Let's take a cauldron, add a Munchkin , a few additional mechanics, and a country fantasy inspired by the works of Sapkowski and Pilipiuk, and we have ... Cowshed creatures . Is it enough to stand out from the crowd of other games?
Dress-ups and other wonders of garlands
The game is very simple in its assumptions and resembles Munchkin or Gangsters . Players will play the role of rural monster hunters and will try to earn seven Fame Points – including for fighting monsters haunting the surrounding villages.
A player’s turn is as follows. First, we can buy items at the local market, then we draw a village card (they can make it easier for us to fight monsters or make our opponents’ lives much more difficult when used at the right moment). This action can be repeated, but it’s better to go to the highroad and face the creature.
Village cards and combat are undoubtedly at the heart of the game. We also have a bit of innovation here, because after selecting a monster, we don’t have to fight it, and we can commission it. Thus, other players can try to defeat the beast and get coppers and Fame Points. Why give up the creature to someone? Well, because we also add three village cards, which can make the monster gain strength and thus defeat our opponent. We can add a Vampire or Graveyard Hyena card to gain a life point or steal coppers from the player’s failure. However, the disguise card is the most interesting. If we play it, in case of a defeat of the player we win the entire pot.
What is the fight like? Quite simply, because we count the bonuses from the character cards (if they have one), and also from our items, or we pack with village cards and roll the dice. If the sum of our points equals or exceeds the monster’s strength, we win (monsters belong to three categories and we count bonuses only in the color of a specific monster). Simple? Not really, because players can add us cards and as a result, for example, take over our monster, strengthen it or throw us a (literally) pig, that is, we lose from the machine.
It is also worth knowing that you can leave the game. Each player has three life points; if he loses the last HP while fighting monsters, he dies. Fortunately, this is when the second hero enters the game (at the beginning we get two character cards, choose one, and turn the other face down on it and place Fame Points on it). However, if he too dies, then the player ultimately loses.
Let the moonshine pour in streams
What is intriguing in the Cowshed Cows ?
First of all, the village cards – this is the best element of this item, because we can join someone “crookedly” and if he wins, we get a fame point for free. Cards like My On , Vampire , Graveyard Hyena allow you to take your opponent’s prey and even benefit from their defeat. In addition, there is a statute , thanks to which you can fight a duel for coppers.
Secondly, disguises – also belong to the village cards, but this is such an unusual mechanism that it should be highlighted in a separate point. An amazing combination will come out when we combine the Disguise with the order, pack each other properly and not only get the pot, but the bravest player will receive one damage. There is an element of risk here, because if we lose, we will lose 1 HP.
Third, the marketplace – we have control over what we want to take with us. Potions that work best are one-time use, but can save the skin at a crucial moment.
Apart from that, it is worth mentioning about events – apart from monsters, there are also events in the highway deck. They are interesting and bring some variety to the game. For example, you can hit a healer and sell your organs (1 life point) in exchange for coppers. What’s more interesting, we can draw a Rumor and then an additional point of fame goes to the pool of the next monster. Immediately the tension grows and everyone tries to gain something from this business.
In Cowshed From the Barn you can do a good job and spoil a lot of blood for your opponent. It is also worth adding that we can reroll a die for a fame point, but rivals can also make such a move to force us to reroll. Thus, there is a whole lot of tools for disturbing each other.
An epidemic of … cemetery grandfathers
On the mechanics side, I have some comments about drawing village cards, trade and equipment, and dropping out of the game and playing time, as well as character balance.
What’s the deal with trading and inventory? Each character can carry two items (except One-Handed Fred) and one potion. If we want to make room for another weapon, we can sell an unnecessary item. Theoretically it’s good that there is a possibility, but in practice it hurts a small variety of items. All doom tools provide a bonus against a single type of monster or are effective against two types of creatures (the bonus is always +1). In addition, the better ones are only available in three units, so it may quickly turn out that the market has stagnated.
Village cards add flavor to the game, but if a player gets rid of all of them, many options are lost. On the other hand, drawing an additional card instead of fighting the monster is a waste of your turn (especially in a game with more players), because – after all – the action of the road brings you closer to victory.
After losing the first hero, for obvious reasons, our chances of winning significantly decrease. It is true that the acquired equipment stays, but you have to get Fame Points again. As in the case of Munchkin , the time of the game with a larger squad may be longer, due to the fact that we are able to disturb each other quite well and delay the end of the game quite effectively (especially when the challenger dies, followed by more people). It is possible to play quickly and efficiently, but it is worth bearing in mind that the game may be extended.
The characters are interesting, but a few seem more interesting than others. Gajowy Szyszka receives an additional fame point for defeating two forest creatures, while Alojzy starts with three coppers. A supposedly easier start, but nothing else. Szyszka will hunt forest creatures, risk and figure out how to kill this particular type, and Alojzy can buy the item beforehand, and that’s it. It is a pity, because playing the Gamekeepers introduces more variety and influences our tactics.
You can also complain about the randomness in drawing village cards. The bonuses that add +1 strength to a monster or village monster hunter are nothing interesting compared to the other cards, which offer much more possibilities. On the other hand, it does not bother you so much when fighting the monster, because although the throw can decide everything, it gives you more emotions.
The most beautiful Polish village in the world
The graphics are amazing. Rural fantasy is an original and unusual idea that works perfectly here. Atmospheric descriptions under the cards, funny monsters, and great items, such as: a silver-plated sword, garlic flail, aspen stake. The graphic design harmonizes well with the mechanics. Tomasz Bolik did a solid job in this respect. It is really a very successful debut. Unfortunately, I complain a little about the performance – a box that is too large to be exact. In addition, the molding seems to me not fully thought out. Besides, Muduko Publishing House has published quite an intriguing title.
A silver-plated sword as a cure for all evil?
Barn Creatures is an example of a game where you can find a few slightly grating elements, but in fact everything is fine. I am not bothered by the aforementioned disadvantages, and I will gladly sit down to her more than once. In good company, Cows from the cowshed are great and provide a lot of laughter, positive emotions and simply have fun. It’s not a game for everyone, but I recommend testing it because it has charm and draws you in.
