Final week we shared our evaluation of the bottom sport of Horizon Zero Daybreak: The Board Sport from Steamforged Video games.

For the reason that online game is such a large, open-world expertise, it was clear to see from the outset that there would must be sport expansions to create extra looking encounters for gamers to go up towards much more menacing machines.

That why this week we’re sharing our ideas on 3 of the sport expansions.

The primary time I got here throughout a Stormbird within the online game, I didn’t final lengthy. It swooped down, attacking from above, then flew away once more and I had hassle looking for it within the sky. Earlier than I knew it, it had landed on me once more after which attacked from the bottom. I didn’t stand an opportunity.

The addition of the Stormbird to the HZD board sport is so welcome – and so menacing.

Simply check out how massively it towers over the hunters on the board. It’s a terrifying problem to tackle except you’ve leveled up nicely. Which is why it’s factor that you simply don’t take it on till the ultimate encounter.

That ultimate encounter will be carried out utilizing the newly included monitoring playing cards from the enlargement, or you’ll be able to add the Stormbird Hunter’s Name card to the tip of the monitoring playing cards used from different HZD video games. If including within the Stormbird this manner, it’s really helpful to play by way of the usual Hunter’s Name first, then doing a Campfire section and leveling up some extra earlier than dealing with the Stormbird within the ultimate encounter.

Earlier than going into extra, right here’s what you get within the enlargement:

• Large Stormboard miniature (although it’s exhausting to name it a miniature when it’s that vast)
• 2 Stormbird knowledge playing cards – with all of the machine’s stats
• 1 Stormbird reference card – displaying whether or not it’s airborne or landed
• 9 Stormbird habits playing cards – with the way it will assault when airborne or landed
• 13 Monitoring deck playing cards – for a brand new set of encounters
• Sport board – for the ultimate encounter vs. the Stormbird

The massive twist with this enlargement and enemy is what I discussed on the outset – that the Stormbird has completely different assaults from the air and when on land. As such, the habits playing cards are separated into 2 decks as labeled both Airborne or Landed.

So when the Stormbird prompts throughout the enemy step, gamers draw a habits card from the deck that matches its present mode (proven on the reference card). When an motion exhibits a mode image, gamers flip the reference card over to the opposite facet earlier than persevering with to resolve any remaining actions.

One other newly added factor within the sport is Construction Threshold. As a result of the machine is so giant, as gamers whittle it down, they achieve glory factors. If a participant offers harm that takes the Stormbird over the subsequent threshold (listed on the cardboard), they instantly achieve a glory level.

Total, we just like the problem of taking up the Stormbird. With the towering determine transferring across the board, we really feel below stress each time. And with such excessive hit level worth so as to take it out, we like that there’s rewards for damaging it previous thresholds. Like we talked about in our unique evaluation although, it’s no enjoyable to have your hunter faint since you lose the glory factors you’ve gained. And when it takes some time to take down the Stormbird, the probabilities of fainting are excessive.

So mix your forces and attempt to coordinate your assaults as finest you’ll be able to together with your fellow hunters.

The Thunderjaw is one other large machine within the online game that takes some observe to take out. Likewise, getting acquainted with the way it assaults within the board sport is beneficial in preventing again nicely sufficient to take it down.

And like with the Stormbird, dealing with down this foe when our personal hunter miniatures are dwarfed by it’s a daunting process.

Right here’s what you get within the Thunderjaw enlargement:

• Large Thunderjaw miniature (identical remark concerning the Stormbird)
• 2 Thunderjaw knowledge playing cards – with all of the machine’s stats
• 8 Thunderjaw habits playing cards – with the way it assaults the hunters
• 2 Disc Launcher playing cards – knock these off and use them towards it
• 13 Monitoring deck playing cards – for a brand new set of encounters
• Sport board – for the ultimate encounter vs. the Thunderjaw

Much like the Stormbird, the Thunderjaw has a Construction Threshold that grants gamers glory factors as they harm the beast previous sure level values.

