Game Review

Concept:

Assume the role of the X-men and liberate your mansion from the evil mutant enemies.

Gameplay:

Each player randomly is dealt 2 X-men character cards. Players  retrieve the corresponding figurines.  The character cards specify three characteristics of the heroes: Intelligence, Durability, and Fighting skill.  Each X-men character also has a unique special ability that may be used in combat.

The board is set up -- tokens marked with a colored "X" are placed in every room (the colors match the level of the Mansion).  The "X" side of the token is up: the reverse is to be revealed later.

Players are dealt the number of action cards equal to the intelligence of their X-men.  Action cards typically identify a room in Xavier's mansion. By playing a card, the player moves one of the X-men figures to the location specified on the card. 

Each turn proceeds as follows:

• Play a room card & move one of your X-men to that room.

• Reveal the "X" token -- if it is blank, collect it; if it says "evil mutant" you enter combat; if it says "X-men" you are joined by another hero.

Being joined by an additional X-man means that you get three characters to use instead of your starting two!

• Play any combat until the evil mutant is defeated or all X-men in the fight are incapacitated.

• Draw new cards to replace those used.

If one of your X-men finds an evil mutant, then any X-men on the same level may join in the fight against it.   The top card of the evil mutant  deck is revealed -- there is a marker on the level that is moved to a chart on the side of the board to indicate the evil mutant's strength.  (Strength varies from 21 down to about 10). All other play stops until the evil mutant is subdued or the X-men are incapacitated.  The X-men character who revealed the evil mutant is the combat leader -- and may have a special power that can influence the combat.  Any player who can may play a special card to move their X-men into the battle as well.

Combat consists of each X-men character getting to roll the dice.  Each die has 2 blank spots, one evil mutant spot, 2 X-men spots, and one marvel spot.  The character gets to roll the number of dice equivalent to his/her fighting skill (usually 2, 3, or 4)  plus any bonus dice from the combat leader.  For each die with an X-men result, the evil mutant's strength is reduced by 1; a roll of marvel reduces the strength by 2.  For each evil mutant result, the character takes 1 point of damage. After the dice are rolled, the next character in the battle rolls the dice.  If a character's damage points are equal or greater than their durability -- then the character is unconscious (they need to heal).  If the evil mutant's strength is reduced to zero, then the character who last hit claims the room chip and the mutant card. As the evil mutant's strength is reduced, players collect "blood chips" approximately every three points.

Characters who take damage may heal themselves by not moving the next turn -- they roll the number of dice equal to their durability. If a battle is ongoing on the same level, any rolls of evil mutant will cause them additional damage. Rolling x-men and marvel will cure one or two damage points respectively.

Sometimes it's a good idea to heal instead of searching a new room.

Play ends when the last room is secured.  To find out who wins, players count the number of room tokens they have collected added to the number of mutant cards collected and added to the number of blood chips. Highest score wins.

Winning Conditions:

• The player who has collected the most points, wins.

Our Opinion:

When you are too caught up in collecting comic books, anything looks good.  This game is best used for collecting the figures, painting them, and then losing the rest of the game. 

We've played this game on a few occasions -- there isn't a lot of strategy to speak of.  In combat you have a 50% chance of hitting with each die, and a 1 in 6 chance of being hit.  The evil mutants aren't really a threat unless you are really unlucky or already injured.  The rules have some significant grey areas -- for instance, it was unclear if you could use your cards on some one else's turn, or join another player's battle. We decided that you could join another player's battle because it was more interesting.

Even though the game board is a floor plan of the X-men's mansion, the game didn't play like it really was a building. There really wasn't a good method of moving around the mansion to where you wanted to go -- you had to hope for a card to get you there. (You'd think that a mutant superhero could walk into the next room over...but, no, you can't you have to randomly appear in rooms all around the building without any regard to geography.)

The game is also very cluttery -- there are damage makers, blood chips, room chips, action cards, evil mutant cards, character cards and so on.  The board is an awkward long thin rectangle that requires a long table or a lot of floor space.  The dice were blank cubes that we had to paste stickers on...the figurines must've cost too much for the designers to get custom dice.

As all of the zombies are former (or current) comic book collectors, we all knew about the X-men. This game's best feature is the 18 figurines. They make the box worthwhile -- but only for a comic book collector.  The game itself is mediocre and lackluster in terms of play.  Being from 1995, the game was released in the peak of the comic book's popularity.  It probably sold well in comic circles... if you want the figures go find a copy -- but don't expect a particularly good game.

Where to buy:

This game is out of print, you'll have to try looking for it on e-bay or a comic book site.