can anyone give me kind of a breakdown of how this game plays , as much detail as you like but dont have to type rules for me lol. Thanks for any replys.

Its a pretty basic game. Roll a die and move on the board. The board has 3 tiers that you move your characters race through to get to the Crown of Command and win the game. Usually you draw a card that describes the encounter. The characters are all unique and have special abilities.

It is not a game of deep strategy, it is a game of adventure, as in, what happens next?! It is also not a coop game but one of mutual conflict, play up your character's special abilities and you have a better chance to win.

Definatly a fun game but it can run a bit long if players forget the goal is to ultimately win the game.

Feldrik said:

Yep, but often people blame the game for this. If the players decide to lolly-gag, instead of going for the win, hard to blame it on the game IMO. If you want shorter games (today's game clocked in at 50 minutes for 3-player), just remember/think of Talisman as a race game. Just be aware that the first player across the finish line doesn't always win .

I'm not sure I would want to call it a race game, as that is not the way the game is subtitled... that's just the way it has been pushed (perhaps too much). Seeking to make the game short is just as bad as seeking to make it long. The play... the adventure, as you said, is what matters. If there's plenty of focus on that and the ultimate quest (so-called) in the end, then the time spent won't even matter. Most of those I've heard from who complain about long games (even when the time quoted isn't really long) have lost sight of what the game is intended to be... adventure.

There's plenty of adventure to be had in Talisman, and it is easy to learn the basics. Simply read the rules once, don't try to memorize them, then play and learn it as you go. You accept that you'll make mistakes and misinterpretations, and you'll enjoy the learning process through the game instead of outside of it.

Typical time play is a base of 30 minutes plus 15-30 minutes per player. (That's averaging by rough guess having played various editions sporatically over 20 years). A typical 4 player game is between 1.5 and 2.5 hours. 2E tended to be on the longer side; 4ER (the current edition) tends a little shorter, but they both vary.

Give it a try; it's well worth the investment, whether its a beer and chips night with the buddies or popcorn and sodas with the family.

Fun game.....Just bought my own copy(thanks Scott!!!).The game is how most of the other guys describe but most people forget that you can attack other players....this is my favorite tactic... wait untill I'm big enough and start sniping players,a hit here or there really adds up especially if when you get to the crown of command and start casting.....not a preferable tactic but one i use....