Lost Ruins of Arnak: Twisted Paths

• Designers: Elwen, Min 
• Publisher: Czech Games Edition
• Players: 1-4
• Age: 10+
• Time: 30-120 minutes
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• Played with review copy provided by publisher

Twisted Paths is the final major addition to the world of Arnak. Its highlight is a new double-sided map, bigger than the one in the base game, that features two new research tracks, each with unique mechanisms and components.  It is intended for you to use this board in place of the usual main board.  If you have previous expansions and like to use the Leaders from them, you’ll be able to incorporate those into your games with the new maps.  It should be noted that the content in Lost Ruins of Arnak: Twisted Paths was previously included in the Adventure Chest, a limited-edition storage box.

On the map, you can choose to explore its daytime side and scale the white stone of the Owl Temple. It uses unique new temple tiles that, if combined together, can become extra idol slots, and a third research token, a lantern, that brings even stronger research rewards.  Players will also have the opportunity to discover single-use secret passages along the research track; leading to some interesting actions. Given the extra scoring opportunities, you may find that your scores are somewhat higher than usual with this side. 

You can also brave the night and journey through the dark caverns of the Spider Temple. This side uses a new resource, dark tablets, used to invoke mysterious altars and place artifacts directly onto the research track to be used when ascending the track. When you invoke an altar, you will place an artifact at that location – where it will remain for the rest of the game, able to be used by all players.

 But beware—using the dark tablets can give you strong rewards, but also cost you points should you become too ambitious!  The rules note that you should expect lower than normal scores when playing with this board.  Depending on how many dark tablets were used in the game, players will be assessed a penalty for each one they placed.  To balance it out somewhat, the player who played the most dark tablets at an altar will score the bonus listed above it.

In addition to the two new maps, the expansion also contains new guardians, sites, and assistants. It also brings some solo content—Rival tiles for the new maps, as well as Purple Rival tiles and Rival Objectives, two mini expansions we’ve previously released online as print-and-play.  

Thoughts from the Opinionated Gamers

Mark Jackson: As I sat down to write these ‘thoughts’, I realized that I’m having some trouble separating my experience with the Twisted Paths expansion from the fact I received it as part of my purchase of the Adventure Box (a complete storage/organization system for all the Lost Ruins of Arnak stuff). In fact, the larger map board in Twisted Paths works – in part – because of the better storage system. (I know we’re not reviewing the Adventure Box here, but I’m a big fan.)

A slight correction: not only can you play the new maps with the explorers from Expedition Leaders and Missing Expedition expansions – it’s how the maps were designed. (The rulebook warns that playing with the base game leaders will be “challenging”.)

The artwork for Lost Ruins of Arnak has always been stellar – but the two new maps are particularly beautiful. The increased size gives more opportunity for details that help bring the world of Arnak to life.

Both maps – Spider Temple and Owl Temple – are best for experienced players. They both add more complicated research tracks and other game elements that push the difficulty level up a notch. Both research tracks also incorporate the temple tile buying mechanic originally found on the new research tracks in the Expedition Leaders expansion.

The Spider Temple’s dark tablets can be used to activate altars and gain artifact powers but at the cost of endgame points. (Well, there is a mitigating factor – the player who used the most dark tablets at a particular altar gets a point bonus, though often not enough to cover the cost of messing around with the dark forces.)

The Owl Temple adds secret passages on the research track which are accessed by spending your magnifying glass marker and the research cost in order to obtain temple tiles. Once you’ve entered a secret passage, your lantern token (new to this map) starts at the bottom of the research track and triggers different effects as it moves up the track. Additionally, the Owl Temple features a different set of temple tiles which can be locked together to create an additional idol slot (like the ones on your player board). Finally, the second row of first level dig sites have two idols but cost two extra coins (in addition to the usual three compasses) to excavate.

The extra elements are clever and won’t be particularly difficult to teach experienced players – but I’d hesitate to drag a newbie onto one of these maps.

As a solo player, I’ll also note that each of the maps has a specific solo tile that is mixed to the action stack each round. That allows the solo AI to interact with the board elements particular to that map.

I haven’t had a chance to play with the Rival Objectives solo module yet – that’s next on my list. (As is another run at The Missing Expedition solo campaign.)

Ryan P: I also received the expansion as a part of backing the Adventure Box. The fact that so many have, says a lot about how Arnak has held up as a game. I have played both new maps, and they are now my #1 and #2 favorite temple tracks to play. I am partial to the Spider Temple, but only slightly. I would definitely recommend someone who is new to Arnak, start with the Expedition Leaders expansion. But once you add leaders, I see no reason to not add this extra content, as it’s all high quality variability additions. And if you haven’t played Arnak at all, what the heck are you waiting for?

Luke H: The two new maps are the most different from the rest, than any of the other maps so far. Which makes sense, as the longer a game has been out, the more of the “standard” tweaks have already been done. 

The Owl map takes an issue that can creep up in other, more basic maps (namely, it being a bit too easy to move up the research tracks all the way to the top) and turns it into a strength. By adding ways to exit and restart the track, players can decide how much they can possibly get out of that half of the board. Do I exit quickly, and get my lantern going? Or do I push my magnifying glass all the way up, and then exit and see how far I can get the lantern to go? What if somebody takes the exit I was planning on using? Tense and dicey. In addition, the ability to essentially buy more idol slots is super welcome. I tend to use my slots asap, so more is better, and more fun. 

The Spider map is wild. The fact that the artifacts that get slotted into the research track come from the offer, and will be different game to game is super interesting. The games feel very different if those artifacts’ effects lean toward one area of the game or another. In one game, several of the artifacts selected helped players climb the research track. By the end, all players had both markers at the top of the track or just short. Never seen that happen before. The penalty for the dark tablets seems interesting in concept, but so far, have been mostly a wash, as people all spent their tablets on the artifact effects. In my next game, I plan on trying to use them that way in a more judicious manner, to see if I can score some advantage in points in the aggregate. But, who am I kidding, seeing as how I spend my idol slots in the same manner, points be damned, I need those sweet resources. 

Last point: While the main features of the new maps are the research tracks, the slight tweaks to the other side of the board are welcome, as well. Whether it be the travel costs to the discovery spaces, or the tweaks to the camp sites, the changes break you out of the standard way of playing. All in all, an excellent package. 

Ratings from the Opinionated Gamers

• I love it! Mark Jackson, Ryan P, Luke H
• I like it.
• Neutral.
• Not for me…