Was it fun? Yes!
What were the player interactions? Player interactions were similar to fluxx where you can affect other players hands, characters, and plays. It gives a sense of competitiveness because you start to target people by stopping their characters from becoming gloomy and dying, or taking people’s cards (of course when there is an action card that says so). So overall there is a lot of player interaction in Munchkin Gloom.
How long did it take to learn? It took a whole “dummy hand” for us to learn, but during the second game we played it was a lot more enjoyable and it ran smoothly.
What was the most frustrating moment or aspect of what you just played? The most frustrating part was figuring out what cards were. We struggled with this because they all look very similar, and at first without knowing or getting familiar with the cards we had to examine them extra hard to figure out what could be done with specific cards.
What was your favorite moment or aspect of what you just played? My favorite aspects of the game were the visuals of the game and the self-worth/ point system. It was easy to keep track of the self-worth points and other symbols because the cards were clear, and I also enjoyed the medieval look of the characters and cards in general. As for the self-worth aspect of the game, it brought competitiveness out of everyone and forced us to change each other’s cards/ target each other. I also just thought it was a creative take on the game.
Was there anything you wanted to do that you couldn’t? The only thing I wanted to do that I couldn’t was use my untimely death cards whenever I wanted rather than using it as your first play. We all kept forgetting that rule, but I do see the purpose of it so the players can’t give their own negative points and then untimely death all in one move. Without that rule the game wouldn’t be as interesting or long.
If you had a magic wand to wave, and you could change, add, or remove anything
from the experience, what would it be? The only thing I would change would be the look of the cards. It was easy to take other players’ untimely death/ event cards because the other cards looked different. I felt this was annoying because of course other players would pick those cards over others.
Is this a game you would play again? Yes _____ No ______ Why
Yes, because ultimately I enjoyed the second round of playing and it was fun targeting other players and it became competitive, which I enjoy because I am a very competitive person. Also, I thought it was a funny take on the game with being the most miserable person, having the most miserable characters, and then killing off all your players. I think it’s unique because it’s the opposite of the majority of games.
Analyze the game using the 3 act structure.
Setup: This is when players establish their foundation and everyone chooses their party members and characters, learn their backstories, and receive the dealt cards. It introduces the world, the characters’ identities, and sets the tone for the game. The stakes and goals start to take shape here.
Confrontation / Rising Action:The main gameplay happens here. Players begin to manipulate the narrative by assigning negative self-worth to their own characters and positive self-worth to other players’ characters. Action cards and early “untimely death” plays introduce conflict, alliances, and rivalries. This is where strategy, tension, and drama build.
Resolution / Climax: The endgame arrives when only a few characters remain alive. This act is about timing and execution and choosing the right moment to play untimely death cards. The suspense increases as players attempt to plan their story outcomes, and the game resolves with final self-worth points and the narrative payoff of whose team is all dead first.