Dungeon Run has hit store shelves and is in the Plaid Hat Games online store. Gamers everywhere are discovering the joys of betraying their friends in a mad rush for the summoning stone, yet we at Plaid Hat Games are not content to sit still! Dungeon Run 2 is in development and we thought we would give you a sneak peak at the tastiness in store for you.

DR2 is being developed as both a standalone game and an expansion for the original Dungeon Run. New players will find a complete game that lets them jump in the action, while players with Dungeon Run will discover a wide range of new toys, treats, and backstabbity goodness to add to their games. DR2 will be entirely compatible with Dungeon Run, yet also update and streamline the rules. We are specifically focusing on creating new material that doesn't just blend with Dungeon Run, but makes it better. This will not be a box with "more of the same"!

New Mechanics

While treachery comes naturally to some players (you know who you are), others told us they wished Dungeon Run would throw them into game table politics right away. Wish granted! The dungeon tiles and monsters of DR2 will constantly force players to stick together, and then stick sharp things into their friends. Sabotaging and assisting will still play a big part of the game, but now you'll be forced to consider using these options even more.

One of the more exciting additions to Dungeon Run 2 is elections. Elections are where the players must vote for one player to suffer a horrible effect, or receive some sort of benefit. This new mechanic is a quick way to make decisions without adding to game time. It's easy to pretend to be someone's friend, but when their head is on the chopping block, will you still be their pal, or will you reveal your true intentions?

Exciting Exploration

The last thing we wanted was to add a bunch of normal rooms when players of the first set already have plenty. Dungeon Run 2 has players using as many special tiles as standard tiles, but even the standard tiles bring a new twist...

The new Vortex of Souls tile is a great example of how players are encouraged to stay together. When the Vortex of Souls is revealed, all players place a discarded ability card on the tile. They can remove their card if they move onto the Vortex, but until they do so, they will receive a wound at the beginning of each of their turns. Ouch!

Shiny New Toys

Dungeon Run 2 features a wealth of all-new treasures, and loot will pop up more frequently during games. Each hero will be able to use roughly 75% of all treasure, which will be especially appreciated when mixed with the treasure cards from Dungeon Run. Now instead of treasures being a rare treat, heroes can spend more time focusing on choosing which horrible new tool they can wield against the others.

It's a Trap!

The traps in Dungeon Run 2 focus less on causing damage and more on causing mayhem. Take the Fortune Trap for instance. Disarm it, and gain a bevy of treasure cards. Fail, and watch in horror as your opponents are all suddenly blessed with new gear.

Grisly New Terrors

The monsters of Dungeon Run 2 bring a number of new ideas to the game. Animates (and their random abilities) are unique to Dungeon Run, and Dungeon Run 2 introduces Demons. What makes them interesting? Well take a look at the Worm of Jealousy below. Like most demons, he's a tough fight, but he'll be happy to bargain with you instead. He'll let you give one of your ability cards to another player, and then steal one of your choosing from them. Jealous of Stabbins's Sly ability? It's yours! Want Paelleall's Far Shot ability to complement your new bow? Yours.

Another new demon is the Avatar of Vengeance. He uses the new election mechanic. When the avatar pops up, a player is elected (preferably one who's grown too big for her britches). The elected player becomes the only one who can fight the Avatar, and until the Demon is killed, they suffer a horrible penalty.

Dungeon Run featured Uber monsters, but there are two new special types in Dungeon Run 2. First are Hunters, like the Melothi below. Hunters are tough fights in their own right, but they specialize in taking out heroes who wander alone. Their attack ratings increase by 1 for every tile between you and the hero closest to you. That's right--the farther you are from the group, the more horrifying the attack you face. The other new special type will have to wait for another preview...

It's Coming!

This is just a taste of what DR2 will offer. There is so much more to talk about, like new bosses, stranger strangers, and of course new heroes. All of these things will help turn your Dungeon Run sessions into truly memorable contests of unscrupulousness! Keep checking the PHG website for more previews in the future.

Posted by Mr. Bistro