Escape the Dark Castle is a simple; cooperative game of retro-atmospheric adventure.
Players take on the roles of prisoners; wrongfully incarcerated in the depths of The Dark Castle. Whether it’s the Abbot; the Tailor or any of the six playable characters; each prisoner is represented by a character card and a custom character die showing that prisoner’s unique endowment of Might; Cunning and Wisdom – the game’s three traits.
Embarking on a desperate quest to escape; the players must work together using custom dice and item cards to overcome the castle’s many horrors; traps; and challenges - each of which is represented by a large; illustrated chapter card. At the beginning of each game; 15 of these chapter cards are drawn at random from a larger deck to create a unique castle every time.
Gameplay involves one player revealing a new chapter card each turn; in a motion like turning a page of a book. When a card is turned; the next chamber or passageway into which the prisoners have stumbled is revealed. There is no turn order. Instead; players decide as a group who will turn the next chapter card; and there are often grisly consequences for the one that does!
Once revealed; the chapter card will explain the situation facing the group and what must be done to get through it. In the style of choose-your-path adventures; most chapters offer the group a choice about how to proceed. Bribe the drunken guards or attack them? Charge the beast or lure it out? Steal from the kitchen stores or keep moving?
Each chapter is a mini-game and a variety of mechanics are required to complete it; from RPG-style skill tests for an individual character; to push-your-luck dice rolling as a team; to the playing of item cards collected along the way to bolster the tactical abilities of the group.
When the players choose to enter (or fail to avoid) combat; all players roll their unique character dice simultaneously to make an attack against the enemy. They need to collectively muster the right combination of Might; Cunning and Wisdom to defeat the foe in question; or risk taking damage. Blocking; Resting; and the use of Weapons; Relics and Potions will help to keep the prisoners alive.
The goal of the game is for the group to complete every chapter in the castle deck; then defeat the final boss. To win; they must keep every member of the team alive - if any player is killed the game ends immediately.
