And maybe another review of quality control as well

Miniatures painted by Charlie Hall and Aaron Richmond

Among the highest-grossing crowdfunded board games of all time, Kingdom Death: Monster is a rare beast in part due to its price point, which currently sits at $420. It's also due to production issues, meaning the game has been out of print for long periods ever since it first debuted in 2015. But if you get the chance to actually play it, as I have, you'll find the mechanics are literally to die for. The base game features complex monsters and elaborate turn-based combat, a powerful crafting system, and a fascinating variant of colony simulation. Beloved characters will die horribly and often, which can bring your campaign to a screeching halt after tons of hours. Add to that mix dozens of the industry's most gorgeous multi-part plastic miniatures and you can see why I once called it the "Everest of board games."

Now comes the game's first big-box expansion, a second $400 cardboard and plastic box called the Gambler's Chest Expansion that was originally promised to backers in December 2020. More than three years later — nearly seven years after it was originally funded, mind you – it's finally available for purchase. Unfortunately, it's a bit of a mess that further complicates an already over-the-top complex game. Unless you're here just for the thumbnails, I just can't recommend it.