Whereas the Thunderjaw doesn’t fly – and thus doesn’t have airborne and landed habits playing cards – it does have parts that the gamers will be capable of use!

The Thunderjaw has a number of parts that gamers can knock out. And one such part is the disc launcher. Really it has 2 disc launchers on its again and gamers can knock off each of them. The cool factor is that when a participant knocks out one of many disc launchers, they take the disc launcher card and equip it!

Utilizing the disc launcher takes 2 participant actions, but it surely additionally lets the participant roll 4 assault cube and might do 3 harm on a vital hit image.

One other factor added on this enlargement is the Water terrain sort. As you’ll be able to see on the Thunderjaw sport board (used for the ultimate encounter towards this beast), there’s loads of areas with water. Whereas water doesn’t have an effect on enemies, hunters could solely make sneak actions whereas on areas containing water. They will transfer into such areas as a part of a melee assault, but it surely their motion will then cease.

Each the Stormbird and Thunderjaw even have a Barrage assault image that targets the hunter that has been attacked the least variety of instances throughout its present activation. , they’re equal-opportunity attackers.

Amongst these 3 expansions, The Sacred Lands enlargement is probably the most strong.

Whereas the earlier two are centered on one main machine enemy, The Sacred Lands brings in much more goodies:

• 2 new characters: Nora Trapper & Nora Scavenger – every with their very own miniature, profile card, ability tree, 3 beginning tools playing cards, 16 motion deck playing cards, and 12 improve playing cards
• Extra Service provider playing cards – 5 stage 1, 4 stage 2, and three stage 3
• 4 Redeye Watcher miniatures – with accompanying knowledge card and machine habits card
• 2 Longleg miniatures – with accompanying knowledge card and three machine habits playing cards
• 2 Stalker miniatures – with accompanying knowledge card and 4 machine habits playing cards
• 2 Snapmaw miniatures – with accompanying knowledge card and 5 machine habits playing cards
• 2 Bellowback miniatures – with accompanying 2 knowledge playing cards and eight machine habits playing cards
• 13 Monitoring deck playing cards
• 6 Sport boards for a number of encounter setups

Along with all this, the enlargement introduces a brand new sort of lure card that can be utilized with out utilizing a Tripcaster weapon. As an alternative of setting the traps by performing an assault motion with a Tripcaster, hunters now have a Set Entice motion they will carry out. If they’ve a lure card of their hand, they will merely use it for his or her motion. A Entice token is positioned on both the identical or adjoining area to the starvation.

We additionally like the brand new Nora characters to select from. They’re a welcome addition to the sport to assist combine issues up in how we are able to work collectively to defeat enemy machines.

One other addition we like are the terrain areas on the brand new sport boards that embody Zipwires. Within the online game, they helpful ziplines are a good way to maneuver over an space shortly, excessive above the heads of enemies. Within the board sport, hunters can go from one area with a zipwire to the opposite area with a zipwire as an motion – likewise getting across the board shortly.

The brand new machines on this enlargement additionally introduce some new assault traits. Some enemies can now Stun the hunters which makes the hunters discard playing cards earlier than doing their evade rolls. The Bludgeon assault trait forces gamers to discard playing cards from their hand based mostly on the harm. And the Drag trait pulls hunters into the areas with the enemies dragging them. And if that enemy strikes, the hunter will get pulled to the brand new area as nicely.

Total, we actually like the range introduced into the sport by way of The Sacred Lands enlargement. And though the large Stormbird and Thunderjaw are cool to go up towards, The Sacred Lands enlargement feels just like the extra meaty addition to the sport expertise.

As we talked about in our evaluation of the bottom sport, the target market for Horizon Zero Daybreak: The Board Sport is followers of the online game. And if you happen to’re a fan of the online game, chances are high excessive that you simply’re going to need extra enemies to struggle than simply these included within the base sport. That’s why these three sport expansions are tempting. For those who’re making an attempt to decide on, we’d suggest you begin with The Sacred Lands enlargement first.

Glad looking!

We’d wish to thank Steamforged Video games for evaluation copies of Horizon Zero Daybreak: The Board Sport and expansions.