first introductory mission to learn how to put the rules into practice and gain some experience and another four more elaborate ones. Each mission has a map that illustrates where to place the scenic elements, the objectives (altars, sanctuaries and relics) and any additional markers. Finally, each mission explains in detail what the conditions are to win the game.
Let's sum it up
To conclude, the rules appear very simple, concise and intuitive (in total there are 25 pages of the regulation dedicated to game mechanics, which can be consulted in a very short time). Starting to play quickly seems to have been one of the key concepts of the creators of Altar of The Dead Gods , Paolo Boracchi (Game Designer) and Michele Finelli (Editorial Direction). And to say goodbye, we leave you to their words to explain the meaning of the entire project.
"For the Dark Lord! Another skirmish game? Why on earth? Because it's fun! Altar of the Dead Gods is a Lovecraftian fantasy wargame, born from a series of unbearable nightmares after a strange mushroom pizza. Here it is, then , a fast-paced and bloody two-player skirmish game that will help you quench your thirst for arcane and forbidden knowledge!"