Modern devices and services grant access to countless entertainment choices. Digital books, movies, and games are instantly accessible whenever we want. But despite the trend, traditional gaming continues to deliver fun and creative innovation. The latest tabletop card and dice game offers a portable challenge with solid replay value. Doom Machine creates a full, single-player adventure that unpacks from a simple tin container.

There are plenty of dice and card games out there. However, not many deliver the kind of roguelike gameplay that Doom Machine does. Described as an “intense pressure-cooker,” Doom Machine pits the player against an enemy AI that grows stronger with every turn. The action comes down to the roll of the dice and the choices that you have to make. Games are short, lasting between 10 and 30 minutes (on average). Best of all, victory is not guaranteed!

The game starts by deploying the initial machine part cards and dice, leaving the remaining cards in a facedown stack. Two tracking cards monitor stat changes that occur throughout the game. Each turn begins by rolling the dice. The player then chooses how to allocate the results; block incoming damage from and/or deal damage to machine parts. Destroyed machine parts grant the player an additional die to roll for the rest of the game.

The second phase of each turn involves cycling the dice on each remaining machine part card. This can trigger various effects to thwart the machine’s destruction, such as gaining power, dealing damage to the player, repairing health, and more. The turn ends by drawing a new machine part card from the pile and placing it along the line. Each consecutive turn raises the stakes and increases the difficulty. And that’s just the easy mode.

Doom Machine comes with 25 cards and 20 dice (and three cubes for tracking), all of which fit in its mint tin-sized can. The charming art style has broad appeal, evoking a sense of apocalyptic, technological domination. Think The Matrix meets Invader Zim, but done in an age-appropriate way for all to enjoy. The colors and illustrations stand out and tie in with the game theme: impending doom upon humans.

Overall, Doom Machine looks to be the kind of game that strikes the right balance between strategy and luck. In other words, there’s enough of each to keep players interested without being overly-repetitive. A roguelike at its best without a huge time commitment to play. Given how the game is designed, expansion packs would not be hard to create. As with Munchkin or Clank!, Doom Machine has the potential to deliver more pocket-sized fun with new cards and encounters. Fingers crossed.

Doom Machine is currently funding on Kickstarter. More than 500 backers have helped raise over US$14 thousand dollars in less than a day, and the campaign still has over three weeks of funding left to go. A pledge of $19 gets you one (physical) copy of Doom Machine. If everything goes according to schedule, backers can expect shipments to start September 2021.

Source: Kickstarter