Episode two of the channel’s Masterclass series — Daniel (@dungeondive) re-does Secrets of the Lost Tomb properly after being unhappy with his original walkthrough. The framing thesis: where Warhammer Quest: Silver Tower is a masterclass in efficiency, Lost Tomb is a masterclass in over-abundance — Mr Toad’s Wild Ride meets Indiana Jones by way of Tsui Hark, balanced precariously on the edge of collapsing under its own fiddliness.
The episode threads A. Merritt’s The Face in the Abyss (1923 pulp) through the discussion, then tells the origin story: Daniel walked into Dark Tower Games in Bellingham, Washington, found a game he’d never heard of (Kickstarter had bypassed him), bought it, and ordered every expansion before lunch was over. The game is now firmly out of print but headed for a reprint Kickstarter.
The mechanics tour covers the Eternal Order of Perseus framing, sixteen-plus playable characters with standees that swap to taller models on ascension, the shared action-point economy, the solo-only Harrison Quartermanus the 13th as the deliberate Mary-Sue with 12+ actions per turn, eight base scenarios across the three-level tomb, and a d12 pool resolving fives-and-sixes as successes. Clear-eyed flag, courtesy of Geek Gamers: every female character bar Vampirella has strength 1.
Daniel argues anything can happen at any time is the game’s core illusion. Which games — board or video — have nailed that feeling for you?