{"id":335199,"date":"2021-09-05T19:34:00","date_gmt":"2021-09-05T16:34:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/marvelous-geeky-fun-review-geek\/"},"modified":"2021-09-05T19:34:00","modified_gmt":"2021-09-05T16:34:00","slug":"marvelous-geeky-fun-review-geek","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/marvelous-geeky-fun-review-geek\/","title":{"rendered":"#Marvelous Geeky Fun \u2013 Review Geek"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a428022a8f7c\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a428022a8f7c\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/marvelous-geeky-fun-review-geek\/#Gameplay_Not_So_Easy_Peasy\" >Gameplay: Not So Easy Peasy<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/marvelous-geeky-fun-review-geek\/#This_Setup_Requires_a_Lot_of_Space\" >This Setup Requires a Lot of Space<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/marvelous-geeky-fun-review-geek\/#Hijinks_Villainy_and_Multiverse_Madness\" >Hijinks, Villainy, and Multiverse Madness<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/marvelous-geeky-fun-review-geek\/#Final_Thoughts\" >Final Thoughts<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p><strong>&#8220;#Marvelous Geeky Fun \u2013 Review Geek&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<div id=\"article-content-area\">\n<figure style=\"width: 1920px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"type:primaryImage wp-image-96141 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/p\/uploads\/2021\/08\/c3f26245.png?width=400 400w, https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/p\/uploads\/2021\/08\/c3f26245.png?width=1200 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, 400w, 1200w\" src=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/p\/uploads\/2021\/08\/c3f26245.png?width=1200\" alt=\"Top-down shot of Marvel Villainous: Mischief &amp; Malice and some of the game's cards and other components\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" data-credittext=\"Kevin Bonnett\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"type:primaryImage imagecredit\">Kevin Bonnett<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>If you\u2019ve spent much time on Review Geek, you know we\u2019re absolutely gaga for board and card <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/game\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"7\" title=\"Game\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">game<\/a>s and all things Marvel. We\u2019re also low-key lovers of anti-heroes, like Loki. That\u2019s why I was stoked to get my hands on Ravensburger\u2019s <i>Marvel Villainous: Mischief &amp; Malice<\/i>.<\/p>\n<p>The board game is a standalone expansion to <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Ravensburger-Marvel-Villainous-Infinite-Strategy\/dp\/B086B7QPTB?tag=reviewgeek-20\"><i>Marvel Villainous<\/i><\/a>, Ravensburger\u2019s popular\u2014albeit now confusingly-named\u2014board game. <i>Mischief &amp; Malice<\/i> comes out at the perfect time, right around the time that Hulu\u2019s <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/M.O.D.O.K._(TV_series)\">M.O.D.O.K.<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/watch-movies-tv-seriess\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"8\" title=\"Watch Movies &amp; TV Series\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">series<\/a> was released and when Disney+ released its wonderful show <i>Loki<\/i>, further expanding what we collectively know about the loveable trickster.<\/p>\n<p><i>Mischief &amp; Malice<\/i> is a great way to bring a little more Loki into your life, and it\u2019s sure to be a win-win for serious Marvel fans and lovers of complicated board games alike. There are three villains you can play as\u2014Loki, Madame Masque, or M.O.D.O.K. Each villain has their own unique strengths, goals, card deck, and Domain. To win, you\u2019ll need to work to achieve your villain\u2019s goal before the other players do the same.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Gameplay_Not_So_Easy_Peasy\"><\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" name=\"autotoc_anchor_0\">Gameplay: Not So Easy Peasy<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>While that sounds easy enough, don\u2019t be fooled: The game has a steep learning curve and a large 20-page instruction manual. It\u2019s downright difficult to play. There is a hefty amount of material to read through, prepare, and keep track of during each turn. I\u2019m a seasoned board game enthusiast\u2014as are the people I tested the game out with\u2014and it definitely took some time to get the game up and running smoothly.<\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 1600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-96142 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/p\/uploads\/2021\/08\/12bff32e.png\" alt=\"Close-up shot of game cards and player Domains\" width=\"1600\" height=\"900\" data-credittext=\"Kevin Bonnett\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"imagecredit\">Kevin Bonnett<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The game offers up three difficulty modes: Omnipotent (Easy), Inevitable (Intermediate), and Undying (Difficult). With Omnipotent, you\u2019ll remove all Events from the game and ignore any references to them. In Inevitable, the game plays out as-is with no adjustments. And in Undying, if you\u2019re truly brave enough, you will not restrict the number of Global Events in play, and a single villain can be affected by multiple events (oof, that\u2019s brutal!).