Tabletop RPGs are still experiencing a huge boom, with players enamored by professional games such as Critical Role and DropOut’s Dimension20, but before Dungeons and Dragons enthusiasm was rekindled, many gamers had already begun to dive into classic TTRPGs. One such title is Talisman, which was last updated in 2007, and has served as an entryway to role-playing games for hundreds of thousands of gamers.

On Friday, Avalon Hill officially confirmed a handful of rumors that had been circulating about the future of the classic game company. Along with more expansions and updates to the recently rebooted HeroQuest, Avalon Hill hinted at possibly releasing expansions for Life in Reterra, a new strategy game that was released last month by Avalon Hill’s parent company Hasbro, as well as a new game entirely, which is likely to be announced shortly before Gen Con.

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Life in Reterra Board Game Review

Hasbro has finally released a strategic board game with Life in Reterra. Unlike Monopoly, this game is designed for both new and experienced players.

Perhaps most surprising was the announcement of a release date for the new Talisman board game, which was originally revealed back in February at Play Modena. Talisman: The Magical Quest Board Game, 5th edition can already be pre-ordered and will be made fully available on July 1st. Players can get a copy from most major retailers, as well as local game stores for just $60, making it a must-have for gamers this summer.

Although the basic features of the board are the same as they ever were, most details have been changed or updated for modern gamers. The artwork has been completely re-done, replacing the dated 80’s fantasy style with art more similar to games like Magic: The Gathering and Carcassonne, offering not only more detail, but also vibrant colors, and more varied landscapes. The new art is carried through on the 100 illustrated cards, too, which mesh with the board perfectly as they are placed on the board throughout the adventure. Additionally, the game includes 12 highly-detailed figures, made in partnership with Games Workshop, which match their new, much more diverse character cards, and really give the game an elevated tactile component. The characters currently planned for release are:

• Assassin
• Dwarf
• Elf
• Thief
• Monk
• Troll
• Prophetess
• Sorceress
• Ghoul
• Warrior
• Wizard
• Priest

Veteran Talisman fans may notice that there are two less characters than with 4th edition, but this goes along with Avalon Hill’s attempts to make the game more approachable and better controlled. Patrick O’Rourke, Avalon Hill’s Director of Product Management, stated that this updated version of Talisman aims to “give players more agency”, and this was accomplished by streamlining the game quite a bit. Whereas in 4th edition the goal of the game was to get to the center of the board and use the crown of command spell to win, 5th edition pits players against an elder dragon protecting the crown of command. Once the dragon is defeated, you win!

Choices players make will have a greater effect on the game’s progression than previously, and random, frustrating events that can draw out a game have been pared down. For example, they have removed many of the loss of turn cards, while cards that devastated players in the past now come with a chance to save. These changes do ultimately make the game a bit easier, but they also make it so that it is much less likely that a player will be killed off well before the end.

The changes to 5th edition have cut down the average play time by approximately half thanks to these more dynamic events, new pathways and shortcuts, as well as a faster and easier leveling system. However, that’s not to say that veteran players are being completely left behind. Those who enjoyed the longer, more difficult version of the game will still be able to bask in the brutality of Talisman, thanks to the included alternative ruleset, which adapts the 4th edition gameplay to the new characters and cards available.

The updated art is worth mentioning again when it comes to the characters. On the cards, you’ll see a diverse group of races and body types, along with highly detailed outfits and expressions, to give players some ideas for their chosen character. The way you choose a character is new as well. Rather than randomly choosing a character, Game Designer Doug Hopkins has implemented a more popular draft system, allowing players to pick a card and either keep it or pass it to another player. Players are also able to choose their alignment at the beginning of the game now, making the game more immersive from the get-go.

Despite Talisman 5th edition being released in just a few short weeks, Avalon Hill also announced an expansion for the game, slated for release in October and available for pre-order starting June 14th, 2024. Expansions were a huge part of the 4th edition of Talisman, though Avalon Hill isn’t currently planning on revisiting those, instead looking ahead to brand-new adventures.

The first expansion is called Talisman Alliances: Fate Beckons and is meant as a cooperative adventure. Working together with fellow players, you'll be tasked with overcoming five different "trials". Rather than taking the talisman for yourself and going to claim the crown of command, you and your teammates will bury the talisman and then take down the final boss together.

The trials are a very interesting addition to Talisman and, similar to games like Gloomhaven, are kept in numbered boxes that should be opened in order. However, unlike Gloomhaven, there's no tearing or crossing off of quests once you're done. The trials are all replayable, and experienced players can feel free to tackle them out of order once they've gone through them, while less experienced gamers can easily be reintroduced to the game after a group has started their trials. By changing your character choice and drawing different cards, the game’s replayability should be sustained even through multiple repeat sessions.

Each trial comes complete with a story to follow, which changes the win condition and overall makes the game feel much more fluid and immersive. There is still the doom tracker to deal with when playing Talisman Alliances, which will be triggered by random, card-drawn events. It is totally possible to fail a trial, especially as each one increases in difficulty, though with the faster gameplay and more varied characters, making a second attempt won’t exactly be a punishment.

Although this is a lot of fantastic information for fans of Talisman, Avalon Hill made it clear that this is only the beginning. There will almost certainly be expansions that add new characters to the game, and Avalon Hill stated that add-on boards are “not off the table”. As it stands, Talisman 5th edition is sized to fit on basically any kitchen table, making it very enticing to a new generation of gamers while being utterly irresistible to veteran tabletop players.

Talisman: The Magical Quest Board Game, 5th Edition

Compete for the coveted Crown of Command in a magical realm with the new and improved Talisman: The Magical Quest Game, 5th Edition. Offering a thrilling experience, this game combines strategy and luck to create an epic adventure game suitable for any player 12 and up.
Featuring stunning artwork, redesigned figures, and more streamlined and accessible gameplay, Talisman 5th edition lets both newcomers and experienced fans jump right into the game. Race to be the first to acquire a Talisman, reach the Crown of Command, and vanquish its guardian dragon to win.

Type of Game

RPG

Age Recommendation

12+

Game Duration

90+ min

Brand

Avalon Hill

Number of Players

2-6

Designer

Doug Hopkins

Expand

$60 at Amazon

Avalon Hill will be at Gen Con this year, and they have a number of games available for testing, so be sure to check out their open registrations if you’ll be going to Indianapolis this year.

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