It’s my birthday on July 30th. You should buy me a copy of Talisman: The Magical Quest Game – 5th Edition. Maybe I’ll just buy one for myself… I love Talisman. I love it very, very much, and I couldn’t be more excited about its upcoming fifth edition re-release from Hasbro.
It was the digital version of Talisman that first enticed me to spend time circling dungeons endlessly, in the fruitless hope of completing my magical quest, and coming out alive on the other side. There’s just something so novel about the adventure – its classic fantasy art, the surprise of hitting new creatures and objects every turn, and the distant idea of one day, maybe, completing a loop, and hitting the centre of the game board to claim the Crown of Command.
Inspired by my early travels in Talisman: Digital Edition, in 2022, I purchased the only copy of Talisman: 4th Edition I could find – a very squished, cracked, and torn copy lodged in a dark corner of the PAX Aus show floor. Just weeks later, there was noise about a re-release of Talisman, and prices for pristine 4th Edition copies suddenly shot up on eBay. As of writing, copies are rare, and they’re frequently listed for over AUD $300, regardless of condition.
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It really, really sucks when board games enter this territory. It means new players are locked out, and the market becomes flooded with opportunists and scalpers looking to make a quick buck. Talisman is an adventure board game that deserves to be shared, and with the release of Talisman: 5th Edition, it will finally get that much-deserved honour again.
What makes Talisman so special is its moreish gameplay loop.
It encourages you to enter a unique fantasy world, and keep striving onwards as you uncover powerful enemies, special items, and pushbacks against your primary quest. While you do occasionally stumble in Talisman, and it’s easy to get taken right back to the start of your journey when you’re so close to victory, it’s that sense of hilarious random chance that keeps the entire adventure so, so fun.
In Talisman: The Magical Quest Game – 5th Edition, this classic gameplay loop remains intact, with a stylistic refresh for cards, and the main game board helping to jazz up the action. There will also be new adventure cards for those who already own the 4th Edition, as well as a simpler, easy to learn gameplay introduction that should help newbie players.
As on now, it’s my most anticipated board game of the year, despite it being a simple refresh of a beloved classic. I’m rearing to get all my friends on the board, burning out on the same magical loops I’ve grown to love.
Preorders for Talisman: The Magical Quest Game – 5th Edition are now open from select retailers worldwide.
In Australia, I’ve spotted it on Let’s Play Games (one of my personal go-to board gaming websites), and it’s likely to hit more mainstream retailers over the coming weeks, for launch around July 2024. Stay tuned for more on this edition of Talisman – and make sure you’re saving money to get it for me, for my birthday. Thanks in advance.