<\/p>\n<p>Even at its easiest setting, though, I\u2019d hesitate to say that <i>Mischief &amp; Malice<\/i> is a good choice for board game newbies or kids looking for a simple game to play. It might be fun, but it\u2019s tough.<\/p>\n<p>Each turn, players must move their villain to a different region within their Domain. Each region has four unique action options that can potentially be performed, so you\u2019ll need to choose your moves wisely. And of course, like every good card game, you have to discard at the end of your turn, which also requires some careful planning (especially if you\u2019re only holding good cards you like).<\/p>\n<p>In a turn, an opponent may also have the chance to interact with another player\u2019s Domain, say, by blocking part of a region with a Hero or Ally. Until these characters are defeated, they\u2019ll stay in that region and continue to block two actions in that particular region, possibly causing other types of damage or interference, too, depending on the card. You\u2019ll then have to refocus your strategy to vanquish them while at the same time working on completing your objective.<\/p>\n<p>That said, WOW, is this game fun! Once you get your mind wrapped around the mechanics and start getting a feel for the game\u2019s overall rhythm, it\u2019s a challenging and fast-paced thrill (even though it takes anywhere from 40-80 minutes to play through). If you don\u2019t mind having that level of complexity on the table, you\u2019ll most likely end up loving the game. I know I did!<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"This_Setup_Requires_a_Lot_of_Space\"><\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" name=\"autotoc_anchor_1\">This Setup Requires a Lot of Space<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<figure style=\"width: 1600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-96143 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/p\/uploads\/2021\/08\/d3d18e27.png\" alt=\"Loki's Domain with opponent cards and tokens in play\" width=\"1600\" height=\"900\" data-credittext=\"Suzanne Humphries\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"imagecredit\">Suzanne Humphries<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>As you set up the game, you\u2019ll need a sizable flat area to do so. The game\u2019s various components include a villain deck, villain figurine, discard pile, Domain, starting hand, villain guide, and a reference card for each player. Then, there are the community components, like the Fate deck, specialty tiles, and a few different types of tokens. There are a lot of moving parts, and believe me, you\u2019ll want to have plenty of space to comfortably keep track of everything. (You\u2019ll need about the same amount of room as <em>Mysterium<\/em> or <em>Pandemic.<\/em>)<\/p>\n<p>Honestly, though, this isn\u2019t a huge deal because this game is beautiful, and I don\u2019t mind being immersed in all of its glory. The gorgeous art on the box and throughout this entire game makes <i>Mischief &amp; Malice<\/i> all the more fun and exciting, and the extremely well-balanced mechanics ensure the game stays equal parts intense and thrilling the entire time.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Hijinks_Villainy_and_Multiverse_Madness\"><\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" name=\"autotoc_anchor_2\">Hijinks, Villainy, and Multiverse Madness<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The game leans into Marvel\u2019s multiverse, especially for whoever gets to play Loki. Plus, you\u2019ll get to deal with Lokis from other universes, like Lady Loki, King Loki, Kid Loki, Viking Loki, and Sorcerer Supreme Loki.<\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 1600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-96145 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/p\/uploads\/2021\/08\/b7c48f75.png\" alt=\"Loki's villain token that you'll move across the board\" width=\"1600\" height=\"900\" data-credittext=\"Kevin Bonnett\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"imagecredit\">Kevin Bonnett<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>As Loki, your objective is to gain and spend 10 Mischief; as you\u2019d assume, the only way to achieve this is by interfering with other players\u2019 Domains with your alternate Loki versions, who each have their own personalities and effects, and run around causing chaos. Perhaps the most fun part about this is that the other players also reap a unique benefit from any alternate Lokis you place in their Domain; while vanquishing ultimately helps them out, doing so simultaneously removes that bonus.<\/p>\n<p>M.O.D.O.K.\u2019s goal, on the other hand, is working to activate the Cosmic Cube, which he can do if he has a \u201c5\u201d rating in A.I.M. (<a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/marvel.fandom.com\/wiki\/Advanced_Idea_Mechanics_(Earth-616)\">Advanced Idea Mechanics<\/a>) Loyalty and both the Creating the Cube and Cosmic Cube in play. But getting there ain\u2019t easy. The more M.O.D.O.K. focuses on Heroes; the more A.I.M. pushes to give him the boot. If you\u2019re playing this villain, you\u2019ll need to carefully balance your actions so you can successfully achieve your objective.<\/p>\n<p>As Madame Masque, you\u2019ll aspire to murder eight Heroes to settle her Vendetta task. Admittedly, this is also the most difficult character to play (and is perhaps why this character always goes first). Additionally, when you murder a Hero, you will have to choose whether that kill counts towards her Vendetta or a Contract; that\u2019s all fine and dandy, but it can lead to Madame Masque having to 86 way more enemies than the other two players. There are also a few sticky issues with her Domain, and, in my opinion, she ends up having an overreliance on the Fate deck. Out of the three, she is the least fun to play.<\/p>\n<p>Overall, the game works well and ends up with an incredibly fun\u2014albeit complex\u2014flow. The mechanics are truly interesting and well-balanced for the most part, and <i>Mischief &amp; Malice<\/i> is a fun way to explore further this aspect of the Marvel universe (even if it\u2019s non-canonic). I do have a few small gripes, however. Obviously, Loki is the star of the game. While Ravensburger does a solid job working in elements of the Trickster god\u2019s namesake chaos, the other characters don\u2019t feel quite as well-rounded. I know, I know, it\u2019s hard to compete with Loki, but still, their objectives and actions feel like more work and less fun. They simply have less dazzle (and unfortunately, each player has to be a different character\u2014not everyone can be Loki).<\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 1600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-96169 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/p\/uploads\/2021\/08\/f70a7c36.png\" alt=\"Cards from each villain deck, showing the art on the back and a few face cards\" width=\"1600\" height=\"900\" data-credittext=\"Kevin Bonnett\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"imagecredit\">Kevin Bonnett<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Also, to some degree, the game is dependent on which card you draw, and even then, many cards are situational. I know that\u2019s kind of the nature of card games, but if you have a few turns with poor draws here, there isn\u2019t much you\u2019ll be able to do to work towards your objective or fight off an enemy. I also felt like the game didn\u2019t scale down to two players as well as I would have liked; when playing with just two people, it felt like it was fundamentally missing something. It\u2019s screaming to have a larger group to better balance out the Events and actions and to up the competition. Three players games work better, and it feels like it could have a stronger balance overall with even four\u00a0players, but that\u2019s not an option.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Final_Thoughts\"><\/span><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" name=\"autotoc_anchor_3\">Final Thoughts<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>If you\u2019ve got $25, a deep love of Marvel and board games, and a couple hours of free time, I can\u2019t recommend <i>Marvel Villainous: Mischief &amp; Malice<\/i> enough (especially if you have the maximum of three players). Despite the game\u2019s steep learning curve, it is <i>so<\/i> much fun. The fact that it\u2019s a little more complex than the average board or card game works to its advantage; it\u2019s a cerebral challenge rooted in comic book lore. What more can a geek ask for?\n<\/div>\n<p><script>\nsetTimeout(function(){\n  !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s)\n  {if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod?\n  n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)};\n  if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';\n  n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0;\n  t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];\n  s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)}(window, document,'script',\n  'https:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/fbevents.js');\n  fbq('init', '1137093656460433');\n  fbq('track', 'PageView');\n  },3000);\n<\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMLG0nwswvr63Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">For forums sites go to <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/forum.buradabiliyorum.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Forum.BuradaBiliyorum.Com<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more like this article, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/technology\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Technology category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/96140\/marvel-villainous-mischief-malice-review-marvelous-geeky-fun\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;#Marvelous Geeky Fun \u2013 Review Geek&#8221; Kevin Bonnett If you\u2019ve spent much time on Review Geek, you know we\u2019re absolutely gaga for board and card games and all things Marvel. We\u2019re also low-key lovers of anti-heroes, like Loki. That\u2019s why I was stoked to get my hands on Ravensburger\u2019s Marvel Villainous: Mischief &amp; Malice. The&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":335200,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.reviewgeek.com\/p\/uploads\/2021\/08\/c3f26245.png","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-335199","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/335199","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=335199"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/335199\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/335200"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=335199"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=335199"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=335199"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}